You can then submit a HackTrack project here.
We will ask you to provide some information about your project in order to advertise it and help onboarding new members.
If you have any questions on the way of submitting your project, feel free to open a general issue to ask any question.
This handbook includes more information on each item.
The OHBM Brainhack 2025 will be hosted in Brisbane for in-person participation, complemented by 3 online hubs:
- Asia-Pacific (aligned with Brisbane's time zone as the main hub)
- Europe, Middle East, Africa
- Americas
While your project may have leaders across multiple hubs, please note that live project pitches will occur once in the main hub. Additionally, some sessions will be shared with other hubs; for specifics, refer to the schedule. Consider recording your project pitch before the event to inform all virtual hubs. Moreover, we recommend identifying project leads to coordinate online contributions at different hubs to enhance hybrid collaborations.
If your project welcomes hybrid/online participation, please create a brief project pitch for the Brainhack audience. The pitch should be relatively short (2-5 minutes) and will be presented on the first day of the event alongside other projects. For those attending in person, you may choose to deliver a live pitch, and for virtual participants, please upload the pitch video to YouTube and share the link with us.
If your project involves code we recommend using a public repository (e.g. GitHub).
If your project does not involve coding, please include a link to the relevant documentation (e.g. shared online document, space on the open science framework, etc.).
The repository should have README.md containing:
- project idea and context;
- installation guidelines if applicable;
- links to further reading/tutorials;
- and if you want, additional files such as Contributors.md, to specify which types of people can contribute how.
Try to describe what you want to achieve during this brainhack.
If your project is just starting it might simply be "discuss, set up a roadmap, and identify potential obstacles".
For some other projects it could be a set of SMART goals:
- Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
- Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
- Achievable (agreed, attainable).
- Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).
- Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive).
To keep track of the progress on the 2 issues of your project and all the sub-tasks you might use a kanban board.
A kanban board helps you manage your work in a very visual way: here is a short video explaining the idea.
You can use the integrated kanban on GitHub or use an external app like trello.
If you have set up a repository for your code, it would be great if you open at least 2 good first issues
issues that describe the goals you would like to achieve in this brainhack.
Some examples:
- improve documentation or tutorial for a package
- fix an easy to truck bug
- add tests for specific features
List skills that would be particularly suitable for your project. Skills can include coding skills and non-coding skills.
Think in particular about what different types of contributions could be?
It is not all about coding! Are you interested in collaborating with someone with a good flair for good visualization? Someone with more experience who can make a good user interface? Someone who knows how to develop good, tidy and clear documentation?
| language | level of expertise required |
|---|---|
| Python | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| JavaScript | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| C++ | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| Java | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| Unix command line | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| other | beginner / confirmed / expert |
MRI / fMRI
| software | level of expertise required |
|---|---|
| SPM | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| FSL | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| Freesurfer | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| AFNI | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| ANTs | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| Nipype | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| other | beginner / confirmed / expert |
EEG / MEG
| software | level of expertise required |
|---|---|
| FieldTrip | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| Brainstorm | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| other | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| Standard | level of expertise required |
|---|---|
| Brain Imaging Data Structure | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| Neurodata Without Borders | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| other | beginner / confirmed / expert |
| level | description |
|---|---|
| Git - 0 | no prior Git knowledge |
| Git - 1 | can commit and push to a repository |
| Git - 2 | comfortable working with branches and can do a pull request on another repository |
| Git - 3 | can work with continuous integration |
Throughout the hackathon, we'll be utilizing Discord. Kindly download the client and join our OHBM space. Your project channel will be automatically generated.
For projects conducted online or in a hybrid format, please propose the meeting time on your Discord channel following the project kick-off pitch.
Consider scheduling a daily video meeting with your team members for effective communication.
If you're in Brisbane, remain receptive to online contributors and actively monitor the Discord channel!
How would your project onboard new members with different skillsets -- physicist/imager/clinician/psychologist/computational scientist/maker/artist/lawyer -- as a project collaborator?
We recommend that you read through Mozilla Open Leadership material on personas and contribution guidelines.
If you want to easily list contributors on your repository you can look into the all contributors bot.
During the project pitch session, we will share your project to our social media. Our default post will be as follows:
Title
Repo URL
Project leader Twitter handle
#OHBMHackathon #Brainhack #OHBM2025 #OHBM_Brainhack_2025
Please provide a twitter-sized summary of your project if you would like us to tweet that instead of title.