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Ladies and gentlemen, start your editors! Registration now open for Google Code Jam 2011
April 6, 2011
Cross-posted from
The Official Google Blog
.
Imagine you’re a ninja, trying to master your deadly grappling hook. Or perhaps you’re a chess grand master, outsmarting your opponent’s every move. Or even a Taoist philosopher, explaining the deep truths of the world to your followers.
It’s situations like these that you’ll face in Google Code Jam, our annual coding contest in which some of the best coders from around the world write programs to solve tough algorithmic problems. We believe that one of the best ways to sharpen your coding skills and stretch them creatively is through healthy competition. The intense experience of confronting a problem, conveying your solution to your computer and seeing the results emerge is a thrill unlike any other.
Today we’re opening registration for
Google Code Jam 2011
. Coding will begin on May 6 with our qualification round, where competitors will have as much as a day to plan their approach to our first few problems. From there, the contest heats up quickly: the remaining contestants will engage in several two-and-a-half hour rounds, wrangling each time with three to four algorithmic problems that range in difficulty from simple to fiendish. For each problem, you’ll wield the programming language of your choice, crafting the perfect algorithm to pit against the gauntlet of our test data. Construct your code flawlessly and you’ll be on to the next problem; solve enough problems, and you’ll make your way to the next round. If you continue to succeed, you might find yourself sitting on a flight to the finals.
The challenge begins in
just over a month
. If you’re a killer coder and you’re ready to compete, sign up on
our website
; while you’re there, make sure to check out the
puzzles
of the past few years to get a sense of what’s to come, and to hone your skills. If you’re one of the top 25 competitors, we’ll bring you to our Tokyo office to spar against your fellow coders. In the end, only one person will bring home the $10,000 top prize—and the title of Code Jam Champion.
Posted by Bartholomew Furrow, Software Engineer, Google Code Jam
Geographic stars compete in the National Geographic Bee State Championships
April 2, 2011
Cross-posted from the
Google Lat Long Blog
.
Understanding the world around you is imperative, especially since technology has made it easier and fun to explore places you could, otherwise, only imagine. Being geographically literate helps you interpret the plethora of information that comes your way each day (and that’s no joke)! Without the perspective of knowing where you are or where things happen, you can find it difficult to navigate your way through it all. That is why Google is excited and proud to sponsor the
National Geographic Bee
for the third year, which sparks student interest in geography.
Last fall, over four million students started preparing for the 2011 Bee. Today, the students who have progressed to the state bee level, will compete for one of the coveted 54 spots at the finals in Washington DC in May. It’s not as simple as memorizing a list of capitals or identifying places on a map. These geographic black belts answer tough questions about human, environmental, physical, and regional geography.
The love of geography is a great asset for these students as they continue their education and careers. It might also lead them to a life of exploration and adventure. We asked a few famous explorers why geography is important to them and how they use
Google Earth
. Watch our
Geography video
below to hear their great insight:
We wish all of the competitors the best of luck!
Posted by Brian McClendon, VP of Engineering, Google Earth and Maps
Google SketchUp in Higher Education
April 2, 2011
SketchUp has proven to be a very valuable tool to students and educators. Last year we showcased a few K12
schools
who use SketchUp in interesting ways to do everything from creating models of their town buildings to designing furniture.
We now have a
new video
profiling how SketchUp is used in higher education. Take a look at three areas of study (film, interior design, and architecture) from three schools (Los Angeles Film School, Art Institute of Colorado, and University of Colorado) using SketchUp to advance the skills needed by students to enter the professional world after graduation:
Find out more about Google SketchUp at sketchup.google.com
Posted by Allyson McDuffie, SketchUp for Education Program Manager
Student applications now being accepted for Google Summer of Code
March 29, 2011
Cross-posted from the
Official Open-Source at Google Blog
.
Today marks the start of the 2011
Google Summer of Code
student application period.
Google Summer of Code
is a global program where university students are given a stipend to write code for open source projects over a three month period. Through
Google Summer of Code
, accepted students are paired with a mentor from the participating projects, gaining exposure to real-world software development and the opportunity for employment in areas related to their academic pursuits. Best of all, more source code is created and released for the use and benefit of all.
Google Summer of Code
is a highly competitive program with a limited number of students being accepted. We are pleased to announce that this year we have enlarged the program so that we can accept as many as 150 additional students. We hope all interested students will apply!
Now it is time for the students to submit their proposals to the accepted mentoring organizations via the Google Summer of Code
program website
from today through
Friday, April 8th 19:00 UTC
.
