Computing sciences faculty member Joel Hollingsworth will lead two Elon teams to compete in the regional phase of the world's most prestigious computer programming competition. Fourteen colleges and universities will compete in the regional contest Oct. 25 at Duke University.
The 33rd annual IBM-sponsored Association for Computing Machinery International Collegiate Programming Contest will attract tens of thousands of students from universities in 83 countries on six continents for an all-out “battle of the brains.” One hundred regional champions will meet when the contest culminates April 18-22, 2009 in Stockholm, Sweden. The best and brightest information technology students from around the globe will compete for awards, scholarships, prizes and bragging rights to the “world’s smartest trophy.”
Teams of three students will be challenged to use their programming skills and rely on their mental endurance to solve complex, real world problems under a grueling five-hour deadline. Tackling these problems is equivalent to completing a semester’s worth of computer programming in one afternoon. The team that solves the most problems correctly in the least amount of time will win a coveted spot on the World Finals roster.
Elon students competing in the regional competition include Brad Nock, Vic McGlaughlin, Kyle Schutt, Evan Morris, Tess Stamper and Tyler Anderson.
Schools participating in the regional competition include Elon University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Wake Forest University, North Carolina State University, Old Dominion University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Methodist College, Fayetteville State University, Meredith College, Duke University, Winston-Salem State University, East Carolina University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and High Point University.
With the rapid pace of change in today’s IT industry, integrated approaches to business and technology at the university level are essential. Through this collaboration between business and academia, the contest exposes the brightest college and university information technology students around the globe to so-called open source technologies being adopted by innovative businesses and organizations.
In an increasingly competitive global economy, the IT leaders of tomorrow will be pursuing innovations which will come from a fusion of several different disciplines at the intersection of business and technology. These innovations might include designing an instant translation device to enable people of different languages to overcome language barriers, helping commuters get to work faster through burgeoning mass transit systems, or protecting consumers from theft.
“This contest is about fostering the next generation of industry leaders in IT and promoting strong foundations in both technology and business,” said Doug Heintzman, Director of Strategy, IBM Software Group and Sponsorship Executive. “IBM understands the importance of investing in the bright young minds on the university level for the future of our industry and our world. That’s why we continue to make the commitment to this competition each year.”