35th Annual International 'Battle of the Brains' Software Competition Kicks Off October 22

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35th Annual International 'Battle of the Brains' Software Competition Kicks Off October 22

Wednesday, 20 October 2010

U. S. Students Compete Regionally for Spot in World Finals in Egypt

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 .

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