HackPSU is Penn State's student-run hackathon and the largest technology event at Penn State. Join us and hundreds of other students from across the world for 24 hours of innovation, creation, and fun! From seasoned coding veterans to first-time hackers in any major or field, students of all skill levels will find technologically engaging challenges, professional networking, educational resources, and plenty of entertainment throughout our event!
At HackPSU, participants can discover their ability to create change by developing technology to solve real-world problems through collaboration with your peers and industry professionals. They gain new technical skills by attending workshops and taking on challenges. Our games and performances scheduled throughout the event give participants an opportunity to take a break and will be sure to keep them entertained. The whole event is a great way to meet new peers, network with our sponsor companies, and have a total blast!
Requirements
All projects must be submitted by 12:00PM (noon) on Sunday, March 30th. Participants will have until the end of hacking time at 1:45PM on Sunday to continue editing their submissions, but they must be in place by noon to allow time to assign tables at the judging exposition.
All code written for your submission must be attached to this submission (preferably by linking to a public GitHub repository).
All team members must be listed on the submission so that prizes can be awarded accordingly.
To be eligible for prizes, at least one team member must present your project at the judging exposition, but the expo is not the only criterion for judging. The quality of the Devpost submission also plays a large part in our judges' deliberation, so make sure not to neglect it!
Each team is only allowed to submit 1 project.
Projects can be disqualified at the organizers' discretion. Reasons might include but are not limited to breaking the rules, breaking the Code of Conduct, or other unsporting behavior.
Prizes
Machine Learning
Engineer an innovative, efficient, and scalable model to effectively address a real world problem.
Entrepreneurship
From hackathon to startup? Develop a technical solution with a robust and viable business strategy
10th Anniversary: Timeless Tech
Draw inspiration from groundbreaking tech, media, and trends of the past and transform them into something entirely new, pushing boundaries beyond imitation.
ICDS Challenge - Classification of LIDAR Data for Digital Twin Creation and 3D Modeling of Spaces on Campus.
Utilizing the point cloud provided by the ICDS for the Center for Immersive Experience lab, create a script to automatically classify distinct objects within the space.
1) ICDS developed press release on winning team’s submission from HackPSU weekend to be published on ICDS website and other Penn State media channels.
2) Social media promotion on ICDS branded channels for winning team’s submission.
3) LinkedIn endorsement referencing winning team’s submission.
4) Presentation invite to a future ICDS Lunch and Learn where winning team will present their winning submission to ICDS leadership team and discuss careers in HPC.
HackPSU 1st Place
$350 and MLH Winner Pins
HackPSU 2nd Place
$200 and MLH Winner Pins
HackPSU 3rd Place
$150 and MLH Winner Pins
Best Domain Name from GoDaddy Registry
Digital Gift Cards!
GoDaddy Registry is giving you everything you need to be the best hacker no matter where you are. Register your domain name with GoDaddy Registry for a chance to win a Hack from Home Kit! Each Kit contains wireless earbuds, blue light glasses, selfie ring light and a pouch for easy transport.
Best Use of MongoDB Atlas
M5GO IoT Starter Kit
MongoDB Atlas takes the leading modern database and makes it accessible in the cloud! Get started with a $50 credit for students (https://mlh.link/mongodb) or sign up for the Atlas free forever tier, no credit card required (https://mlh.link/mongodb-free). Along with a suite of services and functionalities, you'll have everything you need to manage all of your data, and you can get a headstart with free resources from MongoDB University (https://mlh.link/mongodb-university)! Build a hack using MongoDB Atlas for a chance to win a M5GO IoT Starter Kit for you and each member of your team.
Best Use of Gemini API
Anker Power Bundle and Kasa Smartplug 3 packs
It’s time to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI using Google Gemini. Check out the Gemini API to build AI-powered apps that make your friends say WHOA. So, what can Gemini do for your hackathon project? Understand language like a human and build a chatbot that gives personalized advice Analyze info like a supercomputer and create an app that summarizes complex research papers Generate creative content like code, scripts, music, and more Think of the possibilities… what will you build with the Google Gemini API this weekend?
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
HackPSU Organizers
HackPSU
Judging Criteria
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Implementation
Is the project functional and easy to operate for the target demographic? Is the solution viable and effective in addressing the problem statement? Does it reflect the quality of the outcome? -
Clarity
Did the team convey their ideas in a way that is understandable to the audience? Is their problem and proposed solution well-stated? How effectively does the team demonstrate the capabilities of their solution? -
Creativity
Does the project introduce new ideas? Does it go beyond being an API wrapper? Is the project novel and original? Does it approach a problem from an unusual or different perspective? -
Growth
Did the team learn something new? Did they use unfamiliar software or dive into an unfamiliar subject area? Does the team demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter gained during the hackathon? -
Impact
What evidence or research supports the existence of the problem being addressed by the project? How does the solution offer a viable, ambitious answer to the identified problem?
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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