2022 Annual Report
CONTENTS
From the Chair����������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � 1
From the CEO������������������������ � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3
About Us � ����������������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4
Mission and Vision � ��������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 6
Values������������������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 7
Our Partners and Supporters����� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 8
2022 Key Achievements������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 10
Problem Page��������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 11
Competitions and Programs����� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � 13
Curious Minds���������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 16
Problemo�������������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � 18
Olympiads����������������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � 19
Profiles � �������������������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � 22
Volunteer � �������������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 24
Students��������������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � 26
Governance�������������������������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � 30
Organisational Structure���������� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � 31
Financial Overview������������������ � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � 32
Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 33
Statement of Financial Position�� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 34
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FROM THE CHAIR
It gives me great pleasure to provide my first report
as Chair of AMTT Ltd.
I joined the Australian Maths Trust in July 2022 and
since then have been greatly inspired by our people,
our work and the many opportunities for delivering
on our core mission and aspiration.
I would like to thank Dennis Trewin AO, my
predecessor, for his strong leadership of the Board
and organisation, his tireless efforts, and his
passion for the work of the AMT. As Chair, Dennis
was instrumental in improving governance at the
Trust, leading the creation and refinement of our
current corporate strategy, securing our bid to host
the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in
2025 and steering the AMT through the COVID-19
pandemic. The organisation is financially stable, is
improving its operational and delivery capacity, and
is embracing a very exciting future.
In the first few months, I spent time getting to know
the organisation – attending a range of governance
meetings and familiarising myself with the staff and
operations of the company. I also spent time meeting
with important sector partners like the Australian
Mathematical Sciences Institute, the Australian
Association of Mathematics Teachers and the
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and
Engineering. Through these experiences, as well as
through one-on-one discussions with my committed
and passionate colleagues on the Board, we have
identified several key challenges facing the Trust:
• The importance of maintaining and building
our engagement with schools and teachers,
particularly given the extreme disruption the
education environment has experienced over the
past three years.
• How we can effectively build on our external
engagement with our sector partners,
governments and mathematically invested
industries.
• Leveraging the IMO in 2025 to build the
awareness and engagement in mathematics
across the country.
• Working with sector partners to promote, with key
stakeholders, the importance of mathematics and
the work of schools and the Trust.
I am pleased to report that competition entries
continued to rebound from the major decline in the
first year of COVID-19 and the Trust continues to be
in a strong financial position.
I would like to thank our wonderful community of
volunteers, our CEO Nathan Ford, and our hardworking staff who helped achieve these results by
supporting and inspiring teachers and students
across the country.
Ms Belinda Robinson
Chair, AMTT Ltd Board
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FROM THE CEO
Although the schools, teachers and students we
serve were not subject to the state-wide lockdowns
of 2020 and 2021, COVID-19 was still very disruptive
in 2022. Teachers and administrators across the
country were faced with staff shortages and everchanging timetables and priorities. This made
planning and preparing for our competitions and
programs very difficult as they never knew what was
around the corner.
Despite this uncertain environment, our staff and
volunteers did what they could to help schools find
a way to participate and it was great to see our
competition entry numbers continue to recover
from the previous two years. Teacher engagement
with Problemo also remained strong and allowed
teachers to access and distribute our problems
despite the challenging circumstances.
Our Olympiad teams continued to perform
exceedingly well on the international stage. While
our European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad and
Informatics teams participated virtually, we were
able to support the International Mathematical
Olympiad (IMO) team in travelling to attend
the competition in Norway. The outstanding
achievements of our Olympiad students shows just
how strong mathematical problem solving is among
Australian students as we build up to host the IMO in
Melbourne in 2025.
Our work to address the underrepresentation of
young women in STEM subjects continued in 2022
with our Curious Minds program. Expressions of
interest in our 2022–2023 program exceeded 300
(for 120 spots), with a large increase in Indigenous
student applications to 5 percent. This is now a wellestablished and mature program with alumni coming
back to teach and mentor in the program.
For the first time in Trust history, we established a
set of organisational values to help guide our daily
work and interactions with our stakeholders and
customers. This was an extensive process involving
staff and volunteers from across the organisation –
from AMC and AMOC State Directors to Problems
Committee Chairs, Canberra and remote staff – and
resulted in the values outlined later in this report. I
would like to thank the entire team for working on
these values and am so glad to see how they are
positively influencing the way we think about and
complete our work.
In Term 2, we ran a limited teacher professional
learning pilot with a small group of schools from
across the country. The program, online and
asynchronous, aimed to help support teachers
with the effective delivery of problem solving in
the classroom. The findings from the pilot were
promising with those teachers who participated
reporting a growth in competence in the teaching
of problem solving after using the online modules.
Although we are not proceeding with further
development of the program at this stage, I am very
grateful for the hard work of the professional learning
team and to the teachers who participated and gave
us such wonderful feedback.
As COVID-19 restrictions eased, we began to
return to face-to-face events. All but one of our
committees returned to in-person meetings, we held
a partial resumption of physical training schools
for our Olympiad programs, and we ran our AMC
Awards nights across the country for the first time
since 2019. After so many years of virtual work
and meetings, it was a distinct pleasure for me to
reconnect with our volunteers, remote staff and our
loyal teachers, students and parents.
At the end of June 2022, Dennis Trewin AO,
stepped down from his role as Chair of the AMTT
Ltd Board. A Board member since 2011, Dennis
stepped into the role of Chair in 2017 and helped
lead significant change at the Trust – including a
governance review, the creation of the 2025 strategy
and guidance and direction of the Trust through the
first three years of the COVID-19 pandemic. I would
like to thank Dennis for his amazing leadership and
his passionate and strong support of the Trust, its
volunteers and staff.
