Last month, our trainee Sampo Siitonen had the chance to compete against some of the brightest young minds in mathematics. The occasion was the International Mathematics Competition (IMC) for undergraduate students, held in Bulgaria from July 28 to August 3.
Here are Sampo’s thoughts on the experience:
“Although the IMC is an individual competition, I traveled as part of the Finnish team with four other students—two from the University of Helsinki and two from Aalto University.
With a full week reserved for the event, there was plenty of time to reconnect with old friends, meet new people, explore Bulgaria, and chat with sponsors. Competitions like these are not only about problem-solving but also about building friendships and connections with mathematics enthusiasts from all over the world.
In addition to the opening and closing ceremonies and the competition itself, the program included an excursion to a local monastery as well as sponsor-organized barbeque dinners. Many evenings were spent playing board games and chatting about math and life with new friends from across the globe.
The competition spanned two five-hour sessions, with five problems each day. I solved two problems on both days, and with partial credit on others, I reached a shared 200th to 209th place out of 434 competitors. This result earned me a Bronze Prize. Our team as a whole performed strongly, bringing home one Silver Prize and two Gold Prizes.
Overall, the trip was a memorable experience: challenging problems to tackle, meaningful conversations, and plenty of opportunities to connect with people who share a passion for mathematics. I look forward to the chance to participate again next year.
If you’re an undergraduate with a passion for mathematics, I wholeheartedly recommend the IMC. It’s not only a competition but also a week-long celebration of problem-solving, friendship, and international community.
If you’re curious, you can check out the problems here: IMC 2025 Problems.”
-Sampo Siitonen, 2025
Read more about Sampo here
