MacChangers help address COVID-19 challenges in Hamilton

Is there a way to rebalance heavily-used city sidewalks for proper physical distancing?

Can we reimagine the customer retail experience in an environment defined by COVID-19?

How can the city’s farmers’ market quickly create a more efficient system to sell and distribute food to counter a COVID-related drop in customers?

What will help the city’s public transit system operate efficiently while still implementing physical distancing?

These are real challenges facing our community. This week, more than 140 McMaster students will be spending five days working together to figure out some answers.

The MacChangers Change-a-Thon, a free, week-long virtual program, brings together teams of students from all faculties and levels of study to brainstorm, share insights and help community groups find ways to meet some key challenges.

“We quickly pivoted to build a summer program that provides students with a meaningful experience,” says Cam Churchill, director of the program and an assistant professor in civil engineering.

“Students now, more than ever, want to connect with their community and offer support. This Change-a-Thon will do just that.”

The team’s community relations co-ordinators, Abbie Little and Jay Carter, have been consulting with community members to hear about the challenges they are facing.

“Through our community conversations, we’ve identified four key areas our community members need support with,: digital technology, food, mobility, and supporting local businesses.” — Abbie Little.

During the Change-a-thon, students will work on projects that encompass the four themes, partnering with representatives from organizations including the Hamilton Farmers Market, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB), Downtown Hamilton BIA and the City of Hamilton’s sustainable transportation group.

One of the projects will be to help the Hamilton Farmers’ Market come up with solutions to help increase customers during COVID-19, including finding ways to help vendors efficiently and cost-effectively package and distribute their food, and developing a possible e-commerce platform to allow for curbside pickup or grocery shipping.

All students will form teams, research their challenge area and propose a solution during the first four days of the Change-a-thon. On the fifth and final day, they will pitch their ideas via video to faculty members, prospective McMaster University students, and the broader City of Hamilton community.

Upon completion, students will receive a digital credential and will have gained valuable problem-solving, decision-making and teamwork skills.

“This program is unique as it brings together students from all faculties to learn from each other and collaborate in new ways,” says Ishwar Puri, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. “I look forward to seeing how students will contribute positively to the Hamilton community using innovative and creative thinking.”

More than 350 students applied to the program, currently in its pilot year.

MacChangers is run jointly by the Faculty of Engineering and the Office of Community Engagement and is open to students from all faculties.