DubJUG 263: Optimizing Santa's travels in Java with Timefold

In time honoured fashion, our first DubJUG events of the year are linked with the jChampions Conference, and today we're announcing our second visiting Java Champions of 2026, Tom Cools.

TALK ONE: Optimizing Santa's travels in Java with Timefold
Every Christmas Eve, Santa faces a monumental challenge: delivering gifts to millions of children around the world in just one night. There’s no time for detours, and a well-crafted plan is essential!

Tom has helped Santa find the optimal travel route for his journey using Timefold, an open-source AI solver. By setting up some basic domain classes, he's been able to tackle vehicle routing problems without getting lost in the magic (aka math).

Through a series of live demos using our favourite programming language (ahem, Java!), Tom will show you practical examples in action and which ensured everyone got their presents under the Christmas tree!

And you will leave with a powerful new tool in your problem-solving toolbox.

TALK TWO: Braving the Change: Recalibrating to new realities
Change is the only constant in our industry’… but they never told us it would go this fast. With the recent evolutions in AI, ‘change’ has shifted from a ‘constant’ to something better described as ’exponential,’ sparking excitement for some and existential dread for others.

In this session, Tom will discuss some insights into dealing with change inspired by the real big changes in our lives, exploring the emotional aspects of change, contextualize our relation to change and discuss the three essential skills needed to deal with evolving landscapes.

After leaving this session, you’ll be better prepared for whatever change might come on your path, whatever shape that change might be.

OFFICIAL SEATS >>>>>
Check your schedule first (it's not cool to not show!)
https://ti.to/dublin-java-user-group/2603-jchampions-tom-cools