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Irish Teens Have Home Advantage as Dublin Hosts the 2017 International Linguistics Olympiad

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Today forty-four teams consisting of 176 students aged between 14-19 years, representing 29 countries, will compete in the International Linguistics Olympiad 2017 in Dublin. The International Linguistics Olympiad 2017 (IOL 2017) is being hosted by the Science Foundation Ireland-funded ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology and it will run from 31 July to 4 August in Dublin City University. Competitors will attempt over the 5 days to win a gold medal for their country and/or an individual medal for their problem solving skills.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of the ADAPT Centre, Professor Vincent Wade said, “The ADAPT Centre is delighted to host the 15th International Linguistics Olympiad and to welcome over 350 people – contestants, jury members, team leaders and observers – from over 30 nations to Dublin. These top young problem solvers break boundaries as the competition tests not just linguistic skills but hones their lateral-thinking skills. The IOL inspires students to consider the fascinating range of careers that combine computing, linguistics and languages. I would like to wish Team Ireland the very best of luck this week and hope they encourage you to attend the Family Problem Solving Festival taking place in September

The IOL is an annual international competition that challenges young people to decode unfamiliar languages, many of them little-known or expired languages.  It encourages students to develop their own strategies for solving problems in fascinating languages from around the globe. Students must use their ingenuity to solve puzzles such as deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics, decoding numerical spy codes, and interpreting ancient Mayan poetry. No prior knowledge of linguistics or a second language is required, as even the hardest problems require only logical ability and lateral thinking. The aim of the competition is to develop students’ problem-solving skills and to inspire them to consider the range of careers at the intersection of computing, linguistics and language.

Speaking today Dr Ruth Freeman, Director of Strategy and Communications at Science Foundation Ireland, welcomed participants saying “The IOL brings together some of the best young problem solvers and creative thinkers from across the globe. Science Foundation Ireland are delighted to welcome the competitors and their families to Dublin. Problem solving and lateral thinking are vital skills for a wide range of careers, especially in science and technology. Competitions such as the IOL allow young people to learn these skills in a fun, interactive manner, fostering the next generation of problem solvers and innovators. I wish all the competitors the best of luck and hope they will inspire other students to participate in the national competition, the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad, next year.”

Team Ireland comprises Ireland’s top eight second-level students who competed against over 4,000 students nationwide in the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) in order to qualify for the team. Team Ireland members are:

Philip Krause (17), Ashton Blackrock, Cork

Eimer Kyle (16), St. Finian’s College, Mullingar, Westmeath

Marco Stango (19), Newtown School, Waterford

Tom McAlinden (17), Aquinas Grammar, Belfast, Antrim

Padraig Sheehy (17), Gonzaga College SJ, Dublin

Tristan l’Anson-Sparks (15), Methodist College, Belfast, Antrim

Cian O’Hara (17), Holy Family Community School, Rathcoole, Dublin

Daniel Quingley (17), Belfast Royal Academy, Belfast, Antrim.

Speaking today Team Ireland member Eimer Kyle said, “The emphasis that the IOL places on logic and reasoning was certainly its selling point for me. Most of the languages we have to deal with I’ve never even heard of before so it’s really exciting trying to figure out the puzzles. I’m looking forward to cracking puzzles this week, especially in the group challenge. I know it’ll really force us to think creatively and to stretch our minds. I’m also excited to meet the many other young people from around the world who share the same passion and interest I have in problem solving.”

The IOL is an annual competition that challenges students to decode unfamiliar languages – many of them little-known or expired languages.  In past years, students have worked on everything from sign language used by monks to Sanskrit poetry.  They have translated Jaqaru, a language once spoken among indigenous tribes in the Andes, and Iatmül, a language with only 8,400 native speakers.

Team members are selected on the basis of their strong performances in their national contests.  Last year’s IOL 2016 brought more than 180 students from 29 countries to India.  There, Team Ireland participant Pádraig Sheehy secured an Honorable Mention award and he is joining the Irish team again for IOL 2017 to continue his interests in decoding and problem solving.  Last year’s Irish winners also include Claire O’Connor from St. Louis High School with a Bronze Medal, and Dónal Farren from St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny with an Honourable Mention award.

