TRAINING ICPC TEAMS Lessons Learned IT IS ALL

TRAINING ICPC TEAMS - Lessons Learned IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION! Katia Guimaraes Associate Professor, UFPE, Brazil ACM ICPC / CLIS – Collaborative Learning Institute Symposium 2016

Recife, Northeast Brazil IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

UFPE SHORT PROFILE UFPE is a public university. UFPE does not have many teachers in the area of Algorithms. According to QS Top Universities (http: //www. topuniversities. com/ ), UFPE is the 13 th best university in Latin America in the area of C. S. IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

UFPE CONTEST PROFILE In the 20 years of Brazil’s participation in the ACM ICPC, UFPE has - Conquered 1 st place in the South / Latin America Region selective – 8 times (40%) - Participated in the ACM ICPC World Finals – 11 times (55%) - Received the ACM ICPC Latin America Region Champion title – Once (5%) WHAT IS OUR SECRET? IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

HOW DO WE MANAGE TO KEEP COMING BACK? Of course, there are two essential ingredients: Lots of individual talents Numerous hard working hours. But most of all, there is PASSION!!! IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

Honoring our first finalists! We first came to the ICPC Finals in 1999. IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

Our three contestants received offers to work abroad. We had to start over! Starting new teams is not easy, but now we had history! So the dream became a mission! We decided to work even harder to create pipelines of teams. IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

Our first strategy: Offer Competitive Programming training courses. In the beginning small number of students. Eventually That number started growing. IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

With the help of our students, we have also organized local area contests. It helped the students realize that there was a world out there, which they could conquer. In 2002, we had the first and the second placed teams in the South America Regional (selective). So in 2003, we were back in the ICPC Finals! IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

In our training program, the candidates take training contests and discussions about 45 Saturdays per year. - They take contests together - They discuss strategies - They study together - They share notes and solutions - They support each other. After all that, they know that they own a part in anyone’s success story. IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

Today, 80 -90 freshman are willing to enter our training program each year. They want to be part of this selective crowd! We do the selection in two phases, and the veterans take care of the first part of the selection process. Veterans spend four weeks preparing the candidates for the main selective contest. IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

From programming techniques, to problem solving strategies, to contest problems academic background, to contest exercises, It is all in their hands and they love it! They feel more confident! They know that they have moved ahead! IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

Selection of newcomers 2016 The start of a fun journey! IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

We have a considerable number of alumni who - Work for world known companies or - Opened their own technology business or - Chose academic careers Our consistent success in the ICPC competitions has caught the attention of several high tech industries. Now they come to recruit on site. It is not rare that they wait one year before a selected student graduates. IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

They work hard together, ~45 weeks/year IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

They work hard together, ~45 weeks/year IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

They become more and more involved in the process, and they themselves want to leave a legacy behind them. It can be - Set of program code for frequent problems - Useful data structures for contest problems - Even contest organizing platforms. IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

Leaving a legacy behind IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

Leaving a legacy behind Today we are still pursuing our second Region Champion title. That is not a dream, that is a mission! And we are going to accomplish it! IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes - ACM ICPC - CLIS 2016

Take Home Message Programming contests are not only about winning! They are about learning, about teaching, about growing together, about reaching goals, about achieving missions, about belonging! Get closer! Get involved! Fall in love! Feel the passion! ‘Cause passion takes you further! IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!!! Katia Guimaraes