By Kristen Bossio '16
Nearly 80 middle and high school students from around the Capital Region converged on campus in February to qualify for competing in the U.S. Mathematical Olympiad. Siena College hosted this year’s B date of the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) for grades 10/12. Participants spent 75 minutes solving 25 challenging mathematical problems. Those who earned a certain score became eligible to advance in the competition.
“The AMC has spurred interest in mathematics among young students and has contributed greatly to developing mathematical talent throughout the years,” said Siena faculty organizer and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Mohammad Javaheri, Ph.D. In 1995, Javaheri won a silver medal in the 36th International Mathematical Olympiad in Toronto, Canada. Since then, he has developed mathematical talent through teaching and assisting with mathematics competitions.
During the event, School of Science Dean Allan Weatherwax, Ph.D. welcomed the participants and encouraged them to pursue careers in math and the sciences. After the competition, participants worked with Siena students and faculty members to check their answers.
The qualifying event, which was a collaborative effort between Siena’s mathematics department and Albany Area Math Circle (AAMC), proved successful for this year’s participants. Javaheri said the group that took the test at Siena College finished in second place for New York State, after Stuyvesant. The College wishes success for the 10 students from the Siena site that have advanced to the next qualifying event, the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME).
