Moscow State University Team Wins World Finals of ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest


NEW YORK, April 19, 2018 – The 2018 World Finals of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) culminated today at Peking University in Beijing, China. Three students from Moscow State University earned the title of 2018 World Champions. Teams from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Peking University and The University of Tokyo placed in second, third and fourth places and were recognized with gold medals in the prestigious competition.

ACM ICPC is the premier global programming competition conducted by and for the world’s universities. The global competition is conceived, operated and shepherded by ACM, sponsored by IBM, and headquartered at Baylor University. For more than four decades, the competition has raised the aspirations and performance of generations of the world’s problem solvers in computing sciences and engineering.

In the competition, teams of three students tackle eight or more complex, real-world problems. The students are given a problem statement, and must create a solution within a looming five-hour time limit. The team that solves the most problems in the fewest attempts in the least cumulative time is declared the winner. This year’s World Finals saw 140 teams competing. Now in its 42nd year, ICPC has gathered more than 320,000 students from around the world to compete since its inception.

As computing increasingly becomes part of the daily routines of a growing percentage of the global population, the solution to many of tomorrow’s challenges will be written with computing code. The ICPC serves as a unique forum for tomorrow’s computing professionals to showcase their skills, learn new proficiencies and to work together to solve many real-world problems. This international event fosters the innovative spirit that continues to transform our world.

The 140 teams that participated in this year’s World Finals emerged from local and regional ICPC competitions that took place in the fall of 2017. Initially, selection took place from a field of more than 300,000 students in computing disciplines worldwide. A record number of students advanced to the regional level. 49,935 contestants from 3,089 universities in 111 countries on six continents competed at more than 585 sites, all with the goal of earning one of the coveted invitations to Beijing.In addition to the World Champion designation, gold, silver, and bronze medals were awarded. The top teams this year included:

  1. Moscow State University
  2. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
  3. Peking University
  4. The University of Tokyo
  5. Seoul National University
  6. University of New South Wales
  7. Tsinghua University
  8. Shanghai Jiao Tong University
  9. St. Petersburg ITMO University
  10. University of Central Florida
  11. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  12. Vilnius University
  13. Ural Federal University

About the ACM-ICPC

Headquartered at Baylor University, the ACM-ICPC is a global competition among the world’s university students, nurturing new generations of talent in the science and art of information technology. For more information about the ACM-ICPC, including downloadable high resolution photographs and videos, visit ICPC headquarters and ICPCNews. Additional information can be found via the “Battle of the Brains” podcast series. Follow the contest on Twitter @ICPCNews and #ICPC2016.

Source: Moscow State University Team Wins World Finals of ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest

2018 Algorithms PhD Student Travel Award

We are pleased to announce the 2018 Algorithms PhD Student Travel Award sponsored by our journal. The award aims to assist junior researchers to attend an international conference.

The 2018 Algorithms Travel Award consists of 800 CHF.

Candidates must meet the following requirements:

  • PhD students whose research involves algorithms and their applications
  • Attend an international conference in 2018 to present research (either via an oral presentation or poster) in the area of algorithms and their applications, and provide a letter of acceptance from the conference organizer

The required application materials include:

  • An abstract for the conference
  • Curriculum Vitae, including a complete list of publications
  • Letter of support from their mentors

Please send your applications to algorithms@mdpi.com or yi.zhang@mdpi.comby 31 May 2018. The winner will be announced by 15 June 2018. Please visit our website for details here http://www.mdpi.com/journal/algorithms/awards.

We look forward to receiving your applications.

Kind regards,
Ms. Yi Zhang
Managing Editor
E-Mail: algorithms@mdpi.com
Algorithms (http://www.mdpi.com/journal/algorithms)

On behalf of
Prof. Dr. Henning Fernau
Editor-in-Chief of Algorithms
Theoretical Computer Science, FB 4 – Abteilung Informatik,
Universität Trier, D-54286 Trier, Germany

Three PhD Positions in Cognitive Science & Artificial Intelligence in Tilburg

Three PhD Positions in Cognitive Science & Artificial Intelligence in Tilburg

deadline: May 21, 2018
starting date: summer/fall 2018

The Cognitive Science & Artificial Intelligence department at Tilburg University  (The Netherlands) is looking for three enthusiastic colleagues for PhD positions  on the project VIBE (Virtual Humans in the Brabant Economy). This project aims  to develop embodied conversational agents in virtual reality that look and  behave like humans both verbally and non-verbally and can be deployed in  hospital settings. Together with 13 partners, including Tilburg University,  universities of applied sciences, several technology firms, the Netherlands Aerospace Center, and three hospitals, we will build these agents for virtual,  mixed and augmented reality environments, train these agents using sensing technologies and data science techniques, and deploy and test the agents in  three hospitals that partner in this project.

The successful PhD candidate holds a (research) master in a relevant area and is expected to have an academic mindset with an entrepreneurial interest, and is supposed to be enthusiastic, creative, and solution-driven. The candidate is comfortable with working in a multidisciplinary research team, has an excellent command of English and good professional communication skills. Specifically, the candidate has a strong background in areas such as cognitive science, computer science, data science, engineering, computational linguistics and virtual, mixed  or augmented reality.

More information can be found here:
https://tiu.nu/13341

So You Want to Be a…Software Developer

“An Exciting Time to Be a Software Developer”

​Designing and programming computer software is an invaluable skillset, one that is increasingly in demand in the United States, and one that the California State University is preparing students for through its extensive computer science programs.

Much sought after by companies in a variety of industries, U.S. software developers earned a median annual salary of $102,280 in 2016. The expects it to be one of the fastest-growing fields between now and 2026.

