Recruiting the Strongest HiMCM Team Online

The goal is simple: match the strongest available teachers and students for one serious run at HiMCM. Here is a transparent account of who is already on the team, what the preparation looks like, and what we are still looking for.

The Student Already on Board

One exceptional student has already committed. A brief profile, in their own terms:

• Home-schooled, then invited to study at a prestigious Shanghai institution on a full scholarship.
• Received dedicated S.-T. Yau Award coaching from a major institution, then referred to this programme.
• Recruited through special channels by a Caltech professor for research work.
• Visibly strong across mathematical analysis, programming and modelling, and academic writing.
• Has built their own UAV, wind tunnel, and simulation rigs — they show rather than tell.

The Coaching Team

• Tian — coordination, strategy, moral support at critical moments.
• Dr. J — specialises in HiMCM coaching; last year's results: Outstanding (O1) and Finalist (F1), a 100% award rate.

Preparation Curriculum

Four structured modules, built around what actually wins:

1. Past paper analysis. Understand the judging criteria and the difference between an Honourable Mention and an Outstanding paper before touching a problem.
2. Essential modelling methods. The theoretical foundations of the most commonly useful approaches and their corresponding programming logic — from concept to implementation.
3. Code library. Pre-built, verified code for the most common modelling patterns, ready to adapt. Guarantees a baseline output and secures a floor award even in a difficult year.
4. Paper template and LaTeX workflow. The write-up is half the score. A strong template and efficient LaTeX use frees time for the modelling itself.