compsoc-freshers January 2026

compsoc-freshers@lists.ox.compsoc.net

1 participants
3 discussions

CompSoc Newsletter Week 2!
by Declan Osborne 26 Jan '26

26 Jan '26

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [6th Week] Hilary Term Week 2 Newsletter Presentations, Competitive Programming and More! Bonjour, One and All, Out with First Week, it's Second Week time! We're back this week with some classic CompSoc events in store for you. We'll be kicking off this term's competitive programming events on Monday! We'll be down in the Undergraduate Social Area from 7:30-9:30pm to face off in typical competitive programming style. On Saturday, we'll also be hosting this term's presentation night! If there's a topic you're really passionate about and want to give a talk on, make sure to sign up here<https://forms.gle/C28DxcZrX6Q6x2dK8> — it doesn't have to be computer science related! We'll be in the Department from 7pm onwards to listen to your talks. If you're interested in running for CompSoc's Committee, we now have an election guide available! Check it out here<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rvJy3CJcY9n-vwpFHdiV0Duyelh2YBdi>. If you've got a role in mind to run for, head on over to our form and register your interest<https://forms.gle/LrhUHwFL5rrRAwEd7>! Finally, we have more on the STEM ball, along with some interesting events relating to free, libre and open-source software. See below for details! We also now have a Minecraft server, the address for which can be found in our Discord server<https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6>. — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: As we now have a Minecraft server again, let's do a Minecraft fun fact! Did you know that, up until Minecraft Beta 1.7.3, travelling over 12.8 million blocks away from spawn brought you to the Far Lands, a realm where terrain generation breaks down to create gargantuan cliffs (and lots of lag). This happens because Minecraft terrain is generated using Perlin noise generators, which essentially smooth the output from a random number generator in a 3D grid to create plausible terrain. Several noise generators in Minecraft are combined to create all of the characteristics of the game's terrain. The Far Lands first begin when an integer overflow occurs on the low and high noise generators. The bug was fixed in Beta 1.8 by changing the way world coordinates are scaled, meaning the world border is reached long before the Far Lands would begin. Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/9pf/3bl/6x7/HT26%20Termcar…] [Events] STEM Ball A message on tickets for the STEM ball: Hi Everyone! I am excited to share that PhysSoc, Invariants, CompSoc, Mirzakhani, OxWIE, OxWEST, OxWOCS, OUCB, OxMatSoc and OUGS are collaborating to bring you Oxford’s first ever STEM Ball, in bloom at the Randolph Friday 6th March First release tickets drop this Wednesday, check out the instagram @oustemball for more updates! We would love to see you there 👀🌸 See the post here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DT6DziLjdiZ Competitive Programming: Second Week Contest [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/ey3/7ev/mv0/PNG%20Competit…] Now that you've learned the (advanced) basics, it's time to get stuck into a contest! Come along to the Undergraduate Social Area this Monday, when we'll be kicking off our term of competitive programming contests. We'll be going head to head from 7:30-9:30pm — whether you're a beginner or competitive programming aficionado, don't miss it! When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 26th January Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/6F8Dgc2hr Saturday Social: Presentation Night [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/872/zn0/zik/PNG%20Presenta…] It's Hilary Term, and that means it's time for our termly student presentation night! This Saturday, we're giving you (yes, you!) the spotlight by letting you give a ten-minute talk on any topic that takes your fancy! Talks may be on anything you find interesting — they don't have to be computer science related! If you're interested in giving a talk or listening to our array of talks, come on down to the Undergraduate Social Area from 7pm onwards. If you want to give a talk, make sure to sign up below! When: 7pm, Saturday 31st January Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Sign up here: https://forms.gle/C28DxcZrX6Q6x2dK8 Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/6ileQkYeu [And More...] Events on Free, Libre and Open