For the past 10 days students have had the opportunity to review the Ideas pages for this year’s 175
accepted projects
and to research which projects they would like to contribute to for this year’s Google Summer of Code.
Every year we have thousands of students who apply for the Google Summer of Code program but due to the limited number of slots many students are not able to be a part of the program. The quality of your proposal is what will make you stand out from your peers. Students should consult the
Google Summer of Code
student manual
for suggestions on how to write a
proposal
that will grab the attention of the mentoring organizations. Multiple proposals are allowed but we highly recommend focusing on quality over quantity. The mentoring organizations have many proposals to review, so it is important to follow each organization’s specific guidelines or templates and we advise you to submit your proposal early so you can receive timely feedback.
For more tips, see a list of some
helpful dos and don’ts
for successful student participation written by a group of experienced
Google Summer of Code
administrators, our
user’s guide
for the program site,
Frequently Asked Questions
and
timeline
. You can also stay up-to-date on all things Google Summer of Code on our Google Open Source
blog
,
mailing lists
or on IRC at #gsoc on
Freenode
.
Good luck students and remember to submit your proposals early–you only have until April 8!
By Stephanie Taylor, Open Source Programs Office
UNCF honors Google as Corporation of the Year
March 24, 2011
Each year the
United Negro College Fund
(UNCF) honors a corporate partner with the UNCF Award for Corporation of the Year. We are honored to announce that Google received this recognition at the annual awards ceremony in Oakland, CA, this year.
At the awards gala, the audience enjoyed a video (included below) highlighting Google’s work with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and our
scholarship program
with UNCF. Tara Canobbio, K-12 Programs Specialist and a leader of the Black Googlers Network, accepted the award on behalf of Google and was joined by 20 Googlers who are also members of various
Employee Resource Groups
.
The Google-UNCF Relationship
UNCF’s mission is to enhance the quality of education by providing financial assistance to deserving students, raising operating funds for member colleges and universities, and increasing access to technology for students and faculty at HBCUs. Google supports UNCF’s efforts by providing up to 20 computer science students with $10,000 in academic scholarships each year. Google-UNCF Scholars are also invited to attend the Annual Google Scholars’ Retreat at the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA. Launched in 2006, the program is now in its fifth year. Applications for the
Google-UNCF Scholarship
2011 are due May 31, 2011.
Continuing Our Investment in HBCUs
Our investment in HBCUs extends beyond our scholarship partnership with UNCF. We support HBCUs by participating in institutional programs that further the schools’ goals of corporate exposure and pipeline retention. We also make financial contributions to computer science program development at five HBCU partner schools - Morehouse College, Spelman College, Howard University, Hampton University and North Carolina A&T University - and an additional donation to the Howard Middle School for Mathematics and Science. And the support doesn’t stop there. To date, we’ve helped ten HBCU’s “Go Google” and transition their schools onto
Google Apps for Education
, including Tuskegee University.
Our financial and in-kind support of HBCUs is part of our larger effort to increase diversity in the technology industry, not just in our workforce, but also within the universities that are educating the next generation of digital leaders.
The Future
We are excited about the future of our partnerships with UNCF and HBCUs as we leverage Google products to increase access to educational content in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), as well as promote entrepreneurship and innovation in education.
To keep up to date with our partnerships, stay connected on our Diversity@Google YouTube site:
www.youtube.com/diversityatgoogle
and our Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/diversityatgoogle
.
Posted by LaFawn Bailey, Global Diversity Talent & Inclusion
Calling all high school seniors considering studying computer science in the US or Canada - Apply to Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute!
March 23, 2011
Google is invested in increasing the enrollment and retention of Computer Science students, particularly those who are historically underrepresented in the field. The study of Computer Science can be challenging and fun, and Google wants to inspire these students – the innovators of the future – to become active participants and leaders in creating technology.
With this in mind, Google has created the
Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI)
. Up to 60 aspiring computer scientists will be selected to attend one of the all-expenses-paid CSSI sessions at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California. Our first session will take place from June 26 - July 16, 2011 while the second will take place from July 24 - August 12, 2011. This special institute will include an interactive and collaborative CS curriculum, as well as a unique residential experience in which students can build a network with other attendees. They will meet alumni from their schools and other Google engineers while immersing themselves in daily life at the Googleplex. Students will also enjoy technical talks by Googlers, lectures by guests from across the technology industry, and social activities around the Bay Area.
Would you like to benefit from the technical curriculum and the networking opportunities of the CSSI? We are looking for students eager to spend a few weeks living the Google life – tackling interesting technical problems, working collaboratively and having fun. We want students to leave empowered, heading into their 1st year of college armed with a unique learning experience that can only be had at Google.
