What’s our hackathon all about?
PlutoHacks is a 24 hour in-person event where hackers will take a trip through the different stages of growth- from beginner, to expert, and everything in between. We give you the tools to build something great and the space to learn, iterate and evolve your idea. Our event will bring together people of all different backgrounds to learn and grow their skills, collaborate and make something awesome.
We all start from somewhere. You might start out thinking you’re dwarf planet, but after this event, you’ll realize that you’re a whole other planet. We want you to learn something new, achieve something you’ve never done before, and make awesome ideas happen! We are here for the creators, thinkers, and doers of this world.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a "hackathon"?
A hackathon is a common event hosted by companies or schools where students come together to collaborate on a project. You can create a web project, prototype, mobile app, game, or even a hardware project. You can think of it as a coding marathon. Anything can be built. There are usually categories or "tracks" in a hackathon that can help you scope your project to a problem that needs to be solved.
Where and when is PlutoHacks?
Our hackathon will be happening from October 21 to October 22, 2022. This hackathon is open to all students in the United States, but in-person participation is required. Our opening ceremony, workshops, events, and closing ceremony will also be live on Zoom and recorded.
We will not be accepting any submissions from those not participating in person unless you are a Broward College satellite student. Our time zone is Eastern Standard Time (EST).Â
Is there a theme for this hackathon?
Every year we have different categories and challenges for the hackathon. You will find out about them during the opening ceremony. All of the challenges will be documented in our Devpost page, which will go live during the opening ceremony.
What are the categories/prizes?
All of the categories and prizes will be announced during the opening ceremony.
How can I become a sponsor?
If you are interested in sponsoring our event, please check out this page, and fill out the application at the bottom!
How much experience do I need?
You don't need any experience to participate in our hackathon. We welcome students of all skill levels and academic backgrounds. We will have workshops prior to and during the hackathon as well as mentors available to provide help and guidance with your project.
All hackathon teams look different. You can be a programmer, a graphic expert, or even just someone with an idea!
How many hackers does PlutoHacks usually have?
Last year we had over 300 hackers during our virtual hackathon, so we can't wait to see you and your project this year in person!
What do I need to bring?
We recommend bringing your own laptop. If you do not have your own device, you may use our limited supply of laptops. We highly recommend using your own device, that way you don't need to wait to install any software. Since this is a 24 hour hackathon, we also suggest bringing toiletries, blankets, or whatever reasonable item you need to be comfortable here!
Will we get swag?
You will get a swag package when you check in. We will only be shipping the swag packages if you are a Broward College satellite student.
What about food?
We will be serving food throughout the event- free of cost! Our wonderful sponsors handle the expenses for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner!
How much does it cost?
Nothing. PlutoHacks is a free event for all those that wish to participate! Everything is funded by our sponsors.
How can I prepare for the hackathon?
We have created a hacker guide for all hackers. It will be available upon your registration acceptance.
Prior to the hackathon, we will also be having workshops on a variety of different topics that can help prepare you for the event. These workshops will be virtual and recorded.
What time do we start hacking?
You can visit our schedule here.
We will have an opening ceremony and closing ceremony, and there will be workshops and mini-events that will happen throughout the day.
Do I need to have a group?
You can either work solo or in a team. If you are working in a team, teams can have no more than four members. You can create or join teams prior to the hackathon, but we will also have a team formation session during the hackathon.
We do not force the creation of teams according to skill. We encourage you to make use of our #team-formation channel in our Discord server.
Who can attend PlutoHacks?
Our event is eligible to all students (undergraduate and below) in the United States who attend in person. We are also admitting Broward College satellite students. You must currently be a student or have graduated within a year. If you are under 18, you will have to fill out a waiver form when you register.
Can I start later on in the hackathon?
Life happens— come when you can and join a team! It's all about learning and enjoying the experience.
Where can I see past submissions?
Can I submit old projects?
No. All submissions must be original creations that were made during the timeframe of our event. You can not post any projects that were made prior to the hackathon. We do not allow cross submissions. We do check for this, so if you don't follow these rules we will not consider your submission.
Can I use a boilerplate?
Yes. A boilerplate is essentially a starter project that can be generated from different libraries or frameworks. As long as your project doesn't center around the boilerplate, you may use them. Use caution when using boilerplates, as judges can disqualify your project.
Who can I reach out to with questions?
You can reach us at computer-science@broward.edu or you can reach out to an organizer on our Discord server by tagging @organizer.
How do I use Discord?
Since Discord is where we hold all communication, you should familiarize yourself with the platform. Visit this link to get a basic understanding of how Discord works!
Categories
Schedule
We will have workshops and events during the hackathon as well as prior to the hackathon! Take a look at the schedules for the weeks before the hackathon as well as the schedule during the hackathon.
