Maryland and D.C. students compete annually for scholarships to UMD.

For over 45 years, participating in the University of Maryland’s High School Math Competition has been a rite of passage for young aspiring mathematicians from Maryland and the District of Columbia. 

Open to all Maryland and D.C. high school students, the competition rigorously tests participants’ knowledge of pre-calculus topics such as algebra, combinatorics, geometry and number theory. Competitors sit for a proctored, two-part exam consisting of a 75-minute multiple-choice portion and a two-hour proof-based/free-response section. 

The top three scorers are offered full scholarships to attend UMD. In addition, high-scoring students from each county may receive other monetary prizes. Past winners of the contest have gone on to become highly celebrated figures in both academia and industry—among them Google co-founder Sergey Brin (B.S. '93, mathematics and computer science) and mathematics professors at universities across the country.

For the thousands of students who have taken part in the competition over the years, the contest is about more than just awards; it’s also a unique chance to showcase their mathematical problem-solving skills under pressure. 

“In many ways, the contest calls for a different set of skills than what’s required in a standard math curriculum,” said Daniel Yuan, a mathematics and computer science double major who ranked first in the math competitions held in 2018, 2019 and 2021. “Students don’t usually get a chance to flex their ability to solve complex, multi-layered problems by hand. Without tools like calculators, contestants are told to use scrap paper and some creative thinking to get through tough questions on a time limit. It’s a different yet fulfilling experience.”

For Yuan, who also played a major role in UMD’s recent success in the prestigious William Lowell Putnam Mathematics Competition, his experience as a high school math contestant was one of the reasons he chose to attend UMD and why he currently plans to continue pursuing his passion for math as a career after graduation. 

Yuan isn’t alone—many other UMD math competition alums also say that the contest helped shape their academic goals or even their professional ambitions. Sophia Chen, a freshman bioengineering major who competed last fall, noted that the experience gave her a taste of high-level competitive math and triggered her interest in math contests such as the Putnam Competition. Freshman mathematics major Kelin Zhu, who placed second in the 2022 UMD High School Math Competition, believes that experience pushed him to think more creatively and develop skills that later helped him excel in his math classes at UMD. 

“It hones your problem-solving skills in a way that normal math classes just don’t,” Zhu said. “Being a participant helped me smoothly transition into my major classes, especially the upper divisions where we have to be strong in solving proof-based problems. I can see these skills coming in handy after I graduate, especially in the research environments I want to be part of.” 

Building a strong legacy for UMD Math

Mathematics Professor Larry Washington and Principal Lecturer Roohollah Ebrahimian work diligently behind the scenes to organize and expand the competition, which has come a long way since it was launched in 1979 by William "Brit" Kirwan, chancellor emeritus of the University System of Maryland and a former chair of UMD’s Department of Mathematics. 

“[Brit Kirwan] recognized the need to publicize the department to young students around the state, many of whom probably didn’t realize that we have world-class mathematicians here at UMD,” said Washington, who is the longest-standing member of the competition’s organizing committee. “The contest has helped immensely in recruiting top talents to the university, allowing our department to continue its excellence.” 

Ebrahimian, who has served as director of the competition for the past eight years, added that the contest also enables UMD to build strong relationships with the local community. Consistent outreach efforts made a difference when it came to connecting with students who might not have had a chance to be recognized for their math skills before, he said. 

“We’ve built a strong network of participating institutions in Maryland and D.C., some of which send dozens or even hundreds of students to compete each year. There have also been a number of homeschooled students and even middle school students who take the exam with their closest public high school,” Ebrahimian noted. “Thanks to those growing relationships, we’re starting to see a general increase in the amount of diversity in the contest’s top performers, particularly in female top rankers—something that we’re excited to expand upon in upcoming competitions.” 

In 2024, more than 1,200 high school students from 95 schools took the first part of the exam on October 23, with 246 students qualifying for the next round on December 4. As the conclusion of this year’s math competition approaches, Ebrahimian is already planning for 2025, with hopes of reaching—and inspiring—even more aspiring mathematicians and creative problem-solvers than ever.

“This competition started as a way to give the university and our math department some publicity among local high schools,” Ebrahimian said. “But today, it’s a point of pride for many Maryland and D.C. students who participate, as well as an opportunity for us to highlight and recognize their exceptional mathematical talent. We welcome anyone who’s looking for a challenge beyond what they see in a regular math class.” 

Written by Georgia Jiang

Mathematics, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering majors can take a cryptography class to learn how modern communications and transactions are kept secure. 