The following pages will provide a sense of the
commitment and hard work of everyone at the
Trust – our volunteers, our staff and the teachers and
students who create a vibrant and exciting community
of problem solvers. I would like to thank them all for
their continued passion, dedication and hard work.
Mr Nathan Ford
Chief Executive Officer
ABOUT US
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MISSION AND VISION
MISSION
VISION
A nation of creative
problem solvers​
To be a leader in helping
young Australians realise
their problem-solving
potential using maths
and algorithmics​
FOCUS AREAS
1
Enriching and
2
extending
student learning
Building
teacher
capacity
3 Enabling the
problem-solving
community​
IMO 2025​
Make Australia the centre of mathematical problem solving for young
people in 2025. With the IMO competition as centrepiece, deliver
nationwide events and programs to inspire and galvanise the next
generation of Australian problem solvers
STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES​
1.Revitalise student engagement: Enrich and develop our current
programs to maximise student participation​
2.Inspire teachers: Work with systems, schools and teachers to enhance
the teaching of problem solving ​
3.Activate the community: Use our staff and volunteer expertise to lead
the development of an active community of problem solvers​
STRATEGIC
ENABLERS​
1.People: Attract, develop and retain a high-performing staff and
volunteer team ​
2.Internal systems: Address critical system and operating gaps​
3.Financial stability: Conduct our business in a financially
sustainable way​
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VALUES
STRIVING FOR
EXCELLENCE
We apply our
experience and
expertise to unlock
quality learning and
achievements
GROWING
THROUGH
INNOVATION
We value our past and
adapt for the future
BUILDING
COMMUNITY
We develop
collaborative
relationships with
trust, openness and
accountability
CREATING
ENJOYMENT
We enrich education
through a positive
and supportive
environment
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OUR PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
Thank you to our valued partners and collaborators who help us achieve our mission of creating a nation of
creative problem solvers through maths and algorithmic thinking.
Members of the Trustee
UC is Australiaʼs fastest rising
university, and one of the fastest
rising in the world. Itʼs also #1 in
the ACT for full-time employment
and starting salaries for three
years running.
Provides independent scientific
advice, promotes international
scientific engagement, builds
public awareness and
understanding of science, and
champions, celebrates and
supports excellence in
Australian science.
National Sponsor
As a global market maker, Optiver works to make the worldʼs markets fairer,
more transparent, and more efficient for everyone.
Curious Minds Supporter
Curious Minds is funded by the Australian Government Department of
Education through the Womenʼs Economic Security Package 2018.
Olympiad Supporter
Our maths and informatics Olympiads are supported by the Australian
Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources through
the Science Competitions: Mathematics and Informatics Olympiads
grant opportunity. Our EGMO initiative is supported by the Australian
Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources through the
Inspiring Australia – Science Engagement Programme.
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CAT Competition Remote & Very Remote Supporter
The Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT) competition round for remote and
very remote schools is supported by CSIRO.
Partners and Collaborators
Australiaʼs premier provider of
innovative and challenging
science programs,
competitions and residential
camps for high achievers such
as the Australian Science
Olympiads.
The leading organisation that
supports and promotes
mathematics education in
schools in Australia, including
professional learning,
collaborative research and
projects, advocacy, events and
journals.
The collaborative enterprise of
Australiaʼs mathematical
sciences. It exists to give
independence to these
disciplines and provide
infrastructure so that they can
take initiatives on the national
and international stage.
The national society of the
mathematics profession in
Australia. Its mission is the
promotion and extension of
mathematical knowledge and its
applications. It represents all
professional mathematicians in
Australia, both pure and applied.
An innovative and leading
association that promotes the
importance of mathematics to
society through its programs
and services. It has more than
1,400 members from all
sectors of education including
individuals, schools,
universities and other
institutions.
A not-for-profit organisation
whose goal is to improve
mathematics education across
Western Australian. MAWA is a
vibrant organisation that
provides support for anyone with
an interest in mathematics
including teachers, parents and
students.
The Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Mathematics
Alliance (ATSIMA) is an
Indigenous-led charity, and the
only national organisation
specifically committed to
creating ways of teaching and
learning mathematics that
connect to Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander histories
and cultures.
A professional organisation
providing professional
engagement, voice and
support for mathematics
education. Its vision is to
enhance mathematics
education in Queensland by
promoting and supporting
quality mathematics teaching
and learning.
2022 KEY
ACHIEVEMENTS
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PROBLEM PAGE
Maths Challenge (MC)
Junior
Author: Andy Edwards
(Challenge Problems Committee)
Question: J1 Dropdown Numbers
All digits in a dropdown number are different and one
of its digits is the average of all its digits. It has at
least two digits.
a. Find the smallest dropdown number.
b. What are the smallest and largest 4-digit
dropdown numbers?
c. How many 3-digit dropdown numbers are there?
d. Is it possible for a pair of consecutive numbers to
both be dropdown numbers? If not, explain why
not. If it is possible, find the smallest such pair.
Australian Mathematics
Competition (AMC)
Middle Primary
Author: Mike Clapper (Chair of AMC Problems
Committees)
Question: 14
This card is flipped over its right-hand edge and then
flipped again over its bottom edge.
What does the card look like now?
Andy Edwards was a long-time volunteer
member of the Challenge committee
who passed away at the end of 2022.
12 |
Problem page
Computational and Algorithmic
Thinking (CAT)
Author: David Kennedy (CAT Problems Committee)
Question: Treasure-seeking robots only understand
two instructions:
F: Move forward one square.
