Dubliner Luke Gardiner among world’s top problem solvers in Bulgaria
Nineteen year old Luke Gardiner from Gonzaga College, Dublin, clinched a bronze medal at the International Linguistics Olympaid in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria in July 2015.
The international problem-solving contest, which ran from 20th to 24th July, challenges students to test lateral thinking skills by decoding some of the world’s toughest problems in logic, language and linguistics. Gardiner beat off competition from 180 students from 29 countries to bring home a bronze medal.
The top four teenagers from the national All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad, run by the Science Foundation Ireland ADAPT Centre, attended a two-day problem-solving training camp at Dublin City University prior to their departure for Bulgaria.
Gardiner was joined on the team by Shmuel Barron (17) of Sutton Park School, Dublin, Ethan Hamman (18) of Newpark Comprehensive, Dublin, and Niamh Lynch (18) of Loreto College Letterkenny, Donegal.
Dr. Cara Greene of the ADAPT Centre, who led the Irish delegation, said: “I am very proud and excited that Luke Gardiner has won a bronze medal in the International Linguistics Olympiad. This is Ireland’s first medal in seven years competing in the contest. The standard of competition is incredibly high and nations with a long tradition in the Linguistics Olympiad tend to sweep the medals. This makes Luke’s performance very noteworthy. In fact, all four members of the Irish team performed exceptionally well.“
The students decoded numerals in the Nahuatl language of the Aztec Empire; deciphered Soundex, a phonetic algorithm for indexing names by sound; interpreted ancient Somali poetry; and decrypted sentences from the Wambali language of Australia (spoken by only 89 people worldwide). Knowledge of a second language is not required, as the puzzles are designed to test contestants’ reasoning skills, logic and patience.
Gardiner is studying Mathematics at university this year. He has joined a long line of All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad past participants who are now putting their problem solving ability to good use in STEM-related careers.
We are delighted to announce the 2015/2016 season launch of the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad!
The All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) challenges secondary school students to test their minds against the world’s toughest problems in logic, language and linguistics. Students must develop their own strategies for solving complex problems in unfamiliar languages — making AILO a fabulous way to hone problem-solving and lateral thinking skills!
Junior Category
All second level students from schools in Ireland, both North and South, are eligible to participate. We will have Junior (under 16) and Senior (aged 16 and over) categories. Both Junior and Senior Category students will take the same puzzles and be marked in the same way. However, we will award prizes and trophies to the winners of each category.
Register Now to Receive Sample Puzzles
Registration closes on 25th January 2016, but it is important to register ASAP to receive monthly sample puzzles for your students: www.adaptcentre.ie/ailo
Timeline
The first round will take place in your own school on 1st February 2016. The top 100 students from the first round will qualify to compete in the national final on 15th March 2016 at Trinity College Dublin.
Represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad
As well as trophies and prizes for the winners of the Junior and Senior categories, the overall top four students from the individual round will win a trip to represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad from 25th–29th July 2016 in Mysore, India. There, students from 30 countries will enjoy a week of puzzles, sightseeing and cultural experiences.
Register now!
www.adaptcentre.ie/ailo
AILO is part of Education and Outreach programme of The ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology. The ADAPT Centre is funded under the SFI Research Centres Programme and is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund.
Team Ireland members to put their code-breaking skills to the test on the international stage
17th July 2015, Dublin, Ireland: Four of Ireland’s leading problem solvers are preparing to test their language decoding skills against the world’s best at the International Linguistics Olympiad in in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, next week. The secondary school students, from Dublin and Donegal, are sharpening up their code-breaking skills at a team training camp hosted by the ADAPT Centre at Dublin City University (DCU) on 17th and 18th July, ahead of departing for Bulgaria on 19th July.
The Irish team members won the chance to represent their country by finishing ahead of 4,000 participants in this year’s ADAPT All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad. Shmuel Barron of Sutton Park School (Dublin), who claimed the title of overall winner at the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad National Final in DCU in March 2015, will be joined by teammates Luke Gardiner of Gonzaga College (Dublin), Ethan Hamman of Newpark Comprehensive (Dublin) and Niamh Lynch of Loreto College Letterkenny (Donegal), who placed second, third and fourth respectively.
Running from 20th to 24th July, the International Linguistics Olympiad will see more than 170 second-level students from 28 countries strive to solve some of the world’s toughest problems in logic, language and linguistics.
