Latest news with #InternationalMathematicalOlympiad
NDTV
20-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Romania's New President Nicusor Dan Is A Math Prodigy With 2 Olympiad Gold, PhD From Paris
Romania has elected mathematician-turned-politician Nicusor Dan as its new president, delivering a clear victory over hard-right nationalist George Simion in a high-stakes runoff election. The 55-year-old secured 54% of the vote, according to AFP, in what is being seen as a strong endorsement of Romania's pro-European Union trajectory and a rejection of far-right, isolationist politics. Dan, currently serving as the Mayor of Bucharest, is no stranger to success. Long before he entered politics, he was recognised as a math prodigy, winning two consecutive gold medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in 1987 and 1988. Notably, he achieved a perfect score of 42 both years, a feat that placed him among the world's top young mathematicians at the time. Following his Olympiad triumphs, Dan studied mathematics at the University of Bucharest before pursuing advanced degrees in France. He holds a master's from the prestigious Ecole Normale Superieure and a PhD from Paris 13 University. After returning home, he emerged as a prominent civil activist, known for his campaigns against illegal urban development. His political rise has been closely tied to a promise of reform and transparency. In his victory speech, Dan said, "Reconstruction begins on Monday," calling the win a "moment of hope" for the country, which borders war-torn Ukraine and is a member of both the EU and NATO. With his academic brilliance and reformist agenda, Dan's presidency marks a shift in Romania's political narrative - one that blends intellectual rigour with a pro-European vision.
Hindustan Times
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
This world leader is a math genius with 2 Olympiad gold medals, PhD from Paris
Before entering the political arena, Nicușor Dan was already making headlines - not in parliament, but in the world of mathematics. The 55-year-old won a tense rerun of Romania's presidential election on Sunday, beating nationalist George Simion. While he has made the news as the president elect of Romania, not many people know that Nicușor Dan is a math prodigy who has won gold at the International Mathematical Olympiad twice. According to the International Math Olympiad website, Dan won the gold medal in the tournament in 1987 and 1988. He managed to get the maximum total score of 42 points both years. His back-to-back wins came when he was still in high school, a period during which Romania consistently ranked among the top-performing nations at the IMO. After his Olympiad triumphs, he went on to study mathematics at the University of Bucharest and later at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris - one of France's most prestigious academic institutions. Nicușor Dan, currently serving as the Mayor of Bucharest, holds a master's degree from École Normale Supérieure and a PhD from Paris 13 University. After returning to Romania from Paris, Dan became a civil activist and eventually pivoted to politics. He campaigned on a slogan of change in the Romanian presidential election, saying he wants to "rebuild" the eastern European country. According to an AFP report, the former math prodigy gained 54 percent compared to 46 percent by nationalist George Simion, who had topped the May 4 first round of voting in the EU and NATO member bordering war-torn Ukraine. Dan, who was an activist fighting illegal urban development before becoming mayor, told jubilant supporters gathered in a Bucharest park that Romania's "reconstruction" would begin on Monday, calling it "a moment of hope".
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First Post
19-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Who is Nicușor Dan, the quiet reformer who won Romania's presidential election?
