Is the event free? Will I have to worry about flight or hotel arrangements? What about food?

Yes, the event is free! The CNT will help arrange and directly pay for your flights to and from Seattle and will also book your hotel room from Friday night to Monday morning if you are coming from outside of Washington state. Travel from the airport (shuttle, taxi, Uber, Lyft) will be reimbursed. If you are a University of Washington student, you will be responsible for your own lodging and travel, though we will cover parking near campus at the E18 daily rate. 

 

All meals and snacks will be provided throughout the event so you don't have to worry about taking the time or money to order food! We are flexible and will adjust for any dietary restrictions.

 

What are CNT affiliated institutions? Can I still apply if I am not a part of one?

The CNT affiliated institutions are the University of Washington, San Diego State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Southwestern College.

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You may also apply if you have participated in the CNT-REU program, regardless of your home institution. To learn more about the CNT, visit the official website.

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I am not majoring in any STEM major. Can I still apply?

Yes! As long as you have relevant skills and a passion for solving neural engineering problems and making stuff, you are in a good position to apply!

 

How are teams formed? Do I have to apply with teammates in mind?

Teams are formed by the application review committee to ensure each team is balanced in terms of skill sets. These formations are not revealed to the accepted hackers until the Friday before the hack begins, when they will meet each other in person and be introduced to the CNT and the event.

 

So no, you do not have to apply with teammates in mind. In fact, we make sure each team has a balance of institution representation as well, so you will most likely not be on the same team as someone else from your school.

 

I've never done a hackathon before. What should I expect?

You will learn a lot, make new connections and strengthen current ones within the CNT, and have a ton of fun hacking. You will also probably be pretty tired by the end (but in a good way). We at the hackathon planning committee try our best to ensure the environment is one conducive to friendly competition and innovation. The actual hacking takes place from 9am Saturday to 9pm Sunday, giving teams 36 hours to work on their projects. Teams are definitely allowed to go back to their hotel rooms and rest, but they are also allowed to stay in the headquarters and pull an all-nighter. Please see the schedule page for the full schedule.

 

Will I have time to explore Seattle?

If you are visiting from out of Washington state and would like some time to explore the greater Seattle area, the amount of time you have to explore will depend on your flight times. When deciding your flights with the travel agent, it is possible to arrange your flights so you arrive early on Friday and leave late on Monday to maximize time in Seattle. You may also arrange your flights to arrive before Friday and leave after Monday, but you will be responsible for in-city transportation and lodging during those extra days.

 

Are the team presentations/demos open to the public?

Yes! We highly encourage you to see the teams demonstrate the fruit of their hard work. Team presentations and judging will take place starting the Monday morning after the Hack weekend, at the CNT headquarters.

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I didn't get in... What should I do?

We had a lot of strong applicants this year and are happy to see you took the time and effort to complete the application. There are quite a few we did not want to turn away so we had quite the waitlist formed. If you will still be a student (undergraduate or graduate) next year, we highly encourage you to apply again! In the meantime, please feel free to come to watch the team presentations and continue to build/hack on your own time in preparation for next year.

 

I can't make it to the hackathon but I would still like to get involved with the CNT. How do I get involved?

For student involvement in the CNT, please see this page on the official CNT website. You may also sign up for this e-mail listserv and/or follow the CNT Facebook page.