The Geological Survey of Israel held its first-ever hackathon, engaging employees in an initiative to establish six major national projects

The hackathon format was inspired by the high-tech world. The event began with a gathering of all staff, during which the Director of the GSI, Professor Zohar Gvirtzman, presented the main objective. Following this, participates split into teams and participated ~25 discussions held in six halls, running in four 45-minute rounds. Each discussion was led by a senior researcher and aimed to define sub-goals and expected outcomes.
The conclusions from the discussions were passed on to six project leaders, who then presented their comprehensive research proposals to the audience and a panel of judges. The panel evaluated the quality of the six collaboratively-developed proposals. These outcomes will shape these national six projects.
Beyond the tangible outcome, the hackathon served as a brainstorming platform that harnessed the collective wisdom of the GSI staff, emeriti, and research scholars. We believe in the combined strength of all staff members and promote a spirit of teamwork, engagement, and contribution.