In a stunning political turnaround, Nicușor Dan, a quiet mathematician-turned-reformer, has defeated far-right populist George Simion to become Romania's next president. Dan's victory affirms the country's commitment to the EU and Nato, following a re-run of the annulled 2024 election read more Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan reacts on the day of Romania's second round of the presidential election, in Bucharest, Romania, May 18, 2025. Reuters Nicușor Dan, the reserved mathematician-turned-reformer, has been elected Romania's next president, defeating hard-right nationalist George Simion in a high-stakes runoff election on Sunday. The result, shaped by a dramatic surge in voter turnout, is widely seen as a decisive endorsement of Romania's pro-European Union path and a rejection of isolationist, far-right politics. Dan's win marks a significant turn in Romania's turbulent political landscape in the region. How Nicușor Dan was elected president Nicușor Dan, currently serving as the mayor of Bucharest, held on May 18, 2025, surpassing nationalist challenger George Simion, who received 46 per cent. This outcome came despite Simion's commanding performance in the first round of voting on May 4 , where he led with nearly twice the votes Dan received. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The presidential race took place under exceptional circumstances. The 2024 election had been annulled by Romania's Constitutional Court after allegations of foreign interference — namely, suspected Russian involvement — and online campaigning favouring a far-right candidate. Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan, centre, waves to supporters next to his partner Mirabela Gradinaru after winning the second round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest, Romania, May 19, 2025. AP Although Moscow denied any role, the ruling invalidated the previous results and set the stage for the current political contest. Dan's candidacy was launched in the wake of this annulment. He presented himself as a figure of change and institutional reform, campaigning on the need to rebuild Romania's democratic and civic foundations. 'In today's elections a community of Romanians who want a profound change in Romania won,' Dan declared in a speech to supporters gathered in a Bucharest park. 'Our full respect for those who had a different choice today, and for those who made a different choice in the first round. We have a Romania to build together, regardless of political choices.' Who is Nicușor Dan Nicușor Daniel Dan, born on December 20, 1969 in Făgăraș, Brașov County, is widely recognised for his exceptional academic background. In his youth, he twice achieved perfect scores at the International Mathematical Olympiad, earning Romania global recognition. He later obtained a PhD in mathematics from the prestigious École normale supérieure in Paris. His academic brilliance carried over into civic life. Upon returning to Romania, Dan founded an academic institution aimed at nurturing top scientific talent and became a vocal activist against illegal real estate developments in Bucharest. His work focused on preserving architectural heritage and challenging urban corruption. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Supporters of Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan react to exit polls of Romania's second round of the presidential election, in Bucharest, Romania, May 18, 2025. Reuters In 2015, he founded the Save Bucharest Union, which evolved into the Save Romania Union (USR) a year later. USR positioned itself as a pro-reform, anti-corruption political force. Dan was elected to the Romanian Parliament in 2016 but later resigned from the party in 2017 over ideological disagreements, notably on whether the party should prioritise anti-corruption over liberal social causes such as LGBTQ+ rights. Despite criticism over bureaucratic delays and his subdued public persona, Dan earned praise for revamping Bucharest's infrastructure during his two terms as mayor. He was credited with modernising the city's heating systems and sports facilities, and for navigating the municipality out of bankruptcy. His technocratic, management-first approach made him stand out in an increasingly polarised political environment. 'He is more the managerial, administrative type but he is a very decent, honest guy,' political analyst Sorin Cucerai told AFP. Dan's reserved demeanour, once seen as a liability, became an advantage when compared to the aggressive and often incendiary style of Simion, whose background includes time as a football hooligan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What Dan's win means for Romania & EU The 2025 presidential election was widely interpreted as a clash between pro-European liberalism and conservative nationalism . Dan campaigned as a staunch supporter of Romania's Western alliances. He reaffirmed his commitment to the European Union, Nato, and Romania's assistance to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. 