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Canadian Mathematical Society

Socit mathmatique du Canada

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2011 International Mathematical Olympiad

Team Biographies

2011CanadianIMOTeamBiographies2

MATTHEWBRENNANTEAMMEMBER
MatthewBrennanwasborninToronto,Canada,in1994.Heiscurrently
finishingGrade11atUpperCanadaCollegeinToronto.
MatthewwasfirstintroducedtomathcontestsinGrade8andbeganpreparing
fortheAMCcontestsandmathOlympiadsinGrade9.Sincethen,hisinterestinmathematicsandmath
contestshasbecomeaseriouspursuit.AlthoughMatthewenjoysallOlympiadmathproblems,he
particularlylikessyntheticgeometryproblemsandrarelyleaveshishousewithoutseveralinhispocket.
Thisyear,Matthewranked8thintheCanadianMathOlympiadand2ndinCanadaintheAsianPacific
MathOlympiad.HealsoobtainedthehighestscoreinOntariointheAMC12AandqualifiedfortheUSA
MathOlympiad.In2010Matthewranked2ndinOntariointheAMC10Aand14thintheJuniorUSAMath
Olympiad.
Asidefrommathematics,Matthewhasobtainedprizesinmath,history,biology,chemistry,artand
Latin.HeenjoysbadmintonandisamemberoftheUpperCanadaCollegeVarsityBadmintonTeam.He
playsthetrumpetinhissparetimeandhasbeenamemberofhisschoolsWindEnsembleforfiveyears.
HeisheadofhisschoolsMathSocietyandhastutoredhispeersinmathandchemistry.Hevolunteers
inthecreativeartsprogramatHollandBloorviewKidsRehabilitationHospitalonweekends.Matthew
alsoenjoysmovies,travelingandfood.

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2011CanadianIMOTeamBiographies3

HEINRICHJIANGTEAMMEMBER
HeinrichJiangwasborninDarmstadt,Germany,in1993.Heandhisfamilymovedto
Canadawhenhewas4yearsoldandhecurrentlyresidesinWindsor,ON.
Fromanearlyage,Heinrichwasencouragedbyhisfathertodevelopskillsin
mathematics.InGrade5,hestartedparticipatinginamathenrichmentprogramrunbyBruceWhite,a
teacheratHonourableVincentMasseySecondarySchool,tofurtherdevelopproblemsolvingskills.
Sincethen,Heinrichhasbeenpartoftheenrichmentprogramwhichhasinspiredhimtostudy
mathematicsseriously.Thechallengeofsolvingtoughproblemsdriveshimtostudythisfield.
In2010,HeinrichreceivedHonourableMentionontheAsianPacificMathematicsOlympiad(APMO),
Division2ontheCanadianMathematicsOlympiad(CMO)andascoreof23ontheUSAMathematics
Olympiad(USAMO).In2011,HeinrichreceivedaBronzeawardonAPMO,Division2onCMO,anda
scoreof19onUSAMO.
Heinrichalsoparticipatesinprogrammingcompetitions.In2010,hequalifiedfortheGolddivisionofthe
USAComputingOlympiad(USACO)andqualifiedforthesecondstageoftheCanadianComputing
Competition(CCC)whereheplaced10thinthecountry.
Inhisfreetime,heenjoyspracticingclassicalmusiconthepianoandplayingvideogames.
Heinrichiscurrentlyagrade12studentatHonourableVincentMasseySecondarySchoolandwillattend
PrincetonUniversityinthefalltostudymathematics.

