Public health emergencies require rapid decision-making, often with incomplete and evolving information. A new practice report published by the NYC Preparedness & Recovery Institute (PRI) in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice examines how hackathons can generate tools that combine quantitative data with qualitative insights from communities.
The article, Narrative 2 Numbers (N2N): Leveraging a Hackathon Approach to Generate Ideas and Approaches for Using Mixed Methods to Strengthen Public Health Preparedness and Response, describes PRI’s Narrative 2 Numbers (N2N) Hackathon and presents a replicable model for public health organizations.
The report was authored by Tara F. Abularrage (PRI), Lauren C. Houghton (Columbia Mailman), Eden Shaveet (Cornell Tech), Analee J. Etheredge (NYC DDOHMH), Elizabeth A. Kelvin (PRI and CUNY SPH), Shannon Ball (Cardiff University), Jeff Goldsmith (PRI and Columbia Mailman), Bashar Makhay (PRI), Mitch Stripling (PRI), and Jeanette A. Stingone (PRI and Columbia Mailman).
Held in October 2025, the one-day hackathon challenged interdisciplinary teams to develop mixed-methods solutions addressing priority hazards identified in New York City’s 2024 Jurisdictional Risk Assessment.
Roughly 20 staff/mentors and 54 “hackers” with interdisciplinary backgrounds in public health, data science, epidemiology, engineering, computer science, and qualitative research participated. Participants formed 11 teams and developed projects that included community voice-reporting systems, social sentiment dashboards, outbreak-detection tools, and platforms connecting community input with rapid public health response. Learn more about the teams and their projects in our N2N Hackathon event recap.
Key Findings
- Hackathons can rapidly generate public health solutions. Teams developed context-specific approaches to preparedness challenges within a single day.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration matters. The strongest teams combined technical, public health, and qualitative research expertise.
- Mixed methods can support more equitable decisions. Incorporating community experiences helped teams move beyond conventional surveillance and consider the needs of populations most affected by emergencies.
- Follow-up can sustain innovation. Several teams continued developing their projects, presenting their work, and forming new collaborations after the event.
The report suggests that intentionally designed hackathons can foster rapid innovation, interdisciplinary learning, and community-centered approaches to public health emergency preparedness and response.
Read the full article in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice.