Guangzhou university wins top prize in global mathematical modeling contest

The certificates that SCUT won in the 2020 MCM/ICM. [Photo by Gao Hetao/Guangzhou Daily]

The results of the 2020 Mathematical Contest in Modeling and Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling (MCM/ICM) were unveiled on April 28 and the team from South China University of Technology (SCUT) in Guangzhou won the global first place prize.

MCM/ICM is an international competition held in the United States as MCM started in 1985, while ICM started in 2000. MCM/ICM has been recognized as the originator of a variety of mathematical modeling contests around the world.

The competition sets up a total of five prizes, namely Outstanding Winner, Finalist, Meritorious Winner, Honorable Mentions, and Successful Participant.

This year's event attracted a total of 20,948 teams from prestigious universities from many countries and regions around the world, such as the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, Harvard University, Peking University, as well as SCUT.

SCUT won two prizes for Outstanding Winner, ranking second around the world. The university also won four Finalist prizes, 24 Meritorious Winner prizes, as well as 83 Honorable Mention prizes.

The team led by Teacher Cheng Yongguan, involving three undergraduate students, namely Gao Xiang, Ye Shaochong, and Liu Jian'an, won the first prize for the COMAP Scholarship Award, which was only rewarded to four of the best teams in the event, netting them an award of $10,000.