-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [exec] Environmental evidence + AI hackathon Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2026 19:41:28 +0000 From: Tim Alamenciak <tim.a@uwaterloo.ca> To: exec <exec@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> Hello - I'm reaching out to share information on a hackathon we are hosting for University of Waterloo students. Would you be able to share this with anyone who may be interested? I've attached an image you are welcome to share. Here is a blurb: *Join Evidence Jam 2026 — Turn Ecological Knowledge into AI-Powered Insight* Evidence Jam 2026 (/Causapalooza!/) is a weekend hackathon at the University of Waterloo's DRAGEN Lab, November 13–16, where teams use AI to turn ecology literature into structured, practitioner-ready causal knowledge. We're recruiting software developers, ML engineers, restoration ecologists, UX/UI designers, data scientists, and philosophers — interdisciplinary teams of 2–4 are strongly encouraged and prioritized in selection. Prizes include the Gold Raccoon awards (Dell hardware, with a _Dell Pro Max workstation with GB10_ <mailto:https://www.dell.com/en-ca/shop/dell-desktops-workstations/dell-pro-max-with-gb10/spd/dell-pro-max-fcm1253-micro/xcto_fcm1253_cax> for first place), a Green Raccoon sustainability award for the most energy efficient solutions, and the collaborator-voted Most Valuable Possum for best collaborator. Featuring judges and mentors from the World Wildlife Fund, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Conservation Halton, and more. Beyond the hardware, this is a chance to compress a years-long literature synthesis into one weekend, with real ecological data, GPU compute, and mentors on hand to help you ship something a restoration practitioner could actually use. Create open-source software in a collaborative setting, with great food and prizes! Applications close Friday, October 9 — apply with your team or solo at _https://evidencejam.tim-a.ca_ <https://evidencejam.tim-a.ca/>. Teams must contain at least one current UW student. There is no cost to participate and food will be provided. *Tim Alamenciak * /Postdoctoral Fellow, //Bennett Lab/ <https://carleton.ca/bennett-lab/>/, Carleton University/ /Research Fellow, //DRAGEN Lab/ <https://www.dragenlab.ca/>/ | Adjunct Associate Professor, //School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability/ <https://uwaterloo.ca/environment-resources-and-sustainability/>/ @ University of Waterloo/ OrcidID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1296-2528 <https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1296-2528> Book a time to chat or come for tea <https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/91eacb4a13124ef5be51aca59b87571d@uwaterloo.ca?anonymous&ismsaljsauthenabled&ep=plink>
