Humanitarian Innovation Hackathon

The Humanitarian Innovation Awards Hackathon is an annual event held at the University of Sydney, bringing together students, researchers, and practitioners to tackle humanitarian challenges through innovation and design thinking. The event is supported by a year-round planning committee that meets monthly.

Melanie is a member of the planning committee and has played a visible role in both the Awards and the Hackathon itself. In 2024 she MC'd the Award Presentation, and in 2025 she hosted the live Hackathon Event, a full professional production held on-site at the University of Sydney.

Hosting a live, professionally produced innovation event requires the ability to hold a room, manage energy and timing, bring out the best in participants, and keep a complex program running smoothly under pressure. It is a role that draws on Melanie's facilitation experience, her comfort in front of audiences, and her deep familiarity with the design thinking and innovation processes at the heart of the event.

The Hackathon sits at the intersection of humanitarian purpose and innovation method, which makes it a natural fit with SENSiBiLiZER's broader practice.