R: Turn right.
Each of five robots, labelled A-E, is pre-programmed
with the same set of instructions:
FR FR
FFR FFR
FFFR FFFR
FFFFR FFFFR
...
The robots start in the positions shown in the grid,
facing the way indicated by the arrow.
Which robot finds the treasure at T first?
Competition and programs
COMPETITIONS AND
PROGRAMS
Competitions
It's been a tough few years. Like schools and
other organisations, the pandemic has driven the
Australian Maths Trust to pivot quickly to digital
delivery. In 2022 we moved forward with the rollout
of a new competition management system, which
has involved trialling new delivery methods and
tools. This has been an important step for the
modernisation of our business and our ability to
effectively deliver and administer our competitions
and programs to customers at scale.
Throughout the year we undertook several
processes to monitor and review program delivery,
including staff, volunteer and customer surveys and
extensive operational debriefs. This identified key
areas for improvement in the areas of customer
service, technology and planning. The team has
been working hard since the end of the 2022 delivery
cycle to improve processes and provide an improved
service to teachers in 2023.
In 2022 registrations increased across most
competitions and programs, with AMC showing 8%
increase to 187 346 and CAT a 15% increase from
2021 levels to 21 112. Maths Challenge and Maths
Enrichment both bounced back by 15% and 18%
respectively, with Challenge entries at 14 677 and
enrichment at 7330.
Our newer international competitions OUCC and
KSF still present opportunities for growth. OUCC
participation increased by 14% to 1092 entries,
while KSF participation slipped back 2% to 7179,
in most part due to the competition being held
at the beginning of the school year when
pandemic impacts were high.
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Competition and programs
First run in 1978, the Australian Mathematics
Competition is Australia’s longest running,
largest and most well-known maths competition
for school students.
The Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT)
competition gives students the chance to solve
real-world problems through algorithmic thinking.
CAT is suitable for any maths class and requires
no programming experience. It can be used to
develop students’ interest and potential in coding
and computer programming.
Inspired by the AMT’s Australian Mathematics
Competition, Kangourou sans Frontières (KSF)
is one of the largest maths competitions in
the world, with more than 6 million participants
each year. 2022 is the fourth year KSF has
been delivered in Australia by the AMT.
Competition and programs
| 15
The Oxford University Computing Challenge
(OUCC) helps students develop skills to
produce programmed solutions to computational
problems.
The OUCC is a two-round competition. The
first round is an open competition and builds on
the principles used in the Computational and
Algorithmic Thinking (CAT) competition. The
second round is by invitation only and is used to
identify suitability for the AMT’s high-performance
programs. 2022 is the third year OUCC has been
delivered in Australia by the AMT.
Maths Challenge is an extension program for
teachers to deliver in a classroom setting over a 3
to 4-week period.
Teachers receive comprehensive printed materials
including problem booklets and teacher guides with
question-by-question tips, extension activities and
a detailed marking guide.
Maths Enrichment is an extension program to
stretch and develop talented and advanced
students run over a period of 12 to 16 weeks.
Teachers receive comprehensive printed support
material to extend both student learning and their
own mathematical teaching practice. Enrichment
material develops mathematical concepts not
covered by the standard curriculum and can be
retained as an enduring tool for teaching maths
extension.
16 |
Curious Minds
CURIOUS MINDS
Curious Minds empowers highly capable female
students to pursue a STEM career, and aims to build
confidence, interest, and skills to encourage the
continuance of STEM studies at senior secondary
and tertiary levels.
Consisting of summer and winter camps,
Curious Minds takes students on a deep dive
into STEM subjects and an exploration of their
interconnectedness through integrated STEM
investigations. Between camps, students embark on
a six-month STEM coaching program which sees
each student partnered with a volunteer female
STEM coach. Students and coaches work through
a series of guided activities designed to assist the
student to create personal goals, explore STEM
topics, and investigate university courses, careers,
and pathways.
Created in 2015, Curious Minds has been jointly
delivered by the Australian Maths Trust and
Australian Science Innovations and continues to
expand and evolve from its early beginnings.
During the virtual programs for both the summer
and winter camps, students were supported through
Curious Minds Connect, an additional element of
the Curious Minds program which delivers bimonthly
informative and social events to engage, connect
and support students. A total of 98 students attended
the July winter camps which successfully delivered
a variety of interactive and engaging sessions,
including the following new workshops:
• A recycling workshop presented by the UNSW
SMaRT Centre where students investigated
waste products generated at home and engaged
in discussions exploring the potential and
application for re-purposing plastic waste. As part
of this workshop students received a 3D printing
pen and created innovative designs out of
recycled filament donated by the SMaRT Centre.
• A privacy and security workshop delivered by
Computer Science Education Research (CSER
STEM PL) where students examined their online
footprint and explored ways to keep information
secure in an online world.
• An interactive STEM coaching reflection leading
students and coaches through an introspective
art workshop, focusing on what makes them
strong in STEM. In celebration of NAIDOC week,
the workshop was delivered by the Stronger
Smarter Institute, whose purpose is to create
transformative change in Indigenous educational
outcomes.
The 2022–23 cycle began with record high student
interest, with over 300 EOI submissions received
on the Curious Minds website. Notably, there was a
large increase in EOI submissions from Indigenous
students (5%) and over 50% of students fell within
the program’s target group, coming from regional/
remote locations, attending schools with low socioeconomic status and/or identifying as Indigenous.
It is shaping up to be an exciting cycle as staff
prepare to deliver a hybrid program model for the
first time ever, delivering online December summer
camps (2022) and face-to-face July winter camps
(2023).