Pre-Hackathon Workshops
Friday, October 7 + In-Person & Online
Afternoon - 4 PM to 7 PM
Microsoft VR/AR Demo
Denise Mendez from Microsoft is coming to inTech for PlutoHacks! Come witness and learn what Microsoft has up their sleeve!
Hosted by
In-person meetings will be taking place at Broward College Central Campus Building 13, Room 105.
Saturday, October 15 + Online
Morning - 9 AM to 12 PM
Web Dev 101
Learn the basics of web development with this introductory workshop. Perfect for beginners, you’ll learn HTML, CSS and a little bit of JavaScript to create a good-looking webpage.
Zoom link coming soon!
JavaScript Essentials
JavaScript is the universal language of the web. It's the element that brings functionality to your webpage. Join this workshop to explore all the possibilities that JavaScript can bring to your website or application!
3D Modeling in Blender
You are the master of your own 3D universe when you learn to 3D model and rig your own characters with Blender!
Zoom link coming soon!
GitHub Basics
GitHub is the best tool for develoeprs to collaborate on a project. In this workshop you'll learn how it is used to speed up code reviews, merge code from different developers, and track version history! When hacking, this is your go-to tool!
Zoom link coming soon!
Afternoon - 1 PM to 5 PM
Work with WordPress
WordPress is an easy, user-friendly way to set up and maintain a website. In this workshop you'll learn how to install WordPress on a host and create your own customized pages and posts!
Zoom link coming soon!
React JS
In this workshop you'll learn how to make web applications using React JS. You will learn the basics of components, how React elements communicate with one another, and how to interact with web APIs to create dynamic content for your application.
Zoom link coming soon!
Prototyping with Figma
Figma shares projects, files, pages, and frames with anyone that has permission. Learn to create and prototype your projects to demonstrate your amazing ideas!
Zoom link coming soon!
Hackathon Schedule
Friday, October 21
12:00 PM - Check-in + Lunch
1:00 PM - Opening Ceremony
During the opening ceremony, PlutoHacks will be officially introduced and the prizes and categories will be announced!
Location: Building 13 Room 132 +Â Zoom link coming soon!
2:00 PM - Hacking Starts!
Workshops & Events coming soon!
6:00 PM - Dinner
Saturday, October 22
12:00 AM - Midnight Pizza
7:30 AM - Breakfast
11:30 AM - Lunch
2:00 PM - Submission Deadline
2:30 PM - Judging Begins
3:30 PM - Deliberation Begins
4:30 PM - Closing Ceremony
During the closing ceremony, we will conclude the hackathon and announce the winners and hand out all the prizes.
Zoom link coming soon!
Sponsors
All of the funding for our hackathon are thanks to the following sponsors!
Organized By
Follow us on social media for updates!
About Submissions
All submissions must be original creations that were made during the timeframe of our event. You can not post any projects that were made prior to the hackathon. We do not allow cross submissions. We do check for this, so if you don’t follow these rules we will not consider your submission.
Our submission platform will happen through Devpost. We encourage you to create an account for the time being until we release our Devpost community for 2022.
You can use any technologies you would like to use for your project. There are no restrictions on the technologies, frameworks, or libraries you can use.
Submission requirements:
- GitHub link (if applicable)
- Demo video (no longer than 3 minutes)
- Devpost submission
After you submit your projects online, all the teams will gather and present their projects to judges. It will be similar to the format of a Science Fair, where you will present your project more than once to different judges that pass by.
Note: If you are a Broward College Satellite student, your submission process might be a little different. We will provide you with instructions as the days follow!
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Events | 2 PM – 6 PM
Below are our events that are happening during the hackathon from 2 PM to 6 PM EST. There are workshops, raffles, games, and panels of all sorts happening during this time.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Team Building | 13/132
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
3:00 PM – 3:50 PM
Digital Accessibility
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
Raffle
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
4:00 PM – 4:50 PM
Women in Tech Panel
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
Using APIs
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
5:00 PM – 5:50 PM
Git & GitHub
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
Karaoke Party
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
Events | 7 PM – 11 PM
Below are our events that are happening during the hackathon from 7 PM to 11 PM EST. There are workshops, raffles, games, and panels of all sorts happening during this time.
7:00 PM – 7:50 PM
Team Building | 13/132
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
8:00 PM – 8:50 PM
Digital Accessibility
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
Raffle
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
9:00 PM – 9:50 PM
Women in Tech Panel
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
Using APIs
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
10:00 PM – 10:50 PM
Git & GitHub
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd
Karaoke Party
Learn everything about WordPress in this workshopjdksjdnfsd