The program is open to all qualified high school seniors (students must be planning to attend a university in the US or Canada), and is committed to addressing diversity in the field of Computer Science. Students who are a member of a group that is historically underrepresented in the technology industry are encouraged to apply.
Please visit
www.google.com/jobs/cssi
for more information and to apply today! Have questions? Feel free to contact us at
cssi@google.com
.
Application deadline:
April 22, 2011. Select students will receive a short technical interview via telephone.
Posted by Jessica Lulovics, University Programs
2011 European Scholarship for Students with Disabilities: results announced
March 22, 2011
We're pleased to announce the winners of the second annual
European Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
. This scholarship gives recognition to outstanding scientific contributions from students with disabilities who are pursuing university degrees in the field of computer science at a university in the European Union, Switzerland or Israel. It aims to help break barriers that keep students with disabilities from entering computing and encourages them to excel in their studies and become active role models and leaders in creating technology.
Scholarships will be granted for the 2011-2012 academic year, and recipients will be invited to attend an all-expenses-paid retreat at Google’s Engineering Center in Zurich in June 2011. The retreat includes workshops with a series of speakers, panels, breakout sessions and social activities.
This year we received almost double the amount of applications compared to 2010 and have increased the number of scholars from seven to 10.
Congratulations to our scholars!
Aurora Constantin
, The University Of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Celine Moret
, University Of Geneva, Switzerland
Lewis McLean
, Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom
Max Hinne
, Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands
Nicolas Bellm
, Heidelberg University, Germany
Peter Gatens
, University Of Liverpool, United Kingdom
Peter Weller
, Aberystwyth University, United Kingdom
Polina Proutskova Goldsmiths
, University of London, United Kingdom
Sophie Kershaw
, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Thomas Hennigan
, University Of Southampton, United Kingdom
For complete details, see
www.google.com/studentswithdisabilities-europe
. To learn more about scholarships, grants and other opportunities for students in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, visit
www.google.com/university/emea
.
Posted by Jenny McColl, Univeristy Programs Specialist, EMEA
Register now: Live AdWords webinar for Google Online Marketing Challenge
March 18, 2011
We understand that learning about AdWords for the Google Online Marketing Challenge can be difficult in such a short time frame. So we’ve decided to give you a helping hand and run a live, online webinar on Thursday March 24th from 2pm - 3:15pm GMT (please check your local time zone).
During the webinar, which you can watch from the comfort of your desk or couch, we’ll discuss the basics needed for setting up, running and optimising successful campaigns and we’ll also have a few Google goodies to give away to some lucky attendees! This event will be run in conjunction with the AdWords Online Classroom, an educational site for AdWords users, and places will be very limited on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you have never created an AdWords Online Classroom account, please make sure to click on the appropriate link at the top of the registration page to create your unique account login and password. (Tip: If you do not have an AdWords Customer ID number, you can enter 000-000-0000 into this section of the registration page.) Go ahead and
register here now
!
We do realise that this time won’t suit everyone, so we intend to record the webinar and send it to everyone who registers for the event. So, spread the word and get busy learning!
Posted by Sara Fogarty, AdWords Online Classroom
National Engineers Week 2011: Classroom visits inspire students to pursue CS
March 18, 2011
Cross-posted from the
Official Google Blog
.
We love using our computer science (CS) and engineering skills to solve some of world’s most interesting and important problems. We also know that not enough students are pursuing careers in CS and that the U.S. currently has a
3-to-1 gap for computer and mathematical sciences jobs
(that’s three job openings for every job seeker). So this year, for
National Engineers Week
, Google engineers across the country visited local middle schools and high schools to talk to more than 5,000 students about their own careers in computer science.
Instead of hosting students at Google for National Engineers Week as we’ve done in the past, this year we traveled to local communities to talk to the students on their own turf. Engineers Week fell during spring break in many areas, so we spread our school visits throughout the month of March.
As part of this event, I visited Odle Middle School in Bellevue, Washington with four other engineers from our Kirkland office. We split up into 16 different classrooms during the day, and talked about the importance of basic programming skills for all the sciences (it’s not just for CS majors!) before moving on to activities related to programming and algorithmic thinking (searching and sorting). It was a lot of fun to interact with the students—and we all left with a greater appreciation for the work that the teachers perform every day.
