BNMC to Host Algorithm Competition for Students and Professionals to Build Skills in Data Science, Other Tech Fields

Coders of all levels encouraged to participate in the online competition during the 2017 Topcoder Open in Buffalo

 

Buffalo, N.Y., September 11, 2017 – The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) is seeking participants for the Algorithm Competition powered by Topcoder, for aspiring and professional coders that will be held in conjunction with the 2017 Topcoder Open (TCO) hosted by the BNMC in October. TCO is a prestigious programming, design, and data science competition that attracts some of the world’s most talented design and technology experts.  The event is sponsored by Google, Booz Allen, Praxair, University at Buffalo, and Superior Group.

The Algorithm Competition is a Single Round Match (SRM) virtual coding competition aimed at aspiring and current coders with a focus on college and graduate students. The online competition will begin on October 10th at 6 PM. Participants will compete to solve the same problems in the time allotted. Participants will be awarded points for submitting solutions that successfully compile, and points are based on the total time elapsed from the time the problem was opened until the time it was submitted.  Participants can also challenge the functionality of their opponents’ code submissions, which can result in earning or losing points, and automated system tests are wp-contentlied to all code submissions.

The top 10 scorers will win an all-access, VIP badge for the Topcoder Finals that will be held in dig at the Innovation Center on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus on October 20-24 in addition to other prizes. Interested participants can learn more about the competition through blog posts, tutorials and other member guides prior to the competition. Also planned is a live chat with the Algorithm Competition Manager on September 21 at 11 am. Details can be found at http://topcodr.co/BNMCAlgoTourney.

Mike Morris, CEO of Topcoder added, “Ever since Topcoder was founded in 2001, part of our core mission has been to provide opportunities for individuals of all ages and skill levels to learn and improve their technical skills. Hundreds of thousands of students from around the world have joined Topcoder to get hands-on experience with the technologies that drive our digital world – and to help them prepare for the STEM jobs of tomorrow.”

According to Matt Enstice, President & CEO, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc., “Hosting the Topcoder Open in Buffalo is only one part of a larger strategy to build interest and capabilities in the tech sector throughout Western New York.  We are actively pursuing new ways to develop and promote the advancement of technology on the Medical Campus and coding is central to this focus. The Algorithm competition is designed to give aspiring coders an idea of what Topcoder is all about while encouraging more young people to get involved in tech fields and the coding field in particular. This competitions is just one of many events and activities that will be part of the Topcoder Open event this fall.”

TCO was launched in 2001 and is now recognized as the world’s premier competition for the most talented minds. Many of the world’s most respected tech companies keep a close watch on the competition and often hire top performers immediately. Past winners have gone on to successful careers at Google, Facebook, Blizzard Entertainment and Cisco. Buffalo was chosen as the 2017 site due to its leading edge hospitals and health care providers, world renowned research and banking institutions, socially innovative private companies as well as its concentration of colleges and universities, most notably the University at Buffalo, home to the academic supercomputing center and significant science and engineering programs.

 

About Topcoder and the Topcoder Open

Topcoder is a workforce marketplace with 1.1 million developers, designers, and data scientists around the world. For more than a decade Topcoder has helped customers ranging from startups to Fortune100 companies accelerate innovation, solve challenging problems, and tap into hard to find skills. Enterprises distribute work to our global network through the Topcoder Marketplace, where individuals with the right skills participate in competitions to win money, build skills, and earn recognition. Topcoder Open is the flagship event of the community. The best performers qualify to enter the Topcoder Open finals through accumulating points on the platform and in regional competitions around the world. Previous finals have been held in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. Learn more at www.topcoder.com.

 

About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.    

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) is a self-sustaining social enterprise successfully combining innovation, job creation, and urban revitalization. It serves as the umbrella organization of the anchor institutions that make up the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus located within the 120-acre campus bordering Allentown, the Fruit Belt and Downtown. The BNMC Inc. fosters conversation and collaboration among its member institutions, its partners and the community to address critical issues impacting them, including entrepreneurship, energy, access and transportation, workforce and procurement, neighborhoods, and healthy communities, with the goal of increasing economic development and building a strong community. www.bnmc-old.local.

 

For more information, contact:

Susan Kirkpatrick, BNMC, skirkpatrick@bnmc-old.local

716.866.8002(m)