Arts student bring user perspective to hackathon on water, climate and space technology
For three days in August, students from different academic backgrounds at Aarhus University gathered at Kitchen to develop solutions to climate challenges using data from space. Kajsa Holm Bic, a Digital Design student at the Department of Communication and Culture, took part in the hackathon. She helped ensure that a user-centred perspective was given priority in the prototype developed by her team.
The invitation to Water from Space: Hackathon on Water, Climate and Space Technology stated that students with an interest in climate, space technology, sustainability or innovation would have the opportunity to work in interdisciplinary teams on real-world challenges related to water and climate and develop new ideas. It also emphasised in bold that the workshop was open to students from all academic backgrounds.
Even so, only one student from Arts took part.
Her name is Kajsa Holm Bic, and she is in her fifth semester of Digital Design.
- I had never worked with data from space before, and I didn’t know any of the other students. But I wanted to gain interdisciplinary experience – and that’s exactly what I got. I ended up on a team with students from Physics, Data Science and Mechanical Engineering, she says.
Prototype: a user-friendly app
Kajsa Holm Bic’s team worked on some of the challenges that arise during extreme flooding. Their idea was to develop a platform for emergency services that could help them plan and make the best use of available resources.
The platform would, for example, collect data from satellites monitoring where the water is reaching and the elevation of the affected area. The result was a prototype app that allows the relevant authorities or organisations to access the information extracted from the data.
- They can also enter their own information, and the app then helps them develop solutions and plans. We were the group that focused most on saving people. I kept insisting that we should think about the product and remember the users’ perspective when developing the prototype.
Valuable, real-world experience
At first, taking part as the only student from the humanities was, in Kajsa Holm Bic’s own words, “really scary”. Looking back, however, she describes the experience as highly valuable. She also feels that she made a clear contribution through her academic background and skills.
- I contributed the humanities perspective. I thought about what product we should create, what problem we were trying to solve, who would use it – and what their needs were, says Kajsa Holm Bic.
And she would do it again if given the opportunity.
- I learned a lot about what I can do myself and what I can contribute in an interdisciplinary environment. That was an important lesson for me, she says.
The hackathon concluded with final presentations at the National Climate Summit 2026 at Klimatorium in Lemvig, where the students had the opportunity to present their ideas to experts and decision-makers.