From the Navy’s innovation and ship design powerhouse to home to middle school students ready to put their brilliant brains to work, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division was filled with future innovators during the 15th annual Carderock Math Contest.
This year's Carderock Math Contest, a day-long STEM competition designed to test middle school students’ abilities in speed, critical thinking and teamwork, brought together 28 schools from across Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia, with approximately 180 students in grades six through eight participating. Each school brought one or two teams of four students to compete in a MATHCOUNTS-style competition.
Throughout the day, students worked through timed rounds that emphasized problem-solving under pressure and collaborative strategy. The last round of the day consisted of the top 16 students from the morning’s individual competition squaring off in a fast-paced, bracket-style countdown round. The field eventually narrowed down to the top three competitors, with Steve Cui from H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program in Arlington, Va. taking the first-place trophy.
In addition to the contest, participants took part in guided tours of the Carderock Division facilities, the U.S. Navy’s premier laboratory for ship and submarine research. The tours highlighted the application of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in naval operations and research, providing students with exposure to real-world STEM careers.
“The American Society of Naval Engineers is always looking for the next generation, and STEM leaders are at this event every year and we’re so excited to work with them,” said Dr. Michael Briscoe, Educator in Residence for the American Society of Naval Engineers. “We are able to show them what college students are doing with naval engineering and just keep them inspired to be the next generation of scientists and engineers, hopefully coming to work with us pretty soon.”
The event also featured a guest presentation by Po-Shen Loh, a mathematician and professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Loh, who previously served as the national coach of the USA International Mathematical Olympiad team from 2015 to 2019, is a social entrepreneur who has developed two educational platforms and is a significant figure in the world of mathematics, education and innovative solutions.
The Carderock Math Contest, established in 2010, is part of the Navy’s ongoing outreach efforts to promote STEM education and encourage student interest in technical fields. By combining competition, facility access and professional engagement, the event supports early exposure to skills relevant to the Navy’s mission and future workforce development.
“My favorite thing about this contest is that the students are already in love with math, but they now get to see math applied, and how to use it after they become adults,” said Ashlee Floyd, Acting Director of Strategic Education Outreach. “That’s why I do all these STEM programs, it’s so they can see why math is so important. It’s all of this, all of Carderock, and beyond.”
CMC Winners:
Individual Category:
1st Place: Lucas He, Burleigh Manor Middle School
2nd Place: Steve Cui, H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program
3rd Place: Youyi Cao, Longfellow Middle School
Team Category:
1st Place: “I plead the 5th”, Rachel Carson Middle School
2nd Place: “STRAWHat Pi-rates”, Longfellow Middle School
3rd Place: “Burleigh Manor Team A”, Burleigh Manor Middle School
Count Down Round Final:
1st Place: Steve Cui, H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program
2nd Place: Lucas He, Burleigh Manor Middle School
3rd Place: Zichen Xu, Rachel Carson Middle School