Critique + Create + Collab: AEA and MERL Tech Micro Hackathon

Week of April 12, 2026

Back by popular demand, the American Evaluation Association (AEA) and The MERL Tech Initiative (MTI) are excited to present the 2026 Hackathon–Virtual Edition! This beginner-friendly hybrid hackathon challenges participants to create ethical AI-powered solutions for real-world evaluation problems. Everyone is invited to participate regardless of skill level or experience’

Choose one of three paths—Critique, Create, or Collab—to explore how AI can and should be used in evaluation practice. Participants will build practical AI literacy and learn new skills without judges, paywalls, or overwhelm. All completed entries will be entered into a lottery to win prizes courtesy of AEA and MERL Tech.

Join Zach Tilton (The MERL Tech Initiative) and Zachary Grays with AEA staff for an informational webinar for this year’s hackathon. During this webinar, Zach and Zachary will expand on the hackathon concept and share how to access the tools needed to participate.

Informational Session: Tuesday, March 31, 2026

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET

Why? — Evaluators need a short, friendly space to kick the tires on AI—where reflective critique and tiny builds sit side-by-side.

What? — Spend 10–30 minutes on one path: Critique (red-team a claim, remix an AEA competency, or write a crisp failure/success case); Create (build a small demo: custom chatbot, prompt-engineering challenge, or mini automation in Python/R/Sheets/HTML); Collab (remix a shared Claude Artifact template and publish your version).

How? — Choose a path → follow the instructions → submit via a simple form → your work appears in a live, filterable gallery. Free-first tools; BYO welcome. No judging—just sharing.

Takeaways — Clearer judgment on when AI helps vs. harms, reusable templates and tools, and confidence to experiment and contribute back to the community.

Access will be granted to participants the week of April 12