Dates

The hackathon will take place on:

March 7, 2026

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Academic Building East

Submissions must be completed by 4:30 PM on March 7.

Organizers reserve the right to extend submission deadlines if necessary.

 

Eligibility

  • Open to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. 
  • Teams of 1–4 participants

No prior experience in neuroscience or AI is required.

 

Project and Submission Requirements

  • Projects must align with one of the official tracks
  • Core implementation must occur during the hackathon
  • Use of open-source tools, APIs, and datasets is permitted
  • Plagiarism or submission of pre-built projects will result in disqualification

Organizers reserve the right to disqualify submissions that violate rules or academic integrity.

 

Prizes

Prizes will include recognition awards for each track as well as the following general prizes:

  • Best Overall Project
  • Best Technical Innovation

Winners will receive certificates and recognition from Rutgers Grey Matter Society.

 

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection

Projects will be evaluated based on the official judging criteria listed on the hackathon page. Judges will score submissions using a standardized rubric. Judges’ decisions are final.

 

Use of AI Assisted Development Tools

The use of AI-assisted coding tools such as GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, or similar systems is permitted and encouraged.

Participants may use these tools to:

  • Accelerate development
  • Generate boilerplate code
  • Debug errors
  • Explore research directions

However:

  • Teams must understand and be able to explain all code and design decisions.
  • Blindly copying and pasting without comprehension is discouraged.
  • Judges may ask teams to explain technical implementation during evaluation.

The goal is innovation and applied thinking, not typing speed.

 

Code of Conduct

The Grey Matter Society NeuroNight Hackathon is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all participants.

All attendees, organizers, judges, and volunteers are expected to:

  • Treat others with professionalism and respect
  • Respect personal boundaries
  • Communicate constructively and collaboratively
  • Maintain academic integrity

The following behavior will not be tolerated:

  • Harassment, discrimination, or intimidation of any kind
  • Offensive comments related to gender, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics
  • Unwanted physical contact or sexual attention
  • Disruptive behavior that interferes with the event

If a participant engages in inappropriate behavior, organizers reserve the right to take appropriate action, including issuing warnings or removing the participant from the event. This event also adheres to Rutgers University policies regarding student conduct and nondiscrimination.

Reporting Procedure

If you experience or witness behavior that violates this Code of Conduct, please report it to a Grey Matter Society organizer immediately. Reports may be made in person or via email at [email protected]. 

All reports will be handled discreetly.