Simplifying the Research Journey for Students

AcadFinder is a comprehensive platform designed to streamline the process of finding research opportunities and connecting with professors. Built during a hackathon, this full-stack application consolidates scattered resources into a single, intuitive interface.

Research is one of the most valuable experiences a student can pursue. However, as undergraduate students, we found ourselves overwhelmed by:

• Inconsistent and incomplete university repositories
• Complex academic papers that were difficult to understand
• The challenge of crafting compelling emails to busy professors
• Balancing research exploration with an already demanding schedule

We created AcadFinder to be the tool we wished existed when we started our research journey a platform that simplifies the process and reignites the passion for discovery.

• Unified Database: Browse professors sorted by university and department
• Quick Access: Direct links to contact information and research profiles
• AI-Powered Summaries: Easy-to-read summaries of recent publications
• Favorites System: Save and organize professors you're interested in

Powered by Gemini API, our intelligent assistant helps with:

• Writing professional research emails
• Preparing for professor meetings
• Choosing research areas aligned with your interests
• Answering common questions about the research process

Powered by ElevenLabs API, this voice-based feature allows you to:

• Practice discussing research topics
• Prepare for informal interviews with professors
• Build confidence before reaching out
• Receive real-time conversational practice

• Curated templates for various research scenarios
• Professional formatting and structure
• Customizable for different contexts

• Frontend: React + Bootstrap
• Backend & Database: Supabase
• AI Integration: Gemini API
• Voice Technology: ElevenLabs API
• Languages: JavaScript

• Node.js (v14 or higher)
• npm or yarn
• Supabase account (currenlty you need to add you own supabase data)
• Gemini API key
• ElevenLabs API key

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/tthy-working/frontend.git

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Set up environment variables

   Create a .env file in the root directory:

   VITE_SUPABASE_URL=your_supabase_url
   VITE_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=your_supabase_anon_key
   VITE_GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key
   VITE_ELEVENLABS_API_KEY=your_elevenlabs_api_key

4. Run the development server

   npm run dev

5. Open your browser

   Navigate to http://localhost:5173

AcadFinder/
├── src/
│   ├── components/       # React components
│   ├── pages/           # Page components
│   ├── services/        # API integrations (Gemini, ElevenLabs)
│   └── App.jsx          # Main application component
├── public/              # Static assets
└── package.json         # Dependencies

1. Search & Discover: Browse our curated directory of professors filtered by university and department
2. Learn & Understand: Read AI-generated summaries of recent research papers
3. Prepare: Use our AI assistant to craft emails and prepare for meetings
4. Practice: Engage with our voice-based interview simulator
5. Connect: Reach out to professors with confidence

• Collaborative Development: Learning to work effectively with Git and GitHub as a team
• Task Prioritization: Balancing dependencies and organizing work efficiently
• Integration Complexity: Seamlessly connecting multiple APIs and services
• Data Curation: Manually organizing professor information and research summaries

• ✅ Built a polished, full-stack application exceeding our original vision
• ✅ Developed effective teamwork and collaboration skills
• ✅ Created a product we would personally use
• ✅ Successfully integrated multiple complex APIs
• ✅ Delivered a complete solution within hackathon timeframe

• Teamwork: Progress is more satisfying and achievable when working collaboratively
• Resilience: We're capable of tremendous growth under pressure
• Technical Skills: Gained hands-on experience with modern web technologies
• Problem Solving: Learned to navigate challenges and adapt quickly

We're committed to expanding AcadFinder's capabilities:

• 🔄 Automated Data Pipeline: Scrape and organize professor data automatically
• 🌐 University Expansion: Add more institutions to our directory
• 📊 Analytics Dashboard: Track application progress and success rates
• 🔔 Notification System: Alert users about new research opportunities

• Integration with academic databases (Google Scholar, PubMed)
• Mobile application for iOS and Android
• Community features for students to share experiences
• Advanced matching algorithm based on research interests

Built by De Anza Student Team 404 who believe in making research accessible to everyone.

• Thanks to all the professors who inspired this project
• ElevenLabs for their amazing voice API
• Google for the Gemini API
• Supabase for their excellent backend platform
• The hackathon organizers De Anza 4.0 and mentors