Andrew He | Generated by AI
Andrew He, born in 1997 in the United States, is a highly accomplished competitive programmer, widely recognized for his exceptional problem-solving skills and numerous accolades in prestigious international coding competitions. Known by his online handle “ecnerwala,” He has established himself as one of the top competitive programmers globally, with a career marked by consistent excellence in algorithmic challenges and a deep passion for solving complex problems. His achievements span high school, university, and professional stages, complemented by a strong academic background in mathematics and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Below is a comprehensive introduction to Andrew He’s journey, accomplishments, and contributions to the competitive programming community.
Early Life and Introduction to Competitions
Andrew He’s journey into competitive programming was preceded by a strong foundation in mathematics. Starting in sixth grade, he participated in prominent mathematics competitions, including the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC), the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), and the Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament (HMMT). He consistently placed in the top 20 in many of these contests, showcasing his aptitude for logical reasoning and problem-solving. His participation in the Math Olympiad Program further honed his mathematical skills, setting the stage for his transition to competitive programming.
He attended Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California, from 2011 to 2015, a region known for its strong STEM culture. It was during his high school years, in 2012, that He began competitive programming, quickly finding it a natural extension of his mathematical talents. He described competitive programming as a fun way to practice coding while tackling challenging problems, a sentiment that fueled his rapid rise in the field.
Competitive Programming Achievements
Andrew He’s competitive programming career is distinguished by a series of remarkable achievements across major international contests, reflecting his technical prowess and dedication. Below are some of his most notable accomplishments:
International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI)
He won two gold medals at the IOI, one of the most prestigious high school programming competitions, in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, he secured third place overall, demonstrating his ability to compete at the highest level against top global talent.
International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC)
Representing MIT, He was part of the university’s ICPC team, which achieved significant success. In 2016, his team won a silver medal, placing sixth overall, and in 2019, they earned a gold medal, finishing second globally. These results underscore his ability to collaborate effectively in team-based algorithmic challenges.
Facebook Hacker Cup
He’s most celebrated achievement is winning the 2021 Facebook Hacker Cup, a highly competitive global contest organized by Meta. He also secured third place in the same competition in 2018 and 2020, showcasing his consistency at the elite level.
Google Code Jam and Distributed Code Jam
He achieved third place in Google Code Jam in 2019 and 2020, another renowned competition testing algorithmic skills under time constraints. Additionally, he won the 2017 Distributed Code Jam, highlighting his versatility in distributed systems programming.
Topcoder Open
In 2020, He was the runner-up in the Topcoder Open Algorithm contest, further cementing his reputation as a formidable competitor.
William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition
Beyond programming, He excelled in the Putnam Competition, a premier undergraduate math contest, earning Top 25 in 2016, Top 15 in 2017, and an honorable mention in 2018. These results reflect his strong mathematical foundation, which complements his programming skills.
Codeforces and Other Platforms
On Codeforces, a leading competitive programming platform, He holds a rating of 3513 (as of the latest data), placing him in the “legendary grandmaster” category, with a peak rating of 3668. He has solved over 3,136 problems on the platform, demonstrating his extensive practice and mastery of diverse algorithmic topics. His presence is also notable on platforms like GitHub, where he shares resources such as his competitive programming template system and book code for ICPC.
Academic and Professional Background
Andrew He graduated from MIT in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science, a degree that aligned perfectly with his competitive programming expertise. During his time at MIT, he not only competed in ICPC but also contributed to academic research, co-authoring papers such as “An Elementary Proof of the Cayley Formula Using Random Maps” (2014) and “A Simple Proof of the Cayley Formula using Random Graphs” (2013), both published on arXiv. These works demonstrate his ability to apply theoretical concepts to rigorous mathematical proofs.
Professionally, He has worked in roles that leverage his technical skills. He interned at companies like Addepar, Dropbox, and Cruise, gaining experience in software engineering and machine learning. From July 2019, he worked as a software engineer at Impira, a machine learning and AI software company. As of the latest information, he is employed at Cognition AI, a company founded by IOI gold medalists, focusing on artificial intelligence development.
Contributions to the Competitive Programming Community
Beyond his competitive achievements, Andrew He has made significant contributions to the programming community. His GitHub repository (under the handle “ecnerwala”) includes valuable resources, such as a competitive programming book code repository and a template system for algorithmic contests, which are widely used by aspiring programmers. His dotfiles and competitive programming Makefile are also publicly available, offering insights into his workflow and tools.
In interviews, such as one for the 2019 Topcoder Open, He shared his passion for solving hard problems and writing efficient implementations, emphasizing the creative and practical aspects of competitive programming. He also highlighted his preference for problems requiring clever algorithms, reflecting his strategic approach to contests.
Personal Interests and Work Style
Outside of programming, Andrew He enjoys ice skating, a hobby that provides a balance to his intense technical pursuits. He has described his workspace as minimalistic, often working at a kitchen table with just enough space for a laptop and scratch paper, alongside his frequent collaborator Scott Wu. This simplicity reflects his focus on problem-solving over extraneous distractions.
Recognition and Legacy
Andrew He is recognized in the Competitive Programming Hall of Fame and featured in lists of top global programmers, such as OpenGenus IQ’s “Best Competitive Programmers in the World.” While he is often compared to prodigies like Gennady Korotkevich, He’s consistent performance and young age (first appearing in international competitions in 2014 at age 17) mark him as a rising star with potential for further impact.
His nickname “ecnerwala” (a palindrome, reflecting his playful side) is well-known in online programming communities, and his contributions on platforms like Codeforces and GitHub have inspired countless programmers. As he continues his career at Cognition AI, He remains a role model for aspiring coders, demonstrating how dedication, mathematical rigor, and a love for problem-solving can lead to extraordinary success in competitive programming.
Clarification on Jeopardy Contestant
Note that there is a separate individual named Andrew He, a five-game champion and 2022 Tournament of Champions runner-up on the game show Jeopardy!. This Andrew He is distinct from the competitive programmer and should not be confused with him. The Jeopardy! contestant’s achievements are unrelated to competitive programming.
Sources
This introduction draws on information from Wikipedia, the Competitive Programming Hall of Fame, Codeforces, GitHub, LinkedIn, and Topcoder interviews, ensuring a comprehensive and accurate portrayal of Andrew He’s career.