'Our full commitment remains with the West,' Dan had said throughout the campaign. His criticism of US President Donald Trump's approach to Ukraine highlighted his nuanced view of transatlantic affairs. He cautioned against offering concessions to Russia under the guise of peace, suggesting such moves might undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and embolden further destabilisation in Eastern Europe. Simion, on the other hand, led a campaign inspired by populist, anti-establishment politics. He modelled his rhetoric on Donald Trump's nationalist platform , raising doubts about Romania's EU obligations and advocating a domestic-first approach. After the previous election was annulled, Simion allied with and surged to the top of the May 4 polls. Simion's campaign raised fears that he might not respect democratic outcomes. On election day, he cast suspicion on Romanian citizens voting in Moldova and suggested that his party would conduct a parallel ballot count. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But following the final results, he acknowledged defeat, stating on social media: 'We cannot accuse significant tampering with the ballots.' 🇷🇴We will continue our fight for freedom and our great values along with other patriots, sovereignists and conservatives all over the world. We may have lost a battle, but we will certainly not lose the war. God bless you all ❤️! — 🇷🇴 George Simion 🇲🇩 (@georgesimion) May 18, 2025 He added, 'We'll continue to represent the sovereignist, patriotic, conservative movement in Romania, and we'll continue to fight … for freedom, for God, for family and for our common ideas.' Romania's presidency carries notable influence over national security and foreign policy, with responsibilities including the nomination of the prime minister. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Following the defeat of the ruling coalition's candidate and the resignation of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, Dan is now expected to oversee the appointment of a new head of government. Presidential candidate George Simion reacts to exit polls of Romania's second round of the presidential election, in front of the parliament in Bucharest, Romania, May 18, 2025. Reuters Romania remains one of the poorest countries in the European Union, with long-standing concerns over corruption, income inequality, and trust in institutions. Transparency International consistently ranks it among the EU's most corruption-prone states. Addressing these challenges while maintaining political stability and resisting far-right pressures will likely define Dan's term. How Romania reacted to Dan's victory The final round of voting saw a 64 per cent voter turnout, substantially higher than the 53 per cent recorded in the first round. More than 1.64 million Romanians abroad participated — an increase of approximately 660,000 compared to the earlier vote. Analysts suggest this surge, particularly from the diaspora, contributed significantly to Dan's win. At Dan's campaign headquarters in central Bucharest, thousands of supporters erupted in celebration as results rolled in. Waving Romanian and EU flags, the crowd chanted 'Nicușor!' and later cheered his appearance on the balcony. In his speech, Dan highlighted national unity and civic renewal: 'What you have done as a society in these past weeks has been extraordinary.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A fost o mobilizare fără precedent și, de aceea, victoria este a fiecăruia dintre voi. A fiecărui român care a ieșit la vot, și-a făcut vocea auzită și a luptat astfel pentru ceea ce crede, pentru țara pe care o vrea și în care își dorește să trăiască. De mâine, începem… — Nicușor Dan (@NicusorDanRO) May 18, 2025 His win was welcomed in Brussels. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered her congratulations, stating: 'Romanians turned out massively to vote. They have chosen the promise of an open, prosperous Romania in a strong Europe. Together let's deliver on that promise.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD My warmest congratulations to @NicusorDanRO on his victory tonight! The Romanian people have turned out massively to the polls. They have chosen the promise of an open, prosperous Romania in a strong Europe. Together let's deliver on that promise. Looking forward to working… — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 18, 2025 As Dan put it on the night of his victory, 'Romania's reconstruction begins now.' With inputs from agencies
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
AI breakthrough: AlphaGeometry 2 and Symbolic AI outperform Maths Olympiad gold medallists
