AI, Data Science, and Computing
Serhii Nechyporchuk
Founding Machine Learning Engineer at Casca/Cascading AI, a YC S23 fintech startup backed by Canapi Ventures and Y Combinator.
LinkedInNational Student Research Institute
A five-day sprint from question to research paper.
This 5 day virtual research sprint, hosted by NSRI with research collaborators, track partners, and confirmed judges, will take place from July 13 to 18, 2026.
In collaboration with
The Insilico Lab
YRI Fellowship
Event Overview
How the five days work
Five days, run entirely online, built for teams who are doing this for the first time.
Format & schedule
- DatesJuly 13 to 18, 2026 (5 days)
- FormatFully virtual - all participation is remote
- Time zoneAll deadlines anchored to Eastern Standard Time (EST)
- Submission deadlineJuly 18, 11:59 PM EST
- Grand FinaleJuly 25, 2026 - live presentations by the top 25 teams
Who can join
Open to students worldwide, primarily high schoolers and undergraduates.
Register on your own and we'll match you with a team, or arrive with your own team of one to four members at the start of the event. No prior research experience is required - this is designed as an introduction to research methodology and academic writing.
Featured Judges
Expert reviewers for the sprint
Showing the first six lead judges here. The full judge roster has a dedicated page so the homepage stays readable.
Clinical Research
Dr. Balraj Shukla
Pediatric dentist, clinical academic, and sports journalist supporting review across health and clinical research submissions.
LinkedIn
Critical Care and Pharmacy
Dr. Yenupuri Yasasvi, Pharm.D
Critical care clinical pharmacist focused on evidence-based healthcare, clinical research, medication safety, and quality improvement.
LinkedIn
Public Health and Epidemiology
Dr. Sowmya Doni
Physician and MPH candidate in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Boston University School of Public Health.
LinkedIn
Analytics and Emerging Technologies
Ahunna Theresa Ike-Njoku
M.S. Applied Analytics student at Columbia University with previous experience at BCG, UBS, and Goldman Sachs.
LinkedIn
Climate and Food Security
Akinlolu Akanbi
Graduate researcher at Obafemi Awolowo University focused on climate change, environmental governance, and food security policy.
LinkedIn
View all judges
Full page includes all lead judges plus the associate judge panel.
Partners
Research communities supporting the event
Key collaborators appear here. The full partner page lists every track partner and community.
Research collaborator
The Insilico Lab
Supporting student research across biotechnology, computational discovery, and life sciences innovation.
Physics and Chemistry
YRI Fellowship
Helping young researchers build rigorous work in the physical sciences and publish stronger projects.
Economics and Finance
FinanceMeta
FinanceMeta
The Insilico Lab
Powering work in markets, policy, capital, behavioral economics, and financial analysis.
Economics and Finance
The BU1LD
Supporting builders exploring market systems, venture thinking, and applied finance research.
View all partners
All 8 partner entries are preserved on the dedicated page.
Research Categories
Six categories, one challenge format
Pick the category closest to your curiosity. Each track welcomes interdisciplinary approaches and is shaped with support from relevant partners.
Healthcare and Biotechnology
Drug design, ADMET, docking, molecular dynamics, AI in discovery, medicine, and biotechnology.
Supported by The Insilico LabEconomics and Finance
Markets, policy, behavioral economics, capital analysis, financial systems, and applied research.
Powered by FinanceMeta and The BU1LDTechnology and Artificial Intelligence
Machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, systems, data products, and applied AI.
Powered by ColdMatch and QuanticlePhysics and Chemistry
Chemistry, physics, materials science, theoretical modeling, laboratory methods, and scientific analysis.
Powered by YRI FellowshipEnvironmental Sciences
Climate, sustainability, conservation, ecology, environmental systems, and applied resilience research.
Powered by GABASocial Sciences, Humanities, and Policy
Society, ethics, global issues, governance, history, education, international relations, and public policy.
Powered by Minorities in STEMJudging Process
Two rounds, three outcomes
Every submission is read. Only the strongest move forward at each stage.
01Jul 20-22
Initial Screening
A first panel reviews every submission and scores it against the official rubric. The top 100 teams advance.
02Jul 23-24
Expert Review
A panel of PhD-level judges and industry experts evaluates the top 100 submissions in depth, selecting the top 25 teams.
03Jul 25
Grand Finale
The top 25 teams present their research live by video conference. A final panel determines the top five placements.
Evaluation criteria
Submissions are scored across four equally weighted categories - 30 points each, 120 points total.
AI policy. AI-assisted tools are permitted for drafting and research, provided the final submission reflects original critical thinking and analysis. All submissions undergo integrity review.
Prizes & Recognition
Baseline prize pool: $1,000
The prize pool may increase depending on total participant registration.
1st
$600
2nd
$300
3rd
$100
Every top-100 team receives detailed scorecard feedback on their submission - win or not.
Winners are featured on NSRI's website and social channels, reaching a community of 16,000+ researchers.
Registration
Built to be affordable, worldwide
Our last hackathon charged $30 to register - and we watched that fee quietly price out students outside the US. This year's pricing is set to cover platform and prize costs, not to gatekeep who gets to do research.
Early Bird - Individual
$10
Closes June 30, 2026
The lowest entry point - register before the deadline to lock in this rate.
Regular - Individual
$15
July 1 - July 10, 2026
Standard registration rate for anyone joining after the Early Bird window.
Start your registration
NSRI is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Fees fund event operations, prizes, and platform costs.
Timeline
June 18 - July 31, 2026
Jun 18 - 30
Early Bird registration
$10 individual rate.
Jul 1 - 10
Regular registration
$15 individual rate.
Jul 13
Hackathon begins
Opening ceremony and track assignments.
Jul 18
Submissions due
11:59 PM EST.
Jul 20 - 22
Phase 1 - Initial screening
Top 100 teams selected.
Jul 23 - 24
Phase 2 - Expert review
Top 25 teams selected.
Jul 25
Grand Finale
Live presentations, winners announced.
Jul 26 - 31
Wrap-up
Prize distribution, feedback delivery, post-event report.
How It Runs
The tools behind the sprint
Team coordination
Once teams are formed, you'll coordinate directly over whatever channel you already use - WhatsApp, Discord, or email.
Live sessions
The opening ceremony, mentorship sessions, and the Grand Finale all run on Zoom, with links sent to every registered participant.
Submissions
Teams submit one PDF research paper through a shared Google Form. Tech tracks are encouraged to add a GitHub repo and a three-minute video walkthrough.
Support
A dedicated inbox stays open for the full event for technical issues, rule questions, and anything else that comes up.
About NSRI
Research shouldn't depend on your zip code
The National Student Research Institute (NSRI) is a student-governed 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to democratizing access to research opportunities for students worldwide.
Founded on the belief that research experience shouldn't be limited by geography, institution, or background, NSRI has built a global community of 16,000+ aspiring researchers across more than 40 countries - through research challenges, webinars, and training programs designed and run by students who understand the barriers firsthand.
Introduce
Students to the research process through accessible, structured events.
Build
Portfolio-worthy research projects for college and career applications.
Connect
Emerging student talent with mentorship, publication opportunities, and professional networks.
For all inquiries, or to schedule a call: Smyan Reddy, COO, NSRI - nsrinstitution@gmail.com
16,000+
Researchers in NSRI's global community
40+
Countries represented
900+
Participants in NSRI's last research hackathon