Source Software [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/gi7/zx5/af3/OxfordFLOSS_Po…] A message from Oliver Geer and Laura Fortunado: Dear All, Have you ever thought about how the software we use affects our autonomy and right-to-repair the devices we increasingly rely on? Our privacy? The reproducibility of our research? This Hilary term (January-March 2026) we are hosting a series of events<https://ox.ogeer.org/> on various non-technical and technical aspects of free, libre and open source software (FLOSS). Dates, and soon venues, are available on our website<https://ox.ogeer.org/>. Come along to learn about the practical, legal, and research-related implications of FLOSS, including: why and how to self-host your FLOSS services<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/date-to-be-confirmed-self-hosting-cooking-your-o…> a guided, social workshop to contribute to FLOSS<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/contributhon> (via any of bug reporting, triaging, programming, translation, community-building, and so on --- no technical skills needed!) an introduction to the programmable text editor and wider productivity tool, Emacs<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/computing-in-freedom-with-gnu-emacs-protesilaos-…> copyleft and protecting users’ right to repair<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/software-freedom-conservancy> teaching high school students research computing<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/institute-for-computing-in-research-mark-galassi…> an introduction to a bioinformatics community and code library<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/software-engineering-for-bioinformatics-a-biocon…> There are both in-person events in Oxford and online ones. Everyone is welcome, including students, academics, staff, and people unaffiliated to a University. You are welcome to just turn up (as long as you follow our code of conduct<https://ox.ogeer.org/p/code-of-conduct>), since no registration is required. To enable broad participation, we have scheduled events on different days on a weekly basis, and at different times --- feel free to join as many as you are able to, and please share this widely! A poster is attached to help with this. If you have any questions, please email oliver.geer(a)hertford.ox.ac.uk<mailto:oliver.geer@hertford.ox.ac.uk> and laura.fortunato(a)anthro.ox.ac.uk<mailto:laura.fortunato@anthro.ox.ac.uk>, or look at our website<https://ox.ogeer.org/>. Kind regards, Oliver Geer (Hertford College, Computer Science and Philosophy) and Laura Fortunato (Magdalen College, Anthropology, Software Freedom Conservancy), with support from others on our mailing list<https://web.maillist.ox.ac.uk/ox/info/foss>. Header image<https://media.fsfe.org/w/xs29yhLxSP1uKLYkSeoKKp>* CC-BY-SA 4.0<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/> MotionEnsemble.de<http://motionensemble.de/> for FSFE<https://fsfe.org/>* Get to Know Strategy and Product: Jane Street x Oxford A message from our sponsors at Jane Street: GJoin us for a Day in the Life session about our Strategy and Product Internship<http://www.janestreet.com/sp>! Whether you joined us last term or this is your first Jane Street SP event, this session will give you an overview of our SP internship and share what a day in the life really looks like - so you can get a genuine sense of the role. SPs work at the intersection of technology, finance, and business strategy. You'll learn how we tackle challenging problems across departments, support the firm's growth, and gain a holistic perspective of our business. If you've never thought about a career in finance, you're in good company. Many of us were in the same position before working here. If you have a curious mind, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for solving interesting problems, we have a feeling you'll fit right in. See attached flyer for more details and submit this form<https://forms.gle/wK6fw4cSMBkpbN8g7> to register! Thursday, 29th January @ 3:30pm - with Oxford Women in Engineering (Engineering & CompSci) Wednesday, 11th February @ 7:00pm - with Oxford Physics Society (Natural Sciences) Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/sbs/qah/tta/Jump%20Trading…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/zmq/log/hdy/HRT%20Logo.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. [Designed with BEE]<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…> Designed with BEE<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…>