Speaking about his return to the Irish team this year, Páraig Sheehy said. “I first got involved with the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad and the IOL last year when I heard about it in my school, Gonzaga College. It was recommended to me by former IOL contestant and now team leader Luke Gardiner. I quickly developed a love for this form of problem solving. I enjoyed the experience and so was eager to participate in AILO again this year, despite having a Leaving Cert to study for! I am delighted and honored to have made the Irish team again this year, especially now that we are the host nation. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with some of my friends from last year and challenging myself with some of this year’s problems, as well as getting to know my new teammates. Wish us luck!”

The competition is one of twelve International Science Olympiads.  IOL is designed to challenge secondary-school children, and has been growing since 2003.  Curious readers and aspiring students are encouraged to head over to problemsolving.ie, to give some of the past problems a try.

The All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad and Ireland’s participation in and hosting of the International Linguistics Olympiad are key elements of the Problem-Solving Initiative. This two-year nationwide initiative, run by ADAPT and funded by Science Foundation Ireland, aims to foster a new generation of skilled problem solvers for Ireland and to prepare the future leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The initiative will culminate in a free Family Problem Solving Festival in Trinity College Dublin on the 30th September.

Award-winning Mountrath Community School students pictured at the AILO national final 2017

Mountrath Community School Team Announced as Winners of All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad Team Competition

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Award-winning Mountrath Community School students pictured at the AILO national final 2017 Mountrath_Presentation2

Four secondary school students from Mountrath Community School have been announced as winners of the team competition at the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) final in Dublin. The team consisted of Alex Moore, Domhnall O’Farrell, Aisling Page and Christopher Carew.

The Mountrath students beat off competition from 42 other schools around Ireland to take the team trophy.  The AILO competition has been run by the ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology since 2009 and challenges students to use their ingenuity, creativity and skill to decipher languages with examples of translations.

The AILO final saw the top 100 students out of a starting line up of over 4,000 opponents compete.  Competitors are challenged to engage in ‘code-breaking’ tests to unlock information in unfamiliar languages.  No prior knowledge of a second language is needed with competitors required to use logical reasoning and out-of-the-box thinking to solve the problems presented.

Speaking about the competition, Professor Vincent Wade, Director of the ADAPT Centre said: “The All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad puzzles are a mix of maths, science and humanities.  The increasing popularity of the competition highlights the Irish public’s interest and appreciation for the imporance and applicability of problem-solving skills across science, the economy and society.  We are looking forward to hosting and running a free, family-friendly problem-solving festival in Dublin Castle on 5th August which is open to all.”

Run by the Science Foundation Ireland funded ADAPT Centre, AILO aims to inspire the next generation of multilingual technology graduates, who possess a combination of language competency and problem-solving expertise.  Participants in AILO 2017 received tuition from experts at the ADAPT Centre to assist them in how to approach the puzzles.

AILO Participants

93% of students say All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad has improved their problem-solving skills

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93% of students say All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad has improved their problem-solving skills

93% of participants in the final of All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad 2016 report that the contest has helped them to enhance their problem-solving skills. These results were revealed in a survey of contestants at the national final of the contest, which was held in March 2016 at Trinity College Dublin.

The All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) is a key element of the ADAPT Centre’s Problem-Solving Initiative. It challenges students to develop their own stratiges for solving complex problems in unfamiliar languages, thus enhancing the lateral thinking skills necessary for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The survey also revealed that AILO is increasing students’ propensity to consider careers combining computing and language. After participating in the Olympiad, 81% of students say they would consider studying computing and language at third level – up from only 47% of students before the contest.

A huge 98% of AILO 2016 finalists said they would recommend the Olympiad to a friend.

Among the reasons cited for this were:
“AILO helps young people to discover their skills.”
“This competition has improved my confidence when solving even maths problems because it’s so challenging.”
“Huge sense of satisfaction from figuring something out.”

It is clear that students find the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad hugely beneficial, challenging and fun.

Test your mind against the world’s toughest puzzles in logic, language and linguistics! Check out AILO puzzles now and register for the contest from mid-September 2016.

