UNICC & Columbia SPS Think-a-Thon

The Columbia University School of Professional Studies is collaborating with the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC) to bring students and alumni together to help advance human welfare and confront the great challenges of our time.

We invite students and alumni of Columbia University, along with their teams, to join the UNICC & Columbia SPS Think-A-Thon to propose solutions for challenges presented by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants will form multidisciplinary teams of 3–5 individuals and select a challenge prompt in one of the following categories:

1. Disaster Preparedness
2. Gender Equality
3. Cybersecurity

Think-a-Thon Goals: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Communication, Presentation

• Heightened Awareness of Global Challenges and Priorities
• Capacity Building for Sustainable Development Decision Making
• Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration of Diverse Perspectives for New Thinking

Register here.

Why Participate?

Selected finalists will have the opportunity to present their solutions to UNICC experts.

Award Compensation:
1st Place⁠–⁠$3,000
2nd Place⁠–⁠$2,000
Audience Choice⁠–⁠$1,000

• Work on a real-world solution to a global issue with a mentor/ subject matter expert from the UNICC, UNDP, and/ or UN Women
• Network with a cross-functional team from the UNICC and learn about the organization
• Use live data sourced by the UNICC to hone in on your analytical skills
• Collaborate and network with Columbia University colleagues across academic programs
• Strengthen your resume with project experience that makes a positive global impact

Timelines

June 3: Submissions Open for the Think-a-Thon!
July 8: Application Submission Deadline
July 13: Final Teams and Mentors are Announced
July 14–August 13: Final teams will be offered mentorship to refine their proposal and final presentations
August 13: Submit Final Presentations for Judges Review
August 24: Think-a-Thon Competition and Award Ceremony

Participation and Submission Guidelines

Phase 1: Application Submissions, July 3-July 8

• Step 1: Form a Team
  • A team can be a minimum of 3 individuals and a maximum of 5.
  • At least one individual per team must be an SPS student or graduate.
  • Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.
  • Individuals without a Columbia University affiliation are invited to participate.
  • Individuals without a team will have the opportunity to apply to join existing teams or create their own team after creating a profile.
• Step 2: Select a Challenge

  Choose one of three Challenge prompts provided and prepare your proposal using the Evaluation Criteria provided.

  • Disaster Preparedness
  • Gender Equality
  • Cybersecurity

• Step 3: Submit Your Proposal

  Proposal submissions will be accepted from June 3 to July 8, 2021 (5:00 p.m. ET). The selection committee will review submissions, and between July 1st and ⁠July 8th, final teams will be selected to move to the next round of the competition. Application Submission Requirements All submissions must be entered by July 8th at 5 p.m. ET. The final teams will be announced on July 13th.

  • Individual participant information
  • Team name
  • Completed submission form
  • Statement of interest (abstract should be no more than 250 words)Proposal: All teams must read challenge prompts carefully and address them to complete your proposal *optional upload of supporting documents

  Deadline: July 8, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. ET

Phase 2: Final Teams & Mentors Announced, July 13

• Overview

  Finalists will be matched to individual mentors/coaches from the UNICC, UNDP, and United Nations (UN) Women, who will provide guidance and support. The order of final team presentations for the competition will also be announced at this time. Phase 3: Mentorship for Final Teams, July 14–⁠August 13 All final teams will be offered mentorship to refine their proposal and final presentations. Final Teams Submission Requirements All final teams must submit the following by August 13, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. ET:

  • • Team name
    • Presenters’ names
    • Three static slides in PowerPoint or Google Slide format

  All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges between August 13 and August 24

  Think-a-Thon Competition and Award Ceremony, August 24 All final teams will present their solutions to a live audience. Judges will offer feedback, the audience will select their favorite team, and the challenge winners will be announced.

• Presentation Requirements
  • 5 minutes maximum presentation per team, followed by additional time for Q&A.
  • The 5-minute time limitation will be strictly enforced. All teams will be asked to stop promptly at this time.
  • Teams must use the slides submitted on August 13, 2021. Teams are not permitted to present any edits to the slides submitted on August 13th.
• Competition Categories
  Challenge 1: Disaster Preparedness
  It is well-documented that both the direct and secondary impacts of COVID-19 have been catastrophic in nature. Extreme poverty is set to rise for the first time in three decades, and other human development indicators suggest similar levels of deterioration. Recovery and reversal of these trends will require significant strategic planning on the part of development actors, financiers, and recipient governments. Given the above, we need better information and reporting on the manner in which COVID-19 has impacted vulnerable populations around the world. To frame your challenge proposal you may consider specific countries/regions. Please consider the following questions carefully:

  • • What are the secondary impacts of COVID-19 in developing contexts?
    • What data sources provide the best insight on the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations?
    • How has COVID-19 uniquely impacted impoverished communities?
    • How might these impacts persist in a post-COVID-19 landscape?
    • How has COVID-19 uniquely impacted humanitarian crises?
    • How might these impacts persist in a post-COVID-19 landscape?
    • What were the impacts of COVID-19 on gender?
    • How might these impacts persist in a post-COVID-19 landscape?
    • How has COVID-19 impacted progress related to the Sustainable Development Goals?
    • How has COVID-19 impacted progress regarding climate change?

