Machine Learning for Microscopy Hackathon 3
December 15-17, 2026 · Hybrid (In-person + Virtual)
What is the Hackathon?
The Machine Learning for Microscopy Hackathon is a hands-on event that brings together researchers, students, and professionals to solve real microscopy problems using AI and data-driven tools. Participants work in small interdisciplinary teams to explore imaging, spectroscopy, and automation challenges, learning from mentors and peers along the way.
Multi-Site Participation
Attend in person or join remotely — teams will collaborate across sites and time zones. Confirmed 2026 host sites include:
More sites will be added soon. Stay tuned!
Interested in hosting a site? Contact Sergei Kalinin: sergei2@utk.edu.
Why Participate?
Work with real microscopy datasets and apply state-of-the-art AI methods.
Form teams with participants from around the world — fully remote participation supported.
Share code, data, and discoveries that extend beyond the event.
Showcase your work to researchers, labs, and industry partners.
Timeline
| Phase | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Registration & Team Formation | Now - Dec 13 | Register to attend online or in-person at one of our sites. Registration for attending in-person closes December 6 |
| Team Formation | Now - Dec 15 | Join Slack, and find collaborators. |
| Hackathon Start | Dec 15 | Opening session and challenge release. |
| Mentorship & Collaboration | Dec 15-16 | Hands-on work with mentors and cross-site support. |
| Final Presentations | Dec 17 | Team presentations and submissions. |
| Judging Period | Dec 18 - Jan 2027 | Judging of submissions by the Jury. |
| Award Announcement | Jan 2027 | Winners announced after judging is completed. |
| Post-Event | 2027 | Paper writing and open-source integration. |
Logistics
The hackathon will take place in hybrid format using Zoom for talks and Slack + Miro for collaboration.
Access links coming soon!
Sponsors & Partners
Supported by Nanosurf, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Renaissance Philanthropy, Zurich Instruments, Park Systems, Waviks, DENS solutions.
Our list of sponsors is growing! Check back closer to the event for the most up-to-date list of our supporters.
Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact Sergei Kalinin: sergei2@utk.edu.