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2011CanadianIMOTeamBiographies4

JAMESRICKARDSTEAMMEMBER
JamesRickardswasborninWinnipeg,Manitobain1994.Bornintoamilitary
family,hehaslivedaroundCanadaandtheUS,endingupinOttawaforhigh
schoolatColonelBySecondarySchool.
Jamesstartedtoshowinterestinmathinelementaryschool,learninghowtodo
squarerootsbyhand.Asherosethroughthegrades,hestudiedmathmoreandmoreinhissparetime
byreadingbooks.Inmiddleschool,hecompetedintheMathcountsStateCompetitionforthreeyears,
thoughheneverreachedthenationallevel.Thishelpedpushhimtostudyevenharder.Jamescredits
hardworkforhissuccesses;allofhismathknowledgesincegrade5hasbeengainedfrombooksorthe
internet.
Ingrade9,JamesmadetheCanadianMathOlympiad,USAMO,andwastop5intheFermatContest.He
wasrewardedwithinvitationstoboththeWaterlooSeminarandtheNationalMathCamp.Ingrade10,
heprogressedquickly,winning2ndontheCMO,5thinCanadaontheAPMO,andtop5ontheEuclid
Contest.InGrade11,hewasselectedfortheCanadianWinterOlympiadTrainingCamp,received
honourablementionontheCMO,andwasfinallyselectedfortheIMO.
Ingrade9,JamesfoundmathematicalstimulationfrommeetingswithProfessorBarryJessupfromthe
UniversityofOttawa.HealsoparticipatedintheirPutnampreparationsessions,hostedbyProfessor
PieterHofstra.HecreditsJessupandHofstrawithhisintroductiontoposthighschoolmathematics.
Ingrade10,Jameswroteanarticleonpolynomials,andsentitofftotheAmericanMathMonthly,the
mostreadmathjournalintheworld.ThisarticlewaspublishedintheApril2011editionoftheMonthly,
andhethusbecametheyoungestpersontobepublishedinthejournal.
Inadditiontomathematics,Jamesisalsoalicensedgliderpilot,flyinghisfirstsoloflightattheageof14.
Heenjoyshiking,camping,fishing,beingoutdoors,playingsports,andgamesofallsorts.Heisanavid
followerofhockeyandsupporteroftheOttawaSenators.

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2011CanadianIMOTeamBiographies5

MARIYASARDARLITEAMMEMBER
MariyaSardarliwasborninKyiv,Ukrainein1994.SheimmigratedtoCanadawith
herfamilyin1999toEdmonton,Albertawhereshecurrentlyresides.
Mariyahasshowntalentinmathematicssinceaveryyoungage,butherpotential
wasnotexploreduntilsheenrolledinProfessorAndyLiusproblemsolvingclubat
theUniversityofAlbertainGrade5.Unlikethecomputationalmathematicsofferedintheschool
curriculum,themathclubhasadistinctfocusonfun,recreationalmath.Thereshesawhowmath
resultscouldbeusedinunexpectedwaystosolveproblemsandshebecamehooked.
MariyacompletedherhighschoolmathcoursesthroughcorrespondenceinGrade6andinGrade7
startedtakingmathcoursesattheUniversityofAlbertathroughanondegreeprogram.Itwasalsoat
thistimethatshebegantakingmathcontestsmoreseriously.Shebeganparticipatinginthe
TournamentoftheTownsandwasinvitedtoattendtheTournamentoftheTownsSeminarinRussia.In
Grade7shewasamemberoftheEdmontonteamwhichparticipatedintheInternationalWorldYouth
MathematicsCityCompetitioninChangchun,Chinawhereshereceivedabronzemedalonthe
individualportionofthecompetition,andreceivedsilverindividualmedalsinthetwosubsequentyears
sheparticipated.
In2010,MariyamadesignificantprogressinOlympiadmathcontests.ShewonaSilverMedalonthe
AsianPacificMathOlympiad,andreceivedascoreof22onUSAMathOlympiad.In2011,Mariyawon
FirstPlaceintheCanadianMathOlympiad,andreceivedanHonorableMentionontheAsianPacific
MathOlympiad.
Inherfreetime,MariyalikestoshopandgoonFacebook.SheiscurrentlyinGrade11atStrathcona
HighSchoolandwillbeattendingPrincetonUniversitytostudymathematicsnextfall.

