After a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, ANU Maths Day 2021 was finally able to take place at the ANU Campus, attracting 140 year 11 and 12 maths enthusiasts from the ACT and New South Wales.

With Canberra Grammar in first place, Dickson College in second place and Chevalier College as the regional shield winners, students were able to take part in a series of mathematical challenges designed to build teamwork skills and promote a love of maths, bringing students to the MSI for almost 40 years.

Donghoon Shin, a current student at MSI, recalls his memoires of participating in Maths Day. He participated as a high school student and now as an honours student, he was keen to volunteer his time assisting the MSI admin team on the day.

“I remember my experience at Maths Day as a fun filled day filled with frantic scribbles, and Eureka moments. One great aspect of the day was being able to utilise the skills learnt at school to solve seemingly unrelated questions. Personally, Maths Day had a huge impact on me, igniting my curiosity and passion for mathematics. It was a major influence in my decision to study mathematics at the ANU.”

ANU Maths Day is not about the cleverest or the brightest. The activities are formulated to ensure everyone has a go and have fun while taking part in some healthy and rigorous competition.

And it’s not just the competition that is important, it’s about building a sense of community.