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By: Shriya Jonnalagadda | November 10, 2025 | Photo: Isabella Boncser<\/p>\n
There\u2019s something quite electric about gathering in the early hours of a Saturday morning, laptops in one hand, sleeping bags in the other, brainstorming scribbles on whiteboards, and that kind of buzz that says: we\u2019re about to build something<\/em>. That was me (and my team) at the DS+X Hackathon this past weekend, sprinting to answer the question: what happens when data science collides with your passion, your discipline, your \u201cX\u201d?<\/p>\n Saturday morning, as participants began to check in, the Spark! space in CDS was brimming with energy. The check-in was smooth and the organizers had breakfast ready. Orientation covered the tracks:<\/p>\n Each track promised its own version of challenge, mentorship, prizes, and community.<\/p>\n I attended with a friend and at the event we met two Master\u2019s students who joined our team. It felt right: mixed expertise, fresh perspectives, and the shared goal of building something meaningful. We locked in on our project fairly early \u2013 creating a platform that predicts research trends so BU professors knew where to direct research funding and efforts. As we were brainstorming, we spoke with Phillip Lindsay, the Director of Strategy & Innovation at BU, who served as a mentor in the HackBU track, to refine the problem, set the scope, and define our hack.<\/p>\n With our scope defined and team roles sorted (coding, design, data handling, pitching), we were ready.<\/p>\n The weekend\u2019s structure gave us rhythm and real value beyond just \u201cbuild fast\u201d. For instance:<\/p>\n Day 2 looked something like this: breakfast, final submit button pressed, team photo, and a sigh of relief. Then the pitch session: we presented to the judges along with other teams in our track (HackBU). The lunch break was a reset. Then the awards ceremony: celebrating winners, recognizing effort, handing out prizes worth over $5000<\/p>\n Highlights from a conversation with a member of the winning team (RhettSearch, including Khai Pham \u201928): they created an \u201cRSTI\u201d test (a personality-type test for research collaborators) and a collaborator-search tool, pitched through a Tinder-style swipe interface. The judges noted they \u201ctackled multiple issues in one singular platform\u201d and that helped them win. Pham says:<\/p>\n \u201cWaking up at 9 am, committing to something, making new connections, and<\/em> Victory matters; but he reflected the value of the journey itself.<\/p>\n As the CDS research communications intern, writing this article gives me more than another piece of content; it gives perspective and place to reflect. In just one weekend I saw students lean into uncertainty, pick up new tools, collaborate across disciplines, and walk away with more than a project: connections, confidence, and a piece of something bigger.<\/p>\n For me (and maybe for you reading this), the takeaway isn\u2019t just \u201cwe built this app\u201d. It\u2019s that we stepped into a space where data science meets \u201cX\u201d and figured out what we can make of that. That kind of mindset fits not just academic or technical goals, but the bigger \u201cwhat do I want to contribute to the world\u201d question. If your aim is to break into finance, build entrepreneurial foundations, or simply jumpstart something meaningful, this is exactly the kind of weekend that helps shift perspective.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s to the next big build. The next \u201c+ X\u201d. The next leap.<\/p>\n — Shriya Jonnalagadda (CDS’28), Data Science Research Communications Intern<\/span><\/p>\nCheck-In & Orientation<\/h3>\n
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Team Formation & The Start of The Sprint<\/h3>\n
Workshops & Events<\/h3>\n
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Submission, Judging & Awards<\/h3>\n
\ngaining hackathon experience. My parents are really proud, not gonna lie.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nReflections: What I Took Away<\/h3>\n
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Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n
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