From February 6–8, 58 students in the Emerging Scholars Program came together for an intensive and inspiring Hackathon experience. Organized into 12 teams, students spent the weekend investigating a timely and complex question: Who leads — and why does it matter?
This year’s challenge, “Who Leads? Exploring Leadership in Politics and Business,” invited participants to examine gender participation in political and business leadership and its implications for governance and decision-making. Using data from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), teams focused specifically on SDG 5: Gender Equality, and Target 5.5 — ensuring equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life.
The weekend kicked off with a keynote from Shania-Naje Omega, who challenged students to think critically about equity, data, and systems of power. Challenge speaker Kelly Eskew provided additional context and framing to guide the teams as they began their research and analysis. From there, students collaborated to explore global datasets, identify patterns of representation, and develop evidence-based insights into leadership disparities across countries and sectors.
After days of rigorous research and teamwork, two teams emerged as winners. Congratulations to our winners:
Ananya Kondur, Jui Kulkarni, Akshita Kumar, Sarah Lin, Sierra Mar, and Alexandra Medvedeff – Defeating the Myth: Developed Economies Have More Gender Equality
Addison Evilsizor, Anna Kotelnikov, Pritika Nemani, Natalia Polerecky, and Shreya Sendhil – Exploring Women Political and Business Leaders in Barbados
Both teams demonstrated strong analytical skills, compelling storytelling with data, and thoughtful consideration of the broader implications of representation in leadership.
The leadership team includes Michelle Bartley-Taylor, Akesha Horton, Madeleine Gonin, Darling Boateng, Bree Josefy, Taryn Malher, and Samantha Young, with the support of judges Angela Andrews, Emily Fyfe, Erica Kovacs, Christina Ruiz, Matt Josefy, and April Sellers. The event was hosted by the Center of Excellence for Women & Technology in collaboration with the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering and the Kelley School of Business.
More than a competition, the Hackathon served as a space for students to deepen their understanding of global gender equity challenges, strengthen their data analysis skills, and engage in meaningful conversations about leadership and opportunity. We look forward to continuing to support student research that tackles real-world issues with rigor and purpose.