The program is thrilled to welcome onboard the
University of Adelaide as an additional sponsor. It
will be a wonderful experience for west and east
camp students to travel to Adelaide and Canberra,
respectively, to explore the University of Adelaide
and Australia’s National University’s facilities during
the face-to-face July camps.
As the new year begins, it is all hands-on deck as
students actively engage in the STEM coaching and
Connect programs, and staff busily plan the logistics
of our first face-to-face camps in July!
Curious Minds
Curious Minds – Igniting Brilliance website homepage.
Rubber duck
Cleoniceras fossil
A SMaRT Centre team member demonstrating how
to use 3D printing pen to students.
My cube
Student sample of work
created using 3D printing
pen during the SMaRT
Centre Recycling Activity.
Eiffel tower
| 17
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Problemo
The Problemo platform has been in place for a full
calendar year under a new subscription model, with
a range of plans for schools, teachers, university
students and coaching clinics. Free users have
access to 100 problems and limited access to some
features.
Problemo Plus users have access to a library of
more than 800+ problems and unlimited access
to all of Problemo’s features, including 60+ lesson
cards, the ability to print PDFs and create unlimited
problem sets and online quizzes for students.
As at the end of 2022, Problemo has a total of 4111
subscriptions, and 4732 individual teacher users.
Problemo Problem
Year 7-12
Question: Jim's Average
Jim’s average score in his first six matches was 8.5.
If all scores are whole numbers and his lowest score
was 5, what is the lowest value which his highest
score could have been?
PROBLEMO
Uptake has been high amongst university students,
who make up over 60 % of total plus subscriptions.
For the first time in 2022, we delivered practice and
solution sets for KSF, CAT and AMC via Problemo,
enabling teachers using those competitions to
experience the Problemo platform.
Work for the year ahead will focus on generating
and analysing in depth, user data to inform next
steps in the development of the product.
Olympiads
| 19
OLYMPIADS
Sponsors of the Australian Olympiad teams
The Olympiad programs are supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Industry,
Science and Resources. They are also supported by Optiver, the Trustʼs National sponsor of the Australian
Informatics and Mathematical Olympiads. The AMTʼs EGMO initiative is supported by the Australian
Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources through the Inspiring Australia – Science
Engagement Programme.
European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO)
In April, four talented young Australian women competed virtually in the 11th annual European Girls’
Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) hosted by Hungary. The Australian team placed 3rd out of 57 competing
countries and 222 contestants, scoring 4 Gold medals. The 2022 team’s achievement builds on its strong
past performances of 20th in 2018, 14th in 2019, 12th in 2020 and 12th in 2021. The team’s historic
individual performances saw each member achieve Gold and place in the top 10% with Grace Chang
Yuan ranked 6th, Cloris Xu ranked 12th, Eunsu Choi ranked 15th and Iris Xu ranked 20th. The entire team
helped Australia to achieve its best performance on the EGMO international stage and has demonstrated
the strength and depth of Australia’s young female mathematical problem solvers. In addition, an Australian
problem was included in the official competition, created by Ethan Tan, a former International Mathematical
Olympiad medallist (2018) and staff member of the Australian Olympiad training program.
Iris Xu Gold Medal
Cloris Xu Gold Medal
Eunsu Choi Gold Medal
The 2022 EGMO Team (L to R): Iris Xu, Baulkham Hills High School, NSW, Year 10; Cloris Xu,
Baulkham Hills High School, NSW, Year 10; Eunsu Choi, Brisbane State High School, QLD,
Year 11; Grace Yuan, Methodist Ladies’ College, VIC, Year 12.
Grace Yuan Gold Medal
20 | Olympiads
Australian Mathematical and Informatics
Olympiad teams announcement
On 20 June 2022, 10 of Australia’s best and brightest students
in maths and computational thinking were announced
as members of the 2022 Mathematical and Informatics
Olympiad teams. The teams’ announcement was held at
Australian Parliament House in a return to a formal face-toface event after 2 years of COVID-19 disruptions and virtual
presentations of this event. The guest speakers included local
Ngunnawal Elder, Aunty Violet, delivering the official Welcome
to Country, the Honourable Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and
Science with his guest, Australian Chief Scientist Dr Cathy
Foley, Mr Brandon Nguyen from Optiver and Olympiad student
representatives, Lydia Colla and Grace Yuan, from the ASI’s
2022 International Physics Olympiad team and AMT’s 2022
European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad and International
Mathematical Olympiad team.
International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO)
The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) returned to face-to-face competition in Oslo Norway in 2022
and students were extremely excited to attend, collaborating and competing with their peers once again.
The IMO is the culmination of the AMT’s High-Performance Pathway, with six students selected to represent
Australia at the highest level.
In 2022, Australia received 1 Gold medal, 4 Bronze medals and an Honourable Mention. In addition, Grace
Yuan once again continued Australia’s excellence at the IMO by being awarded the Mirzakhani Award for the
highest female achievement in the Oceania region.
The students who attended in 2022 are pictured below:
Tony Yuzheng Wu Gold Medal
William Cheah Bronze Medal
Sizhe Pan Bronze Medal
Zian Shang Bronze Medal
Christopher Tran Bronze Medal
Grace Yuan Honourable
Mention
Olympiads
| 21
International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI)
After completing the Australian Informatics Olympiad (AIO), Australian Invitational Informatics Olympiad
(AIIO) and the French–Australian Regional Informatics Olympiad (FARIO), high achieving students were
invited to further training and attend the informatics selection schools, from which a team was selected
to represent Australia at the 34th annual International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI). In the lead up to the
international competition, the team worked extremely hard during their virtual training program.
