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Rain Zimin YangThird year at UBCCombined Honours in Computer Science and Mathematics Competitive programmer ICPC 2025 World Finalist Codeforces Leetcode |
Research
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Preprint [arXiv, ECCC]: We proved that the rational degree of a Boolean function is polynomially related to its Fourier degree, resolving the rational degree conjecture of Fortnow, Nisan, and Szegedy from 1994.
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Poster [PDF]: Presented at the Year of Quantum Across Canada, Institute for Quantum Computing (Oct 7, 2025). This research establishes the first non-trivial lower bound on the rational degree of Boolean functions. Supervisored by Professor Daochen Wang.
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Report [PDF]: A collaborative study on the Hidden Subgroup Problem (HSP) completed for Computer Science 436Q (Quantum Computation).
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Report [PDF]: Written during the 2024 UBC Mathematics Summer Reading Program, focusing on analysis of $p$-adic numbers, under the mentorship of Emanuele Bodon.
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Presentation [PDF]: Minimal Surfaces and the Weierstrass-Enneper Representation. Delivered at the UBC USRA Seminar (June 20, 2024) regarding my summer research on differential geometry with Professor Ailana Fraser.
Blog
I'll mainly write about some papers I read, and talk about solutions to selected competitive programming problems I solved (listed in reverse chronological order).
Mathematics and Computer Science
- (02/01/2026) Rational Rank Conjecture?
- (01/19/2026) A simple proof of Hall's theorem using max-flow min-cut
- (12/12/2025) Non-deterministic Degree of Parity without Symmetrization
- (05/01/2025) Sensitivity Theorem
- (04/21/2025) A Lower Bound on the Non-deterministic Degree of Boolean Functions
Competitive Programming
- (12/18/2025) System of Difference Constraints Problem
- (12/01/2025) Solution to Educational Codeforces Round 133 Problem E
- (07/15/2025) Solution to Manthan, Codefest 19 Problem F
- (05/29/2025) Solution to Codeforces Round 804 Problem D
- (04/30/2025) Solution to Codeforces Round 682 Problem E
- (04/23/2025) Solution to Educational Codeforces Round 137 Problem F
- (04/11/2025) Solution to North American Invitational Programming Contest Problem A
- (04/08/2025) Solution to Codeforces Round 1016 Problem G
Teaching Experience
- Teaching Assistant, CPSC 420: Advanced Algorithm Design and Analysis (2025W2)
- Teaching Assistant, CPSC 421: Introduction to the Theory of Computation (2025W1)
- Teaching Assistant, CPSC 320: Intermediate Algorithm Design and Analysis (2024W1, 2025S2)
CV
Coursework
| Year | Semester | Subject | Code | Name | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 2025W2 | MATH | 538 | Algebraic Number Theory | Mishty Ray |
| 3rd | 2025W2 | MATH | 427 | Algebraic Topology | Ben Williams |
| 3rd | 2025W2 | CPSC | 303 | Numerical Approximation and Discretization | Chen Greif |
| 3rd | 2025W1 | MATH | 532 | Algebraic Geometry I | Kalle Karu |
| 3rd | 2025W1 | MATH | 426 | Introduction to Topology | Kasia Jankiewicz |
| 3rd | 2025W1 | MATH | 420 | Measure Theory and Integration | Sven Bachman |
| 3rd | 2025W1 | MATH | 418 | Probability | Jonathan Hermon |
| 3rd | 2025W1 | CPSC | 313 | Computer Hardware and Operating Systems | Norm Hutchinson |
| 2nd | 2025S2 | WRDS | 150B | Writing and Research in the Disciplines | Dennis Foung |
| 2nd | 2025S | PHIL | 220 | Symbolic Logic | Alexandre Korolev |
| 2nd | 2024W2 | MATH | 423 | Commutative Algebra | Zinovy Reichstein |
| 2nd | 2024W2 | MATH | 412 | Advanced Linear Algebra | Lior Silberman |
| 2nd | 2024W2 | MATH | 321 | Real Variables II | Gordon Slade |
| 2nd | 2024W2 | CPSC | 531F | Topological Data Analysis | Joel Friedman |
| 2nd | 2024W2 | CPSC | 436R | Introduction to Randomized Algorithms | Abner Turkieltaub |
| 2nd | 2024W2 | CPSC | 420 | Advanced Algorithm Design and Analysis | William Evans |
| 2nd | 2024W1 | MATH | 437 | Number Theory | Greg Martin |
| 2nd | 2024W1 | MATH | 422 | Introduction to Fields and Galois Theory | Sujatha Ramdorai |
| 2nd | 2024W1 | MATH | 320 | Real Variables I | Gordon Slade |
| 2nd | 2024W1 | CPSC | 436Q | Quantum Computation | Daochen Wang |
| 2nd | 2024W1 | CPSC | 421 | Introduction to the Theory of Computing | Joel Friedman |
| 2nd | 2024W1 | CPSC | 310 | Introduction to Software Engineering | Nicholas Bradley |
| 1st | 2024S2 | CPSC | 320 | Intermediate Algorithm Design and Analysis | Susanne Bradley |
| 1st | 2023W2 | MATH | 443 | Graph Theory | Elyse Yeager |
| 1st | 2023W2 | MATH | 323 | Introduction to Rings and Modules | Vinayak Vatsal |
| 1st | 2023W2 | CPSC | 221 | Basic Algorithms and Data Structures | Geoffrey Tien |
| 1st | 2023W2 | CPSC | 213 | Introduction to Computer Systems | Geoffrey Tien |
| 1st | 2023W2 | SCIE | 113 | First-Year Seminar in Science | Madeline Lauener |
| 1st | 2023W1 | MATH | 322 | Introduction to Group Theory | Vinayak Vatsal |
| 1st | 2023W1 | MATH | 302 | Introduction to Probability | Jonathan Hermon |
| 1st | 2023W1 | MATH | 215 | Elementary Differential Equations I | Peter Harrington |
| 1st | 2023W1 | CPSC | 210 | Software Construction | Paul Carter |
| 1st | 2023W1 | CPSC | 121 | Models of Computation | Seyyed Hosseini |
| HS | 2023S2 | MATH | 300 | Introduction to Complex Variables | Zinovy Reichstein |
| HS | 2022W2 | MATH | 221 | Matrix Algebra | Jingyi Chen |
Virtual Contest
| Date | Contest | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| ? | Pinely Round 2 (Div. 1 + Div. 2) | ? |
| 09/11/2025 | Codeforces Round 1028 (Div. 1) | 2425 |
| 08/09/2025 | Codeforces Round 814 (Div. 1) | 2650 |
| 08/04/2025 | Codeforces Round 990 (Div. 1) | 2374 |
| 08/02/2025 | Codeforces Round 1036 (Div. 1 + Div. 2) | 2515 |
| 07/31/2025 | Codeforces Round 941 (Div. 1) | 2436 |
| 07/21/2025 | Codeforces Round 1008 (Div. 1) | 2550 |
| 07/13/2025 | Codeforces Round 1024 (Div. 1) | 2437 |
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