MSc students collaborate on hackathon for smart city emergency challenges

On 12 February 2025, MSc students from the Countering Extremist Crime and Terrorism programme participated in a hackathon with Triad Group Plc, developing solutions to improve emergency dispatch systems in smart cities.

Held at the Royal College of Pathologists in London, the event allowed students to apply their intelligence gathering and analysis skills in a practical setting. Teams brainstormed solutions to improve emergency response times using smart city infrastructure, smartphones, and technologies like IoT, 5G, and AI-driven public safety systems.

Professor R. Mark Evans OBE from UCL’s Department of Security and Crime Science emphasized the event’s importance: “The event enabled students to engage with real-world security challenges, build confidence, leadership skills, and meet professionals from policing, counter-terrorism, and government.”

The hackathon was made possible through the department's industry networks, with Professor Evans securing Triad’s involvement. Five senior professionals from the software development company mentored students, sharing their expertise in using technology to improve outcomes across policing, counter-terrorism, and government initiatives. 

Standout ideas: Emergency responses and smart technologies

Teams presented their solutions to a panel of assessors, who evaluated them on impact, originality, teamwork, and presentation clarity. Two standout ideas showcased innovative uses of smart technologies in emergency response.

The winning team presented LERTS (Live Emergency Response Tracking System), a platform to enhance coordination in bomb threat scenarios at King’s Cross station. The system enables real-time data sharing between emergency services, improving collaboration, response times, and post-incident analysis.

Another standout proposal used voltage monitoring, Wi-Fi scanning, and AI-driven response modelling to enhance fire identification and response in London. The solution aimed to detect hazards in commercial buildings, create 3D maps of fire-affected areas, and integrate smart traffic management for emergency services.

The winning team received the inaugural UCL-Triad Plaque of Achievement in recognition of their impactful ideas. 

Student and industry perspectives

The Hackathon was part of the Intelligence Gathering and Analysis module, designed to give students practical skills and industry insights. Professor Evans commented: “Feedback has been exceptional, and events like this are vital in preparing students to become the security leaders of tomorrow.”

Adrian Leer, Managing Director of Triad Group Plc, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration: “This inaugural hackathon was an outstanding success. We wanted to challenge the UCL students to think strategically, at pace, and out of the box – that’s no mean feat in a single afternoon! We were blown away by the quality of the discussion and the calibre of the presentations. It was inspiring to see the next generation of intelligence experts put their learning to such good use. Can’t wait to do it again!”

Students noted how the event deepened their understanding of intelligence-led decision-making and the real-world application of emerging technologies. Isabella Peacey, from the winning team, said: “It was an amazing opportunity to come together as a team to apply our skills in a competitive setting and receive feedback from industry professionals. We gained invaluable insights into real-world security and technology applications and were inspired by the ideas from other teams.”

Building skills for future careers

The Hackathon was part of a series of optional events within the MSc programme, aimed at connecting students with industry leaders and providing practical learning experiences. Other events include guest lectures with intelligence professionals, training in intelligence software, and panel discussions with senior law enforcement officials from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.

Following this success, UCL and Triad are already planning to run next year’s hackathon and continuing their collaboration to support innovation and industry-student connections.