SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, student computer programmers from universities around the world are meeting to battle one another for a spot to attend the World Finals of the 35th annual Association for Computer Machinery (ACM) International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), sponsored by IBM (NYSE: IBM).

 

Also known as the Battle of the Brains, this competition challenges university students to complex and rigorous real-world problems using open technology and advanced computing methods under a grueling five-hour deadline. In one day, these students will complete an entire semester's worth of computer programming.

 

On October 22, 2010, regional rounds of the contest begin in the United States and continue through December. After sweeping from continent to continent, only 100 elite, three-person teams will advance to the World Finals on March 4, 2011 at Maritim Jolie Ville Resorts and International Conference Center in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

 

The contest aligns with IBM's Smarter Planet initiative aimed at infusing intelligence into the fabric of society and technology, making the planet a more efficient and sustainable place. The ICPC encourages students to create smarter software solutions by embracing IBM's Smarter Planet initiative in an effort to solve the world's most daunting challenges.

 

"At IBM, we believe we have a responsibility to foster the next generation of technology leaders, by helping them to understand what complex business issues they'll be facing upon graduation," said Doug Heintzman, director of strategy for IBM Software Group and sponsorship executive of the ICPC. "Our world faces extreme challenges, including the lack of resources, increasing pollution, and issues with urban management and mass transportation. These students are the future of our field and will be at the forefront of solving these worldwide dilemmas."

 

The largest and most prestigious computer programming competition in the world, the Battle of the Brains reaches tens of thousands of students from more than 1,900 universities, 82 countries, and six continents. Since IBM began sponsoring the contest in 1997, participation has grown more than 800 percent, from 1,100 to more than 7,100 teams worldwide.

 

"The ACM-ICPC provides students a unique platform to gain exposure among top recruiters by showcasing their computer programming prowess," said Dr. Bill Poucher, ICPC Executive Director and Baylor University Professor. "The contest is also a rich melting pot of students from around the world who have the opportunity to exchange ideas, peer educate, and discuss technological advancements, while at the same time collaborate to address the needs expressed in IBM's Smarter Planet initiative."

 

IBM's sponsorship of the Battle of the Brains is one of IBM's many university programs which blend both technology and business leadership skills. IBM works with 250 universities throughout the world that offer degrees in Service Science, Management and Engineering (SSME), an emerging academic discipline in an effort to enrich both business and engineering curriculum.

 

The 2010 ACM-ICPC World Finals were held in Harbin, China and were hosted by Harbin Engineering University. Shanghai Jiaotong University took the top spot, with Moscow State University and National Taiwan University placing second and third, respectively.

 

For more information about the contest and to listen to the ACM ICPC podcast, visit www.ibm.com/university/acmcontest/ or follow along on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BrainBattleICPC .

 

For more information about IBM, visit http://www.ibm.com/software and http://www.ibm.com/university

 

 

U.S. Participating Schools by Region:

 

East Central North America Region:

Allegheny College, Ashland University, Baldwin-Wallace College, Butler University, Carnegie Mellon University, Cedarville University, Central Michigan University, Denison University, Duquesne University, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Grand Valley State University, Grove City College, Indiana Institute of Technology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kent State University, Miami University, Michigan State University, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Muskingum College, Oberlin College, Ohio Northern University, Ohio University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Penn State Erie, Purdue University, Saginaw Valley State University, Saint Francis University, Taylor University, College of Wooster, Ohio State University, University of Toledo, Thiel College, University of Akron, University of Cincinnati, University of Dayton, University of Michigan, University of Pittsburgh, Westminster College, Wittenberg University, Wright State University, Xavier University, Youngstown State University

 

Greater New York Region:

Adelphi University, Binghamton University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Hofstra University, Iona College, Kean University, Nassau Community College, New York Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Queens College, Rutgers University, St. Joseph's College, SUNY Stony Brook, The College of New Jersey, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, Touro College, Yale University, Yeshiva College

 

Mid-Atlantic United States Region:

American University, Bridgewater College, Bucknell University, Campbell University, Christopher Newport University, College of William and Mary, Davidson College, Dickinson College, Drexel University, Duke University, East Carolina University, Elizabethtown College, Elon University, Fayetteville State University, George Mason University, George Washington University, Gettysburg College, Goldey-Beacom College, Goucher College, High Point University, Hood College, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, King's College, Kutztown University, La Salle University, Lafayette College, Lebanon Valley College, Lehigh University, Lynchburg College, Meredith College, Messiah College, Methodist University, Millersville University, Moravian College, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina State University, North Carolina State University, Penn State Harrisburg, Radford University, Rowan University, Saint Joseph's University, Shippensburg University, Susquehanna University, Temple University, University of Delaware, University of Maryland, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of Richmond, University of Scranton, University of Virginia, Ursinus College, Villanova University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University, Virginia Tech, Virginia Wesleyan College, Wake Forest University, Washington College, West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Wilkes University, Winston-Salem State University

 

Mid-Central United States Region:

Academija Mogajsky, Arkansas Tech University, Belmont University, Berea College, Centre College, College of the Ozarks, Depaul University, Drury University, Harding University, Hendrix College, Illinois Institute of Technology, Illinois State University, Indiana University Southeast, Knox College, Lindenwood University, Loyola University Chicago, Maryville College, McKendree University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Northern Illinois University, Northern Kentucky University, Park University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Saint Louis University, Southern Arkansas University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Southwest Baptist University, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University, University of Arkansas, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, University of Chicago, University Of Illinois - Chicago, University of Illinois at Springfield, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, University of Mississippi, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Webster University, Wheaton College

 

North Central North America Region:

Augustana College, Bethel University, Coe College, Cornell College, Doane College, Dordt College, Grand View University, Lake Superior State University, Lakehead University, Macalester College, Michigan Technological University, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Morningside College, North Dakota State University, Northwestern College, Ripon College, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, South Dakota State University, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, University of Northern Iowa, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin - Parkside, University of Wisconsin - Platteville, University of Wisconsin Colleges, William Penn University

 

Pacific Northwest Region:

Aarhus University, Lewis & Clark College, Linfield College, Sheridan College - Trafalgar Campus, Simon Fraser University, University of California at Berkeley, University of Oregon

 

Rocky Mountain Region:

Abilene Christian University, Angelo State University, Baylor University, Centenary College of Louisiana, Colorado State University, East Central University, Lamar University, LeTourneau University, Louisiana State University, Louisiana Tech University, Midwestern State University, Montana Tech of the University of Montana, Neumont University, Northeastern State University, Oklahoma State University, Oral Roberts University, Rice University, Southwestern University, Texas A&M University, Trinity University, University of Arizona, University of Colorado at Boulder , University of Houston , University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of New Orleans, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas - Pan American, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Tulsa, University of Utah, Utah Valley State College

 

Southeast United States Region:

Armstrong Atlantic State University, Auburn University Montgomery, Bob Jones University, Clemson University, College of Charleston, Florida Institute of Technology, Florida International University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Southern University, Mercer University, Morehouse College Morehouse, Nova Southeastern University, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of Miami, University of South Alabama, University of Southern Mississippi, University of West Florida, Winthrop University, Wofford College

 

Southern California Region:

CSU Channel Islands, Harvey Mudd College, Riverside Community College

 

About ACM

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery www.acm.org , is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.

 

 

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SOURCE ICPC