Undergraduate Team Ranks 7th in National Putnam Math Competition

College Park, Md. -- A team from the University of Maryland ranked 7th overall, and 1st among U.S. public universities, in The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition. Maryland's team included senior Mitchell Katz (computer science, mathematics), and juniors Matt McCutchen (computer science, mathematics) and Henry Scher(mathematics, economics, physics), with advisor Brian Hunt, a professor in the mathematics department and the Institute for Physical Science and Technology.

Individually, McCutchen was recognized as an honorable mention for placing 30th. Scher scored in the top 100 and Katz placed in the top 150. This is the fourth time the University of Maryland has had a team finish in the top 10. More than 35 UM students have ranked in the top 100.

"Our team's ranking reflects the extraordinary talent and effort of the team members, who spent 6 intense hours competing on a Saturday late in the semester," said Hunt, the team's advisor. "Their achievement is a testament to the quality of our undergraduate program."

A total of 4,036 students from 546 colleges and universities in Canada and the United States participated in the competition, which consists of 12 problems designed to test originality, as well as technical competence. Students have six hours to complete the problems.

Administered by the Mathematical Association of America, the competition was founded in 1927 by Elizabeth Lowell Putnam in memory of her husband William Lowell Putnam, who was an advocate of intercollegiate intellectual competition. The exam has been offered annually since 1938.

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