CU-Boulder students rate high in international math competition

Staff | CU system

Each year, the Department of Applied Mathematics at CU-Boulder sponsors undergraduate teams in the international Mathematical Contest in Modeling.

​Results of the contest, which lasted four days from Feb. 5-9, were posted in April with CU-Boulder students notching top distinctions. 

Of the more than 7,500 entries, only 10 papers were designated as Outstanding, said Anne Dougherty, senior instructor of applied mathematics. “And CU had two of them,” she said.

Team members achieving the outstanding designation included, at left, Matthew R Hurst, Nathan J. Yeo, Jordan Deitsch; and at right, Marc William Thomson, Derek Gorthy and Christine Reilly. A record seven teams from CU-Boulder – 21 students – took part. The teams trained under Dougherty and Bengt Fornberg , professor of applied mathematics.

The contest comprised 7,636 teams from around the world with 418 teams from the U.S., Dougherty said. During the 96-hour event, each team of three students selected one of four problems, they did the research, constructed mathematical and then numerical models and wrote a complete report.

CU-Boulder also had two Outstanding teams in 2012 and 2013 and has earned 15 Outstanding designations since 2000, she said.

“I don’t know any other university, from anywhere in the world, that has that track record,” Dougherty said. “This is a testament to our excellent students and exceptionally strong undergraduate programs.”