Frequently Asked Questions:
WHAT IS ALPHA HACKS?
Alpha Hacks is a weekend-long Hackathon that will take place virtually on April 2-4, 2021. Participants will be focused on finding innovative solutions to any problems in the society using technology. Alpha Hacks aims to create a culture of STEM inclusion for all students in a complex, globally diverse world. Using a design thinking approach, we guide participant teams through two days of brainstorming, testing, and presenting solutions.
HOW MUCH TIME DO I NEED TO COMMIT?
You should expect to commit the evening of Friday, April 2nd, the entire day Saturday, April 3rd, and the afternoon of Sunday, April 4th. We encourage you to commit to being present for the entire event, but if you are unable to be present for portions of the event, you will be expected to communicate your availability to your team members.
WHERE WILL ALPHA HACKS TAKE PLACE THIS YEAR?
The event will be entirely virtual, run through a virtual event platform called DevPost. Registration and submissions will be handled through this platform.
WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGES DO PARTICIPANTS “HACK”?
We will provide broad categories for participants to work under and address on the first day of the Hackathon.
HOW ARE TEAMS FORMED?
Participants will work together in teams of 2-4 members which participants are allowed to choose. If you don’t have a team, we’ll place you in one based on your topic preferences, ensuring that teams are diverse and represent a variety of backgrounds and experiences.
HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION?
Please reach out to the members of our organizing team at agrajyouthwing@gmail.com, and we will get in touch with you shortly.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE?
We welcome participants in grades 8-12! We also aim to involve a diverse, passionate group of students across the world with a variety of backgrounds.
DO I NEED A TECHNICAL BACKGROUND TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HACKATHON?
Absolutely not! While having coding or programming expertise is always a helpful bonus for any team (and a potentially exciting component of final presentations), but it is not required. We provide participants with resources that allow non-technical folks to quickly prototype an online application or program.