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Canada's brightest and youngest mathematical minds won one silver and two bronze medals in this year's International Olympiad in Informatics.
Canada competed for the first time in the Olympiad, held recently in . The Olympiad, an Annual Competition in the Discipline of Informatics (Computing Science) for senior high school students, attracted 215 official competitors from 57 countries.
The competition gave the students an opportunity to test their ability in designing and understanding algorithms, as well as programming.
Canada's Alan Martin, of Gloucester High School near Ottawa, won a silver medal, for his 31st place finish, while bronze medals went to Donny Cheung (73rd), of St. John's-Ravenscourt School in Winnipeg, and Darryl Shpak (108th), Immanuel Christian School in Winnipeg. David Pritchard (198th), of Danforth Collegiate Institute in Toronto, did not win a medal.
"It was a very successful first effort," said Barry Ferguson, a lecturer in UW's Mathematics Faculty. The Canadian team was sponsored by Sybase Inc. of Waterloo.
In late May and early June, 20 students from high schools across Canada competed at UW for a position on the four-member team as part of the second stage of the Canadian Computing Competition. They were selected from more than 1,000 students who took part in the first-stage competition in March.
The Canadian Computing Competition is an activity of the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing, based at UW's faculty of math. The centre also runs the annual Canadian Mathematics Competition, which offers a series of math contests for students in Grade 7 through to the final year of high school.
A senior UW Geography Professor and former Associate Dean will be UW's new Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Studies.
Prof. Geoff McBoyle will begin a five-year term on July 1, 1997, succeeding Jeanne Kay, who will complete her term next June 30. On Tuesday, UW's Senate and Board Executive Committees approved a recommendation by a Nominating Committee to appoint McBoyle to the post.
"In addition to his significant administrative service, Professor McBoyle has been a strong contributor to both teaching and research," said president James Downey, in announcing the appointment. "He has published numerous papers in his research areas, and was one of the first winners of the UW Distinguished Teacher Award."
A faculty member at UW since 1969, McBoyle has conducted research on climatology and global warming, including the impact of climate change on the skiing industry.
He has served as Chair of his Department for a three-year term and as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies on three separate occasions for a total of nearly 10 years.
The local coroner has decided not to hold an inquest in the death of a child who fell to her death at UW's Married Students Apartments June 29.
Miriam Labib, of Egypt, died from the fall after leaning against a window screen on the 10th floor of the east tower. Almost three years old, the girl had been visiting with her father Ibrahim and her mother Amany.
The regional coroner, Dr. Karen Acheson, told the Record that the girl's death was a "very tragic accident." She said that after an investigation, it was decided that an inquest would not provide additional information about the accident.
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Chris Redmond -- credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004 About the Bulletin | Mail to the Bulletin | Wednesday's Bulletin |