One of the engineers in our group is Japanese (his friends and family are fortunately all safe) and he gave a particularly resonant example of how CS can have a big impact. After the recent earthquake, geologists used computer models to predict where and when tsunamis were likely to hit coastal regions. This information was used to send warnings and direct resources where they were needed most. The speed and accuracy of these warnings is a credit to the scientists who combined their knowledge of geology with their programming expertise to produce these life-saving programs.
We really care about encouraging students to pursue careers in all the sciences (including computer science). By introducing students to interesting people who work in computer science, we hope we can inspire them to develop their own skills in this area.
Posted by Gary Kacmarcik, Software Engineer
College Basketball 2011: Over 50% of the bracket has gone Google
March 17, 2011
[Cross-posted on the
Enterprise Blog
]
March is a special time for college basketball enthusiasts as the
NCAA® Championship games
heat up. This season is especially exciting for us on the Apps for Education team to watch, as more than half of the teams in this year’s tournament have Gone Google – meaning they’re using
Google Apps for Education
on campus.
With more than 11 million students, faculty and staff who are already part of the Google Apps “squad” – providing their campus community with collaboration and communication tools – we’d like to congratulate the 37 Apps schools who are vying for the championship and wish them luck with the rest of the tournament, including:
Alabama State University
Belmont University
Bucknell University
Clemson University
Gonzaga University
Notre Dame
Old Dominion University
San Diego State University
Temple University
University of Akron
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
University of Kentucky
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Texas at San Antonio
University of Southern California
University of Washington
Utah State University
Vanderbilt University
Villanova University
For information about how to become a
100% web
campus, please visit
google.com/apps/edu
. While we’re sorry to say we can’t promise any success on the basketball court, you can at least make your own bracket a "slam dunk" with the
Google Docs bracket template
!
Posted by Steven Butschi, Google Apps for Education team (and college hoops enthusiast)
Future filmmakers, talk show hosts, sportscasters and media executives: a new school for you
March 16, 2011
The media world is changing: from how we produce, distribute and consume content to how we categorize different genres – from film to sports to news. Moreover, because of the insane number of megapixels on our phones, savvy friends, and online tools, everyone’s a content creator now - not just the major studios that you hear about on TV. Whether you're capturing your first film, producing your school's talk show, riding the side line commentary of the game, or "flip cam-ing" your friend's (most) embarrassing moment on a Friday night, you’re making content.
Often, many of us have greater aspirations to turn these content creation hobbies into careers –from being media executives to award-winning writers or actors. Some of us are given opportunities to hone our skills, but many of us aren’t. We may simply lack opportunities to explore our content aspirations or, if we already have exposure, may want to extend our skills even more. And even more often, a lot of us just don't know where to start.
To help nurture the world's next generation of leading creators, we've created the
YouTube Creator Institute
, a new school for all kinds of content creators. We’ve worked with some of the world’s leading film and television universities to put together this new series of media programs. Based both on YouTube and onsite at the campuses of our institutional partners, participants will learn from a unique new media curriculum, apply new media tools, find out how to build their audiences, be promoted globally on the YouTube platform, and engage with industry leaders and experts. Participants will learn everything from story arcing to cinematography, money-making strategies to social media tactics. The wider YouTube community will be able to learn along the way, too, by following the rise of the YouTube Creator Institute’s inaugural class on YouTube this summer. Oh, and it’s all paid for.
The inaugural YouTube Creator Institute programs begin in the United States in May this year.
The University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts
is the country’s first film school and regarded as one of the leading schools in the world, with an alumni base of industry leaders and an array of notable accolades. The YouTube-USC Creator Institute takes place from May 25 until June 22 in Los Angeles, CA.
Columbia College Chicago’s Television Department
has been innovating around new online media strategies for years, with students creating award-winning web-isodes while investigating new opportunities in the online space. The YouTube-Columbia College Chicago Creator Institute begins on May 31 and ends on July 22 in Chicago, IL.
Any U.S. citizen over 18 is welcome to apply, and candidates may apply online at
www.youtube.com/creatorinstitute
from now until midnight on March 25. Applications include two short answer questions and a maximum two-minute demonstration of the creator’s craft, whether it be a short film, a clip of a personal cooking show, or a snapshot of a nature expedition (please make sure that you don’t exceed the 2 minute limit!). Afterwards, the YouTube community will vote for two weeks between March 29 and April 8 for their favorite creators. The top-voted candidates will move on to the final round, where our film and television school partners will choose the inaugural class for each of their programs, which will be announced on April 20 at
youtube.com/creators
.
Learn more
about the application and judging criteria.
Whatever kind of content creator you are, we welcome you to join us this summer!
Apply now
!
Posted by Bing Chen, YouTube Creator Initiatives and Product Marketing
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