Introducing the 2nd Chapter Director of TechTogether Atlanta, Anjana Chamarthi
Meet TechTogether Atlanta’s second Chapter Director, Anjana Chamarthi! Anjana (She/Hers) is studying at Georgia Institute of Technology pursuing BS degrees in Industrial & Systems Engineering and Computer Science. She will be responsible for running TechTogether’s second hackathon for the Atlanta community. Interested in joining TechTogether Atlanta’s 2021–2022 organizing team? Learn more and apply here.
Hello! Please introduce yourself and your role in TechTogether.
Hi! I’m Anjana and I’m super excited to be directing TechTogether Atlanta this year! I’m currently an undergraduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology, studying Industrial & Systems Engineering and Computer Science. As Chapter Director for TechTogether Atlanta, I’ll be working with a team of awesome individuals to create a memorable hacker experience for y’all!
Why did you join the TechTogether organizing team? How can other students get involved with TechTogether?
My most memorable hackathon experience (*ever*) was TechTogether Boston in 2018! The event itself was so inviting and transformative for me and my close friends (who all decided to pursue computer science degrees afterwards)! Joining the organizing team is my way of helping invite newer people into this rewarding, exciting field of technology. The best way of getting involved with TechTogether is to attend the events!! And of course, reach out to anyone in the TechTogether community. :)
What are you most excited about for TechTogether Atlanta? How do you hope this year’s hackathon will be different from last year?
I’m so excited to see familiar (and new!) faces at TechTogether Atlanta. This year, our hackathon will be virtual, so I hope that the environment still remains super interactive and maybe even more so because of the many new online platforms we hope to use this year.
What are your favorite aspects of a hackathon?
Connecting with other hackers, learning from the mentors, free swag (!), attending workshops, building projects, hopefully winning some cool prizes, did I mention free swag already?
Can you tell me about your first hackathon experience?
My first hackathon was ByteHacks, the largest women’s hackathon in NYC! Going to the venue on a Saturday morning was definitely nerve-wracking at first, but it was so relieving to see many other beginner hackers too! Even though my team and I were fairly new to computer science, we learned a lot by interacting with mentors and attending workshops. After many, many, many, many iterations of debugging, we eventually developed a natural disaster management app that won a prize! Overall, the experience (filled with exploring NYC, trying boba tea for the first time, and meeting amazing women) was unmatched!
Do you have any advice for someone who’s interested in attending a hackathon but may be intimidated?
Trust me, I know it may seem a little bit scary to attend a hackathon, but it really is such an inclusive environment — so do not feel scared about finding team members or even competing! Hackathons are designed to be learning environments — a place where you can grow as a technologist and experiment with your biggest, boldest ideas.
Any secret talents or hobbies?
Recently, I’ve become really good at the aerodynamic projectile of spherical objects into cups — cup pong. I also enjoy playing golf, binge-watching documentaries on Netflix, and indulging in poker.
What do you wish I had asked and what would be your answer to that question?
Is hackathon culture really just grinding on your projects overnight, while nibbling on caffeine chocolates and Soylents to stay awake?
While many hackers do indulge in the occasional coffee and stay up to finish their projects, we encourage everyone to get sleep and feel well rested! In fact, at TTB, there was an allocated ‘resting’ room with a bunch of sleeping bags! In addition, there are many events (such as Cup Stacking, Bob Ross paint nights, Karaoke, yoga sessions) besides tech workshops that hackers can go to. A hackathon is meant to be an enjoyable experience for you, while you create some neat projects!
Any final thoughts?
Sign up to attend TechTogether!
During these unprecedented times, I think it’s even more important to come ‘together’ as a community and attend events like Tech’Together’ (pun intended?). They are great places to connect with others in the tech industry, whether that be corporate sponsors, mentors, or other students.
Even if you have never even written a line of code, that’s still completely ok! There are sooo many resources and people here to guide you on your projects.
Also, feel free to reach out to me or anyone else in the community for more information on hackathons, TechTogether, or just to say hi!
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