ENCE
Deadline for application for the 2022 Hackathon has been extended until September 21
September 20, 2022 10h00 AM | Last Updated: September 20, 2022 09h54 PM
Applications for the 2022 UN Big Data Hackathon have been extended until next Wednesday, September 21. The event will be held between November 8 and 11 in Indonesia, but those selected will be able to participate virtually or in person at the headquarters of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), in Rio de Janeiro.
According to data scientist João Victor Pacheco Dias, member of the Data Rockstars team, second-placed in the 2021 edition, it is a great opportunity to be part of Hackathon. “The challenge itself is very rewarding, fun and helpful to one’s career path, in terms of both experience and professional maturity.
Hackathon is aimed at the generation of ideas and solutions that can help countries reach Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and work as facilitators in the resolution of global challenges. It is organized by the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD) with support from the UN Big Data Regional Hub in Brazil, the National School of Statistical Sciences (ENCE), academic branch of the IBGE.
Andrea Diniz, coordinator of this project, says “the Regional Hub in Brazil has the objective of promoting the use of big data to improve official statistical production and the Hackathon is an important occasion for us to go that way.”
Click here toregister or copy and paste the link https://input.un.org/EFM/se/3995D1A40525E4CE on your browser:
Brazil stood out in 2021
Last year, Hackathon had 76 teams, with more than 250 participants from 33 countries. Brazil, with eight teams, stood out among Latin American representatives, against Mexico, with two teams, and Bolivia, with one. The topic was the impact of Covid-19 on the SDG
Brazilian Data Rockstars were second-placed. Among its four members is data scientist dados João Victor Pacheco Dias, 32, an ex- ENCE student.
He says his background in the school was a source of inspiration. “What inspired me the most was the history of some beloved professors who are major figures in the history of Brazilian and international statistics. It is a challenge to make decisions that have such an impact on the lives of so many people.”
According to João Victor, who has taken part in four editions of the event, participants should be willing to win. “Once you are in a competition, you should have victory as a clear objective. Choosing your team members and activities carefully, as well as having a schedule for each step, is essential,” he advises.
IBGE is part of the organizing team
IBGE’s Data Processing employee Patrícia Zamprogno represents the Regional Hub in the organizing team and has had meetings with the organizing committee since March 2022.
A contributor to the project UN Big Data Regional Hub in Brazil, she says the IBGE is preparing to welcome the participants in its facilities. “because this is a programming marathon, we need to know how our technological infrastructure will respond to this big number of people, that is, challenges will range between guaranteeing high-quality local network and having enough plugs for participants’ computers.
In 2021, Patricia Zamprogno was in the jury and graded six projects. “As a member of the jury, I had to assess how innovative the projects were and if the solution proposed was in accordance with the topic of the event. I also assessed the quality of each presentation, I mean, if teams cold really prove their idea was relevant for the visualization of Covid-19 impacts to monitor the SDG.
Ms. Zamprogno considers that everyone has gained knowledge during the competition. “I’ve realized every team made an effort to learn new data analysis tools and worked hard in terms of team cooperation. I also learned a lot from them and, of course, it is always good to be updated regarding technological innovations.”
Click here for further information on the 2022 edition of UN Big Data Hackathon or copy and paste the link on your browser: https://unstats.un.org/bigdata/events/2022/hackathon
