Code of Conduct

Be Respectful and Inclusive

• Treat all participants, mentors, organizers, and staff with kindness, dignity, and respect.
• Harassment, discrimination, hateful speech, intimidation, or any form of abusive behavior is strictly prohibited.
• Respect diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Be inclusive and welcoming to all participants regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, or other personal characteristics.
• Assume good intent in communications and disagreements. Focus on ideas and constructive feedback rather than personal attacks.
• Use inclusive language and be mindful of how your words and actions may affect others.

Maintain Professionalism

• Conduct yourself professionally in all program interactions, including team communications, mentor sessions, and public presentations.
• Respect program schedules, deadlines, and commitments. Communicate proactively if you encounter challenges.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive program information, mentor feedback, and evaluation processes.
• Use program communication channels appropriately and professionally.

Practice Academic and Professional Integrity

• All work submitted must be original and created during the program period.
• Properly credit and attribute all collaborators, team members, and contributors to your project.
• Do not plagiarize, copy, or misrepresent others' work as your own.
• Cite all third-party code, libraries, datasets, models, and resources used in your project according to their licensing terms.
• Follow all applicable licensing terms for open-source software, datasets, and other resources.
• Disclose any AI-generated content or assistance used in your project development.

Collaborate Effectively

• Work collaboratively with your team members, respecting each person's contributions and expertise.
• Communicate openly and honestly about project progress, challenges, and decisions.
• Resolve conflicts constructively and seek help from mentors or organizers when needed.
• Share knowledge and resources with other teams when appropriate, while respecting competition boundaries.

Use Tools and Resources Responsibly

• Use development tools, platforms, and resources in accordance with their terms of service and applicable laws.
• Do not use automation, bots, or scripts to spam, generate fake engagement, or manipulate program systems.
• Do not attempt to scrape private data, bypass security measures, or gain unauthorized access to systems or resources.
• Respect intellectual property rights and do not use copyrighted material without proper authorization.
• Report security vulnerabilities or concerns to organizers rather than exploiting them.

Reporting Violations

If you experience or witness behavior that violates this Code of Conduct, please report it immediately:

• Contact program organizers directly via email at student-outreach@datasphir.com.
• Reports can be made anonymously if preferred, though providing contact information may help us address concerns more effectively.
• All reports will be taken seriously and handled confidentially to the extent possible.
• Retaliation against individuals who report violations is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate action.

Enforcement

Violations of this Code of Conduct may result in the following actions, depending on the severity and nature of the violation:

• Verbal or written warning and request for corrective action.
• Temporary suspension from program activities or communication channels.
• Removal from the program and disqualification from prizes.
• Permanent ban from future Datasphir programs and events.
• Escalation to partner institutions or legal authorities in cases of serious violations or illegal activity.

Organizers reserve the right to take any action deemed necessary to maintain a safe and respectful program environment.