Hack Disaster 2024: results of an exciting hackathon for FSU and KNU students

From November 12 to 16, 2024, the “Hack Disaster” hackathon brought together students from two leading universities — the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU) and Florida State University (FSU).

This year’s theme focused on a pressing challenge: How might we assess building damage and estimate the cost of reconstruction remotely using advanced technologies?

The hackathon was organized with the support of Hackathon Expert, FSU Innovation Hub, and the universities themselves — KNU and FSU. This unique event provided an opportunity for students from both universities to combine their knowledge, experience, and ideas.

Participation and Results

A total of 62 students registered for the hackathon, and 49 participants made it to the finals, forming 10 interdisciplinary teams. The teams were intentionally mixed, including members from both universities, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange across borders.

Over the course of the event, the participants showcased innovative solutions that leveraged cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, computer vision, and data management, to address the challenge of disaster management.

One of the interesting challenges of the hackathon was the six-hour time difference between Kyiv and Florida. Teams, consisting of participants from both continents, had to adapt to different schedules to coordinate their work effectively. For students in Kyiv, this meant morning brainstorming sessions, while their counterparts in Florida worked late into the evening.

Despite this time barrier, participants managed to organize their workflow so that no idea or critical step was overlooked. As one participant noted:

“The time difference initially seemed like a challenge, but it eventually became an advantage — we worked almost around the clock, passing the baton to each other as we progressed on the project.”

This not only taught the teams flexibility but also demonstrated how effective communication and task distribution can overcome even temporal barriers.

During the hackathon, teams presented innovative solutions utilizing cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, computer vision, and data management.

The judges unanimously awarded the highest score to the team ClearSight Disaster Suite.
Team members: Calen Sims, Kathleen Ticer, Ethan Long, Dariia Kravchuk, Kyrylo Bonduryansky, Farhana Taiyebah.

The team developed and showcased a computer vision-based system for assessing building damage after destruction. Their project demonstrates the incredible potential of modern technologies to assist communities during crisis situations.
Here are some highlights from their presentation and their impressions of the event.

Calen Sims, a member of the winning team and Project Manager/System Architect, shared his impressions:

Farhana Taiyebah shared her experience of participating in Hack Disaster:

Kathleen Ticer noted:

Students from KNU, Dariia Kravchuk and Kyrylo Bonduryansky, shared their impressions:

Other teams highlighted the high level of organization and the invaluable support from mentors. The impressions shared by participants underscore the importance of such events for personal and professional growth. Yuliia Andreieva, a member of the team Phoenix Rising, noted:

“Thanks to everyone who was a participant or one of the organizers of this hackathon. It was my first hackathon and it left an unforgettable impression. Yes, we had some misunderstandings in the team and, of course, there was not enough time, but by working diligently we reached the finals. If it weren’t for the advice of experts and the support of other people, I don’t think it would have been so possible. I really liked the organization of this event and the people here”

Yuliia Andreieva, developer (Pheonix Rising)

Her teammate and team captain Kirill Krocha supported Yulia’s words and noted that

“I absolutely agree with Yuliia and her thoughts on this hackathon, as it was my first event of this kind as well.”

Kirill Krocha, team captain, developer (Pheonix Rising)

We cannot fail to mention our facilitators, mentors, and judges of this event. It is thanks to their passion, dedication, and desire to teach that the hackathon became possible.

Traditionally the mentoring and judging of the hackathon was carried out by a long-time friend of Hackathon Expert — Valerii Krygin, Senior CV/ML Engineer (inVerita).
He noted that:

To sum up, Hack Disaster became not only a bridge for cultural exchange between students but also an effective platform for sharing experiences and skills.

We are very grateful for the help in organizing and holding this event to our colleagues from Florida State University and Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv in particular:

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See you at future events from HACKATON EXPERT 🙂