jj@portfolio:~/hackathon-projects$jairik "jj" mccauley · software engineer
# journalctl --unit=hackathons --no-pager

> Hackathons

# Projects built under hackathon constraints, shaped by short timelines, team decisions, and demo-day feedback.

6 projects6 tools

$ ls ~/topics

ai-engineeringfull-stackdata-science-mldev-toolssystems-securityhackathons
# matching projects — click through for the full write-up

> Matches

~/projects/knowyouruni
KnowYourUni — ML student analytics platform, screenshot 1 of 6
September 2025 - November 2025

KnowYourUni

Student analytics dashboard built on a Neo4j knowledge graph, looking for patterns in academic habits and engagement.

$ cat README →
~/projects/testifai
TestifAI — LLM quiz and test generator, screenshot 1 of 4
September 2024

TestifAI

LLM-driven platform that generates quizzes and tests from user-provided material, winner of 2nd best overall and best educational hack at HackUMBC 2024.

★ 2nd Overall · HackUMBC 2024
$ cat README →
~/projects/lunara
Lunara — AI-powered healthcare triage system, screenshot 1 of 8
October 2025 - Present

Lunara

AI-powered triage system for healthcare, winner of 1st place at Rutgers HealthHack 2025. Currently in development with Rutgers through a completer program to bring it to production.

★ 1st · Rutgers HealthHack 2025running
$ cat README →
~/projects/rova
Rova — voice-first AI learning platform, screenshot 1 of 5
March 2026 - Present

Rova

Voice-first AI learning platform that turns uploaded material or any topic into a personalized roadmap with guided lessons, practice, assessments, and progress tracking.

runningclosed src
$ cat README →
~/projects/perishless
PerishLess — AI food-waste reduction platform, screenshot 1 of 4
March 2026

PerishLess

Pantry tracker that flags food before it expires, then suggests recipes and donations for whatever needs using up.

$ cat README →
~/projects/claritycash
! no images — this one lives in the code
November 2025

ClarityCash

Budgeting prototype that pulls transactions through Plaid and sorts spending into what is structural, what is flexible, and what is doing damage.

$ cat README →
# tradeoffs that keep showing up in this lane

> Decisions

# Cut scope hard: one demoable loop, editable LLM outputs, and a stack the team already knows. Post-hackathon work is where auth, data quality, and deployment catch up.

# which --all $TOOLS — the parts of the arsenal this topic leans on

> Tools Used

ReactFastAPIAWSPythonOpenAI APILangChain