Computer Science and AI:
AI students awarded Microsoft imaginecup UK

Angelo Dalli and Nicholas Sultana, two members of the Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, have each received a
T-shirt bearing the inscription "Microsoft Genius", free software, and a letter inviting them to participate in Stage 2 of the Microsoft
ImagineCup UK. Out of all UK participants, 150 pass stage 1 into stage 2.

The Microsoft ImagineCup is a global contest organised by Microsoft consisting of three stages. In stage 1 a series of problems are set
involving algorithmic solutions, problem analyses, etc., which have to be solved within a very tight and fixed time frame.

The second stage, in which the candidates have now been invited to participate, involves the development of an innovative solution to a
supplied problem using Microsoft Visual Studio .Net. Whoever wins this receives further prizes and gets to represent the UK in the third and final stage, a global competition where competing teams from all over the world try to develop another application using .Net. For this last stage, Microsoft will provide an 8-week training course in the relevant techniques.

Both candidates are on study leave from the University of Malta. Angelo Dalli is reading for a PhD at the University of Sheffield,  whilst Nicholas Sultana, a third-year undergraduate reading for the BSc IT (Hons), is currently on a Socrates exchange at the University of Kent.