A team of five Upper School students competed for 14 straight hours in the MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3) in March to use math and data to solve a real-world problem. Chaaranath Badrinath ’26, Dana Balin ’25, Alyssa Chu ’25, Jaymin Ding ’25, and Leah Steyn ’25 used mathematical modeling and applied their knowledge from computer science, mathematics, physics, politics, ethics, and economics to come up with solutions to address a set questions regarding extreme heat and power-grid risks.

A total of 3,600+ high school students from 794 high schools from across the United States, England, and Wales submitted papers detailing their recommendations. After the first two rounds of judging by Ph.D.-level applied mathematicians, the RCDS team’s solution was selected as one of the best to combat the escalating crisis of extreme heat and power grid failures, earning them a spot in the M3 Challenge finals.

The RCDS team is one of just six teams to head to the final confirmation judging in New York City on April 28, where they will present their recommendations in person to a panel of professional mathematicians. Winning teams will be awarded a share of $100,000 in scholarships from MathWorks and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). 

MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge Questions:

• How can we predict the indoor temperature of non-air-conditioned urban dwellings during a heat wave? 
• How much demand should a power grid be prepared to handle during the summer months? 
• Will this demand change over time?
• Can cities minimize the effects of a heat wave or a power grid failure?