1 0

Ice Skating Sign-Up
by Declan Osborne 21 Jan '26

21 Jan '26

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] Ice Skating with the Invariants Sign Up Now! [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/vum/nl5/sh4/PNG%20Ice%20Sk…] Get your skates on and join us next Monday for a classic CompSoc staple! Next week, we'll be joined by our friends in the Invariants to go ice skating together! We'll be at the ice rink from 6-7:15pm to skate away with friends. If you're interested, make sure to sign up now — spaces are, unfortunately, limited! We'll send out a confirmation email by Saturday if you've got a place. When: 6-7:15pm, Monday 26th January Where: Oxford Ice Rink Oxpens Rd, Oxford OX1 1RX Sign up here: https://forms.gle/i2y1r7GtuJZ5R4oeA Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/sbs/qah/tta/Jump%20Trading…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/zmq/log/hdy/HRT%20Logo.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. [Designed with BEE]<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…> Designed with BEE<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…>

1 0

CompSoc Newsletter Week 1!
by Declan Osborne 19 Jan '26

19 Jan '26

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [6th Week] Hilary Term Week 1 Newsletter Termcard, Apollo Talk, Board Games and More! Greetings, Underlings, Welcome back, one and all, for the new year and the new term! It was great to see so many of you at last Saturday's very well-attended pizza night. We have a bountiful range of events in store this term (see the termcard below), kicking off with five this week! We start the term with a bang this Monday with our first competitive programming advanced bootcamp! We'll be down in the Undergraduate Social Area from 7:30-9:30pm for some all-new lessons. On Thursday, we have a double whammy of events! At 5pm, we'll be joined by Rob Wills for a fascinating talk delving into the Apollo Guidance Computer. Afterwards, we'll kick back from 8-10pm at our welcome social, with free drinks for all! To round off the week, we're back in the UGSA for yet another double billing on Saturday! We'll start off the evening with a touch of capture-the-flag at 5-7pm, followed by our classic start-of-term board game night, complete with pizza and snacks as always. Finally, some other assorted thingamabobs — we're looking for a new Committee this term! Elections will be held at our Annual General Meeting in Week 7, and we'll have a guide on the roles available shortly. We've also experienced a buffer overflow in our attempt to continue the CompSoc continuation, meaning last night's letter was '[', with the ever-wise CompSoc electorate choosing '[REDACTED]' to follow Zoe. Join us this Saturday for more non-alphanumeric shenanigans! — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: Despite the lack of variation in the modern day, the field of Unix and Unix-like operating systems used to be filled with boundless unique offerings. One such was the open source TRIX, developed to run on MIT's NuMachine in the late 70s. Otherwise mimicking Version 7 Unix, TRIX uniquely featured support for remote procedure calls in the kernel for networking. Due to its licensing, it was briefly considered by the GNU Project for adoption as its official kernel, but was discounted in favour of GNU Hurd, which... hasn't exactly gone brilliantly. Maybe they should've gone with TRIX all along. Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] Say hello to our termcard for Hilary Term 2026! We have endless events in store for you this term, including talks, brand new competitive programming and CTF events, and the Saturday Socials we all know and love! We get started this Monday with our first advanced bootcamp for competitive programming, and wrap up on Wednesday of Week 8 with a bubble tea event. [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/9pf/3bl/6x7/HT26%20Termcar…] [Events] Competitive Programming: Eighth Week Contest [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/5se/bs2/9kx/PNG%20Competit…] As we enter into the new term, we kick off with something new altogether! This week, we'll start the term's competitive programming sessions with an advanced bootcamp! This Monday in the Undergraduate Social Area, we'll be building upon last year's knowledge and covering some more advanced topics in the realm of competitive programming. If you're looking to improve your skills in contests, make sure to join us from 7:30-9:30pm! When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 19th January Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/9vn4hPKQh Light Years Ahead: The Apollo Guidance Computer [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/jca/u5b/k8v/PNG%20Apollo%2…] This Thursday, we begin our dynamic duo of events with a very exciting talk! We'll be joined this week at 5pm by Rob Wills to hear all about Apollo 11 and the Apollo Guidance Computer. Come join Rob Wills as he tells us about the amazing computer that was used onboard the Apollo missions. He'll show you how the landing software worked, how