New Book Written by UCD Prof is Published in China

A new book written by a Professor at University College Dublin, Ireland, has just been published in China. The Chinese edition of Poems that Solve Puzzles: The History and Science of Algorithms has just been published by CITIC Press Group. The book is now available on well-known online book stores. The author, Chris Bleakley, is a Professor in the School of Computer Science at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland. UCD and Beijing University of Technology (BJUT) have a long established collaboration in the form of the joint international Beijing-Dublin International College (BDIC). Since 2012, BDIC has hosted staff, student, teaching and research exchanges between Dublin and Beijing. Recently, Professor Chris Bleakley was Head of School of the UCD School of Computer Science.

Chris Bleakley's book, Poems that Solve Puzzles: The History and Science of Algorithms, tells the story of algorithms from its ancient origins to the present day. Nowadays, algorithms are the methods that computers apply to make their decisions. However, the book traces the origins of algorithms to 4,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and China. The book explains how the great algorithms work, but does not use programming language or complex mathematical formulae.

The book introduces readers to the inspirational events and inventors behind the genesis of the world’s most important algorithms. The author tells stories about ancient lost inscriptions, Victorian steam-driven contraptions, top secret military projects, penniless academics, hippy dreamers and tech billionaires. The book recounts the story of algorithms right up to recent developments in artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and quantum computing.
  
Chris Bleakley has been designing algorithms for thirty-five years. He sold his first program as a teenager while as school. He worked as a programmer with Accenture and Beecom International. Later,  he designed software and computer chips with Massana. He has worked as a lecturer at UCD for twenty years. Chris holds a B.Sc. degree in Computer Science from Queen's University, Belfast, and a Ph.D. degree in Electronic Engineering from Dublin City University.

The new Chinese edition is particularly well-presented with a lovely cover, a separate timeline poster,  diagrams and photographs of the inventors. The Chinese edition joins editions of the book in English, Portuguese, Dutch and Korean. For more information, see chrisbleakley.com