Two teams of StFX computer science students gained valuable skills and tested their knowledge when they competed recently in the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) for the Northeaster North American region.
This international competition is designed to challenge students on their problem-solving capabilities and their ability to implement their solution in code. Each of StFX's teams were able to solve two problems each during the competition and the team of Cole MacDonald, Xinyi Li and AJ Hinman placed 62nd and Sammy Brooks, Kae Campbell, and Bhavpreet Arneja came in 63rd out of 93 teams.
StFX computer science professor Dr. Milton King, coach of the two teams, says the competition was held across the region with multiple satellite hosting sites on October 29. StFX attended the site hosted by Université de Moncton along with Mount Allison University, the University of New Brunswick, and the University of Prince Edward Island.
Dr. King says taking part in such events is very beneficial.
"The technical and social skills that the students learn in preparation for this competition set these students up for success in problem solving positions in technology-based industry," he says.
"These skills can also assist those that are planning to attend graduate level programs."
Dr. King says the ICPC is the main competition for programming teams of universities across northeast North America. The winners advance to the next level of competition, the North American Championship. Students at this event compete against some of the best competitive programming teams in the world.
