Cameron Wu
I'm a developer at Catalyst .NET and Master of Artificial Intelligence student at the University of Canterbury. I've been heavily involved with participating, and planning, programming contests since 2021. I won the New Zealand Programming Contest in 2022, as well as placing 3rd and 2nd in 2021 and 2023. Internationally, I competed in the ICPC Regionals Contest last year in Sydney, obtaining a Silver Award. I'm interested in mathematical problem solving and algorithmic optimization.
Session
Python is not known for being the fastest language, however it's versatility and succinct code makes it a viable option for competitive programming contests (such as PyCon's Race Condition). I will discuss how I've used Python to compete over the last 4 years, winning the NZ Programming Contest (NZPC) and being a ICPC Regional Finalist. This includes the unique challenges that come with using a interpreted language, and how they are overcome to create a equal playing field. I'll also cover how using Python has given us an advantage in other parts of the contest, and some lessons that I've encountered between Python in contests compared to Python in a professional environment.