Hoot Hacks is an inaugural AI-driven hackathon hosted by SWE , WIECS , and SHPE . This event is designed to provide students with a hands-on environment to build, innovate, and solve real-world problems using Artificial Intelligence.
Whether you are a senior or a freshman building your first project, Hoot Hacks is your opportunity to turn an idea into a working prototype in a single day. We provide the space and the challenges you provide the code.
🗓️ Event Schedule (April 25, 2026)
09:00 AM: Check-In & Breakfast 🥯
09:30 AM: Opening Session
10:00 AM: Team Formation & Ice Breakers
10:30 AM: HACKING BEGINS 💻
01:00 PM: Lunch and Networking
04:45 PM: HACKING ENDS / Project Demos Due 🚨
04:45 PM: Judging Begins
05:30 PM: Judging Ends
05:45 PM: Closing Ceremony & Awards
Track-Specific Deliverables:
Campus AI Assistant: A working chatbot capable of answering at least 15 common FAU student questions across 3 categories (academics, campus life, deadlines).
AI for Student Life: A demo that clearly identifies a student problem and shows the AI solving it.
AI for Good: A demo that defines a real-world problem outside of college life and shows the AI addressing it.
Requirements
To qualify for the $150 prize per track, your team must submit the following on Devpost:
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Challenge Selection: Specify which of the three tracks you are competing in.
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GitHub Link: A link to your public repository with original code written during the event.
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Video Demo: A brief (maximum 2 minutes) video walkthrough of your project in action.
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AI Disclosure: A short description of how you used AI tools (like LLMs or Copilot) to assist your engineering process.
Prizes
Cash Prize (150 per team)
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
Society of Women Engineers
Women in Engineering and Computer Science
Judging Criteria
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Technical Implementation (25%)
Is the AI reliable and the code functional? -
Creativity (25%):
How unique is the solution compared to existing tools? -
Impact (25%):
Does the tool solve a meaningful problem for the target audience? -
Communication (25%):
Can the team clearly explain the logic and execution of their project?
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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