Code of Conduct

1. Our Expectations

Be respectful

Treat other participants, organizers, mentors, judges, speakers, and volunteers with courtesy and respect, both in person and online.

Collaborate in good faith

Hackathons are competitive, but competition should remain constructive. Share knowledge appropriately, give credit to collaborators and sources, and respect other teams and their work.

Respect differences

We welcome participants from different backgrounds, identities, experiences, disciplines, and levels of technical experience. Discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or any other personal characteristic is not tolerated.

Respect boundaries

Respect other people’s personal space, privacy, communication preferences, and boundaries. Unwanted contact or continued interaction after someone has asked you to stop is not acceptable.

2. Unacceptable Behavior

The following behavior is not permitted. This list is not exhaustive:

• Harassment, intimidation, bullying, or discrimination.
• Insulting, threatening, humiliating, or deliberately demeaning another person.
• Unwelcome sexual comments, attention, advances, or conduct.
• Unwelcome comments about someone's appearance, body, or personal characteristics.
• Stalking, repeated unwanted contact, or deliberately following or monitoring another participant.
• Sharing violent, sexually explicit, discriminatory, or otherwise inappropriate content in event spaces.
• Use of slurs or other language intended to demean or target an individual or group.
• Sharing another person's private, personal, or confidential information without their permission.
• Deliberately disrupting workshops, presentations, judging, or another participant's ability to participate.
• Unauthorized access to another participant's accounts, projects, data, or computing resources.
• Any other conduct that materially interferes with the safety, participation, or ability of others to take part in the event.

3. Respect for Project Integrity

Participants are expected to act honestly and responsibly when creating and submitting projects.

This includes:

• Giving appropriate credit to teammates, collaborators, and third-party resources.
• Not presenting another person's work as your own.
• Following the event's rules regarding pre-existing work, third-party materials, and AI-assisted development.
• Following applicable academic-integrity policies where relevant.
• Respecting the intellectual property and licensing requirements associated with software, datasets, APIs, models, and other resources used in a project.

Specific submission, plagiarism, licensing, and AI-use requirements are covered in the Qiskit Fall Fest 2026 Participant Terms & Conditions.

4. Reporting Concerns

If you experience or witness behavior that violates this Code of Conduct, please report it to the organizing team as soon as possible.

Reports can be made by:

• Email: To be announced
• In person: Any member of the organizing team

When possible, please provide enough information for the organizers to understand what happened, including where and when it occurred and who was involved.

Reports will be handled as discreetly as reasonably possible. Information may need to be shared with relevant organizers or university personnel when necessary to address a report or protect someone’s safety.

If you are experiencing an immediate safety emergency, contact the appropriate emergency services or venue personnel first.

5. Consequences

Participants are expected to follow reasonable instructions from event organizers regarding conduct.

Depending on the circumstances and severity of a violation, organizers may take appropriate action, including:

• A verbal or written warning.
• Asking a participant to stop a particular behavior.
• Removal from a workshop, activity, or event space.
• Disqualification from an award or competition.
• Removal from the hackathon.
• Restriction from future events organized by the Quantum Computing Association.

Serious incidents may also be referred to appropriate Georgia Tech or venue authorities where applicable.

Organizers will consider the circumstances of each report when determining an appropriate response.

6. No Retaliation

Retaliation against anyone who reports a concern, participates in an investigation, or supports another participant in making a report is not permitted.

7. Scope and Updates

This Code of Conduct applies throughout the event, including during official activities and in event-related online spaces.

The Quantum Computing Association may update this Code of Conduct when necessary. Participants will be notified of significant changes through the official event communication channels.

By registering for or participating in Qiskit Fall Fest 2026, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to follow this Code of Conduct.