Sustainable Transport Hackathon - Call for participants

Do you feel frustrated about the available transportation options for commuting to OIST and traveling around Okinawa? Do you want to find a solution to address this problem? Then join us for the first ever OIST community hackathon aimed at brainstorming sustainable transportation ideas for implementation at OIST and Okinawa!

Register here! (No coding experience needed)

This community hackathon series aims at bringing together OIST members interested in identifying solutions that address a common problem. This is an idea-hacking event that does not require programming experience.

In Hackathon volume 1, participants will work in teams to verbally discuss the problems they have identified, using statistical data as a reference. We will share the statistical data that has been translated and simplified from local Okinawan sources. During the event, teams will have to (1) brainstorm solutions, (2) comparatively analyze pros and cons, (3) design a skeleton of an action plan, and finally (4) pitch their proposals to a committee and the other teams.

Date: 9 June, 2023 (could be split over 2 days depending on the no. of participants)

Time: 1-5 pm

Venue: OIST campus seminar room (TBD)

Important information related to Volume 1

• The problem statement – “How can we promote the efficient use of automobiles and public transportation in OIST by 2025 and Okinawa by 2030?”

• Register for participation using this link by 23:30 on 14th May, 2023!

• We will contact you on 22nd May to share (1) information about team creation and (2) a comprehensive data packet consisting of summarized statistical data about transportation in Okinawa, extracted from the Okinawa Prefectural Government. The statistical data has already been extracted, translated and summarized. Participants can use this data as a reference for verbal discussions.

• After 22nd May, participants have the option to start brainstorming solutions with their teams/individually prior to joining the event.

• On the day/s of the event on 8/9 June, teams will meet in person at OIST to explore their solutions while being guided by the event facilitators and mentors.

The top 3 proposals will be chosen to proceed to Hackathon volume 2 - where the teams will have the opportunity to add more members to their teams, and to validate + iterate their implementation plans via discussions with stakeholders. Throughout these processes, the teams will be mentored by members of OIST Innovation, Lifetime Ventures, and Okinawa Prefectural Government.

At the end of this series, the goal is to collectively propose well drafted solutions and implementation plans to stakeholders – as a community, for our community! So, let’s get together to make a change in the way we think about transportation in Okinawa!

We will share updated schedules and plans after 22^nd May. But, please feel free to reach out to Shivani if you have any questions in the meantime!