Team Ireland members Luke Gardiner of Gonzaga College, Niamh Lynch of Loreto Letterkenny, Ethan Hamman of Newpark Comprehensive, and Shmuel Barron of Sutton Park School pictured with Prof. Vincent Wade, CEO, ADAPT and Dr. Cara Greene, Research Outreach Coordinator, ADAPT

Press Release: Ireland’s Top Young Problem Solvers to Take On World’s Best Decoders at International Linguistics Olympiad

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Ireland’s top four secondary school decoders win the chance to represent their country at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Bulgaria

Photo of AILO winners with Cara Greene and Vincent Wade, all holding up puzzle pieces
Team Ireland members Luke Gardiner of Gonzaga College, Niamh Lynch of Loreto Letterkenny, Ethan Hamman of Newpark Comprehensive, and Shmuel Barron of Sutton Park School pictured with Prof. Vincent Wade, CEO, ADAPT and Dr. Cara Greene, Research Outreach Coordinator, ADAPT

Four secondary school students from across the island of Ireland have been selected to test their language decoding skills against the world’s best at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, in July. The students, from Dublin and Donegal, finished ahead of 120 opponents in the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) Finals, which were recently held at Dublin City University.

Run by the Science Foundation Ireland funded ADAPT Centre, the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) aims to inspire the next generation of multilingual technology graduates, who possess a combination of language competency and problem solving expertise.

Shmuel Barron of Sutton Park School (Dublin) was the overall winner of the individual competition. He will be joined in Bulgaria by fellow team members Luke Gardiner of Gonzaga College (Dublin), Ethan Hamman of Newpark Comprehensive (Dublin) and Niamh Lynch of Loreto Letterkenny (Donegal). Luke, Ethan and Niamh finished second, third and fourth respectively in the individual competition.

From a starting line-up of 4,000 students from 161 secondary schools that spanned 29 counties, the top 123 sleuths battled it out during individual and team contests at AILO. Competitors engaged in ‘code-breaking’ challenges to unlock information in unfamiliar languages. . This year’s individual contest included puzzles in Evenki (an inner Mongolian language), Murrinhpatha (an Australian indigenous language spoken by only 3000 people), and the Georgian writing system. No prior knowledge of a second language was required because even the hardest problems required only reasoning skills, logic and patience

Niamh Lynch is looking forward to pitting her wits against winners of other National Linguistics Olympiads during a week packed with puzzles and cultural experiences in Bulgaria in July. She said: “Partaking in AILO has been such a brilliant experience, and I’m thrilled to be representing Ireland in Bulgaria this summer.”

2015 saw the first Junior competition for AILO and the winner was Aleksandr Gusev of Royal School Cavan. Second and third places went to Vincent Wong or Cookstown High School and Alexander Harding of Maynooth Post Primary School.

In addition to the individual competition that put together the team heading to Bulgaria, there was also a team contest at AILO. The winning team was Gonzaga College (Dublin). Luke Gardiner was a part of this winning team along with Turlough Hannon, Daniel Mulcahy and Jonathan McGrath. The teams in this section of the competition tackled a crossnumber puzzle (similar to a crossword), identified ‘bots’ on an user review website, and tackled a problem in Maxakali (an Amazonian language spoken by as few as 1200 people).

Olympiad National Coordinator Dr. Cara Greene of ADAPT who will act as Team Leader in Bulgaria said, “The students who have qualified to represent Ireland are talented problem-solvers who will hold their own in Bulgaria at the International Olympiad. We are looking forward to competing against 30 teams from 22 countries from all over the World.”

In the multi-billion euro Content Technology sector, graduates are in very strong demand in Ireland and globally. Professor Vincent Wade, CEO of the ADAPT Research Centre at TCD and organisers of the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad, said “The Olympiad is unique in how it fosters skills in lateral thinking, problem solving and communication which are key to 21st Century living”.

Finalists have received tuition from experts at the ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology, a €110 million academia-industry research centre developing advanced technology to adapt and personalise digital content and services to the needs of global users. They will receive further tuition before they leave to represent Ireland in the Finals in Bulgaria later this year.

