'I am a product of programs like OBMEP,' says Givanildo Lima.

Between school and internships since the age of 14, Givanildo Lima is writing a story of overcoming challenges and achieving success with mathematics. In Maceió, the capital of Alagoas, the OBMEP medalist was the first in his family to complete a university degree. And he has been accumulating achievements, such as the Beatriz Neves Award, created by SBMAC (Brazilian Society of Applied and Computational Mathematics) to encourage the participation of undergraduate students in Scientific Initiation activities. The SBMAC award was for his undergraduate thesis in computer engineering at the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL) in 2022. Givanildo addressed probability distribution using combinatorial analysis techniques. “When my professor saw my medals from the Olympiad, he suggested I might be interested in research because it has a very dense, more demanding mathematics, and students entering computer science often want to pursue development and may not enjoy it as much. I, on the other hand, might be interested.” Today, a master's student at UFAL, Givanildo dedicates himself to image processing, guided by robotics, at Orion – Laboratory of Data Science applied to Smart Cities. His journey in higher education began during his undergraduate studies through the Scientific Initiation and Master's Program (PICME). The scholarship was crucial for Givanildo to complete his degree and also made it easier to later switch to a scholarship from the Institutional Program of Scientific Initiation Scholarships (PIBIC). “Having access to PICME as soon as I entered college was fundamental, because I already had a history of having my own income since I was 14 years old when I became a math monitor at the Federal Institute. So, I already had the autonomy to have that little bit of money that was mine, I could pay my bills. Access to PICME when I started my undergraduate studies was wonderful.” This awakening to academic activities came as a legacy from the Olympiads. The student accumulated nine medals, such as silver medals in the IMK (International Kangaroo Mathematics Competition) and in the OBMEP in 2015. Read more: 'I am very happy with IMPA Tech', declares President Lula 'We need to transform our expertise into wealth', says Viana In Folha, Viana analyzes the power of mathematics and its effects The young man only started participating in the OBMEP in the 2nd year of high school at the Federal Institute of Alagoas (IFAL), where he was also studying electrotechnics. Successful participation in the Olympiad led to an honorable mention in 2014 and the long-awaited medal in 2015. Givanildo was invited to participate in the OBMEP National Award Ceremony and traveled to Rio de Janeiro to attend the event. This was his first trip outside the state, as well as his first airplane trip. “It was an incredible experience, my first airplane trip, my first trip outside the state. That's why I keep saying that mathematics has given me so much. It was very significant and makes you believe that you can do even greater things,” he said. The OBMEP National Award Ceremony was also a decisive event for Givanildo's family. The master's student understands that it was through this experience that his family gained a better understanding of his study routine and the possibilities that mathematics could offer. “The ceremony was a surprise for everyone. I come from a very humble family, so the understanding of what the Olympics, these opportunities, could provide was something that wasn't very clear. My family saw me studying, working long hours, going until dawn, and they didn't exactly understand the motivation. I talked about the Olympics, but it was something they couldn't grasp. I think that when the award ceremony and the trip happened, they were able to truly grasp the magnitude of that achievement.” The medal was an achievement that also helped boost the young man's confidence and autonomy for future academic and professional decisions. “It was even good for confidence, because when you participate in the Olympics, you end up taking paths that aren't so accessible or clear to the family. With the medal, everyone started to have more confidence: choosing a course, professional choices, I was on a path that would be good for me.” Now, already in the job market, Givanildo confirms the importance of the Olympics for his career. He says that with each selection process he participates in, he notices the influence of his Olympic medals and how these achievements continue to open up opportunities today. “When they see my resume, everyone comments on it. I think the market's view of these achievements is very attentive; they perceive in us the ability to solve problems, to think and structure solutions. I think I was a product, at many points in my life, of programs like OBMEP, which allowed me to access spaces I wouldn't have been able to reach through other means.” Also read: Applications open for the 2025 selection process at IMPA Tech Center. Pi uses neural networks to locate oil at sea.