If you’re at loose ends for the semester break and want to sharpen your programming slils, you might try competing in the ACM Queue Magazine online programming competition. You will program a player that will compete with others in the game of Coercion. The competition opens January 15 and closes at midnight GMT on February 12.

“The game of Coercion takes place on a square field that is divided into regions, which vary by height and slope of the field. Each player controls three movable playing pieces called pushers, using them to push little doughnut-shaped markers around. Players use the markers to claim new territory on the playing field. The player with the most territory at the end of the match wins. The game rules will describe how to control your team, score points, and win. A double elimination tournament follows the coding phase, to determine the top four places.”

You can create your entry in in C++, C#, Java, Python or JavaScript. Preliminary matches will take place during the one-month coding phase will that will let you know how well your player is doing. A final double-elimination competition among all the submitted players will decide whose player is best.

Queue is the ACM’s magazine for practicing software engineers. Written by engineers for engineers, it focuses on the technical problems and challenges that loom ahead, helping readers to sharpen their own thinking and pursue innovative solutions.

Tyler Campbell, Nick Ducq, Ryan King, Andrew Nguyen and Tim Spillman walked out of the Baltimore Convention Center elated. Their team, the Sherwood Cyber Warriors, had just won the high school division of the inaugural Maryland Cyber Challenge. Their success netted them each a $5,000 scholarship from the National Security Agency.

The entire experience was rewarding for both the students and their parents, says Steve Weiss, one of the team’s advisers. “Winning first place was the icing on the cake.”

In a conference with over 800 attendees, the excitement over the cyber competition was palpable. With scoreboards changing in real time, onlookers crowded around to see who was in the lead.

Following the competition, held October 21 and 22, eight teams from each division — professional, college and high school — walked away with scholarships and cash prizes. The scholarships for students, put up by the National Security Agency (NSA), totaled more than $84,000.

Members of first place high school and college teams took home $5,000 scholarships each. Members of second place high school and college teams took home $2,000 scholarships. Each member of the first place professional teams won $2,000 and each second place member won $1,000.

First place winners in the college and high school categories were from, respectively, the University of Maryland, College Park and Sherwood High School. Second place winners were Towson University and Poolesville High School. In the professional category Team ICF came in first, with Team Pr3tty coming in second.

The Sherwood Cyber Warriors, four seniors and a junior, are mostly undecided in their future careers, although one does plan to work cybersecurity. Jim Kirk, the team’s senior advisor, says that regardless of the their ultimate career choices, the students learned valuable skills from the competition — such as how to communicate effectively and work as a team.

The Cyber Warriors began practicing for the competition in May, often meeting twice a week. The team developed strategies to pick the low hanging fruit — what hackers go for first. That, says Kirk, includes developing strong passwords and removing unnecessary software from servers.

The challenge for the high school teams, says Rick Forno, Director of UMBC's Graduate Cybersecurity Program and an organizer of the Cyber Challenge, was purely defensive. “They were being attacked and their job was to keep services open.”

The challenge was run using CyberNEXS, a software system developed by SAIC for cybersecurity training and exercises.The system is self-contained and runs both Windows and UNIX systems.

But, more than just the chance to compete, the event gave college and high school students a taste of what cybersecurity work is like. And that, involves more than technical skills say professionals in the field.

“The cyber challenge is especially interesting to me, since all the students participating are passionate about cyber security and the teams will only excel if every member is doing their job,” says Neil Furukawa, vice president of CyberPoint International. “We’re looking for people who can lead, but who can also roll up their sleeves and get the work done.”

Phyllis Villani, Director of Talent acquisition at Northrop Grumman says that to get a job, “networking is key.” Besides honing “soft skills” like communication, Furukawa says, people should never stop their education because cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field.

Fittingly, education is what the Maryland Cyber Challenge is all about.

Originally posted by Nicole Ruediger at November 18, 2011 1:02 PM

ACM has recognized CSEE Professor Marie desJardins as a Distinguished Member for her contributions to the field of computing. ACM is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society. Each year it recognizes a handful of its members for significant advances in computing technology that have dramatically influenced progress on a range of human endeavors. This year, Dr. desJardins was one of just 54 computer scientists, educators, and engineers from leading academic and corporate institutions worldwide who were recognized.

Dr. desJardins is well known for her artificial intelligence research, which focuses on planning, learning, and multiagent systems. She leads the large and active MAPLE research group and also works on developing new techniques to improve computer science education.

The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is located on the National Mall in the heart of Washington DC. The program runs from May 29 to August 3, 2012. Students selected will receive a stipend of $5,000 and housing at a local university. A relocation allowance may also be available.

Previous research experience is not required, and we encourage applications from ethnic minorities and members of other underrepresented groups.

The program dates for NHRE 2012 are May 29 – August 3, 2012. To apply, download and complete the Application form linked below and follow its instructions. Applicants must arrange for two letters of recommendation to be sent directly to NHRE@si.edu, along with copies of all college transcripts; unofficial electronic versions of transcripts are acceptable.

All application materials must be received by February 1, 2012.
Applicants will be notified of their status via email by April 2.

The Women's Center would like to send a special thanks to everyone who contributed to the Sarah's Hope donation drive! We were both impressed and touched by all the donations. Because of you, someone's day will be brighter!

The NASA Aeronautics Scholarship Program which is administered by the
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) is officially accepting
applications for the 2012 Aeronautics Scholarship Program. It is expected
that approximately 20 undergraduates and 5 graduate scholarships will be
awarded annually to students pursuing aeronautical engineering and related
fields such as Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics and
Mathematics. Total allocated award amounts are up to $40,000 for
undergraduates and up to $125,000 for graduates. These funds will go towards
tuition and related costs, as well as to provide paid summer internship
opportunities at a NASA research center.

Competitive applicants interested in this amazing opportunity should begin
completing application materials immediately. A completed application will
consist of profile information, academic background (including transcripts),
a resume, an essay for undergraduates, a proposal for graduates, letters of
recommendations, and any test scores, such as GRE's, when appropriate.

The application deadline is January 17, 2012. We encourage students to still
apply.

To learn more about eligibility requirements, award benefits, application
instructions, and to apply online, visit https://nasa.asee.org, or contact
nasa.asp@asee.org with any questions regarding this program.