Hacking Equity

The Challenge: Engaging Future Change Leaders in Policy

We know COVID-19 affected populations inequitably, hitting vulnerable communities especially hard. We also know that young people—given the right tools and knowledge—change the world for the better.

That’s why RAND Corporation, through its NextGen Initiative, and Pardee RAND Graduate School partnered with the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Consortium—Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College—to offer the RAND–AUC Consortium Tech and Public Policy Hackathon.

This unique virtual hackathon, designed by the Pardee RAND Tech + Narrative Lab, teamed AUC undergraduates with Pardee RAND graduate students and challenged them to identify promising policy solutions for a more equitable recovery from the pandemic.

How Was This Hackathon Different?

Hackathons are designed to bring teams together to solve problems.

This hackathon, by connecting emerging leaders of color with experienced policy analysts and doctoral candidates, allowed for a wide range of fresh insights and creative explorations, while deepening undergraduate students’ understanding of policy. The program followed in the footsteps of the Pardee RAND Faculty Leaders Program, which aims to build diversity in the field of public policy.

Mentored by RAND researchers, the undergraduate and graduate students used large datasets to identify social issues and explore promising policy solutions for a more equitable recovery from the pandemic. In mid-November, the teams shared their final presentations to a panel of judges, who declared two winners. Undergraduates from the winning teams were treated to a hosted lunch and included in a recap video that is being developed for sharing on social media.

Who's Involved?

Student Teams

Two dozen AUC students participated, representing a wide range of interests and goals. Their majors include political science, engineering, cybersecurity, sociology, and more. Their aspirations include a variety of careers, including criminal defense attorney, AI developer, public health physician, cultural anthropologist, and climate change engineer.

They were joined by doctoral candidates in the policy analysis program at Pardee RAND who come from a variety of disciplines. Pardee RAND Ph.D students pursue research across a wide range of policy issues, including health policy, education, environmental equity, technological equity, and more.