All around the world, university students compete in the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC)—a global programming showdown that invites the best and brightest in the field to race in teams to solve algorithmic challenges.
This year, TWU sent five teams to the Pacific Northwest regional competition. A team of three TWU students came out ahead of seventy other competitors and achieved first place within their division.
TWU takes first place in division
The International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) is the the oldest, largest, and most prestigious university-level programming competition in the world. Five teams from TWU participated in the ICPC Pacific Northwest regional contest held in Vancouver, B.C. on Feb. 24, 2024.
This was a two-tiered competition where teams of three, representing their university, compete against other teams to solve the most algorithmic programming problems.
This year marks the first time TWU has ranked first place within its division at the ICPC Pacific Northwest regional contest.
Computing science student Finian Lugtigheid from the winning team expressed, "Taking part in ICPC was a great experience."
"Not only did I get the opportunity to further my own programming skills, but I was also able to meet and form a team with other students who also love programming. I highly recommend that any student who's involved with programming get involved with ICPC."
Outstanding performance
Another member of the winning team, Elisha Fast, remarks,"ICPC is a great competition. It bridges the gap between talking about the theory of problem solving and demonstrations of particular problems, to actually being able to diagnose a problem and develop a solution based on theory or simple intuition."
"It also really rewards developing a strong team; that was what got us such a good result in my opinion."
"ICPC was a fun experience for me," adds fellow teammate Curtis Esau, who noted that his goals for this competition included solving programming problems with friends. "Winning the competition was an added bonus that I can only credit to our group's teamwork. I would definitively go again."
Overall, TWU teams ranked 1, 8, 32, 35, and 55 within Division 2, a tier in which there were 76 teams total, with competitors hailing from institutions in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii.
Congratulations to all participating TWU computing science students for their outstanding performance.
Facing off with the best and brightest in computing science
Since 1997, Trinity Western has been sending teams of students to compete in the ICPC regional events.
With events held across six continents and participation from 3,000 universities, ICPC competitions attract the globe's best and brightest computing science students. To succeed, teams must exercise adeptness in problem-solving, communication, teamwork, and ability to perform under pressure. Contestants are awarded for the most number of problems solved correctly in the fastest time.
Showcasing programming talent
By participating in this programming competition, TWU students are challenged to develop and apply their skills, knowledge, and talent in algorithmic thinking and problem solving.
Moreover, students have the opportunity to meet students and coaches from many other universities in the region and network with like-minded talents in the computing science field.
As well, students receive coaching and mentorship from TWU faculty and staff, who help them to develop greater aptitude. Dr. Andrew Park, associate professor for TWU's Computing Science program, was the faculty coach for the TWU teams. He was proud of all the students and impressed by their hard work, dedication, and collaboration.
Developing real-world skills
Dr. Herbert Tsang, professor of Computing Science and Mathematics, comments on the real-world skills that are gained through participating in the ICPC. "Winning or not is secondary," he begins, "the more important aspect of this event was to help students to learn to work in a team to solve problems."
"The issues facing scientists now are very big in scope and complex in nature; no single person can solve them alone. We have to solve these problems in a team environment in order to have a chance to tackle these problems."
He affirmed the students for their performance, adding, "I am proud and thankful for these students who took part in the competition. This year's results were excellent. It shows that our students can compete at a high level and excel in it. We are looking forward to the next competition."
About Computing Science at TWU
TWU's Computing Science program prepares you to be a technological leader with a global perspective. Choose from a variety of elective courses, including artificial intelligence, software engineering, computer graphics, databases, programming languages, computer networking, and virtual reality. Learn more at Computing Science at TWU.
About the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences
At TWU, science education is delivered by capable, committed Christian educators who are not only experts in their fields but scholars who continually advance their disciplines through research. Mentorship is helped by our small class sizes—whether students choose to study biology, biotechnology, chemistry, computer science, geography and the environment, geology, mathematics, or physics. Learn more at the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is a global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has campuses in Canada in Langley, Richmond, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Instagram @trinitywestern, Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.