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2011CanadianIMOTeamBiographies6

ALEXSONGTEAMMEMBER
ZhuoQun(Alex)wasborninTianjin,Chinain1997.HecametoCanadain2002,and
iscurrentlylivinginWaterloo,ON.Hetookaninteresttomathatayoungage;in
Grade1,hewrotethePythagorasContest,intendedfor6thgraders,whichreallygot
himinterestedincompetitions.Alexwasassistedbyagreatteacher,Mr.Jack
Bristow,whointerestedhimincontestmathandallowedforhimtotakecontestsof
varyinglevels,includingtheCOMC(CanadianOpenMathChallenge)andAMC10(AmericanMath
Competition)inGrade4.
AlexgotinterestedinsolvingOlympiadtypeproblemsinGrade5,aftertakingtheUSAMO(United
StatesofAmericanMathematicsOlympiad)inGrade4andrealizingthetoughnessoftheproblems.He
wasdeterminedtogetbetteratthehardproblems,becausetheywereabigchallengeforhimtosolve.
WiththecontinuedhelpofMr.Bristowandbooksthathisfatherboughtforhim,hebecamemoreand
moreinterestedintheconceptofahardbutfulfillingproblemoncesolved.
InGrade7,hewasinvitedtothe2010CMSWinterCamp,whichisatrainingcampforthetop12
memberstoidentifypotentialfortheCanadianIMOTeam.ItwasthefirstcampthatAlexattended,and
itallowedhimtogreatlyimprovehismathskills,foritwasthefirsttimehedidonlymathforan
extendedperiodoftime.HereceivedanhonourablementionintheAPMO(AsianPacificMath
Olympiad)anda1stplacefinishintheCMO(CanadianMathOlympiad)enroutetobeinginvitedtothe
2010IMO.InGrade8,hereceivedagoldmedalintheAPMO,anhonourablementionintheUSAMO,
and3rdplaceintheCMO,andasaresult,madetheIMOteamagain.
OutsideofOlympiadmathematics,Alexreceivedaperfect150ontheAMC12Band8thplaceonthe
Mandelbrotcontestthisyear.HealsoplacedinthetopgroupoftheEuclidandHypatiacompetitions
andreceivedaperfect150ontheFermatcontest.
Outsideofmathematics,AlexenjoysplayingchessandsolvingtheRubiksCube,aswellasothersimilar
thoughtgamesandpuzzles.Healsolikesphysicsandchemistryandwillcontinuetopursuehisscientific
interestsinhighschool.

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2011CanadianIMOTeamBiographies7

HUNTERSPINKTEAMMEMBER
HunterSpinkwasborninVancouver,BritishColumbia,andcurrentlyresidesin
Calgary,Alberta.HeiscurrentlycompletingGrade12atWesternCanadaHigh
SchoolinCalgary,andwillbeattendingCambridgeUniversityinEnglandthis
October.
Throughouttheearliergrades,Hunteralwaysshowedakeeninterestinproblemsolving,andfrequently
excelledincompetitions,especiallychess,winningcityandprovincialchampionshipsandrankingatthe
topinhisgradeforCanada.Hunterfelthiscallingwasinmathematicswheningrade6,hesolvedthe
problemofwhichnumberscouldbewrittenasthesumofconsecutiveintegersbyconstructingatable,
andfindingawindingpatternthroughthetablewhichheprovedwouldenumerateallnumberswhich
werenotpowersof2.Shortlyafter,ingrade8,hedevisedamethodforcomputingbase2logarithmsby
hand.AftermanyyearsintheMathCirclesprogramattheUniversityofCalgary,Huntercametoknow
RichardK.Guy,whomHuntersayshasbeenanongoinginspirationtopursuemathematicsfurther,and
AdrianTang,who,setupanadvancedmathcirclesprogramspecificallygearedatOlympiadlevelmath.
AfterparticipatinginthisprograminGrade9,HunterreceivedHonourablementionintheCanadian
MathematicalOlympiadCMOandsecondplaceintheAsianPacificMathematicalOlympiadAPMO,
whichearnedhimaspotonthe2009InternationalMathematicalOlympiadteamwherehewonasilver
medal.In2010,hewasawinneroftheUnitedStatesofAmericaMathematicalOlympiadUSAMO,and
wasinvitedtowritethe2010IMO,wherehewonagoldmedalwithan11thplaceworldstanding.This
year,hewonasilverstandingintheAPMO,andtop6intheCMO,earninghimaspotonthisyear's
2011IMOteam.
HunteristherecipientoftheprestigiousBlytheCambridgeCommonwealthScholarshiptostudy
mathematicsatCambridgeUniversityinEngland.
Besidesmathematics,Hunterlikesprogramming,skiing,andphysics.Hismathematicalinterests
currentlyliewithgrouptheory,analysis,andnumbertheory.