The competition was hosted by Indonesia in a hybrid onsite and online format due to continuing COVID-19
travel restrictions for some countries. The team competed against 349 contestants from 88 countries,
winning 4 Silver medals. The students chosen to represent Australia at the 2022 IOI: Jerry Zirui Li (ranked
33) James Ruse Agricultural High School Year 11, Arthur Wenqi Sun (ranked 63) Scotch College Year 11,
Joshua Chen (ranked 65) Christ Church Grammar School Year 12 and Evan Lin (ranked 71) Melbourne
High School Year 11.
Jerry Zirui Li Silver Medal
Arthur Wenqi Sun Silver Medal
Joshua Chen Silver Medal
Evan Lin Silver Medal
PROFILES
| 23
PROBLEM PAGE
Australian Intermediate
Mathematics Olympiad (AIMO)
Question: 5
There are 5 lily pads on a pond, arranged in a
circle. A frog can only jump from each lily pad to an
adjacent lily pad on either side. How many ways are
there for the frog to start on one of these lily pads,
make 11 jumps, and end up where it started?
Kangourou sans Frontières (KSF)
Norm Do (AMC Secondary Problems Committee and
Chair of AMOC)
Question: 30
A football match between teams from North Berracan
and South Berracan is played in a stadium that has
a rectangular array of seats for the spectators. There
are 11 North Berracan supporters in each row, and
14 South Berracan supporters in each column. This
leaves 17 empty seats. What is the smallest possible
number of seats in the stadium?
European Girls' Mathematical
Olympiad
Author: Ethan Tan (2018 Australian IMO team
member and gold medallist)
Question: 6
Let ABCD be a cyclic quadrilateral with circumcentre
O. Let the internal angle bisectors at A and B meet
at X, the internal angle bisectors at B and C meet at
Y, the internal angle bisectors at C and D meet at Z,
and the internal angle bisectors at D and A meet at
W. Further, let AC and BD meet at P. Suppose that
the points X, Y, Z, W, O and P are distinct. Prove that
O, X, Y, Z and W lie on the same circle if and only if
P, X, Y, Z and W lie on the same circle.
24 | Profiles
VOLUNTEER
Holly Gyton
Secondary Problems Committee
Maths always was, and still is, my favourite subject
at school! Like many people, my first involvement
with the work of the Australian Mathematics Trust
was as a school student myself, happily engaging
in ‘the Maths Competition’ each year. While the
competition day itself was fun, the lead up to it was
somehow even better. Why? We had such wonderful
discussions in class with my teachers and fellow
students about past problems from the competitions.
These were some of my most memorable maths
lessons. I loved hearing the different approaches
others took, their observations on the way to a
solution, the wrong turns they took as well as the
right ones … and coming to an agreement about
the most elegant way we could think of to solve the
problem! Somehow this process didn’t feel like real
work to me, it was just fun to solve problems.
Fast forward a decade or so, and it was no surprise
that as an early career maths teacher, I jumped at
the chance to be the NSW state moderator for the
Australian Mathematics Competition in about 1999
when my Head Teacher, Anne Hastings, asked if
I would be interested. I loved it! Soon afterwards,
Warren Atkins invited me to join the Secondary
Problems Committee and I have been there ever
since. Since then, I have completed a Masters in
Pure Maths and later an Executive MBA, volunteered
at the National Mathematics Summer School, been
on the Executive team of MANSW (Mathematical
Association of NSW) – including two years as
the President – and been involved in a range of
curriculum and assessment projects with NESA,
including the HSC. Throughout my teaching career,
I have enjoyed having different roles at school along
the way to my current position as the Deputy Head of
School at SCEGGS Darlinghurst … but three things
haven’t changed: I am still teaching maths, still on
the Secondary Problems Committee and yes, still
loving it!
Our Secondary Problems Committee brings together
a broad range of interesting volunteers – classroom
mathematics teachers like me, university academics,
mathematicians working in other industries and
the staff of AMT. And while our backgrounds are
quite different, our task is the same – to create
interesting and fun problems each year. You may see
these problems first in competition papers, but you
may also come across them in books, workshops
and now in Problemo too! It is lovely to see these
questions having a life of their own, well beyond the
original formulation for the competition itself.
Each member of the committee brings different
experience, expertise and insights to the questions
we write and so our unique contributions around
the table are all essential as we make each
question just a little better with each iteration. It
is truly collaborative, very efficient and lots of fun
– how many committees can you say that about?
Every time we meet, I learn just a little bit more
about problem solving and mathematics from my
colleagues around the table. They have certainly
helped me to learn so much more and to be a
better problem solver, so I thank them all for their
generosity, patience and willingness to share.
Even more importantly, I think my experiences as a
volunteer on the Secondary Problems Committee
have helped me be a better maths teacher. I believe
it is essential that the students of today know that
mathematical problem solving is as much about
creativity, ingenuity, and perseverance as it is
about knowing your times tables, a strategy or a
formula! The work of AMT provides so many different
vehicles to help maths teachers grow the next
generation of good thinkers and problem solvers
in their own classrooms – and what a great asset
such a generation could be for Australia! I also think
it is good for me to be reminded of the ‘student’
experience each year – struggling with a question,
perhaps not being sure quite where to start, but
knowing that the only way is to take an academic
risk and dive in. Also, to try something, to see where
it takes you and to look for the signposts that help
you differentiate between possible triumph and
the dreaded dead end! My work on the Secondary
Problems Committee continues to be a truly
rewarding professional experience combining a love
of learning myself with an enjoyment of the challenge
of trying to write interesting questions that help
students learn about mathematics. And somehow
this process still doesn’t quite feel like work to me – it
is still just fun to solve problems!
