There are lots of ways to make our lives more sustainable — use less electricity, recycle plastic containers — but how about something more fun? Say, making and playing sustainability-focused video games?
That’s the goal of the upcoming Sustainability Game Jam, hosted by the University of Washington’s College of the Environment. The goal is to help build fun, engaging video games that also teach kids (and adults!) about the importance of sustainability.
In true game jam style, the event makes up a full weekend of collaborative game hacking, starting the morning of Saturday, Nov. 11. Attendees will create a project idea and work in teams to build a game prototype by 4:30 p.m. the next day.
The prototypes will then be judged and awards given to those the teams that rise to the top. Game jammers can register with a full group or come solo and team up with others to work on their project.
Not a developer but still interested? The prototype presentations, judging and awards are open to the public from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12.
See more details and register for the game jam here.
That’s one of the highlights from our GeekWire community calendar, the spot for geek and tech events in Seattle and the greater Pacific Northwest. See the full calendar here, submit your event here and keep reading for more suggested events over the next few weeks.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center Launch Party
What: “Celebrate the Gates Foundation Visitor Center’s transformation to the ‘Gates Foundation Discovery Center’ with performances, brand new exhibits, games for good, local partners and ways to take action. Featuring local band The Fglavr Blue, Gansango Music & Dance, Optimism Brewing and more!”
When: Nov. 2, 5 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center
Get involved: Register for the event here.
Machinery.AI Developer Conference
What: “Machinery.ai is a community and event series where developers come together to explore the digital machinery of the new era. At our upcoming conference, experience a day of learning from industry experts to look “under the hood” at the building blocks of machine learning.”
When: Nov. 2, 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Where: The Fremont Foundry
Get involved: See the full lineup and get tickets to the event here.
“Hack the Lab” Data Science Hackathon
What: “Want to put your data science skills into action against a national laboratory? Join Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Data Science and Analytics group and Northeastern University-Seattle (NEU) for a FREE 12-hour “Hack the Lab” data science hackathon hosted at NEU in South Lake Union. Participants of all skill levels and all backgrounds will tackle data science tasks ranging from a purposefully open-ended “build anything” activities to finding interesting themes in datasets, training predictive models, and forecasting events of interest.”
When: Nov. 4, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Where: Northeastern University – Seattle
Get involved: Register here.
Hopper x 1 Seattle
What: “Hopper x 1 started out as a one-day locally organized conference modeled after ABI’s Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing (GHC). This immersive event brings women technologists at all levels together, along with industry leading companies, academic and research, to build relationships, learn and advance their careers.”
When: Nov. 11, 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: Microsoft Conference Center
Get involved: See the full lineup and get tickets here.
