KU News Release

Go figure! Seven KU students share $1,750 in prizes at undergraduate math contest

LAWRENCE — Seven University of Kansas students calculated their way to $1,750 in prizes at the 26th annual KU Undergraduate Mathematics Prize Competition held March 31. Students will receive their awards at the mathematics department’s annual awards banquet April 23 at the Adams Alumni Center.

Phillip Regier, Madrid, Neb., senior, won first place in the $450 senior-level competition open to all undergraduates. Other senior winners were Nick Tobaben, Topeka senior, $300 second-place winner, and Luis Vargas, Wichita senior, $150 third-place winner. Tobaben was co-winner of the 2007 junior-level competition, and Vargas was the 2006 winner of the third-place senior-level prize.

Daniel Horna, Lima, Peru, sophomore, and Han Shen, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, freshman, shared first place in the junior-level competition, open to all KU undergraduates who do not have senior-level status. Each will receive a $300 prize. Eric Colangelo, Eureka freshman, won the $150 third prize, and Xiao Liang won the $100 fourth-place award.

Nineteen KU undergraduates participated in the competition that was directed by Jeremy Martin, assistant professor of mathematics. Each student has three hours to solve six problems that ranged over all areas of mathematics. To view the contest problems, go to the Department of Mathematics Web site.

Winners are listed below by hometown, level in school, major and, when available, parents’ names and high school information.

GREENWOOD COUNTY
From Eureka 67045
Eric Colangelo, freshman in mathematics and physics, son of Gregory and Barbara Colangelo; Eureka High School.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita 67212
Luis Carlos Vargas, senior in astronomy and physics with a minor in mathematics, son of Luis and Romana Vargas; Wichita High School Northwest.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka 66605
Nick Tobaben, senior in mathematics and mechanical engineering, son of Jim and Anita Tobaben; Shawnee Heights Senior High School, Tecumseh.

NEBRASKA
From Madrid 69150
Phillip Regier, senior in mathematics, son of Dori Regier; Wheatlands Schools.

CHINA
From Luoyang, Henan
Xiao Liang, freshman in chemical engineering, daughter of Guofang Liang.

From Suzhou, Jiangsu
Han Shen, freshman in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Wuxi No. 1 Senior High School, Wuxi, China.

PERU
From Lima
Daniel Horna, sophomore in civil engineering, son of Norka Lidia Munoz Canal.

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