FCS Students Win at International Mathematics Competition
Three bachelor’s students from the HSE Faculty of Computer Science programme in ‘Applied Mathematics and Information Science’ recently participated in the International Mathematics Competition for University Students (IMC), winning two first prizes and a second prize.
IMC is one of the world’s most prestigious mathematics competitions. This year, it was organised by University College London and hosted by the American University in Bulgaria from July 31 to August 6.
IMC includes problems in algebra, real and complex analysis, geometry, and combinatorics. Students under 23 are eligible to participate.
Three students from the Faculty of Computer Science represented HSE University at IMC. Third-year students of ‘Applied Mathematics and Information Science’ Nikita Zvonkov and Fedor Kuyanov won first prizes with scores of 58 and 48 points respectively, while Mikhail Gorbunov won a second prize with a score of 41 points.
Detailed results are available here.
Expert of the FCS Centre of Student Competitions
IMC is the most prestigious student mathematics competition, traditionally held in the quiet Bulgarian town of Blagoevgrad away from bustling resorts and capitals. It provides an ideal environment for intellectual activities.
Since 2015, FCS has annually selected a team for this competition, often uniting its effort with the Faculty of Mathematics. The full selection cycle consists of the Open Autumn FCS Mathematics Olympiad, several olympiads during the academic year, and an Open Spring FCS Olympiad in May, which is followed by the announcement of results.
The popularity and prestige of IMC continue to grow each year. The awards from this competition hold immense value when applying for specialised master's programmes globally. Moreover, they are increasingly gaining recognition among employers in algorithm-related companies.
Everyone interested is invited to try their hand in the next academic year’s selection and participate in training sessions at the Centre of Student Competitions.
Nikita Zvonkov
Third-year student of Applied Mathematics and Information Science
‘I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the competition. It is not often nowadays that you have the opportunity to meet so many people from all over the world who share your interests. For me, this human aspect of the competition was very important, perhaps even more important than the tasks themselves.
Speaking of the tasks, I was a little disappointed that either I was able to solve them quite quickly or I couldn't solve them at all. However, overall, I am satisfied with my result. I hope to go to IMC next year as well, maybe improve my performance, and also meet old friends and make new ones.’
Mikhail Gorbunov
Third-year student of Applied Mathematics and Information Science
‘Last year, I participated in the IMC online, and this year I managed to attend it in person. It was a memorable experience: it was thrilling to talk to participants from different countries. The atmosphere at the event was inspiring and friendly. The tasks were also interesting. I hope to go again next year!’
Fedor Kuyanov
Third-year student of Applied Mathematics and Information Science
‘This year, I participated in IMC in person for the first time: I took the competition online the previous two times. Despite the fact that it was quite hot in Bulgaria (~35 °C), the competition itself brought me a lot of positive emotions: I talked to friends from HSE University and SPbSU, made friends with people from other countries, played chess and other intellectual games, and most importantly, enjoyed the competition problems, which remain at a high level year after year. I am confident that in the future, I will be able to achieve even greater success in this competition.’