June 6, 2001
SIX STUDENTS SELECTED TO REPRESENT CANADA AT THE 2001 INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICAL OLYMPIAD IN WASHINGTON, U.S.A.
OTTAWA, Ontario -- Six of Canada's best high school mathematics students have been chosen to represent their country at the 42nd International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). The IMO is the world championship mathematics competition for high school students and is being held this year in Washington (U.S.A.) from July 1 to 14, 2001.
"The six students have demonstrated the exceptional problem solving skills, understanding and creativity that is so vital to compete against the very best at the international level," said Dr. Graham Wright, Executive Director of the Canadian Mathematical Society, the organization responsible for the selection and training of Canada's IMO team. "They represent the best of our students and will be excellent mathematics ambassadors for Canada".
The six students -- Daniel Brox, Sentinel Secondary School, West Vancouver, British Columbia; Paul Cheng, West Vancouver Secondary School, West Vancouver, British Columbia; Liang Hong, University of Toronto Schools, Toronto, Ontario; Nima Kamoosi, West Vancouver Secondary School, West Vancouver, British Columbia; Roger Mong, Don Mills Collegiate Institute, Toronto, Ontario; Shu Niu, Port Moody Senior Secondary School, Port Moody, British Columbia -- were selected from among more than 200,000 students in grades seven to 13 (plus CEGEP) who participated in local, provincial and national mathematics contests. Daniel Brox was a member of the Canadian team to the 2000 IMO in Seoul (Korea) and won a Silver Medal.
The Canadian team members, who must be less than 20 years old when they write the IMO competition, will be pitting their skills against more than 450 of the world's best students from over 80 countries. The IMO competition paper, which is set by an international jury of mathematicians, will be written on Sunday, July 8 and Monday, July 9 and the medals awarded on Friday, July 13. The contest consists of two exams, each consisting of three questions on each day with a time limit of four and one-half hours. "It is a highly challenging mathematical hexathlon and these are our Canadian mathletes," commented Wright.
The team will be accompanied by the Team Leader, Dr. Christopher Small (University of Waterloo), the Deputy Team Leader, Dr. Dorette Pronk (Dalhousie University), the Leader Observer, Dr. Edward Wang (Wilfrid Laurier University), and the Deputy Leader Observer, Mr. Richard Hoshino (University of Waterloo).
Canada first sent a team to an IMO competition in 1981 (Washington, USA). Since then, Canadian students have done very well receiving a total of ten gold, 24 silver, and 44 bronze medals. At last year's IMO in Seoul (Korea), the Canadian team placed 17th out of the 82 competing countries and won four medals.
"These competitions are one way of making mathematics education more relevant, challenging and fun for students," said Dr. Daryl Tingley, University of New Brunswick (Fredericton) and Chair of the CMS Mathematical Competitions Committee. "They provide Canadians with the opportunity to measure their abilities against the best in the world."
The six students will be attending a special IMO Training Camp at the University of New Brunswick (Fredericton) from June 17th to July 1st and an IMO Team Send-off Luncheon will be held at the University of New Brunswick on Monday, June 18th. The team will leave for Washington on July 3rd and will return to Canada on July 14th.
Sponsors of the 2001 Canadian IMO team include: the Ontario Ministry of Education; the Newfoundland and Labrador Ministry of Education; the Quebec Ministry of Education; the North West Territories Ministry of Education; Alberta Learning; the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education; the Canadian Mathematical Society; Sun Life Financial; the Samuel Beatty Fund; Maple Software Inc; Centre de recherches mathématiques; the Fields Institute for Research in the Mathematical Sciences; the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences; the Department of Mathematics, University of New Brunswick at Fredericton; the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Calgary; the Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University; the Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto; the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Ottawa; and the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing, University of Waterloo.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Graham P. Wright
Executive Director
Canadian Mathematical Society
Tel: Office: (613) 562-5800 ext 3528
Cell: (613) 290-3046
Email: director@cms.math.ca
or
Dr. Daryl Tingley
Chair - MCC Committee
Department of Mathematics
University of New Brunswick - Fredericton
Tel: (506) 453-4768
Email: daryl@unb.ca
