04/07/2024

OBMEP medalist pursues undergraduate studies at Columbia.

Caio Hermano no Centro Pi

On vacation in Brazil, Caio Hermano Maia de Oliveira, a 19-year-old applied mathematics student at Columbia University (USA), is collaborating with the Pi Center (Center for Projects and Innovation at IMPA). A medalist in the Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad (OBMEP) and the Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad (OBM), the young man from Fortaleza joined the American institution last year.

The idea of contributing to IMPA during the holidays was inspired by the "Summer Job" culture, the summer internships that are part of the students' training in the United States.

“I study applied mathematics, and where is the best place in Brazil to study mathematics? IMPA. I believe that the Pi Center reflects very well what I see as ideal in academia, which is to bridge the gap between scientific research and solving real-world problems in companies,” he said.

At the institute, Caio follows the work of researchers and graduate students. He has been helping with visualization in machine learning models . “It was very positive to see the team's effort for the projects, how collaborative the people in the lab are, and how willing they are to help. They are very intelligent people, and I learn a lot every day.”

Caio, a student at a private school in Fortaleza, was a medalist in several mathematics olympiads, such as the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad for Public Schools). According to him, the competitions were a way for him to identify even more with the subject.

"It really opened my eyes to this world. I discovered that there were many people who are also passionate about mathematics," Caio recalled.

In his very first competition, the Ceará Mathematics Olympiad (OCM), he won the silver medal. His strong performance earned him an invitation to represent Brazil at the Rio de la Plata Mathematics Olympiad, marking his first international trip.

Caio also participated in the OBM (Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad) since the 6th grade of elementary school, having been awarded two honorable mentions, two gold medals, one bronze medal, and two silver medals. In the OBMEP, which he has participated in since 2017, when the Olympiad became open to private schools, he was awarded three gold medals and two silver medals.

The list of Olympiads and activities involving mathematics is extensive. Caio also participated in the May Olympiad (OBM), the Iranian Geometry Olympiad (IGO), and the Mathematics Olympiad of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (OMCPLP), in addition to having been a tutor in the subject during high school.

Dedication to mathematics was fundamental in helping the young man obtain a scholarship to Columbia University. According to him, the application process for the university valued his specialized knowledge in mathematics and his academic career, which is filled with extracurricular activities, especially the Olympiads.

"I wanted to perhaps do something new. I felt a strong desire to delve deeper into the potential of mathematics to solve complex problems in today's world," he concluded.