UNC Charlotte faculty lead Team USA to win two grand championships in youth International Mathematics Competition

September 30, 2024
Categories: College News, Mathematics and Statistics, Teaching & Advising
Two faculty members wear math t-shirts "I'm a problem child" with math problems and "Charlotte Math Club" while holding the Overall Champion trophies for Key stage II and Key Stage III.

Only two grand prizes were given at the International Mathematics Competition this July, which drew 578 students who work in teams from 30 countries worldwide. For the first time in over a decade, one country has claimed both the lower age (up to sixth grade) and upper age (up to ninth grade) grand championship titles: USA. Team USA is composed of fifth to ninth grade students from across the U.S. and British Columbia. The youth trained and competed under UNC Charlotte faculty to win the two grand prizes, plus ten gold medals, four silver medals, and two bronze medals.

Tao Hong, Duke Energy Distinguished Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering in the William States Lee College of Engineering, and Harold Reiter, professor emeritus of mathematics in the Klein College of Science, led the 16 students through a 10-day math camp in July. The camp offered more than just math problems: Hong and Reiter helped make math fun for the young enthusiasts through age-appropriate research lectures, visits from industry professionals, student-led presentations, field trips and more. Telra Institute provided the venue, and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund provided a grant to cover other costs. At the end of the camp, students dove into the competition online. 

Tao Hong, W.S. Lee College of Engineering

“Math is so much more than just solving problems and writing proofs; it brings people together,” said one student participant, speaking of the experience. “Now, I think of the competition as a stepping stool, there to remind me of how far math has taken me, and how far I have left to go.”

Although unable to attend the awards ceremony in Lucknow, India, the teams still “brought home” the trophies which are now proudly displayed on the UNC Charlotte campus, representing these future STEM scholars. 

“STEM research has to be built on a solid foundation of K-12 school math,” said Hong. “Many young students with exceptional talents in math are ready and eager to move on to the next level. I’m very fortunate to work with these highly gifted elementary and middle schoolers. By connecting them to university professors and industry professionals, we can show them the world beyond the standardized tests.”

Harold Reiter in his office holding a mathematical model with a NC license plate behind him that says "calculus"
Harold Reiter, Klein College of Science

Team USA also placed well with individual wins in each age bracket:

  • Upper ages (304 contestants): Leo Hong tied at 4th place and Jason Lee tied at 7th place. 
  • Lower ages (274 contestants): Brandon Ni and Andrew Lau tied at 2nd place and Daniel Sun tied at 5th place.

Hong and Reiter, as the team mentors and leaders, actively support students in developing strong math skills in grade school. This foundation supports the students as they age into higher-level STEM courses and enter the workforce. 

The camp provided a strong foundational experience for the students to learn math and approach it inquisitively. “This will rank highly as one of [my child’s] most formative group experiences in math,” reported a parent of a student participant. “This year’s experience was nothing short of a complete success across the board, from selection to instruction to social activities and just ‘letting kids be kids.’ I cannot express more gratitude for Dr. Reiter launching this initiative, and for the way it has developed under Dr. Hong’s leadership. Thank you for this unparalleled experience.”

Learn more about Team USA and the summer camp.