UMD mathematics, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering majors can take a cryptography class to learn how modern communications and transactions are kept secure.

What keeps our emails and messages private? How do passwords protect our online accounts from hackers? Why is it safe to make purchases from retailers using our credit cards?

The answer to all those questions is cryptography—the process of hiding or coding information so that only the intended users can access it.

In 1997, just as the internet and digital communications like email became more commonplace, University of Maryland Mathematics Professor Larry Washington designed a new cryptography course. An expert in number theory and cryptography, Washington wanted to make sure students had some exposure to the rapidly advancing field and its potential applications before they graduated and encountered cryptography in real-life situations.

“There’s a lot of interest in cryptography here at UMD because the National Security Agency and other government agencies use cryptographic methods,” Washington said. “Cryptography is a subject that has developed very greatly in the past 50 years and a lot of that development happened in the past 20 years. As a result, we continually update the course to keep up.”

An evolving interdisciplinary approach

Nearly 30 years later, UMD’s cryptography course still lives on as MATH 456, CMSC 456 and ENEE 456. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, faculty members from the mathematics and computer science departments have taught the class and influenced the curriculum.

“It’s a blend of math and computer science ideas,” Washington explained. “The students see real-world applications of theoretical math ideas while students who are accustomed to only theoretical math have the chance to see the issues that arise in applied areas.”

Senior computer science major Harshit “Archie” Garg says the course was among the toughest classes he had ever taken at UMD but also one of the most eye-opening. He took the class in fall 2023, when it was taught by Computer Science Professor Daniel Gottesman, who also holds a Brin Family Endowed Professorship in Theoretical Computer Science. Initially unfamiliar with topics like encryption, Garg believes that the class gave him the tools he needed to understand cryptography’s place in everyday life and how it could be applied to seemingly unrelated fields.  

“The class showed that you could use these fundamental math concepts like logarithms and exponents to create these very robust encryption protocols. I learned how we could generate key hashes dynamically on the fly, where something can be understood in one context but be complete nonsense in another,” explained Garg, who plans to pursue a career in machine learning. “I ultimately feel confident that wherever life takes me after graduation, I can use the concepts I learned from this class.”

That sentiment was echoed by many other students, including computer engineering Ph.D. student Russell Chiu (B.S. ’23, computer engineering), who took the class as an undergraduate. The class made such an impression on Chiu that he decided to become a graduate teaching assistant for the course in spring 2024. He hopes to apply what he learned in the course to his graduate research and eventually pursue a career where he can put his knowledge of cryptography and algorithms to work.

“With the rise in new types of computing, there are many interesting questions within both academia and industry. In fact, there were several new topics introduced to the course curriculum within the two years since I took it,” he added. “I definitely recommend this class to undergrads interested in cybersecurity and beyond—it covers a wide scope of topics that quickly evolve over time.”

Cryptography today and tomorrow

Todd Rowland, who worked at computational technology company Wolfram Research before he joined UMD as a mathematics lecturer, is excited to teach the newest iteration of the class in fall 2024. He hopes his experience with more abstract forms of cryptography at Wolfram will add an extra dimension to the course and underscore the ever-changing impact of cryptography.

“It’s no longer just about secret messages and passwords,” Rowland said. “Cryptography has become increasingly relevant to us ever since the internet came into existence. There are obvious things that cryptography plays a role in, like keeping credit card information safe while making secure payments over the internet. But it’s also helping you make sure the webpage you’re on is the right one and that no one altered it—authentication of integrity is more important than ever.”

In Rowland’s class this fall, students will explore concepts from basic ciphers to secret sharing schemes (a technique where a “secret” is split into multiple shares to different parties and can’t be fully accessed unless all shares are recombined). The curriculum will also cover the Data Encryption Standard and the Advanced Encryption Standard, globally used ciphers established by the U.S. government to protect sensitive electronic data. Rowland hopes the class will help students become more aware of the technology around them and how newer trends in cryptography—like blockchains and quantum cryptography—can impact society.

“The class is a peek into how the world works today, from knowing how to manage passwords and authentications to dealing with things like cryptocurrencies,” Rowland said. “As technology advances, it’s better to be prepared as best we can to work with those advancements. If you want to understand all these processes, this would be the class to take.”

Chabria was recognized for her work in the Terrapin Teachers program and her commitment to mathematics education.