, chair of the at explains that the growing demand for developers is driven by the trend of traditionally non-technical industries turning to software solutions to become more efficient, effective and competitive.

“Computing is becoming more important in nearly every discipline. Data is the new microscope,” Dr. Lupo says.

The occupation is projected to increase 24 percent through 2026, adding more than 300,000 jobs — a growth that’s three times higher than the average for all occupations.

So who makes a good software developer? Really, anyone with a passion for the impact the field has and will have, Lupo says.

In addition to good math and science skills, prospective software development students should “enjoy working with others to creatively solve problems that can have global and societal impacts.”

“A software developer is more than a programmer; [she] is a new type of engineer who builds software as a product,” explains Michael Soltys, Ph.D., professor and chair of computer science at California State University Channel Islands.

“Computer science is now part of every aspect of the human endeavor, and so a computer science degree offers many careers,” Dr. Soltys says, adding that he sees students going on to a range of careers, from cybersecurity to applications and game developing.

Soltys and other CSU Channel Islands faculty prepare career-ready students with a variety of innovative hands-on projects, often with real-world applications.

For example, computer science students recently built a prototype of a digital forensics tool — in collaboration with the Ventura County DA’s digital forensics lab — that helps investigators more quickly acquire data from digital devices. Another project focused on an internet-enabled sprinkler timer design that helped conserve water.

This hands-on experience helps make Soltys’ students ideal candidates for the IT industry, he says, adding that many begin their careers even before graduation.

Applied learning is also an essential part of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s computer science and software engineering programs, says Lupo. “With nearly every course we offer a laboratory component where students must apply what they are learning in projects that they might find in industry.”

The growth in the software development field, as well as the need for more professionals, will only continue as technology continues to advance, Lupo explains.

“More data is available than ever before, and computational resources are more ubiquitous than they have ever been,” Lupo says. “This means that new models, processes and tools can be created to study all sorts of problems that we have only begun to consider.

“It’s a very exciting time to be a software developer.”

Learn more about computer science degree programs offered at the CSU.

Read about the most in-demand careers in the U.S.

Source: So You Want to Be a…Software Developer

Algorithm Engineering for the Scalability Challenge: Job Position

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany) is announcing a Tenure Track Professorship for  Scalable Algorithms and Methods for Big Data.

The range of possible subjects is very wide and the position is part of a planned large strategic focus on “Algorithm Engineering for the Scalability Challenge” at KIT that offers unique research opportunities in this hot area of research.

Great Comp Sci talk by Adrian Domanico from Facebook

On March 27, 2018, we had a great talk in Computer Science by Adrian Domanico, from Facebook, on being a Software Engineering in the industry, both at small startups and at large companies such as Facebook.

From the abstract of the talk:  Is working as a software engineer just spewing code into an editor? Being an effective software engineer is so much more. It requires careful consideration of other domains outside of pure engineering. We will dive into what it means to be an effective software engineer in a start-up/tech company and how to build real value (with code of course!).

Building an iOS client that scales well to hundreds (thousands?!) of contributors and millions of users is not an easy task. We will dive into some of the common patterns & anti-patterns used to build a well designed iOS application. We will also discuss some of the tools we use at Facebook to accomplish this and make our codebase more maintainable.

Adrian Domanico is an iOS Software Engineer currently working on Messenger and he is passionate about all things iOS and mobile.

Command leverages @CSUCI partnership to hire future engineering graduates

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) hosted representatives from California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI) Feb. 28 to discuss collaboration opportunities, utilizing the Educational Partnership Agreement originally established in 2014.

The local university is set to launch its Mechatronics Engineering program in fall 2018 with acceptance of 24 students. Not shy about its intentions, NSWC PHD wants to be on the receiving end for hiring come graduation time in the year 2020.

“In advance of that graduation,” said Vance Brahosky, NSWC PHD deputy technical director, “there are opportunities for us to work with the university through internships, rotations, and engagement with faculty so that through this partnership, we can access some of your best and brightest before they get pulled away to everyone else out there searching through the thin layer of engineering talent available to the U.S. industry.

”Mechatronics is a quickly-growing area of engineering that includes aspects of control theory, computer science, electronics, and mechanics―an area of expertise conducive to NSWC PHD.

The purpose of the educational partnership is to help augment engineering education for CSUCI students by providing a mechanism by which students can benefit from the command’s expertise, unique facilities and equipment related to their academic discipline.

“Community engagement, working with the industry and intentionally working with you, the Navy, is what we are all about,” said Michael Soltys, CSUCI Computer Science program chair. The meeting served as the start of many areas where the university and station will collaborate over the coming years, introducing and integrating naval knowledge wherever applicable.

Part of NSWC PHD’s mission is to nurture and develop its future workforce through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs.

Currently, the command holds two Educational Partnership Agreements with Southern Californian universities, ensuring its legacy of outstanding fleet support to the world’s greatest Navy.

Source: DVIDS – News – Command leverages CSUCI partnership to hire future engineering graduates

Very proud to receive this recognition

The Foundation is named after Tadeusz Kościuszko, full name Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko (middle name particularly appropriate for those of us living in Ventura County), who was a military engineer and statesman, fought in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth’s struggles against Russia and Prussia (1790s), and on the American side in the American Revolutionary War. A close friend of Thomas Jefferson’s, with whom he shared ideals of human rights, Kościuszko wrote a will in 1798 dedicating his American assets to the education and freedom of U.S. slaves.

For more information see the Tadeusz Kościuszko Wikipedia page.