Impact
Feedback from 2023
“Being a Computer Science grad it never happens to look at things from a humanitarian perspective. That is something which I found really cool here.”
“The humanity focus and mix of participants made it more than just a tech conference.”
“It’s really nice that we are helping people through the knowledge we have.”
Feedback from 2022
“First, a big THANK YOU for asking me to be a judge at the Hacks for Humanity event. I really enjoyed it, and found it to be amazingly well organized. I also learned a lot about what the next generations are bringing to solve world problems. I was very impressed with the quality and creativity of most of the hack ideas.”
“The schedule and break from things is nice. Often in other hackathons, I tend to not have the time to attend other events or workshops because I’m stuck in the code. I like that there isn’t much of an emphasis [on the technical aspects], but more of an emphasis on the story telling of the project.”
“I really liked how there was a lot of attention to taking a holistic approach to problems rather than just technical. As an engineer it was really refreshing. This was also a SUPER organized event, and I appreciated it.”
Feedback from 2021
“[Hacks for Humanity] lets everyone participate with no coding or very little coding experience .”
“This is a really good activity. It is an opportunity to challenge ourselves, learn different things which we hadn’t explored earlier, learning from workshops, peer groups, mentors and research. I wish all the best to continue this event every year……”
“Connecting people from different backgrounds is a good idea as people with different skill sets are complementary to each other.”
Feedback from 2020
“[Even though I am a high schooler], I most definitely felt that my ideas and skills were valued and my teammates were really nice.”
“I liked that it centered on bringing people from all industries together.”
“I think pairing everyone in different groups was pretty great. Not only does it allow everyone to meet new people, but it really shifts the focus of the hackathon to actually building real solutions.”
Feedback from 2019
“I left behind doubt, limitations, fear of yoga, great memories…and lots of rich soil where the seeds of new friendships sprouted. I will treasure the experience.”
“I signed up to volunteer, but became very intrigued over what the students/participants were working on that I found myself moving from table to table, mentoring.”
Feedback from 2018
“The theme of the hackathon is unique. It helps build solutions which benefit the humanity as a whole.”
“The diversity was amazing. High energy, friendliness, and no need to be high tech to contribute.”
Feedback from 2017 and Before
”The momentum from Hacks for Humanity does not stop once the winning team claims their prize. Hacks for Humanity has generated significant change within the lives of several of our participants. Perhaps the best example of this event’s sheer transformative power has been demonstrated through the continuing success of our 2014 winning team, ARKHumanity, who created a system designed to identify specific tweets containing key phrases that are frequently used by people in crisis who risk self-harming. Since their group’s formation and victory at the Hacks for Humanity hackathon, they have gone on to win various social enterprise competitions, have participated in major conferences, and have launched their own business called HumanityX. This team continues to lead the way in improving humanity through creative new technologies.“
– Dr. Neal A. Lester, Director, Project Humanities
“Participation from a diverse group of people in a platform such as Hacks for Humanity creates a paradigm shift in technology development, giving everyday people the power to co-build the ‘next big thing’ that may affect our lives.”
– Pat Pataranutaporn, inaugural hackathon participant, ASU Biology Major, and Humanity X co-founder
“It was a pleasure to meet you [Dr. Lester] and to attend Hacks for Humanity 2015. Thank you for all the support and idea sharing with my team and all the others. You maintained truly impressive energy, enthusiasm, and generosity throughout the entire marathon, and I appreciate it. Also, the Dickinson quote you recited to team 21 toward the close of the event was an uplifting and unexpected treat. I wish I could remember the exact quote, but after 30+ hours, my brain couldn’t hold any more information. On the upside, being unable to recall it allowed me the guilty pleasure of spending time online reviewing Dickinson’s work hoping to find it. I’m already thinking about ideas for future products/hackathons thanks to this. If there’s any way I can support future endeavors, please reach out.”