   

  Challenge 2: Gender Equality
  Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation that tragically affects millions around the world. It manifests itself in physical, sexual, and psychological forms. Globally, 243 million women and girls aged 15–⁠49 years old have been subject to sexual and/or physical violence during the last 12 months. COVID-19 is threatening to undo any progress toward reducing violence against women; on the contrary, it has heightened the issue. For every three months the lockdown continues, an additional 15 million women are expected to be affected by violence. The threat for women goes beyond their homes; they experience violence in the streets, online, and in a variety of settings.

  Use the following prompts to develop your challenge proposal:

  • • How can we use data and technology to address violence against women during and beyond COVID-19? Response
    • How can we integrate administrative data from different sectors (i.e. health, police) to support survivors, during a health pandemic and beyond, in a timely and safe manner?
    • How can we incentivize reporting of different forms of violence when they occur in diverse settings (i.e. home, public spaces, online)?
      Prevention
    • How can we promote bystander approaches and community support to women and girl survivors of violence during lockdown restrictions?
    • How can we leverage educational institutions to change discriminatory beliefs about violence against women (power inequalities)?
    • What is the potential use of social media data to shed light on what factors are impacting men’s and boys’ attitudes and beliefs toward violence against women and gender equality?

   

  Challenge 3: Cybersecurity
  Efforts to identify, understand, and address the risks that arise from our reliance on the internet are insufficient and often reactive, rather than proactive. Attempts to manage cybersecurity are constrained by outdated organizational and institutional frameworks, outpaced by new technologies used by malicious actors, and subject to the significant challenge of collaborating across public and private sectors. Use the following prompts to develop your challenge proposal Participants can focus on Regulatory, Policymaking and/or Technological solutions in areas such as:

  1. 1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
     2. Personal data
     3. Automatic decision making
     4. Victims of data breaches

   

  Please consider the following questions carefully:

  • What are the risks that arise when trying to solve the problem? Please focus on risks that are attributable to cybersecurity specifically.
  • Who is the stakeholder you are trying to protect in this situation? e.g. individuals, large organizations, and small company
  • What are the problems these stakeholders encounter?
  • How can we identify, understand, and address the risks that arise from our reliance on the internet in the COVID-19 era?
  • As INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES are being pushed to digitally transform and embrace technology because of remote work/collaboration, what cybersecurity measures should be deployed globally?
  • What open source tools/frameworks/ or enhancements can increase the cyber security posture of organizations and individuals in the COVID-19 era?
• Evaluation Criteria
  Criteria 1⁠–⁠5 will be the framework that judges will use to evaluate your submission proposal resulting in the selection of final teams.
  Criteria 1⁠–⁠6 will be the framework to evaluate final team presentations resulting in the selection of challenge winners.CATEGORY 1: CLARITY & INNOVATION OF SOLUTIONTo what extent does the team’s proposed solution appear to solve the problem and deliver value, in comparison to existing alternatives? How does it improve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)? Does the solution demonstrate strategic thinking and/or incorporate key performance indicators to measure success?CATEGORY 2: SOCIAL IMPACTWhich Sustainable Development Goals does the solution impact? How many people and communities are affected by the problem(s), and how severe are the adverse impacts? How does this solution affect the countries in varied economic settings: Low Development Countries/ Global South (Challenge 1&2), Developed Countries (Challenge 3). Are social responsibilities addressed in the implementation and execution of the solution? How will this be an effective value-add to community stakeholders?CATEGORY 3: CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS & FINANCIAL FORECAST

  What are the fixed, variable, periodic expenses? What is the cost-benefit analysis of the project? How sustainable is the solution for the long-term and who are the long-term financial contributors?

  CATEGORY 4: OPERATIONAL & TECHNOLOGICAL VIABILITY

  How innovative is the solution in its use of new or existing technology? What role will technology have in improving the value chain? How is data leveraged to inform the solution from conception to execution?

  CATEGORY 5: FEASIBILITY & SUSTAINABILITY

  How actionable is this solution within the Humanitarian/International Development/United Nations setting? Are there regulatory hurdles? How long will it take to develop? Are key milestones identified? Who are the key partners who will help sustain the project?

  CATEGORY 6: PRESENTATION CRITERIA⁠–⁠FINAL TEAMS ONLY

  Presentation Delivery: Tone, Speed, Articulation, Engagement, Presentation, and Content:
  Did the presenters deliver their solution in an articulate, engaging, and clear manner?
  Did the slides enhance the presentation? Were they clear, concise, and compelling?
  Did the presenters offer well-prepared responses during Q&A?