Profiles
| 25
VOLUNTEER
Rob Fuller
NSW State Director AMC
I currently volunteer for the Trust as the New South
Wales State Director for the Australian Mathematics
Competition (AMC), alongside my full-time job
as a Mathematics Teacher at Sydney Grammar
School. In addition, I have the privilege of being a
moderator for the Primary AMC papers and have
recently been invited to join the Primary Problems
Committee following the retirement of distinguished,
long-standing contributors, including Warren Atkins,
Jan Cavanagh, and Karen Diehl. This is an exciting
development in my role with the Trust and although
they are big shoes to fill, I trust that I can go some
way towards helping continue their amazing, creative
work in compiling the pre-eminent mathematics
competition not just for Australia, but the whole
Pacific region.
As a child growing up in the United Kingdom, I
always enjoyed mathematics and from my early
years showed a strong aptitude for the subject at
school. In my spare time I devoured puzzle books,
whiling away many a happy hour completing either
logic or lateral thinking puzzles. My first encounters
with mathematics competitions came in my early
years of secondary school and I can still clearly
remember sitting in our school hall attempting the
Junior Mathematical Challenge. This was an hourlong multiple-choice competition set by the United
Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT), essentially
the British equivalent of our beloved Australian
Mathematics Competition. After the competition we
were allowed to take the question papers home, and
I recall spending time sitting scratching my head
over several of the harder problems posed, then
discussing them with my father and with peers from
my class.
After studying degrees in Theoretical Physics at Lady
Margaret Hall, Oxford, I settled upon a career in
teaching.
In my first teaching position in England, I was quick
to volunteer to take on the administration of the
Junior, Intermediate and Senior Maths Challenges
and I also made extensive use of problems from
previous years’ papers in the classroom to expose
my students to the excitement and challenge
of problem-solving as a regular part of their
mathematics journey.
The UK competition papers share many similarities
with the AMC, a multiple-choice format completed
under a tight time limit with a variety and depth
of interesting problems to provide a genuine
challenge to even the most capable of secondary
age mathematics students. Though when pushed
on the subject I would have to confess that I prefer
the Australian format since I am a particular fan of
the final five questions of the papers that require
students to find an integer solution between one
and one thousand. These add an extra dimension to
the competition, providing the opportunity to delve
deeper into the problems and really differentiate the
most capable students.
I emigrated to Australia in my mid-twenties and
began teaching at Newington College, a prestigious
private boys’ school in Sydney, and it was here that I
was first introduced to the work of the Trust through
the AMC and the Enrichment series.
I continue to be impressed year on year by the
ingenuity of the problem writers who come up with
such an impressive variety of interesting contexts in
which to couch the mathematical ideas. I love that
these competitions present a refreshingly different
challenge for students to the routine of their regular
mathematics lessons. Since first being invited to
volunteer at the Trust by Mike Clapper whom I had
met at numerous mathematics conferences, I have
come to really value the opportunity of working
alongside such fascinating, passionate and talented
mathematicians who continue to challenge me on
my own mathematical journey, and I can honestly
say I never fail to come away from an AMT meeting
without being both inspired and encouraged by those
I encounter.
26 | Profiles
STUDENTS
Lily Morgan
Curious Minds
Cadence Taylor
Curious Minds
I was invited to the Curious Minds program as a top
performer in the 2021 Australian Maths Competition.
Even though the summer and winter camps were
held online, I found them extremely engaging; being
sent physical materials to use in the sessions made
the program much more enjoyable and immersive.
The staff were also very passionate.
I first heard of Curious Minds through my teachers
and was excited to apply. When I heard I was
accepted, beyond excited could not even start to
describe how I felt. Science has always been one of
my favourite subjects and being able to learn more
about it and extend my knowledge through all the
different aspects of STEM was exciting. I found the
online summer and winter camps really interesting
and learnt heaps about future pathways, industry
professionals, uni life and made lots of new friends.
My STEM coach, a ‘High Ability Practice Leader’
from a nearby school, was extremely supportive
and provided a lot of resources for me to further my
learning and thinking. With her feedback I created
a presentation about the importance of scientific
integrity, which included the results of a student
survey that I organised and carried out myself.
Overall, I think the Curious Minds program both
introduced me to new areas of science and grew
my confidence in independent work, and I would
absolutely recommend it to any girls interested in
science.
One of my favourite parts of Curious Minds was
the STEM coaching program, where I was lucky
enough to be paired with the incredible researcher
Sonia Shah. Sonia and I both had a strong passion
for marine biology, and I decided to do my passion
project on Lady Musgrave Island, located in the
heart of the southern Great Barrier Reef. I was
lucky enough that Sonia and I were able to meet
up in person and embark on a journey to Lady
Musgrave Island with both our families. Together we
documented native wildlife, became marine biologists
for the day, went on a guided snorkeling tour where
we collected data on the health of the coral, turtles,
fish, and threats which we then submitted to the
‘eye on the reef’, as well as collected data from
passengers about their awareness of the reef and
the impacts of climate change. The best part of this
experience was that we got to do it together.
This experience confirmed my passion for all things
science and has led to so many more opportunities
like an engineering camp to a mine in NSW which
had a focus on earth and environmental science.
I have also just applied for a marine biology trip to
Tasmania.
I’m currently studying Biology, Chemistry, Maths
Methods, Specialist Maths, English and Business
and I’m excited to pursue my passion for science in
tertiary studies.
