Great Lakes
Hackathon Challenge

A group of students and researchers gathered around scientific equipment in a research laboratory.CASHPrizesYOUR IDEA COULD BE FEATUREDAT TOURIST ATTRACTIONS ↗
CASH Prizes for top projects.

Join solo or as a team and bring Great Lakes data to life through lights, sound, interactive dashboards, or something entirely new. We want to see your ideas!

Idea Submissions OPEN: Nov 5th.Idea Submissions CLOSE: Dec 3rd.

SCROLL FOR A COOL BREAKDOWN

1/4: At The Surface.

A lake full
of questions.

Across the Great Lakes, scientists and researchers deploy monitoring equipment to observe how the water is changing.

Researchers wearing flotation suits aboard a boat with scientific monitoring equipment.
Research begins with people, equipment, and a question.

Follow the buoy beneath the surface

Yellow monitoring buoy with a solar-panel tower and instruments for collecting lake observations.

2/4: Beneath The Surface.

A different
perspective.

Below the float, scientific instruments help turn the lake’s changing conditions into observations.

3/4: Understanding The Science.

Signals from
the lake.

Buoys equipped with scientific sensors collect measurements such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and indicators of algal activity. These observations help researchers understand how conditions in the Great Lakes change over time.

A shared
freshwater future.

The Great Lakes support millions of people, provide drinking water, and sustain important ecosystems. Pollution, warming temperatures, and harmful algal blooms can threaten their health. Understanding these changes helps scientists and communities make informed decisions.

4/4: How it works

Round 1 - Submit Your Idea

Open To Everyone

Have a creative idea for bringing Great Lakes data to life? We want to hear it!

  • Go solo or team up. Submit individually or with a group.
  • All skills welcome. No coding, design, or technical experience needed.
  • Get creative with real data. Think lights, sound, interactive displays, art, or something entirely new.
  • No prototype required. Just share your idea and how it could work.

10 ideas will be selected to advance to Round Two.

There’s inspiration
to draw from.

Collage of a green illuminated waterfront installation, an electronics controller with lights, and a purple LED display.
Light. Hardware. A new way of seeing.Illustrative inspiration for what data can become.

Round 2 - Bring Your Idea to Life

Build & Showcase

Selected participants get the resources and support to turn their ideas into reality.

  • Receive a project budget. Funding to help build your idea.
  • Access equipment and support. Get the tools and guidance you need.
  • Build your creation. Transform your concept into a working project.
  • Compete for cash prizes. Top projects will receive cash awards.
  • Get featured publicly. Winning creations will become part of public displays at tourist destinations.

Your idea could become something thousands of people experience.

TAKE THE PLUNGE

Your idea could
make waves.

No experience required. Bring your curiosity, work with a team, and create something worth sharing.

CASH Prizes for top projects.

All experience levels welcome.
Your project could be showcased in public displays.

Attend the info session — choose in person or virtual

Choose an in-person or virtual session.
Registration opens on Luma.

YOUR NEXT STEP

Choose your info session.

Join us in person or online.

IN PERSONAttend in personUniversity of WindsorVIRTUALAttend virtual info sessionJoin online

YOUR NEXT STEP

Choose your info session.

Join us in person or online.

IN PERSONAttend in personUniversity of WindsorVIRTUALAttend virtual info sessionJoin online

Registration opens on Luma in a new tab.