Pitt Cyber partners with The Grefenstette Center for Ethics in Science, Technology, and Law at Duquesne University, The Sara Fine Institute at Pitt’s School of Computing and Information, CARVt at Pitt and Carnegie Mellon University, The Center for Informed Democracy and Social-cybersecurity Research Group at Carnegie Mellon University, and the Community College of Allegheny County to host Hacking4Humanity each year to encourage students to engage with real-world social problems that can be improved with novel technical and policy solutions.
Pitt Cyber launched Hacking4Humanity in 2019 to bring student innovation and energy to seemingly intractable problems. We wanted to expand the notion of a hackathon, recognizing that tech “solutions” in isolation of social context often lead nowhere or have unintended consequences. Hacking4Humanity encourages multidisciplinary collaboration, submissions including and beyond tech, and an emphasis on ethical considerations.
Beginning in 2023, this collaboration has brough Pitt, Duquesne, CMU, and CCAC students together in a hybrid tech and policy hackathon. Hacking4Humanity 2026 will challenge students with the topic of Confronting AI Injustice, Creating Ethical Futures.
Undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled at Pittsburgh-area universities are eligible to participate. Students compete in teams of 1-4 people in either a tech or policy track.
No hackathon experience or tech background is necessary. Come with a team or meet potential teammates via the registration process.
The 2026 Hackathon will take place with the kickoff event on February 6th and end on February 20th. To learn more and register, visit here.