Intelligence put to the test

Eastern teams finished with high marks Saturday, Nov. 15, as the Eastern campus served as regional headquarters for the 33rd annual Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) international contest.

The Eagle Black team, consisting of Tim Hill, Christopher Coleman and Gary Duncan, placed third on site and 36 out of 85 in the entire region.

The Eagle Red team, comprised of Taylor Gray, Quinn Hoener and Bryan Masterson, also faired well, placing 40th overall.

The Battle of the Brains is a mentally grueling, five-hour competition, which pits schools from across the region against each other in a challenge that tests students' problem solving abilities. Using computer-programming languages like Java, C and C++, competitors must use their knowledge of algorithms, geometry and other skills to figure out real world challenges.

The Computing and Engineering Building was abuzz with activity as players from local schools, including Gonzaga University, Washington State University and Whitworth University, put their knowledge to the test. All eyes were on the prize, with the top teams from the regional receiving an all-expenses-paid trip to the world finals in Stockholm, Sweden.

Immediately following the close of the event, Eastern's Red team competitor, Duncan, expressed his feelings concerning the conclusion of his second regional: "I came here with the intention of enjoying myself and I did just that."

Coleman, a veteran of this annual event, said, "We solved more [challenges] than other regionals I've been in."

Senior lecturer in computer science ,Tom Capaul, explained that Eastern faced tough competition in the Pacific Northwest Regional. Schools such as Stanford, Berkeley and the University of British Columbia (which has won the past four years), are widely known for their computer science programs.

Participating in the contest for the last 20 years, Eastern did have a team compete in the world finals during the late 1980s.

Taking a breather after five fever-pitched hours, Capaul said, "The contest is a great way for contestants to practice and show off their problem solving skills."

Capaul also commented on the extra bonus of having the entry in their resumés.

"What employer wouldn't want to hire someone that enjoys problem solving and writing code in a competitive environment?"

Describing his first trip to the regionals as a "unique challenge," computer science major Hill commented that the teamwork aspect of the competition presented unique challenges. With his class work being primarily individualistic, Hill stated that a key to a team's success was finding a "balance of power." The experience gained, Hill continued, is vital for preparing for future jobs because "teamwork is necessary in industrial work."

Eastern's White team, consisting of Kyle Robinson, Jaymes Winger and Jesse Phillips, finished the evening at 59th place.

The Stanford Red team finished first in the regional, solving 10 out of 11 problems correctly. The Stanford White team, though finishing second, will not go to Stockholm because of a rule that allows only one team from each school to go to the finals. Instead, Berkeley Blue will go as a wild card.

The Pacific Northwest Regional was one of many preliminary rounds, which are comprised of tens of thousands of students from universities in 83 countries.