GeoAI & Serious Games for Ecosystem Restoration
Apply Now - Deadline 07 AprilThe first edition of the MSE International Hackathon is organised as a flagship innovation activity within the inaugural MSE International Research and Innovation Conference - closely connected to the SaltyBEATS Project and the COST SUSTAIN Action.
It combines international visibility with regional relevance through engagement with the MENA Climate Network of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, alignment with the UNESCO Green Education Partnership, and ENoLL living lab principles including co-creation, real-world experimentation, and measurable impact.
MSE Hack 1.0 explores the convergence of GeoAI - Earth Observation, GIS, spatial analytics, and AI - with serious games and immersive experiences such as simulation, storytelling, AR/VR, and location-based learning.
MENA Climate Network of the Hanns Seidel Foundation · SaltyBEATS Project · COST SUSTAIN Action · UNESCO Green Education · ENoLL Living Lab
Students, researchers, developers, designers, and innovators working on climate, GeoAI, or serious games.
Earth Observation, GIS, spatial analytics, and AI applied to real-world environmental challenges - data-driven, evidence-based, and scalable for ecosystem restoration.
Simulation, storytelling, AR/VR, and location-based learning experiences that engage communities in climate understanding and meaningful behavior change.
Combining GeoAI's analytical power with the engagement mechanics of immersive learning for solutions that are both data-driven and deeply compelling.
Disaster preparedness games - flood and fire response, evacuation, and resource allocation simulations
Eco-city or campus planning games - urban heat adaptation and resilience trade-off scenarios
Water–energy–food nexus strategy games - irrigation, drought, salinity, wastewater and composting systems
Biodiversity and wetlands field quests - location-based, mobile, pervasive, or AR learning missions
Climate negotiation role-play - stakeholder decision-making and environmental outcome simulation
Green education classroom modules - teacher training tools and curriculum integration resources
Flood risk mapping and forecasting - early warning, exposure analysis, and preparedness layers
Wildfire detection and monitoring - hotspot identification, spread-risk assessment, and alert services
Rapid crisis mapping - post-event damage assessment and situational awareness dashboards
Deforestation and ecosystem disturbance alerts - monitoring and verification workflows
Water stress and salinity mapping for agriculture - risk zones and advisory maps
Urban heat island and vulnerability mapping - heat exposure analysis and equity indicators
Wetland and habitat change detection - biodiversity pressure monitoring and conservation support
A concise presentation covering the problem addressed, the proposed solution, its innovation, and its expected social and environmental impact.
A working or clickable prototype - whether an AI/GeoAI tool, a serious game, or a hybrid solution built on real data.
A brief methodology note covering data sources, geospatial data used, stakeholders involved, and projected environmental impact.
Hanns Seidel
ENoLL
GDA Sidi Amor
UNESCO
ISAMM
SUSTAIN
SaltyBEATS
DATADOIT