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Hey everyone, I’m Kirsten, a 2nd year CS student, and I’m running to be your next AI Hackathon Lead. Serving as your Activities Coordinator last year allowed me to see all the incredible projects you built, but it also showed me exactly what we can improve behind the scenes to make your experience even better.

I know what it takes to build an amazing event from the ground up. Before coming to Leeds, I was a Project Manager for the La Salle Computer Society, directing everything from budgets and venues to the marketing for a coding competition. I was also a Partnership Negotiator for the Google Developer Student Club, successfully pitching industry professionals to speak at our events and securing partnerships with other societies.

When I’m not studying, you can usually find me singing, running, swimming, gaming, or trying out new food spots, which is why I am so passionate about making your experience fun and competitive, and making sure you have good food!

Here is my vision for this year:

1. True 24-Hour Hacking:
Staring at code until 2 AM is tough, so I’m going to make sure the overnight shift is actually fun! I’ll organise fun activities to keep everyone awake and refreshed. Think board games, video games, and maybe even karaoke!

2. Better Catering:
Let’s be honest… last year, we had too much pizza and nowhere near enough caffeine. This year, I will ensure we have much more diverse food options to suit all dietary needs, alongside a bigger supply of coffee and energy drinks to keep you going.

3. Bigger, Better Sponsorships:
I know some of you guys join hackathons to help launch your careers. My goal is to partner with top-tier companies that want to invest in your talent. I want your projects to be seen by the right people!

4. More On-site Mentors:
Hackathons are the perfect tims to try new things, but of course, you’re gonna hit a wall at some point, and having the right support is crucial. I want to ensure that we have an excellent network of mentors roaming around the venue to help you throughout the event.

5. Seamless Logistics & Timelines:
Having been on the committee, I know exactly what needs to be improved behind the scenes. I will focus heavily on managing our planning timelines and checking in on progress, so that on the day of the hackathon, your experience is completely flawless.

6. Empowering the Subcommittee & Volunteers:
Running an event of this scale is a massive team effort. I will lead and support a dedicated subcommittee, giving you the chance to build real experience in sponsorship, logistics, and on-the-day operations. I’ll also be seeking out volunteers for the day itself, whether you want to help run the serious stuff at the registration desk, or jump into the fun stuff like hosting game night. This would be a perfect, low-pressure way to start getting involved with the society!

Vote Kirsten Tan for AI Hackathon Lead!

Hey everyone I'm Ming! I'm going into my second year of Computer Science in September and I would love to be your next AI Hackathon Lead because I would love to play a role in making the next AI hackathon bigger and better than ever before.

These are the five reasons you should vote #1 for me!:

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This year, I was part of the Charles Morris Social Committee as Marketing Secretary, where I helped create and promote a variety of events for residents throughout the year. I genuinely enjoyed the responsibility of shaping ideas into experiences, communicating with people, organising details, and seeing residents engage with something our committee had worked hard to produce. That role taught me the importance of leadership, teamwork, organisation, clear communication, adaptability, and understanding the audience you are serving.

The highlights were when I helped organise large-scale events for the entire accommodation with massive attendences, including the Charles Morris Winter Ball and Summer Barbecue – events that required careful planning, responsible spending and coordination with different people.

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I will ensure great communication and support both before and during the hackathon. Participants will know clearly well in advance when applications open, when they close, when they need to arrive, where the event is taking place, how long it will last, and what they should bring with them. I will also ensure that any inquiries and concerns prior to the hackathon taking place will be answered in a timely manner. Moreover, questions during the hackathon will be answered quickly, clearly, and helpfully. I will try my best to make participants should feel that the organisers are present, approachable, and genuinely invested in their experience.

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I would be proactive in finding ways to bring in as much funding as possible. I alongside the sponsorship officer will exert a lot of effort to look for suitable sponsorships, grants and external funding opportunities that would increase the scale, improve the experience for hackathon goers, and lead to better prizes!

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I will ensure that the challenges are clear and provide guides for preparation. Participants should understand what is expected of them: what they are building, what the judging criteria are, what tools or themes they may need to consider, and how their work will be assessed. I also believe that being told what preparation would be useful is essential. Not every participant will arrive with the same level of programming or AI knowledge, and a successful hackathon should recognise that, even if an AI hackathon can technically be done without any prerequisite knowledge. Participants should be told beforehand what technologies, concepts, or skills may be useful to revise or learn, so that they are not left feeling lost or frustrated on the day. A hackathon should stretch people, but it should not make them feel abandoned.

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Finally, I think recognition plays a powerful role. A hackathon should celebrate more than just the top few teams. Of course, major prizes are important, but there should also be a multitude of awards such as creativity, technical ambition, beginner achievement, most original idea, etc. This makes the event feel more inclusive and meaningful. It shows participants that success is not only measured by winning first place, but by learning something new, building something brave, and contributing something memorable.

𝐈𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧:

Thank you so much for reading!