According to a study by Pew Research Center, 95% of Americans have a phone, and 77% are smartphones. This means that at almost all moments of the day, the majority of people have access to instant information. This presents an excellent opportunity for Public Health workers to promote healthier lifestyles.
Apps like The American Cancer Society’s ‘Exercise Counts Calculator’ are growing in number. Additionally, web applications like PULSE (Patient Unified Lookup System for Emergencies), used in environmental disasters to enable disaster healthcare volunteers to access important information, are on the rise. These examples show how technology-entwined the field of Public Health is becoming. A huge part of the field focuses on the widespread promotion of healthier lifestyles, and technology has become the fastest and most efficient method of communication.
Another aspect of technology that is crucial to the advancement of Public Health is data. With the rise of big data, it is easier than ever to collect huge amounts of information on virtually any health related topic. The real question once we have this information is how to interpret it, which heavily relies on computational support. Programming languages like SQL and R gives us the means to store and analyze this data.
This is why getting even a general background in some aspects of technology will ultimately benefit your career in Public Health. While computer science is often considered a field that is hard to access, one way to get involved and gain experience is through events called hackathons.
The name ‘hackathon’ sounds a little intimidating and is rather misleading. You do not hack anything at a hackathon. Instead, you are tasked with creating some kind of technological project within the period you are at the event, which are generally between 24-48 hours. Although this seems like a lot of time to be working on a project, you will not be coding the entire time. During the period there are numerous workshops and activities to attend.
On February 8th-9th, UMass Amherst will be hosting Hack(H)er413, the first all-woman and nonbinary student hackathon in western Massachusetts. This is a great opportunity to take a step into tech. Many students are under the impression that hackathons are events for high-level coders, but this definitely not the case. The program at Hack(H)er413 consists of two tracks: beginner and beginner++. The beginner track is perfect for first-time coders or experienced coders who want to learn something new. In addition to this, we will have a team of mentors ready to help you with your project if you hit a wall. Hackathons are not just for Computer Science students.
So what can you learn at a hackathon? Last year at Hack(H)er413, students were introduced in a workshop to the basics of web design in HTML and CSS, given examples to try on their own. In a discussion panel, organizers and attendees discussed the issues of marginalized communities in the workforce and participants shared their own experiences and advice. This year, we have tons of similar workshops and panels planned. The ultimate goal of Hack(H)er413 is to create a fun and supportive environment of learning. And it is free!
Make sure to submit your application for Hack(H)er413 at https://www.hackher413.com/ by December 31st. If you do not identify as a woman or non-binary, definitely check out the other campus hackthon HackUMass that will be taking place next fall!
For specific questions, feel free to reach out:
Corinne Greene, Co-Head of Outreach for Hack(H)er413
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