Ends

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad
Launched in 2009 and run by the ADAPT Centre, the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) is a contest in which secondary school students develop their own strategies for solving problems in fascinating languages from around the globe. Students must use their ingenuity to solve puzzles as deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics, decoding numerical spy codes, and interpreting ancient Mayan poetry. No prior knowledge of linguistics or a second language is required, as even the hardest problems require only logical ability, patient work, and a willingness to think around corners. AILO introduces students to linguistics (i.e. the study of human language) and to the application of logic to problems of language understanding and translation. The goal is to develop students’ problem-solving skills and to inspire them to consider the fascinating range of careers at the intersection of computing, linguistics and language. More than 10,000 students have participated in the Olympiad to date, with many former participants now studying computing and linguistics and tutoring current participants. www.adaptcentre.ie/ailo

The International Linguistics Olympiad
The International Linguistics Olympiad is one of 12 International Science Olympiads for secondary school students, and has been held annually since 2003. Each year, teams of young linguists from more than 30 countries gather and test their minds against complex puzzles in language and linguistics. The weeklong Olympiad comprises individual and team contests, and students enjoy an active programme of social and cultural events. The 2015 edition of the contest will take place in Bulgaria in July 2015. www.ioling.org

ADAPT Centre
ADAPT is the global centre for digital content technology. Supported by Science Foundation Ireland, ADAPT combines the expertise of 120 researchers at four universities (Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, Dublin City University, University College Dublin and Dublin Institute of Technology) with that of its industry partners to produce ground-breaking digital content innovations. The Centre’s research and technologies help companies to deliver the right content, to the right customer at the right time, in the right language, in the right format and on the device of their choice. www.adaptcentre.ie

CONTACT
Dr. Cara Greene
National Coordinator, All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad
Research Outreach Coordinator
ADAPT Centre
Tel: +353 1 700 6704
Email: cgreene@computing.dcu.ie

 

 

Ruth Butler, Castletroy College, Limerick, Dr Cara Greene, ADAPT, Jemma McClelland, Methodist College, Belfast, Cormac Donnelly, Gonzaga College, Dublin, Professor Vincent Wade, ADAPT, Suneet Mahajan, Douglas Community School, Cork

Press Release: Nationwide search for top young problem solver at Linguistics Olympiad

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Pictured at the final of AILO 2015 are Ruth Butler, Castletroy College, Limerick, Dr Cara Greene, ADAPT, Jemma McClelland, Methodist College, Belfast, Cormac Donnelly, Gonzaga College, Dublin, Professor Vincent Wade, ADAPT, Suneet Mahajan, Douglas Community School, Cork
Pictured at the final of AILO 2015 are Ruth Butler, Castletroy College, Limerick, Dr Cara Greene, ADAPT, Jemma McClelland, Methodist College, Belfast, Cormac Donnelly, Gonzaga College, Dublin, Professor Vincent Wade, ADAPT, Suneet Mahajan, Douglas Community School, Cork 

Talented decoders tackle world’s toughest puzzles in linguistics, logic and language

Ireland’s top young problem solvers pitted their wits against the languages of the world at the national final of the ADAPT All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad at Dublin City University on 24 March 2015.

The contest aims to identify Ireland’s leading young language decoders by challenging students to use their ingenuity to solve complex puzzles in unfamiliar languages. The prize for the top four sleuths is the opportunity to represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Bulgaria in July 2015.

Run by the Science Foundation Ireland funded ADAPT Centre, the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) aims to inspire the next generation of multilingual technology graduates, who possess a combination of language competency and problem solving expertise.

From a starting line-up of 4,000 students from 161 schools in 29 counties, the top 125 code-breakers tested their wits in the national final. Competing individually and in teams, secondary school students engaged in a series of brain-teasing challenges such as unlocking the secrets of ancient scripts and deciphering numerical spy codes. Key requirements are computational thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to think “outside the box”.

Multilingual technology graduates are in strong demand in Ireland and beyond, particularly in the multi-billion euro digital content sector.

Olympiad national coordinator Dr. Cara Greene of ADAPT says, “The capacity to solve complicated problems is vital for students throughout their education and careers. This is especially the case for high tech careers. By developing students’ computational thinking in a fun way, the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad inspires students to consider the fascinating range of careers that combine computing, linguistics and language.”

Finalists received tuition from experts at ADAPT, a €110 million academia-industry research centre developing advanced technology to adapt and personalise digital content and services to the needs of global users. The winners will be announced next week.

 

CONTACT

Laura Grehan
Marketing and Communications Officer
ADAPT
Tel: +353 87 2046518
Email: laura.grehan@adaptcentre.ie