02/07/2025

IMPA Tech graduate student receives 7th gold medal from OBMEP.

Winning a gold medal at the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad for Public Schools) is the dream of many students from different regions of the country. For Mateus Mundstock, the achievement is not just symbolic, but materializes a life change and a transformation in his academic trajectory. The young man was born in Viçosa (MG), but it was in Rio Paranaíba (MG) that he grew up and came into contact with the knowledge olympiad. His journey in the competition was decisive for his arrival in Rio de Janeiro to pursue his undergraduate studies at IMPA, the IMPA Tech program.

Throughout his school life, the student accumulated 8 medals in the competition : 7 golds and 1 silver. The most recent honor, a gold medal won at the 19th OBMEP 2024, was received at the National Award Ceremony, this Monday (30), in Rio. The achievements made it possible for Mateus to enter the Bachelor's degree in Mathematics of Technology and Innovation. “OBMEP was a catalyst for all my academic ambition. After all these years, after a pandemic, I am a student at IMPA Tech”, he said.

Mateus participated in the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools) for the first time in 2016 and immediately won his first gold medal. “It was shocking, but at the same time really cool. I was able to travel to the National Ceremony and had experiences with other medalists, like the games room, the lectures, and the snacks.”

Although attending the event was nothing new for Mateus, the seventh celebration had a special element: it was the first time the young man's parents were able to witness him receiving the medal, which recognized him as a seven-time medalist. “At my first ceremony, there were two seven-time medalists being awarded. They went up on stage and I was enchanted, imagining myself in that place one day. And now I'm here, I made it,” he said.

The impressive number of medals won was only possible thanks to a personal decision by Mateus, who restarted high school after the end of online classes. “During the pandemic, remote learning in the Minas Gerais state school system was awful. I felt I learned almost nothing in 2020 and 2021, so in 2022, I decided to restart all of high school. I went to study at COLUNI, which is a very good university college. I saw that it would be better for my academic trajectory, even if it delayed my graduation by two more years,” he said.

Throughout high school, the student dedicated himself to all areas of knowledge, but already envisioned his future in the exact sciences. “I am in favor of a broad education, with interdisciplinarity, but it was the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools) that attracted me to this area. I even did a Scientific Initiation project in History, but I had already decided that I wanted a degree in Mathematics.”

Transferring to IMPA Tech became the priority for the young man from Minas Gerais, who was also delighted by the student benefits the program offers: accommodation, food assistance, and financial aid. “Studying here is a wonderful opportunity, and living next to the university helps a lot. I run into my classmates in the hallways and we chat, exchanging ideas. It's really great,” he said.

“The practical classes are also very good, and that’s something rare to find in other courses, because the teaching assistants are graduate students from IMPA. Although I prefer to study alone, at my own pace, whenever I need something, the teaching assistants are there,” he added.

The son of university professors, the graduate student is still unsure which path to follow in the future, but he is certain that studies will be a part of his academic journey for a long time. “I’m leaning towards academia, but I think the NCE (Career and Internship Center) will help me on this path. Even if I go into the job market, I want to do a master’s and a doctorate.”