Your  Account:
Participants at previous event

Saturday, April 27, 2024
Women's Hackathon

Musical Cryptography

The theme for this spring's event is Musical Cryptography, inspired by a recently unveiled courageous experience of Dr. Merryl Goldberg, a music professor and performing artist. Participants at the event will work in teams to devise creative ways of hiding socially responsible textual messages via music and to build computer programs that implement these creative ideas. We hope the event will help participants experience the creative, collaborative aspects of computing and develop a sense of belonging to the community. No prior experience in music or cryptography is required.

This fun-filled event is free of charge for students to participate and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  The event also connects students with professionals from local industries who provide mentoring on student projects or serve on the judging panel.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Due to high level of interest in the event, we are expanding the capacity of the program from 50 to 100. Registrations accepted through April 8, 2024 (Monday). Email womenshackathon@csusm.edu for questions.

Register Online

Past Highlights

Dr. Goldberg's Experience

How a Saxophonist Tricked the KGB by Encrypting Secrets in Music

Woman smiling at camera and musical performers in the 1970s
Using a custom encryption scheme based on musical notation, US musicians smuggled information into and out of the USSR. ...more
Students with a mentor working on a project
Students with a mentor working on a project
A judge with students presenting their project
A judge with students presenting their project
Students enjoying lunch together

Event Schedule

Time Event
9:00am - 9:30am Participant check-in & breakfast
9:30am - 10:00am Opening session with drum circles
10:00am - 5:00pm Teamwork and composition session (Refreshment/Lunch served)
5:00pm - 6:30pm Presentations
6:30pm - 7:30pm Participant dinner & performance
7:30pm - 8:00pm Awards & closing

Event Sponsors

Qualcomm

CSUSM

Google map with pin drops for each participating school
Schools & Colleges
Launched in April 2014, this bi-annual event had served over 500 young women from high schools and colleges all over Southern California before the pandemic. Check out if your school was represented. We hope to expand the reach with this spring's theme.