The world was astonished a year ago, but it is now shocked. Last year, AlphaGeometry, an AI problem solver developed by Google DeepMind, astonished the world by placing second in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). The DeepMind team now claims that the performance of their improved system, AlphaGeometry 2, has surpassed that of the typical gold medallist. The findings are detailed in a preprint available on the arXiv service. International Mathematical Olympiad The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is the world's most prominent mathematics competition. The inaugural competition, which took place in Romania in 1959 among seven Soviet Bloc nations, began to grow swiftly, reaching 50 nations in 1989 and surpassing 100 countries for the first time in 2009. The competition has always aimed to help school-age mathematicians improve their problem-solving abilities. In India, the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) organises the Mathematical Olympiad Programme on behalf of the National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM) of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India. The Indian team to compete in the international competition is chosen using a broad-based Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM). For additional information, click here. Questions are picked from four topic areas: algebra, combinatorics, geometry, and number theory, with no necessity or expectation that students can utilise calculus. The competition consists of six problems. The tournament lasts two days and consists of three problems per day; each day, participants get four and a half hours to complete three questions. Each problem is worth 7 points, with a maximum of 42 points. AI in the race In 2024, the IMO was hosted in Bath, United Kingdom, with 609 high school students from 108 countries participating. Chinese student Haojia Shi finished first in the individual rankings with a perfect score- 42 points. In the country rankings, the United States team came out on top, and China came in second. The human problem-solvers won 58 gold medals, 123 silver and 145 bronze. One of the event's highlights was the presence of two unofficial contestants: AlphaGeometry 2 and AlphaProof, both artificial intelligence algorithms built by Google DeepMind. The two programs were able to solve four out of six tasks. Mathematician and Fields Medallist Timothy Gowers, a past IMO gold medallist, and mathematician Joseph K. Myers, another previous IMO gold medallist, evaluated the two AI systems' solutions using the same criteria as the human competitors. According to these standards, the programs received an excellent 28 points out of a potential 42 points, equivalent to a silver medal. This means that the AI came close to earning a gold medal, which was granted for a score of 29 points or higher. Furthermore, just 60 pupils achieved higher completion scores. Furthermore, AlphaGeometry 2 solved the geometry problem correctly in just 19 seconds. Meanwhile, AlphaProof solved one number theory and two algebra problems, including one that only five human participants could figure out. Training the tools Training an AI requires a large quantity of data. AlphaProof's training was restricted by the amount of mathematical material accessible in a formal mathematical language. The DeepMind researchers then used the Gemini AI tool to translate millions of problems on the Internet that people have solved step-by-step in natural language into the Lean programming language, allowing the proof assistant to learn about them. Using this huge data, AlphaProof was taught using reinforcement learning, as AI systems were taught to master chess, shogi, and Go previously. Reinforcement Learning (RL) is similar to instructing a dog. The dog (agent) learns tricks by performing actions (such as sitting). If it sits appropriately, it gets a treat (reward); otherwise, no treat. Over time, it learns which acts result in rewards. Similarly, RL systems learn using trial and error to maximise rewards in tasks such as gaming or robotics. AlphaProof repeatedly competes with itself and improves step by step; if the process does not result in a win, it is penalised and learns to explore alternative techniques. What works for number theory or algebra does not work in geometry, necessitating a new methodology. As a result, DeepMind created AlphaGeometry, a unique AI system designed to solve geometry difficulties. The experts initially created an exhaustive list of geometric 'premises,' or basic building pieces of geometry, such as a triangle having three sides, and so on. Just as the Architect studies the design, AlphaGeometry's deduction engine algorithm evaluates the 'problems'. It picks the appropriate blocks (premises) assembled step by step to build the home (proof). The AI was able to manipulate the geometric objects around a 2D plane, like adding a fourth point and converting a triangle into a quadrilateral or moving a point to change the triangle's height. The 'proof' is complete when all components fit together correctly, and the home is sturdy. Unlike trial-and-error learning (RL), this is equivalent to following an instruction manual with unlimited LEGO parts. Going for gold The DeepMind team has now produced an improved version, AlphaGeometry 2, that trains the model with more data and accelerates the process. The AI system is now able to solve linear equations. With the upgrade, the AI was recently proved capable of answering 84% of all geometry problems set in IMOs during the last 25 years, compared to 54% for the previous version of AlphaGeometry. Future developments in AlphaGeometry will include dealing with mathematical problems containing inequalities and nonlinear equations, which will be necessary to solve geometry completely. A team of researchers, including IIIT Hyderabad's Ponnurangam Kumaraguru, has made a breakthrough with their 