Eight Teams from Greater China Region Recommended for International Judgement

IMMC 2018 Finalist Presentation Hosted by City University of Hong Kong
Eight Teams from Greater China Region Recommended for International Judgement

Students coming from Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau all gathered at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) on 26-27 April 2018 to share the sheer joy of mathematics in solving real world problems, with a hope to benefit mankind with their creativity and innovation. The 4th International Mathematical Modeling Challenge (IM2C) for the Greater China region was held at this dynamic university where participating students showcased their works on using mathematical modelling to address various socio-economic implications. During the event, students and teachers visited labs and participated in workshops to learn state-of-the-art R&D at this prestigious young university.

   

The IMMC 2018 is an interdisciplinary platform for mathematics to integrate with such other fields of study as science, technology and engineering, which form the core of STEM education and are now under the spotlight of the Government’s education policies. The IMMC Committee (Zhonghua) has received funding support from the Quality Education Fund to arouse the interest of secondary school students across the territory towards STEM-related subjects through mathematical modelling, as well as to complement classroom teaching with the IMMC activities. The IMMC 2018 (Greater China) not only aligned with the objectives of the QEF project in boosting innovation and creativity of students by encouraging them to solve real-world problems with the use of mathematics, but also enriched students’ experience of problem-oriented and project-based learning.

Following the opening ceremony officiated by several notable guests, 24 finalist teams of the regional round were blissed to present their findings to the audience, who were deeply impressed by their enthusiasm and creativity shown in solving 5 designated real-world problems on the first day. One of the most popular topics brought to the stage was how to allocate the most suitable locations for setting up electric vehicle charging stations to best meet the drivers’ demand, and price the use of such charging stations for different time periods. Students who chose this topic had demonstrated their mathematical knowledge and understanding on how new energy could best be utilized to make China a better place of living.

On Day 2, 25 finalist teams of the international round took the stage and brought the audience onto another amazing journey of mathematical modeling. After giving careful consideration to the performance and ideas of the finalist teams on the measure and choice of the “best” hospital, the following 8 teams (2 from each of the 4 areas of China) have been selected for recommendation to the International Expert Panel for further judgement for international awards competing with teams selected from 36 countries and areas.

- Beijing Academy, Mainland
- Shanghai Experimental School, Mainland
- Pui Kiu College, Hong Kong
- St. Paul's Co-educational College, Hong Kong
- Taichung First Senior High School, Taiwan
- Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls High School, Taiwan
- Sacred Heart Canossian College, Macau
- Pui Ching Middle School, Macau

One needed not to be an Outstanding Award winner to benefit from the competition. During the 2-day event, the visiting students also seized the precious opportunity to observe and learn from the works of the presenters and exchanged ideas with them while their teachers guided them in understanding the underlying concepts and rationales applied in those presentations. Besides, tours and visits to the state-of-the-art labs and R&D centers of CityU were arranged for the secondary school students to further explore their interests in STEM-related fields of study.

After all, IMMC aims to facilitate fostering the innovation capabilities of the next generation as problem-solvers. Through the interactive and friendly contest platform, IMMC has helped educators to identify and stimulate talents in every student, and foster a love of mathematical modeling and STEM among their students.