Zoe Chabria, a junior mathematics and secondary education double-degree student at the University of Maryland, was awarded the 2024 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Prospective 7-12 Secondary Teacher Course Work Scholarship. Granted to only one recipient nationwide annually, this competitive scholarship recognizes outstanding university students preparing to become middle or high school mathematics educators. This year, Chabria was awarded the maximum amount of $10,000 to financially support her tuition and living expenses as she completes her studies at UMD.

Chabria’s achievement also marks the second consecutive year that a UMD student enrolled in Terrapin Teachers won this national scholarship. Terrapin Teachers—a joint initiative between UMD’s College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences and College of Education—aims to increase the number of high-quality science and mathematics teachers in middle and high schools. Based on the nationally recognized UTeach program, Terrapin Teachers enables undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields to receive a subject-matter degree and a teaching certification simultaneously.

“I’m thankful to not only the donors who funded the award but my professors, my advisor, my family and friends who supported me throughout the process,” Chabria said. “I’m also very proud to represent Terrapin Teachers and UMD with this achievement. It’s truly an honor.”

Dana Grosser-Clarkson, a senior lecturer at the UMD Department of Mathematics and Chabria’s Terrapin Teachers advisor, praised her work and her passion for mathematics education.

“Zoe is an outstanding student, which is why I encouraged her to apply for the scholarship. I am always impressed by her work ethic in the classroom and her ability to communicate her thinking with her peers,” Grosser-Clarkson said. “The Terrapin Teachers community is more than happy to celebrate Zoe’s achievement.”

From Chicago to College Park

Originally from Chicago, Chabria grew up with a natural affinity for math. She participated in and led math teams from fourth grade through high school, developing a passion for numerical puzzles and problem-solving. She developed an interest in teaching when she began tutoring her peers in math and chemistry after a classmate asked her for help.

“The first time I got to help someone else do math, I was just telling them what I knew and how I would personally solve a problem,” she recalled. “But then, I really started thinking. What are the different ways they can go about learning and thinking about the problem? How can I make it easier for them to understand? I tried out different teaching methods to better help them once I understood what they needed.”

Just like a puzzle piece sliding into place, Chabria realized that she had a knack for teaching, a skill that she wanted to develop further. She paid closer attention to her favorite teachers and as she noticed their different approaches to instructing students, she was inspired to incorporate some of their teaching styles in her own tutoring work.

“My teachers were inspirational because of how they empowered students every day,” Chabria said. “Watching them at work solidified my desire to teach and my plans to pursue a career in education. I got very interested in what it takes to be an effective math teacher, so I asked my own teachers and kept looking for colleges that could help prepare me to become one.”

Chabria was instantly drawn to UMD after learning about the Terrapin Teachers program, which offered a unique learning model and teaching certification process.  After speaking to the director and a student participating in the program, Chabria joined Terrapin Teachers and never looked back.

“You could say I specifically came to UMD to be part of Terrapin Teachers,” Chabria said. “It was really cool that I found a school that catered to exactly what I wanted to do and had high-quality math and education programs that I could be a part of. I felt like the people I spoke with were passionate about teaching and that they genuinely wanted to support both me and my goals.”

Once she got to UMD, Chabria worked to improve her teaching skills at every level, both in and out of the classroom—from tutoring peers in the Department of Mathematics to speaking at the Early Career Teaching Conference held at Towson University, where she presented on the topic of magic squares to local educators. Chabria is president of the Future Mathematics Teachers Council, a student organization dedicated to supporting future math teachers by providing a space to share ideas about teaching and learning math on UMD’s campus.

Being part of Terrapin Teachers also helped Chabria gain field experience as a teacher. She worked as a teaching assistant for introductory courses in the program, learning how to prepare for lessons and work with students from local schools.

“I’d recommend any undergrad take TLPL 101 and TLPL 102 if they’re interested in making use of their technical knowledge to help younger STEM students. The classes aren’t locked to education majors or Terrapin Teachers students,” she said. “We’re a small but tightly knit community, so we’ve always supported each other by sharing our problems and working together to solve them.”

Looking ahead, Chabria hopes to continue developing innovative teaching methods for middle and high school students. She plans to stay in Maryland to teach after she graduates in 2026.

“Even though Chicago will always be my hometown, I really love it here in Maryland—you guys don’t get much snow, which is nice,” she joked. “I’d like to stay here, continue my growth as an educator and build on the community connections I made through Terrapin Teachers. Growing up, I had inspirational teachers who made positive impacts on my life and I want to do the same for new generations of students.”