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| Jeff Young Media Relations 617-444-3913 jyoung@akamai.com |
–or– | Sophia Tsakmaklis The Akamai Foundation 617-444-9748 stsakmak@akamai.com |
Foundation provides annual support for the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and its premier competition – the U.S.A. Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO)
CAMBRIDGE, MA. – May 29, 2013 – The Akamai Foundation today announced that it has awarded three high school math students with scholarships for their placement in the recent U.S.A. Mathematical Olympiad. An awards ceremony for the forty-second USAMO winners will be held on June 3rd in Washington D.C. at the United States Department of State. Following the awards ceremony, the winners will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, to participate in the Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program (MOSP) for in-depth training in mathematical problem solving.
The Akamai Foundation, established in 2000 by Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAM, news, filings) and funded solely through donations from Akamai employees and individuals outside the company, promotes mathematics education in grades K-12 and the pursuit of excellence in mathematics to encourage America’s next generation of technology innovators.
The Akamai Foundation presented Akamai Scholarships to the top three winners of this year’s competition, the most prestigious math competition in the country for high school students. Robert (Bobby) Shen of Dulles High School, Sugar Land, Texas, will receive a $20,000 scholarship for first place; Zhouqun (Alex) Song of Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire, will receive $15,000 for second place; and Calvin Deng of North Carolina School Science/Math, Durham, North Carolina, will receive $10,000 for third place. These top three scorers are among the country’s most talented mathematicians. It is from among the USAMO finalists that the United States team, that competes each summer in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), is chosen.
The USAMO is a six-question, two-day, 9 hour essay/proof examination. The USAMO provides a means of identifying and encouraging the most creative secondary mathematics students in the country. It serves to indicate the talent of those who may become leaders in the mathematical sciences of the next generation. The USAMO is part of a worldwide system of national mathematics competitions, a movement in which both educators and research mathematicians are engaged in recognizing and celebrating the imagination and resourcefulness of our youth.
In addition to providing scholarships to USAMO winners, the Akamai Foundation helped the MAA fund and send a team of four female mathematicians of school age to the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO), which took place in April of this year. All four of the U.S. female mathematicians medaled at the event, and the U.S. team tied Serbia and Belarus for first place.
“Math innovation has always been, and continues to be, at the heart of Akamai’s mission,” said Tom Leighton, CEO and co-founder, Akamai. “We congratulate this year’s winners, as well as all of the participants in the USAMO and the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad. The Akamai Foundation is committed to helping promote mathematics education and to encouraging and inspiring the next generation of technology innovators and leaders.”
“We are most appreciative of the Akamai Foundation’s continued willingness to devote significant support to this important event,” said Michael Pearson, executive director of the Mathematical Association of America. “We are striving to make our country’s success in mathematics, and the public’s interest, rise to new heights. This support will help us to increase the awareness and success of U.S. math students.”
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About the MAA
The Mathematical Association of America is the largest professional society of college and university mathematics teachers in the world. The MAA’s 15,000 members include two- and four-year college, university, and graduate school faculty, high school teachers, government and corporate workers, research mathematicians, as well as graduate and undergraduate students.
About the Akamai Foundation
The Akamai Foundation was established in 2000 by Akamai Technologies, Inc. and is funded solely by Akamai executives, its employees and individuals outside the company. The Akamai Foundation is dedicated to excellence in mathematics, with the aim of promoting math’s importance and encouraging America’s next generation of technology innovators.
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