Profiles
| 27
STUDENTS
Grace Yuan
EGMO and IMO
Tony Wu
IMO
My journey in maths Olympiads started in my
secondary school when I was first invited to the
Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee
School of Excellence. Having former Olympiad
maths competitors as our lecturers, I was introduced
to Olympiad maths systematically as well as many
new theorems. In two weeks, my perception and
approach toward maths was greatly improved.
Before participating in mathematical Olympiads, I
used to think that maths was just another subject.
But through my early years of high school,
experiencing and learning more maths has really
shown me the fun and rewarding aspect of maths
and problem solving, like I was playing with numbers
and objects in the question. I was invited to my
first national maths camp at the end of 2020 from
my mark at AIMO and was introduced to so much
more material and content for Olympiads. I was
instantly captured by the variety and depth hidden in
Olympiad content and problems. From lectures and
practices to past contests and challenges, there were
always more problems to solve, more maths to try,
more knowledge to learn. It’s hard to get bored and
sometimes it’s overwhelming. But pushing through
these fun years I’ve made many friends who share
my interest, grew my confidence in problem solving
and beyond, and developed my own likes and
dislikes in the area of Olympiad.
The passion of everyone in the camp was so
inspiring and encouraged me to devote more time to
maths eventually leading me to represent Australia in
IMO and EGMO. For me, competitive maths not only
brings unique enjoyment through problem-solving,
but also teaches me how to face challenges directly.
I have now learned to set up a positive mindset
and have become increasingly brave in front of
failure and mistakes because I believe they are the
path to future success. One exceptional chapter of
my journey was representing Australia EGMO in
2022. Not only was I ranked 6th globally, but also
witnessed all four members in our Australian team
win Gold Medal for their effort. We are proud to
say that Australia is the only country to achieve this
outcome in 2022.
This experience was particularly meaningful to me
because I competed with girls who shared a similar
passion for maths from all over the world.
With EGMO and other efforts of the AMT, I believe
that an increasing number of girls in Australia will
enjoy a similar path with me, allowing our community
more ideas, creativity, and diversity. In the coming
years, I will be studying mathematics and computer
science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Meanwhile, I will contribute back to our community
by working as a tutor or mentor for future participants
or through whatever way I might be needed. Also,
I will try to become a role model who can pass my
passion for maths to others and support more girls in
their maths journey.
And I am very thankful for the continuous support
from AMT, whether it be in Olympiad camps,
feedback and practices, or the exceptional
coordination from our team’s leaders at the IMO that
helped me achieve more marks than I ever thought
possible!
The Olympiad program not only helped improve
my maths, but it has also helped me come to
realise the invaluable significance of patience
and concentration. I have come to know how to
think deeply and thoroughly, how to concentrate
on one problem for hours on end, how to alter my
perspective and change approaches to understand
and tackle problems.
This year I will study mathematics at Cambridge to
continue pursuing my interest in mathematics.
28 | Profiles
STUDENTS
Jerry Li
IOI
Australian Intermediate
Mathematics Olympiad (AIMO)
Question: 5
My informatics journey began in Year 7 when I
joined my school’s programming club. After a year
of preparation for the AIO, I was finally invited to
the Informatics School of Excellence in December
2019. This two-week program taught me the basics
of competitive programming and allowed me to meet
like-minded peers who have since become some of
my best friends.
With the help of many amazing tutors and peers, I
received 33rd place in the International Olympiad
in Informatics (IOI) last year. I was then invited to
a training camp in Singapore where I discussed
computer science with fellow informaticians from
around the world.
Coding aside, I am an avid TikToker, street dancer,
and Olympiad mathematician. But make no mistake
— informatics is still my first and foremost passion,
one which I intend to continue as I look to return to
the program as a tutor to train the next generation
of competitive programmers. Looking ahead, I see
university as a hub for further exploration, opening
me to the manifold subfields that constitute the study
of computer science.
There are 5 lily pads on a pond, arranged in
a circle. A frog can only jump from each lily
pad to an adjacent lily pad on either side. How
many ways are there for the frog to start on
one of these lily pads, make 11 jumps, and end
up where it started?
In Memoriam
IN MEMORIAM
The Trust’s work has always been supported by
an enthusiastic and incredibly passionate group of
volunteers and staff.
It is with great sadness the Trust lost several key
supporters in 2022. The Trust’s achievements over
the past 40 years would not have been possible
without contributions, encouragement, and advice
from:
Don Aitkin
Inaugural Australian Mathematics Trust Chair
Roger Hosking
Australian Mathematics Competition Director for
Brunei
Neville de Mestre
Australian Mathematics Competition moderator
Andy Edwards
Challenge Problems Committee Member
| 29
GOVERNANCE
Organisational Structure
| 31
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
Australian Maths Trust Trustee
Limited (AMTT)
The Trustee for the Australian Maths Trust is AMTT
Ltd. AMTT Ltd is a not-for-profit company limited
by guarantee and registered as a charity with the
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
(ASIC) and the Australian Charities and Not-forProfits Commission (ACNC). The Trustee has
two members: the University of Canberra and the
Australian Academy of Science.
The AMTT Ltd Board oversees the management of
the organisation and is responsible for:
• setting the strategic direction of the company and
monitoring organisational performance against
targets and Trust objectives
• approving annual financial budgets
• setting up committees of the Board where
appropriate or required
• recruiting and monitoring the performance of the
Chief Executive Officer of the Trust
• approving and reviewing organisational or Board
policies
• overseeing and ensuring adequate risk
management
• ensuring compliance with the Trust’s legislative
obligations.
