LNG provider, New Fortress Energy, through its Foundation, has announced its return as title sponsor of the Junior Mathematical Olympiad and Senior Mathematical Olympiad to the tune of JA$1,000,000 for the third consecutive year. The presentation was made recently to the organizing committee of the two national mathematics competitions during a brief ceremony held at The UWI Mona.
 
The Junior and Senior Mathematical Olympiads are organized and executed by the Department of Mathematics at The UWI under the wider Jamaican Mathematical Olympiad (JMO). The Senior Olympiad, which started in 2010, is open to high school students (Grades 7-11), while the Junior Olympiad, which was added in 2011, is open to upper primary/prep students (Grades 4–6). The aim of the competition is to connect with students at the high school and primary levels who are engaged in STEM subjects, specifically Mathematics.
 
“With mathematics at the core of every STEM discipline, the aim of the Mathematical Olympiads is to target students from very early to help them develop a better appetite and appreciation for the subject. In return, we hope to see a higher quality of mathematics students enrolling in our various STEM disciplines here at the UWI. I commend the Department of Mathematics, under the leadership of Dr. Ponakala, for maintaining this valuable and strategic partnership with NFE and the various schools across the island,” said Professor Ian Boxill, Deputy Principal at The UWI Mona.
 
Speaking about the partnership with New Fortress Energy, Professor Boxill noted; “The UWI has shared a longstanding partnership with New Fortress Energy since its inception in Jamaica, and I must commend them for being consistent and steadfast in their commitment to STEM education. We are indeed delighted to be strengthening this partnership with NFE even further.”
 
For their part, Verona Carter, VP at New Fortress Energy, said; “This partnership is important to us because we recognize that mathematics is the cornerstone of nation-building, and we are committed to the sustainable socioeconomic development of Jamaica. So, by investing in programs like the Mathematical Olympiads, we are helping our next generation of critical-thinking leaders and innovators to develop problem-solving skills and learn to think outside the box, handle pressure and be a team player from very early – traits that will serve them and ultimately our country well into the future. We commend the Department of Mathematics at the UWI for their vision and commitment to tackling the problem from its roots.”
 
This year, the Junior Olympiad, which commenced in November 2022, saw some 2,300 students from 111 primary and prep schools entering the qualifying round. After two rounds, 700 students from 88 schools progressed to the finals. The Senior Olympiad saw close to 500 students from 30 high schools entering the qualifying round, of which 80 advanced to the final. The winners of both the Junior and Senior Olympiads will be announced in May. Prof. Michael Taylor, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, commended the Department of Mathematics for its leadership with respect to Mathematics education in Jamaica and hailed New Fortress for buying into the vision of STEM as an enabler of societal development, as exemplified by the partnership.
 
In closing, Dr. Nagarani Ponakala, Head of the Department of Mathematics at UWI Mona, said; “It was encouraging to see the commitment and excitement on the faces of the students as they turned out for each round. We are thankful to New Fortress Energy Foundation who stayed with us even during the challenges of the pandemic. I would also like to thank Dr. Samuel McDaniel, Olympiad Academic Coordinator, and all the other members of the Committee for their invaluable contribution and commitment to this competition, and we look forward to announcing our winners soon.”