Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Innovation: World Programming Finals In RC

The world final of a computer programming competition is coming to Rapid City. The International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) happens May 20-25, 2017. Groups of college seniors and first-year grad students use their computer skills and critical thinking abilities against the best from around the globe.

Richard Gowen is President of Excellence in Computer Programming, Inc. He discusses the caliber of the competition and its impact on people outside the computer science community.

Teams of three race against the clock to solve a series of complex real-world problems in five hours. Students at 2,700 universities compete for 133 team spots in the final round. ICPC officials anticipate welcoming more than 1,500 computer professionals to Rapid City. It's the first time in 11 years that the United States host the ICPC World Finals.

Cara Hetland is the Director of Radio and Journalism Content for South Dakota Public Broadcasting.