Contestants will face challenging puzzles in unfamiliar languages, including many lesser-spoken and endangered languages from across the globe. Knowledge of a second language is not required, as students test their reasoning skills, logic, and of course, patience, throughout the rounds.
Team member, Niamh Lynch eagerly anticipates a puzzle-packed week of decoding:
‘I am very honoured to have the opportunity to represent Ireland at IOL and I’m so excited for the trip.’
Dubliner Luke Gardiner, who also represented Ireland in the 2015 Olympiad, is aware of the challenges that he and members of the Irish team will face:
“Having been fortunate enough to have participated in last year’s International Linguistics Olympiad, I know that the trip to Bulgaria will be great fun. The competition will be challenging but I am really looking forward to it, especially the team round where we will all be working together as a team.”
Team Leader and National Co-ordinator of AILO, Dr. Cara Greene of the ADAPT Centre is also looking forward to the competition:
“Luke, Ethan, Niamh and Shmuel are four of our brightest young problem-solvers and I am delighted that they will be representing Ireland at the International Olympiad. We are looking forward to competing against 44 teams from 28 countries from all over the world.”
The four finalists are all set and ready to solve, having already received tuition from experts at the Science Foundation Ireland funded 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.
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 some 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 from 20th to 24th 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: cara.greene@adaptcentre.ie
Ireland’s top four secondary school decoders win the chance to represent their country at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Bulgaria
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
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
Round 1 of the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) will take place on Monday 2nd February 2015 in secondary schools all over Ireland, North and South. The first round will be an individual paper, held in your own school, that will take 2 hours in exam conditions. Schools and individual students can still register this week at www.adaptcentre.ie/ailo to receive the Round 1 paper.
Both the Junior category (15 and under) and Senior category will do the same individual paper. This gives all students the opportunity to qualify for the AILO Final and represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL). However, the students will be marked within their peer group and we will have prizes for the winners of both Round 1 categories.
The results will indicate which 100 students will be invited to the AILO Final in Dublin City University on Tuesday 24th March 2015. From the final, four students will be selected to represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Bulgaria 20-24 July 2015.
Four Irish secondary school students from Dublin, Antrim, Kerry and Cork pitted their language decoding skills against the world’s best at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Beijing, China last week. The students honed their problem-solving skills at a training camp inTrinity College Dublin, where they were tutored by experts from the CNGL Centre for Global Intelligent Content, which also sponsored their trip.
The International Linguistics Olympiad challenges students to apply logic and reasoning skills to solve complex language puzzles in unfamiliar languages. 160 students from 30 countries engaged in code breaking challenges, which they tackled individually and in teams. Examples included the requirement to decipher the Engenni language of Niger-Congo and decoding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Armenian.
Representing Ireland in Beijing were Luke Gardiner of Gonzaga College, Dublin, Matthew Nixon of Aquinas Grammar School, Co. Antrim, Jane D’Altuin of Gaelcholaiste Chiarraí, Co. Kerry, and Daniel Herlihy of Douglas Community School, Cork. The four finished ahead of 2,600 opponents in this year’s All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) to book their places in the final.
AILO is run by the CNGL Centre for Global Intelligent Content, a Science Foundation Ireland-funded research centre led by Trinity and co-hosted in Dublin City University. Competitors require no prior knowledge of a second language because even the hardest problems require only reasoning skills, logic and patience. AILO is now the largest of the Irish scientific Olympiads.
The Irish team recorded a strong performance at this year’s highly competitive International Linguistics Olympiad, withBelfast student Matthew Nixon won an Honourable Mention award.
Matthew Nixon enjoyed testing his code-breaking skills against the world’s best. He said: “Taking part in AILO was my first experience of Linguistics and I have really enjoyed putting my language and logic skills to the test as well as learning new problem-solving techniques. It was a fantastic opportunity to travel to Beijing as part of the Ireland team to compete against the top linguists from all over the world.”
Second-time International Linguistics Olympiad competitor Daniel Herlihy added: “This competition has granted me an amazing opportunity to represent my country, and has really improved my problem-solving skills. After the International Linguistics Olympiad in Manchester last year, I spent months dreaming about Beijing and competing in this year’s contest. To get the chance to do this all over again was simply unbelievable.”
The International Linguistics Olympiad aims to inspire the next generation of multilingual technology graduates, who can combine computational thinking with advanced language skills. Many important industry sectors require graduates with this powerful combination of skills, including the multi-billion euro digital content sector in which Ireland is a world leader.
Get updates on the 2015 season of the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad via Facebook and Twitter.
