Tech Solutions to Reduce Sexually Transmitted Infections

This is an in-person ONLY event (the is NO virtual option for competitors).
REGISTRATION is now CLOSED. If you register now the organizers will not see your registration (and registration is required to compete). 

• Each first place Hackathon winning team: $20,000 grant.


• Each second place Hackathon winning team: $5,000 grant.


• In addition, two $5,000 YouTube Health Innovation Prizes will be awarded.


• All winning teams will have the opportunity to contribute to "NAM (National Academy of Medicine) Perspectives," a health periodical that provides a venue for leading health, medical, science, and policy experts.

About the challenge

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a longstanding problem in the United States, with persistently high, increasing, and now record-level rates of reported cases. One important area to explore to prevent and control STIs is technology and new media. Much has changed in the technology and media landscape in the past two decades that has had an impact on STI prevention, screening, and treatment. Technological tools, including artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics approaches, are rapidly changing STI intervention efforts.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), will host a 2-day in-person hackathon to generate innovative solutions to address the increase in STIs in the United States.

Hackathon Winners will have their winning solutions featured on a website for the event and/or promoted on NAS social media accounts for NAS tax-exempt purposes.  

The event will have two competition tracks for solution development: 

• Data analytics 


• AI (artificial intelligence) powered software solutions

Competing teams (of 2-4 members) will develop a prototype that is functional with real or sample data. If you do not have a team, we will pair you up with other competitiors who do not have a team. The event is open to all, including academia, philanthropy, private industry, students, and early to late career professionals.

Event Details 

Join us on June 22 (11:00am – 9:00pm PT) – June 23 (8:00am – 4:30pm PT), at the Beckman Center in Irvine, CA. All sectors are welcome to apply to compete, including academia, philanthropy, and private industry. 

Experts will be available at the hackathon, and we encourage competitors to seek advice and guidance from the mentors and organizers who will be available throughout the event as you develop your solution and final presentation pitch. 

For the final presentations on Friday afternoon, each team will have 5 minutes to pitch, followed by up to 5 minutes of Q&A from the judges. After the last team has pitched, judges will deliberate, and winners will be announced at the end of the event. 

The event agenda is avilable here. Additional resources (judge bios, STI primer, and a description of the judging criteria are available on the resources tab). 

Mentors at the event: 

• Catherine Diamond, Clinical Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCI Health; Researcher, Genetic Epidemiology Research Institution


• Abraham Johnson, HIV Program Manager, Treatment Action Group


• Elizabeth (Lizzi) Torrone, Lead, Case-based Surveillance Team, Surveillance & Data Science Branch, Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


• Sean Young, Professor of Emergency Medicine; UCI School of Medicine; Professor of Informatics, UCI Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences; Executive Director, University of California Institute for Prediction Technology 
  

Frequently asked questions

Will photos and videos be taken during the event?

Photographs and/or videos may be taken over the course of the STI Hackathon. By entering and attending the STI Hackathon, you acknowledge and agree that your likeness may be included in photos and videos of the event and used by the National Academies in connection with communications about the STI Hackathon or in other National Academies communications.

Does the STI Hackathon cost money to participate in?

No!  Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, the event is free for all participants. However, registration is limited and travel expenses and accommodations are not covered by the National Academies (we do have a limited hotel room block available, contact us to learn more at [email protected]). 

What if I have other questions?

To submit a question, please send an email to [email protected] with the Subject line “Question – STI Hackathon.” Staff will respond to you within three business days if your question has not been answered on this posting.

About the organizer: 

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provide independent, objective advice to inform policy with evidence, spark progress and innovation, and confront challenging issues for the benefit of society. Learn more here.

June 22, 2023 - June 23, 2023

National Academies

100 Academy Wy, Irvine, CA 92617, USA

$10,000