MUPPS Hausknecht-Buss, Christian Participate in 7th Annual MIT Policy Hackathon
Brian Christian and Steen Hausknecht-Buss, first-year graduate students in the Master of Urban Planning and Policy (MUPP) program at the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA), were announced as the only two selected participants from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) invited to participate in the 2024 MIT Policy Hackathon. The Organizing Committee considers Brian and Steen’s insights, experience, and expertise in urban planning, policy development, and sustainable built-environment to be invaluable in enriching the discussions and contributing to the development of innovative solutions during the hackathon. The MIT Policy Hackathon Organizing Committee are excited to witness the impact that Brian and Steen will create as the “policy-hackers” representing UIC.
The MIT Policy Hackathon is convened by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS) and MIT’s Technology and Policy Program (TPP) which aims to address relevant societal challenges via data and policy analysis. This annual hackathon allows participants to work in teams to develop creative policy solutions to problems posed by governmental and industry partners. Historically, hackathon participants have come from a wide range of backgrounds, from public policy to data science to engineer-ing, and challenges have covered various topics. With plenary session and workshops, similar to a conference in duration, hackathon yields more significant research outcomes, especially as the first in-person conference since the pandemic era.