Undergraduates receive gold medal at OBMEP National Ceremony

1/7/2025

It’s gold! Fifteen IMPA Tech undergraduates were awarded the OBMEP (Brazilian Public School Math Olympics) gold medal on Monday (30) at the 19th National Awards Ceremony. The ceremony honored the 683 students from all over Brazil who placed highest in the competition. Held by IMPA, the Olympiad annually brings together more than 18.5 million participants, from the 6th grade of elementary school to the 3rd grade of high school, in 99.9% of Brazilian municipalities.

For Ingrid Carvalho, receiving the honor symbolizes the end of a cycle in scientific competitions. The student has won four medals at the Olympiad: three gold and one silver. “OBMEP was a turning point in my life. Every year, I’ve felt motivated to continue studying to overcome my limits. Receiving this medal gives me the feeling that I’ve achieved what I wanted to and I can see the difference the Olympiad has made to my career.”

More than just a medal, winning the Olympiad is also a gateway to a degree at IMPA. The selection process for the bachelor’s degree reserves 80% of the places for students who have performed well in five scientific olympiads, such as the OBMEP. The other 20% are allocated to the ENEM (National High School Exam).

Ingrid left Vitória da Conquista (BA) and moved to Rio de Janeiro (RJ) to study what she had always dreamed of, thanks to her good performance in the OBMEP. “At IMPA Tech, I have access to excellent teachers in a well-equipped environment. In addition to the scholarships we receive, everything here enables students to dedicate themselves to their studies.”

Student Pedro Paulo Gomes, from Assaré (CE), says that the Olympiad was a great boost to his studies. “With OBMEP, I found myself truly challenged by mathematics. The chance to be part of this story, here at IMPA Tech, is just a sample of the possibilities the Olympiad opens up for people who feel encouraged to question and discover the world with their own hands.”

A participant in the competition since the 6th grade, Pedro has not won medals in the last few years, but this has not discouraged him. “OBMEP brings this incentive to the whole of Brazil, a chance to have contact with the subject and create this appreciation for the area. It allowed me to study better and focus on mathematics,” he said. The student has two OBMEP medals: one gold and one silver.

This year, the 1st phase of the 20th OBMEP 2025 took place on June 3rd. The list of students classified for the 2nd phase will be released on August 1st. The new tests will be held on October 25. Check out the full calendar.

Read more: MEC launches ‘Toda Matemática’ at OBMEP awards ceremony in Rio
See also: OBMEP awards gold medals to 683 students from all over the country