VolHacks V

What is a hackathon?

A student hackathon is a marathon of innovation, usually 24-36 hours in which students passionate about creating concepts and technology form teams and compete with other teams to generate, develop and/or implement a new idea from scratch in order to learn and have fun.

How much does it cost?

Nothing. Null. The event is completely free for eligible and registered students. You just need to show up!

Who can come?

All current undergraduate and graduate students, or those who graduated within the last 12 months, are allowed to attend. If you currently attend the University of Tennessee, you are guaranteed a spot, with or without registration — but please register to make sure we have enough swag!

Will you provide travel reimbursements?

The VolHacks team is excited to offer travel reimbursement this year for hackers attending our event! We want to lighten the burden on hackers who are coming from far away! The exact travel reimbursement model is shown in the chart below. To encourage carpooling, your vehicle has to have at least three people to get reimbursement. If you have any questions or need special accommodations please feel free to reach out to us. If you sign up, please make all efforts to attend!

Unfortunately, we cannot offer reimbursement for those who are flying at this time.

Will there be free food, drinks, and caffeine?

Yes! Absolutely! We will provide catered meals, drinks at all times, snack breaks, and endless caffeine.

Where do I sleep?

We will have a designated quiet sleeping area on site, and you are encouraged to bring sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, toiletries, and anything else you need to sleep. There are no showers at the venue, so please be prepared to go without showering unless you have other accommodations.

How do teams work?

There is a maximum of 4 people per team. Once the idea brainstorming session is done, there will be an open mic and networking time to find a team. Everyone registered will also be invited to the VolHacks Discord server prior to the hackathon in order to network and discuss ideas.

I don't know what to build — any ideas?

Don't worry at all! We will walk you through how to brainstorm great ideas at the beginning of VolHacks.

When and where is VolHacks?

VolHacks will be both virtual and hybrid this year! It will take place during Fall 2021, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the Min Kao EECS Building located at 1520 Middle Dr, Knoxville, TN 37996. For those who want to participate virtually everything will take place on our Discord. All of the fun activities such as opening and closing ceremonies, tech talks, workshops, and more will be streamed on Discord so you can watch from home!

I'm coming in person, where do I park?

Free parking is available in the 11th Street Parking Garage, right across the street from Min Kao.

What are the current policies regarding COVID-19?

We will be enforcing the CDC, state, and local COVID guidelines for those who attend the event in person. This means when you check into the event physically you will be asked a series of COVID related questions upon arrival. We also ask that participants wear a mask at all times while inside of the venue. If you feel sick or have been recently exposed to someone who has COVID-19, we ask you to please attend the event virtually. For more information:

• CDC Guidelines
• Tennessee Guidelines
• UTK Guidelines

Is there a code of conduct?

Yes, we abide by the Major League Hacking Code of Conduct.

Will you have a hardware lab?

Yes! VolHacks is not just software! The Hardware Lab is an area where you can borrow hardware you need to create your hack, using your government issued ID. Feel free to bring your own hardware or send suggestions on what feel you would like to use. You can review a list of hardware lab here.

Do I need to stay the entire time?

Nope, we are not a lock-in. We realize that 36 hours is a long time, and that some people might have other commitments during that time. Feel free to stay and leave as you choose.

I've never been to a hackathon before, what should I do?

No worries at all. We will be providing mentors during the hackathon and running workshops. We will also have a Discord server for anyone to get help at during the hackathon. You don't need to be good at writing code or building things, this is a learning experience and chance to have fun above everything else!

What should I bring?

You will definitely need your laptop, phone, their chargers, as well as a valid government issued ID.

What kind of things can we hack up? Are there any limits?

You are not limited to what you can make, hack, or build for the hackathon except for the following restrictions:

• It cannot be illegal in any way
• It cannot go against the MLH code of conduct
• It cannot compromise the integrity of the UTK networks, resources, faculty, or staff
• It cannot go against the UTK code of student conduct (find that here)