High School Mathematics Award Helps Develop Young Scholars

NTU Department of Mathematics held the awarding ceremony of the 9th Shing-Tung Yau High School Mathematics Award on August 4. The award was sponsored by Vice Chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) Fan-Cheng Tseng (曾繁城) in hopes of encouraging high school students to undertake basic mathematics studies. Award winners will receive a handsome four-year scholarship if they enroll in any mathematics department in Taiwan or abroad in the future.

At the ceremony, one gold medal, one silver medal, six honorable mentions, and three shortlist awards were given by Academician Shing-Tung Yau (丘成桐), NTU Interim President Ching-Ray Chang (張慶瑞), and NTU Prof. Keng-Chen Liang (梁庚辰).

The competition this year was intense. The 12 contestants shortlisted for the final were announced on the official website in late May. The jury meticulously reviewed the submitted studies using the most rigorous academic standards, and provided substantial suggestions for the students to enhance their research. In the first phase of the final on August 2, the jury raised more difficult questions for the contestants to answer, encouraging them to further delve into their research topics and make necessary adjustments to prepare for the second phase of the final on August 3. The contestants have attained substantial progress in their research and demonstrated the spirit of academic pursuit in the two-day final. In particular, the silver medal winner Yi-Chun Chen (陳宜君), a student of Taipei First Girls’ High School, impressed the jury by her in-depth research on Menger sponge in the second phase of the final.

Wei-Ping Huang (黃維坪), a student of Taichung Municipal Taichung First Senior High School, won the gold medal by his study, “Using 2D Projection to Investigate and Devise Strategies for 3D Reconstruction,” conducted under the advice of his teacher Hong-Xin Bao (包宏信). The jury awarded the gold medal to Huang for his originality and achievements in reconstructing 3D objects using different directions of projection as well as exploring the least number of projections needed for such reconstruction.

The gold medal winner will receive an award certificate, medal, and prize of NT$60,000 plus a four-year scholarship of NT$480,000 if he enrolls in a mathematics or applied mathematics department in Taiwan or abroad. The silver medal winner will receive an award certificate, medal, and prize of NT$40,000 plus a four-year scholarship of NT$240,000 if she pursues a degree in mathematics or applied mathematics. In addition to an award certificate and medal, the gold and silver medal winners’ advisors will receive a prize worth NT$30,000 and NT$20,000, respectively.

The honorable mentions and shortlist awards were won by students from other high schools such as Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School, National Hualien Senior High School, Tainan First Senior High School, National Lukang Senior High School, and Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School. The school receiving the gold or silver medal along with a total of two or more awards in this competition will win the Group Award and enjoy collaboration with the Department of Mathematics at NTU in promoting mathematics studies in school. This year, the Group Award went to Taipei First Girls’ High School.

The award organizer will follow up the winners who later pursue mathematics studies at a university in Taiwan or abroad, as well as arrange them for further studies at outstanding mathematics departments or research centers abroad when appropriate. Academician Yau, the jury members, and advisors will be pleased to write recommendation letters for winning students who demonstrate exceptional performance to pursue further studies abroad.

For more information, visit the official website of the Shing-Tung Yau High School Mathematics Award: http://www.math.ntu.edu.tw/~shing_tung/yau_award/

(Source: Award Convener & NTU Prof. and Chair of Mathematics Jung-Kai Chen)