The SustainFood project (US-Africa Sustainable Food Systems through WEF Nexus Networking) is hosting a Collaborative Learning School (CLS) Hackathon in partnership with the College of Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CSAES) and Al Moutmir at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P). The proposed CLS Hackathon is part of Collaborative Learning Schools (CLS) which aims to address pressing challenges related to the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus in the context of climate change. The CLS Hackathon will foster interdisciplinary collaboration, innovative thinking, and impactful solutions.
Objectives
The primary goal of the CLS Hackathon is to accelerate and promote WEF system solutions in local communities in Morocco. Participants are expected to contribute towards achieving these objectives.
- Engage early career researchers (ECRs) in real-world problem-solving.
- Encourage cross-disciplinary and international collaboration.
- Develop innovative, system-based solutions to WEF challenges.
- Strengthen policy dialogue and community engagement.
Key activities
The CLS Hackathon will bring together diverse early career researchers (ECRs) from Morocco, the US, Europe, and other African countries. ECRs will be selected and placed into teams whereby they work with a selected community to address and solve their WEF challenges. The CLS Hackathon will include both remote and onsite participation by ECRs.
- Focused design and systems thinking and collaborative problem-solving.
- Stakeholder and farmer engagement.
- Field visits and research.
- Policy dialogue and community engagement.
- Scaling WWF nexus solutions from local to regional and national
Key Features of the Hackathon and CLS
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Teams will tackle interdisciplinary research questions using WEF Nexus and systems modeling approaches.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Active involvement of cooperatives, farmers, and policymakers to ensure relevance and impact.
- Capacity Building: Training sessions, webinars, and field visits will enhance participants’ skills and knowledge.
- Policy and Community Impact: Outcomes will be communicated to policymakers and communities, bridging the gap between research and practical application.
Expected Outcomes
- Innovative solutions to WEF Nexus challenges.
- Strengthened networks across institutions and disciplines.
- Policy-relevant insights and actionable recommendations.
- Enhanced capacity of ECRs to address climate-related challenges.
- Sustainable partnerships for future collaborative efforts.
Timeline
March – April 2025: Call for Applications and Team Selection
May 12-17, 2025 or May 19-24, 2025: Field Immersion (site visit in Morocco for teams to respective communities) includes field visits to project sites for a practical understanding of WEF challenges, and an orientation session for participants and mentors
July – November 2025: Project Development and Capacity-Building. Teams will work remotely with mentors to refine and advance project ideas. Workshops, webinars and knowledge sharing, covering both technical Nexus aspects and entrepreneurship will be organized to provide additional learning
December 2025: In Morocco – Team solution validation on the ground before the CLS Hackathon to test proposed solutions and evaluate their feasibility with stakeholders. A two-day event where teams will present their project results. Final CLS Hackathon and Outcomes. Deliverables will be shared with policymakers and stakeholders. Writing workshops will assist in finalizing manuscripts and reports.
Over this period the CLS Hackathon will include three broad phases:
- Phase 1: Submit a problem statement problem identification document and proposed solution.
- Phase 2: Create a business model around the problem statement.
- Phase 3: Design a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
All costs for participating in the CLS Hackathon will be covered, but salaries will not. Final selection and invitations will be made by April 15.
We are inviting applications from passionate early career researchers (at minimum PhD in process with Masters completed, or early career researchers up to 5 years after PhD was granted) from the US or Africa with research or activities directly related to WEF Nexus themes. Applications from EU are also welcome, provided applicants secure outside funding. We encourage professional and student applications from a broad set of different disciplines (biophysical, social sciences, computer and data sciences, engineering, and others).
Learn More here: https://sustainfood.psu.edu/morocco/