Directors of AMTT Ltd 2022
• Mr Dennis Trewin AO FASSA (Chair)
(term expired 30 June 2022)
• Ms Belinda Robinson (Chair)
(term commenced 1 July 2022)
• Professor Leon Sterling (Deputy Chair)
• Mr David Sturgiss
• Dr Nam Van Do
• Professor Elisa Martinez-Marroquin
• Mr John Bament
• Ms Allason McNamara
• Mr Geoffrey Shuetrim
• Ms Susan Lever
• Emeritus Professor Robyn Owens
Board Committees
Business Development Committee
•
•
•
•
•
Mr Geoff Shuetrim, Chair
Ms Stella Jinman
Mr Jonathan Palmer
Professor Leon Sterling
Mr Robert Hillard
Finance and Audit Committee
•
•
•
•
•
Mr David Sturgiss, Chair
Mr Geoff Shuetrim
Mr Robert Thompson
Dr Philip Swedosh
Mr David Kennedy
The AMTT Ltd Board relies heavily on volunteer
contributors and all members of the Business
Development and Finance and Audit Committees
are volunteers.
Operational Committees
• Australian Mathematical Foundation (AMF)
– Mr John Bament, Chair
• Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee
(AMOC) – Associate Professor Nam Van Do,
Chair
Problems Committees
The Trust relies on a number of critical volunteer
committees that develop, moderate and prepare
problems for use on competitions and enrichment
activities. These committees include:
• AMC Primary and Secondary Problems
Committee – Mr Mike Clapper, Chair
• CAT Problems Committee – Dr David Clark,
Chair
• Maths for Young Australians Committee
(including Challenge and AIMO committees)
– Dr Kevin McAvaney, Chair
• Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee
Senior Problems Committee – Dr Ivan Guo, Chair
Management and Staff
For more information about AMT staff and
management, please visit our website.
FINANCIAL
OVERVIEW
Financial Overview
| 33
Australian Mathematics Trust
ABN 39Australian
120 172 502 Mathematics Trust
ABN 39 120 172 502
Statement
of Profit
or Loss
andand
Other
Comprehensive
Income
Statement
of Profit
or Loss
Other
Comprehensive
Income
For the
ended
31 31
December
2022
For year
the year
ended
December
2022
2022
$
2021
$
Revenue
Revenue from competition and workshop fees
Revenue from Problemo Plus subscriptions
Revenue from sale of goods
Grants and sponsorship
Investment income
Other income
3,026,058
41,625
167,466
1,108,583
515,401
19,400
2,100,747
59,605
223,641
1,117,806
876,308
1,989
Total revenue from operations
4,878,533
4,380,096
Expenses
Accounting and legal
Advertising and promotion
Amortisation of intangibles
Bad debts
Consultants
Cost of sales
Depreciation
Directors Fees
Insurance
Interest expense
Investment Expense
Licence fees
Meals and entertainment
Medals and prize money
Office accommodation costs
Olympiad registration fees
Other expenses
Printing, postage and stationery
Repairs and maintenance
Salaries and contractors
Sponsorship
Superannuation
Travel and accommodation
Web and shop site hosting
Total expenses from operations
40,319
246,269
97,806
875
351,798
-
23,835
16,065
30,056
56
16,382
439,711
54,008
10,289
62,447
3,513
107,636
236,119
74,630
2,676,074
30,027
233,358
47,601
222,515
104,312
(5,592)
534,398
10,768
47,842
25,462
-
186,413
12,355
4,373
62,098
5,111
121,443
211,205
63,046
2,978,516
28,166
248,158
39,471
262,062
2,155
79,614
5,038,902
5,003,863
Surplus / (deficit) before income tax
Income tax expense
(160,369)
(623,767)
Net surplus / (deficit) from operations
(160,369)
(623,767)
-
-
Other comprehensive income
Items that will not be reclassified subsequently to
profit or loss
Net realised and unrealised gains / (losses) on
financial assets
(1,243,500)
868,086
Other comprehensive income / (loss) for the year
(1,243,500)
868,086
Total comprehensive surplus / (deficit) for the year
(1,403,869)
244,319
Financial Statement Extract. For the complete financial statements refer to the ACNC website - https://www.acnc.gov.au/
34 | Financial Overview
Australian Mathematics Trust
ABN
39 120 172Mathematics
502
Australian
Trust
ABN 39 120 172 502
Statement of Financial Position
As
at 31 December
2022
Statement
of Financial
Position
As at 31 December 2022
2022
$
2021
$
Trade and other receivables
Inventories
Financial assets
Other assets
3,536,520
288,510
61,375
903,191
208,285
3,017,647
31,779
48,638
652,189
194,832
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS
4,997,881
3,945,085
10,945,115
63,595
271,981
13,299,865
63,672
369,787
11,280,691
13,733,324
16,278,572
17,678,409
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Trade and other payables
Employee benefits
Other liabilities
425,775
274,737
289,406
510,385
271,416
229,319
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES
989,918
1,011,120
67,046
41,812
67,046
41,812
1,056,964
1,052,932
15,221,608
16,625,477
(145,762)
15,367,370
3,131,203
13,494,274
15,221,608
16,625,477
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents
NON-CURRENT ASSETS
Financial assets
Plant and equipment
Intangible assets
TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS
TOTAL ASSETS
LIABILITIES
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES
Employee benefits
TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES
TOTAL LIABILITIES
NET ASSETS
EQUITY
Financial asset reserves
Retained earnings
TOTAL EQUITY
Financial Statement Extract. For the complete financial statements refer to the ACNC website - https://www.acnc.gov.au/
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