the system was designed to be robust against failures, and how the computer saved the Apollo 11 landing. Abstract July 20, 1969: Neil Armstrong was in the final stages of the Lunar descent, just a few thousand feet above the surface, when suddenly his computer indicated a critical alarm. For three nail-biting seconds it looked as if the mission would have to be aborted. However, Armstrong was given a "go" to continue, and after several more alarms the Eagle touched down safely. Rob will introduce the amazing hardware and software that made up the Apollo Guidance Computer, walk you through the landing procedure step-by-step, and talk about the pioneering design decisions that were used to make the landing software robust against any failure. Finally, I'll tell you what happened during Apollo 11, and show you how this amazing machine saved the mission. About the Author Rob is a senior technical leader at Cisco, working on their most advanced networking operating system, IOS XR. In his free time he is enthusiastic about studying the history of computers, and has given talks at NASA, Airbus, the IET and various universities. Rob is a fast-paced and energetic speaker who loves to bring these dusty old machines to life in a fun and easy-going way. When: 5pm, Thursday 22nd January Where: Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/44d6HvJNA Welcome Social [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/gbc/io9/zc5/PNG%20Welcome%…] What better way to welcome the new term in than an aptly-named welcome social? For our second event this Thursday, we'll be headed down to Oxo Bar for an evening of convivial conversation with, of course, free drinks courtesy of CompSoc. Join us from 8-10pm to get your fill! When: 8-10pm, Thursday 22nd January Where: Oxo Bar 48 George St, Oxford OX1 2AQ Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/45bD2eW19 Capture-the-Flag Night: First Week [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/n83/vu8/yl3/PNG%20CTF%20Ni…] Away from Thursday's double bill and on to Saturday's! This Saturday, we'll be starting the evening in the Undergraduate Social Area with a new fixture this term — a capture-the-flag contest session! Come along from 5-7pm to take part in a capture-the-flag contest on behalf of CompSoc with friends. When: 5-7pm, Saturday 24th January Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/9qAYtcZNv Saturday Social: Board Game Night [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/5jg/ae8/l43/PNG%20Board%20…] This Saturday, we'll be rounding off the first week of term with the finest of CompSoc traditions. That's right — it's time for a board game night! Join us from 7pm in the Undergraduate Social Area, where we'll be kicking back and relaxing with a range of games, along with generous helpings of pizza and snacks! When: 7pm, Saturday 24th January Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/8L36g3Rbc [And More...] Opportunities from Citadel Software Engineering (link here<https://www.citadel.com/careers/details/software-engineer-intern-europe/>) At Citadel, our engineers work in small teams to turn the best ideas into high-performing and resilient technology. With short development cycles, work rapidly goes into production. As an engineer, you can create systems architectures, develop platforms, and build web frameworks. You’ll have access to state-of-the-art tools and apply innovative techniques including distributed computing, natural language processing, machine learning, and more. As an intern, you’ll get to challenge the impossible in technology through an 11-week program that will allow you to collaborate and connect with senior team members. In addition, you’ll get the opportunity to network and socialize with peers throughout the internship. Discover Program (Spring Week) (link here<https://www.citadel.com/careers/programs-and-events/discover-citadel/emea-a…>) Location: London, United Kingdom Date: March 24 – 27, 2026 Application Deadline: February 13, 2026 *Selected attendees will be notified by February 20, 2026 Eligibility: Undergraduate students in good standing, eighteen years of age or older residing in Europe, with an expected graduation date between December 2027 and June 2029. Program benefits include roundtrip economy-class airfare from an airport near participant’s home in Europe, ground transportation to and from the arrival airport, single occupancy hotel accommodations for three (3) nights and meals during the Program competition day. Approximate value of program benefits is $750 USD, excluding any prizes won. Participants are responsible for any taxes due for the value of program benefits. Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/sbs/qah/tta/Jump%20Trading…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/zmq/log/hdy/HRT%20Logo.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. [Designed with BEE]<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…> Designed with BEE<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…>

1 0

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

compsoc-freshers January 2026