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2011CanadianIMOTeamBiographies8

DORETTEPRONKTEAMLEADER
DorettePronkwasborninRotterdam,TheNetherlands,andisan
AssociateProfessorofMathematicsatDalhousieUniversity,Halifax,Nova
Scotia,whereshehasworkedsinceSeptember2000.Sheobtainedher
M.Sc.inMathematicsfromUtrechtUniversity(1991)andherPh.D.in
Mathematics,alsofromUtrechtUniversity(1995),TheNetherlands.From
1998till2000sheworkedasAssistantProfessorofMathematicsatCalvinCollege,GrandRapids,USA.
From1995until1998shewasaPostdoctoralFellowatDalhousieUniversity,Halifax,NovaScotia.
DorettePronkservedasDeputyLeaderObserverwiththeCanadianIMOTeamtoTaiwan(1998)and
Romania(1999),asDeputyLeaderwiththeCanadianIMOTeamtotheUSA(2001)andMexico(2005),
andasleaderwiththeCanadianIMOTeamtoGermany(2009).ShewasarecipientofanNSERCUFA
Award(20002005)andherresearchinterestsarecategorytheoryandalgebraictopology.
DorettehassupervisedseveralhonoursstudentsinmathematicsandonePh.D.student.Sheiscurrently
supervisinganMScstudentandhersecondPhDstudentwillstartwithherthisfall.
DoretteisinvolvedwithNovaScotiaMathCircles,aprogramthatseekstoshowhighschoolstudents
theimportanceandbeautyofmathematics.Shehaspreparedpresentationsontopicsrelatedtofractals
andgeometryandpresentedthembothtohighschoolsvisitingatDalhousieUniversityandtoclassesin
schoolsaroundNovaScotia.
Herhobbiesincludeplayingtherecorder,liturgicaldanceandchoreography;sheisalsoveryinterested
inAsiancultures,anduseswhatshehaslearnedduringhersabbaticalvisitstoAsiancountriestohelp
AsianstudentsatDalhousieUniversityadapttoCanadianculture.

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2011CanadianIMOTeamBiographies9

DAVIDARTHURDEPUTYLEADER
DavidArthurwasbornandraisedinToronto.HereceivedaPh.D.intheoretical
computerscienceatStanfordUniversityin2009,andisnowasoftwareengineerat
GoogleInc.
Althoughheisactingasacoachnow,DavidalsoparticipatedactivelyinOlympiads
asacontestantwhenhewasyounger.In1999and2000,hewonbronzeandgoldmedalsforCanadaat
theInternationalMathematicalOlympiadsinRomaniaandKorea.HeisalsothefirstCanadiantohave
everwonagoldmedalattheInternationalOlympiadinInformatics.Davidcontinuestoparticipatein
mathandcomputersciencecompetitionstothisday,andhehaswonaround$100,000inprizes.
Inhissparetime,Davidlovesplayinggamesofallsorts,frombridgetobasketball.Whenheisfeeling
lesscompetitive,Davidlistenstoclassicrock,andwatcheswhatevermovieshecanfind.

JACOBTSIMERMANLEADER OBSERVER
JacobTsimermanrecentlycompletedhisPhD.inMathematicsatPrinceton
UniversitywithPeterSarnak.Startingthisfall,hewillbegina3yearpostdocat
Harvardasajuniorfellow.
Jacobwasonthe2003and2004CanadianIMOteams,gettingtwogold
medalsandattainingaperfectscoreatthe2004IMO.HealsoparticipatedinthePutnamCompetitionin
2005,placinginthetop15.
Inhissparetime,heenjoysdoingrecreationalmathematics,listeningtomusic,andreadingcomic
books.Hishobbiesincludejudo,playingtheguitar,andlearningtodancetango.

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