Cloudera AtrocityWatch Hackathon

Details:

• Registration is free
• 1st Place Prize is $1000 (if a team wins, the prize is split between team members)
• Bring your own laptop
• All participants will receive $50 Amazon Web Services credit
• Cloudera is providing food and beverages
• All submissions have the potential of saving lives
• We ask that submissions be licensed under the Apache Software License

Register here: http://atrocitywatch.launchrock.com/

More information: http://www.atrocitywatch.org/hackathons.html

Hackathon FAQ’s

1. What are we hacking?

We are looking for any innovative solutions to detect an impending or occurring atrocity. This can be an analysis of social media, analytics utilizing one or multiple data sources, or natural language processing of the news. There are any number of sources that could indicate trouble, and we are interested to see what kinds of ideas hackers can find during the event.

2. What data is used?

Any data that is publicly available or that could be purchased through a nominal fee is fair to use. We are interested to see what ideas attendees bring to this problem. Social media is one avenue of exploration, but other forms of data (and metadata) may also be included.

3. What output are we expected to deliver?

This can be anything you want. You will be expected to show your creations during presentations at the end of the Hackathon. A working proof of concept or a realistic mock-up would be great.

4. Where will results be uploaded?

On-site personnel will help configure Amazon Web Services and/or similar cloud solutions for final work-product storage on the day of. We ask that submissions be licensed under the Apache Software License.

5. Is this an algorithm focused competition?

No. We are looking for literally anything you can think of that helps solve the problem of Atrocities. Algorithms are welcome, but we will also consider mashup applications utilizing multiple services, customized filters for video sites, or even design documents.

6. What if I want to help in the hackathon, but I don’t want to compete?

We are also accepting Mentors who are willing to help teams. Mentors aren’t part of a team and can help more than one team. Mentors are particularly sought with experience in big data, data science, social media APIs, etc.

7. Should I compete by myself or join a team?

It is up to you. If a team wins, the prize will be split amongst team members. A team might not out perform an individual in this event, as ‘too many cooks can spoil the broth.’ Teams can be formed after the event has begun in case two or more individuals decide to combine their efforts. Similarly, teams can split up if team members decide they are incompatible.