Electric City Hacks Returns to Trent University
More than 350 students from across Canada to attend Trent University’s second annual hackathon
Electric City Hacks is back and bigger than ever. More than 350 post-secondary students from across the country, including students from local area high schools, are expected to attend Peterborough’s only hackathon, which will return to Trent University on November 3 to 5, and this year, event organizers say is gearing up to be even greater than the inaugural hackathon last year.
Founded in 2016 by four Trent University Computer Science and Information Systems students Matthew Barnes, Waun Broderick, Dexter Fichuk, Laura Mann, and Seyedyashar Morabbi Heravi, Electric City Hacks or “ECHacks” offers post-secondary students the opportunity to put their coding knowledge to the test by creating an original hack, gadget, or app from scratch in less than 37 hours.
This year’s hackathon will consist of multiple categories such as, “Best Green Hack”, “Agriculture Hack”, “Adventure Hack” and more, to encourage participants to create with a specific purpose in mind. Prizes will be awarded to the top team in each category Sunday afternoon.
“We are so excited to be back and we’re ready for another successful Electric City Hacks hackathon,” said Mr. Morabbi Heravi. “We had a ton of fun last year and we are excited to make this opportunity accessible to even more students by offering free buses from Waterloo and Toronto to Trent. We hope that by removing this financial barrier, students of all backgrounds and with varying degrees of experience will be able to participate.”
In between hacking, participants can also look forward to a morning hike around the Trent nature areas, campus tours, and yoga classes, as well as a taste of Peterborough’s downtown with meals provided all weekend by local vendors and restaurants.
About Trent University
One of Canada's top universities, Trent University was founded on the ideal of interactive learning that's personal, purposeful and transformative. Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world. Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities. Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day. Today, Trent's unique approach to personal development through supportive, collaborative community engagement is in more demand than ever. Students lead the way by co-creating experiences rooted in dialogue, diverse perspectives and collaboration. In a learning environment that builds life-long passion for inclusion, leadership and social change, Trent's students, alumni, faculty and staff are engaged global citizens who are catalysts in developing sustainable solutions to complex issues. Trent's Peterborough campus boasts award-winning architecture in a breathtaking natural setting on the banks of the Otonabee River, just 90 minutes from downtown Toronto, while Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area, delivers a distinct mix of programming in the east GTA.
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Photo Opportunity: Trent University Student Centre, Sunday, November 5, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Media is invited to view the finished hacks during a “science fair style” display from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 5 in the Trent Student Centre. Presentations will be followed by the closing ceremonies at Wenjack Theatre where the winners will be announced.
For more information, contact:
Kate Weersink, media relations & strategic communications officer, Trent University, (705) 748-1011 x6180 or kateweersink@trentu.ca