'Symbolic AI', outperforming AlphaGeometry's capabilities. Furthermore, the hybrid symbolic AI, which complemented Wu's technique with AlphaGeometry, outperformed human gold medallists on IMO geometry problems. This Symbolic AI system solves geometry problems by combining algebraic methods—primarily Wu's Method—with synthetic approaches, such as the deduction engine algorithm. The heart of this technique is 'Wu's method,' which is analogous to systematically completing a gigantic jigsaw puzzle. Consider solving a jigsaw puzzle; it is challenging to complete if some elements (such as variables and equations in geometry) are concealed behind clutter. Thus, initial decluttering is valuable, such as sorting the puzzle pieces by colour/edge. Wu's approach rearranges geometric equations into a more organised hierarchy. We can answer one equation at a time, just as we would place corner pieces in a jigsaw puzzle first, then use the results to simplify the next. Wu's Method simplifies complex geometry into a step-by-step assembly line. 'With very low computational requirements, this performs comparably to an IMO silver medalist. When combined with AlphaGeometry, the hybrid system successfully solves 27 out of 30 IMO problems,' according to Mr. Kumaraguru. 'This system is remarkably efficient — on most consumer laptops, with no access to a GPU, it can solve these problems within a few seconds. It also requires no learning or training phase.' China's endeavours are not far behind. TongGeometry, a system for proposing and solving Euclidean geometry problems that bridge numerical and spatial reasoning, was developed by scholars at the Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence (BIGAI) and the Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Peking University, Beijing. It has solved all International Mathematical Olympiad geometry problems for the last 30 years, outperforming gold medallists for the first time. 'Their work, including their analysis on novel problem generation, is quite interesting,' says Mr. Kumaraguru. However, he declined to express 'informed opinions' on their work due to the lack of publicly available material. Are mathematicians redundant? Are we nearing the point when mathematicians are obsolete? Gowers concurs: 'I would guess that we are still a breakthrough or two short of that.' While the AlphaProof outperformed the humans, it took almost 60 hours to answer the problem, when the humans were only given 41/2 hours. If human competitors had been given that time for each task, they would surely have scored higher. Another prerequisite is that problems were manually translated into the proof assistant Lean, meaning humans did the auto formalisation. In contrast, the AI program did the necessary mathematics. Autoformalization converts ambiguous human language into precise logical or mathematical assertions that computers can reason about. For example, the sentence 'If it rains, then the ground gets wet' in plain English has to be translated into Propositional Logic: Rain → WetGround, which is symbolic form: First-Order Logic: ∀x (rain(x) → wetground(x)). Humans could do their own auto formalisation. Furthermore, in the previous IMO, DeepMind's algorithms did not even attempt to solve combinatorial issues since they were difficult to transfer into programming languages like Lean. Alphageometry could only work with Euclidean plane geometry problems in 2D. Another significant inherent difficulty with AI is 'hallucinations', which are nonsensical or erroneous assertions that might occur, especially when dealing with intricate thinking. (T.V. Venkateswaran is a science communicator and visiting faculty member at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali.)
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
Playground of Life: Jellyfish Pavilion (Invigorating Lives)
This pavilion was produced by Nakajima Sachiko, a musician as well as a mathematician who won a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad. As a leading expert in STEAM education—which combines science, engineering, and the arts—her aim here is to create a place of co-creation where people can experience the joy and pleasure of life, as well as enhance their lives together through play, learning, the arts, and sports. The jellyfish-inspired exterior is structured to resemble a giant tree with a membrane roof over it that lets in natural light. It is an embodiment of the fluxes in the lives of everyone and everything, as well as fluctuating play. Within the pavilion is a playground that engages all the senses and a basement theater where festivals and local performing arts from around the world are displayed on a 360-degree screen. Workshops are also held daily, creating a place where visitors can come and engage with a diverse range of people. The 'Playground of Life: Jellyfish Pavilion' is located in the Signature zone. ( See the official map for details.) The pavilion exterior is inspired by jellyfish. (© ) Wooden parts in the interior have been designed for easy reuse after the Expo closes. (© ) (Originally published in Japanese. Reporting and text by Uchiyama Ken'ichi and Photographic assistance by Kuroiwa Masakazu of 96-Box. Banner photo © .)
