About
LOCATION
The Trottier Building on the McGill University Campus— Check back later for more details.
November 15 - 17, 2024
Joining Our Mailing List
WELCOME TO THE 9th ANNUAL McGILL PHYSICS HACKATHON!
Proudly presented by the Trottier Space Institute and the Department of Physics, the McGill Physics Hackathon is a friendly computer programming competition. The goal is simple: with a 24-hour hacking period spread over 3 days, in a team of 2-5 people, put together some project which involves scientific computing and the physical sciences! There are no themes; the goal is to have fun and be creative. We want to welcome everyone into the wonderful world of scientific computing!
Throughout the event, you'll have the opportunity to meet and learn from like-minded, curious, and passionate individuals. Experts from both academia and industry will also be present, either to help you with your projects, or just to chat!
Disciplinary knowledge is optional; curiosity is the key!
A schedule for the 2024 Hackathon is available here!
If you have any questions regarding logistics, teams, judging, or anything else, please consult the frequently asked questions (FAQs) or contact us at hackathon@physics.mcgill.ca.
SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTIONS
In recent years, advanced scientific computing has been a powerful force in both academia and industry. Stunning scientific breakthroughs, such as the first direct image of a black hole by the Event Horizon Telescope, would be impossible without the use of computational physics to handle unprecedented quantities and kinds of data. Similar breakthroughs are occurring virtually everywhere we look, as we witness a technological revolution in which industry, the sciences, and a new digital economy are intimately linked.
JOIN US!
This year's Physics Hackathon will take place on-campus, with an opening ceremony to connect hackers attending. Anyone from anywhere can participate, as long as you are able to join the event in-person. We hope you will join us, whether you are a high school, CEGEP, undergraduate, or graduate student! Anyone with an interest in programming and the physical sciences is invited to attend and hone their programming, scientific, and communication skills.
The McGill Physics Hackathon is committed to a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. All participants, sponsors, mentors, and judges agree to our code of conductClick to Download File. .
Preparation
Need a primer on programming?
We hosted two preparatory tutorials for programming beginners where we taught some Python and some Javascript. If you would like to access the shared resources, they are here:
Sponsor Us!
PARTNER WITH US
The Physics Hackathon would not be possible without our amazing sponsors. We invite you to partner with us! Check out our Sponsorship Prospectus for more details, and email us at hackathon@physics.mcgill.ca
SCHEDULE
2023 Hackathon Winners
WANT TO START THINKING ABOUT YOUR PROJECT?
We've compiled a list of some cool project ideas from last year if you're looking for inspiration! Check out all projects from the 2023 McGill Physics Hackathon at our 2023 Devpost. You can also view older projects from the 2022 Hackathon.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Everyone interested, from anywhere in the world, as long as you are able to join us in-person at McGill. Students from any high school, CEGEP, college, or university who have an interest in the physical sciences, programming, computational arts, or data visualization are welcome!
A: Hackers will be challenged to use the scientific, programming, and artistic skills they possess or will learn during the hackathon to put together a project, which shows something cool in the physical sciences. This could be a simulation of some physical phenomenon, a tool for understanding or visualizing some concept, or something else we haven't thought of!
A: The event is entirely in-person, and will take place on McGill campus. The opening ceremony will be in the Trottier building which will also be open all weekend with space available for hackers to work. Mentors will be present to help and food will be served at several times during the day.
A: Registration is now open! Please register as a user on our registration portal. Participation costs $40, and the payment can be made once you're logged into the portal. We ask that all participants pay the registration fee before November 12th. Remember that if you have already formed a team, all individual members of your team MUST register and pay for the event.
A: No! We want you to exercise your creativity. There will be special prizes for the best project involving astrophysics and the best project employing machine learning, but we encourage you to let your imagination run wild!
A: No! The goal of the Hackathon is learn and have fun, and you can use any programming language you want. Many people even use the Hackathon as an opportunity to learn a new language!
A: You are welcome to think about topics which might interest you before the event, but all of the actual programming should happen at the Hackathon itself, and not before.
A: Teams can be anywhere from 2 to 5 people, and can be made up of hackers from a mix of all levels and backgrounds. If you don't have a team, that's okay! We'll help you make one at the event.
A: All hackers should register individually. If you already have a team at registration time, you'll be able to add it to the form! If you don't, no problem. We'll collect your team names at the event. For folks who come to the Hackathon without a team, that's okay! We'll help you make one at the event.
A: Can't think of a project right now? We've got you covered! Click here to get inspired. At the actual event, we'll have lots of experts from both academia and industry to help you put something together.
A: At the end of the competition, you'll have the chance to show off your work to members of both industry and academia. Projects will be judged according to technical execution (did you solve a technical problem?), communication (were you able to clearly present what you did?), and aesthetics (is the solution beautiful/polished?).
A: That's totally okay! We would love to have you there for as much as you can attend.
A: Participants under 18 will need to have a parent or guardian sign this consent form allowing you to participate. This will be included in the registration form. But can also be submitted here!
A: The forms are available for download here:
Photography consent,
Parental consent,
please submit them to our google form
here when
signed.
2023 Sponsors
The Hackathon would not be possible without the support of our amazing sponsors. Click on any of the images below to learn more about them. We thank them for partnering with us and enabling us to hold this event!
We'd especially like to thank this year's biggest sponsor, CGI:
Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest IT and business consulting services firms in the world. We are insights-driven and outcomes-focused to help accelerate returns on your investments. Across 21 industry sectors in 400 locations worldwide, our 90,000 professionals provide comprehensive, scalable and sustainable IT and business consulting services that are informed globally and delivered locally.
Interested in learning more about CGI? Watch this video!
