Bucknell Team Places High in Putnam Math Competition
March 25, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. — A team of Bucknell students finished 29th of 479 schools in this year's William Lowell Putnam Mathematics competition.
Participants spend six hours in two sittings trying to solve 12 challenging problems in the annual North American math contest for college students.
"Bucknell's team surpassed most other colleges of the same size, and 29th place was our best team result ever," said Allen Schweinsberg, associate professor of mathematics at Bucknell and team adviser. "Last year, with essentially the same team, Bucknell finished 50th.
"In addition, our top three individual students ranked within the top 1.5 percent, top 4 percent and top 5 percent of 3,615 individuals competing. Generally, only highly talented students attempt the prestigious Putnam competition," he said.
Begun in 1938, the competition was designed to stimulate a healthful rivalry in mathematical studies in the colleges and universities of the United States and Canada. The examination was placed under the administration of the Mathematical Association of America in 1935.
Additional information about the competition can be found on the official website at: http://math.scu.edu/putnam/
Bucknell students who competed were: senior Kevin Wilson, Fairview, Pa.; juniors Eric Bundy, Brockport, Pa., Tom Goodman, Rochester, N.Y., April Luczywek, Bear Lake, Pa., Rob Rhoades, Buffalo, N.Y., and Mark Veillette, Naugatuck, Conn.; sophomores Toan Phan, Vietnam, and Nate Sartell, Temple, N.H.; and first-year students Hoang Le, Vietnam, Minh Pham, Vietnam, and Jeff Ultee, Hillsborough, N.J.
