The Women’s Hackathon @ CSUSM is a bi-annual, 12-hour event that is open to high school girls and college women with varying background in computing technology. The term “hack” is used in the sense of exploratory programming, not its alternate meaning as unauthorized security breach to a computer system. Each event presents two challenges of local impact and asks student teams to propose and create computing technology solutions in the form of web-based or mobile applications. Students may come as a team or individuals interested in working with others at the event. Tech professionals serve as mentors and guide participants through the process of research, design, and development of their solutions. At the end of the event, teams present their solutions to judges from industry who in turn determine winners. Since its inaugural event in April 2014, the Hackathon has served over 300 young women from over 25 high schools and colleges in Southern California. For more information, please visit http://sandiegohackathon.org/.
FAQs
Do I need to be a Computer Science major or intend to major in Computer Science to participate?
No. Creating effective computing technology solutions require talents from a diverse background.
What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?
The event will provide free parking at a designated area on campus. More details will be sent to registered participants directly. Two great mass transit options are available that can help you get to CSUSM with ease: the BREEZE and the SPRINTER. More information about these two options can be found at https://www.csusm.edu/guide/transit.html.
Limited fund may be available for reimbursing costs related to public transportation, gas, or a group of students sharing Uber rides. Please contact event organizer for more detail.
Do I need to bring a computer to the event?
Many participants in the past preferred their own laptops at the event but a computer will be available for those who do not bring one.
How can I contact the organizer with any questions?
Dr. Youwen Ouyang can be reached at [email protected]. Professor Sahar Mosleh can be reached at [email protected].