Technology Arena
What?
Everything needs to run faster, smoother and, of course, more reliable. Functionalities are endless, technology consumption is ever growing and data...well let’s just say that we have so much of it that we are trying to figure out a way to store it in a DNA in order to gain more space. You might find yourself building a decryption algorithm, altering Linux kernel to suit your needs, training a neural network to differentiate a real video from a deep fake or scratch the surface of quantum computing. In the Technology Arena you will come across most various problems requiring you to apply knowledge of the known algorithms as well as develop new ones.
Who?
While technology is focused at programming, clearly you won’t get far only if you know the correct syntax. You need to have understanding how computers work - hardware and software, you need mathematics in order to solve a problem in an efficient manner, you need knowledge of the available tools in various domains. As you can see, there is a lot to know and one person is unlikely to pull it off on their own - that is why you need a team. Also, keep in mind that the most powerful teams are those covering fields like computer sciences, mathematics and physics.
Why?
Because you want to experience what challenges will look like once you have finished your studies. You will get to work in a team of brilliant like minded people for four days and together provide a unique take on the topic. Finally, based on the results, you might get an opportunity to present your solution to the jury. That way, not only will you develop new algorithms and apply your knowledge to solve a real challenge, you can communicate your solution and results to the field experts, coming from both academia and industry.
Download results 2019
Download assignment 2019
Download assignment 2018
Competences
Algorithms and data structures
Graph theory, discrete mathematics, number theory, linear algebra
Data science
Machine learning
Computer security, cryptography
Network analysis
Basic economics knowledge, resource scheduling
Teamwork
Presentation skills
Problem analysis
*Teams can choose which programming language they will use; however, they have to take the execution speed into consideration.
Mentors
Bogdan Okreša Đurić
Bogdan Okreša Đurić is a teaching assistant at the Faculty of Organization and Informatics, University of Zagreb, and a member of the local Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, where he takes part in teaching and conducting research and other projects on the various topics related to artificial intelligence and computer games, e.g. multiagent systems, semantic modelling and metamodelling, knowledge management, etc. Other than being a geek and a huge Lord of the Rings fan, he enjoys singing in the local academic choir as well.
Christina Gillmann
Dr. Christina Gillmann is a PostDoc at Leipzig University within the "Signal and Image Processing Group". She obtained her PhD from the University of Kaiserslautern. Her research focus is uncertainty analysis and visualization, where she tries to quantify, propagate and communicate uncertainty information in domain-specific problems.
Zvonimir Kučiš
Zvonimir Kučiš obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing. Currently he is pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science with focus on using deep neural networks in autonomous driving. In his free time he is developing video games and playing guitar.
Alen Štruklec
Alen Štruklec obtained his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing in Zagreb and he is currently finishing his Master's degree. His primary focus is developing web applications and more recently, design as well. In his free time he is exploring new hobbies, learning development of digital games and doing photography.
Milan Petrović
Milan Petrović graduated from Department of Informatics, University of Rijeka and currently is a PhD student, developing methods of complex network approach to analyze biological data. He is also exploring Drosophila melanogaster social activity in Laboratory for behavioral genetics at the Department of Biotechnology. His interest are social networks and their dynamics and he participated in STEM Games 2018 and 2019.
Andro Mikulić
Andro Mikulić is a software engineer and co-founder of Double Lens Solutions with a Bachelor’s degree in software engineering. He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in telecommunications. He worked on various projects ranging from microservices for a forex trading backend, to photorealistic architectural visualizations in virtual reality.
Robin Maack
Robin Maack is a Master Student and a potential PhD candidate at the University of Kaiserslautern, working for the Computer Graphics & HCI Lab. His Research interests are biochemical and medical visualizations, as well as simulation compression. He likes to hike, travel, go to the gym and play computer games.