11 November 2009
MEDIA RELEASE
Perth students head to Canberra to receive Medals
for outstanding performance
Four Perth students are among the 26 Australian medallists in the 32nd annual Australian
Mathematics Competition (AMC) who will be presented with awards by Professor Kurt
Lambeck, President, Australian Academy of Science at a special ceremony in Canberra
on Friday, 13 November 2009 at the Shine Dome at 11am.
Several hundred thousand entrants from schools across 42 countries entered this year’s
competition and only 71 medals have been awarded globally to approximately the top 0.01% of
the students who sat the AMC.
The AMC is the major mathematics school enrichment event in the South Pacific region. In each
division of the competition, a limited number of medals are awarded for performances that are
outstanding both within a state or country and overall in the Competition.
The Perth medallists are:
ALEXANDER
CHUA
Year 8
CHRIST CHURCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
CLAREMONT
MICHAEL
WARTON
9
HALE SCHOOL
WEMBLEY DOWNS
DYLAN
KERR
12
MAZENOD COLLEGE
LESMURDIE
FERRIS
XU
12
ALL SAINTS' COLLEGE
BULL CREEK
Professor PeterTaylor, Executive Director of the not-for-profit Australia Mathematics Trust that
runs the AMC, said, “The AMC aims to encourage students of all standards in their study of
mathematics. It sets out to demonstrate how mathematics can be used in the world around
them via problem solving using the skills students learn in the classroom. The AMC has also
been useful in identifying talented students such as these and the results are used for inviting
students into more advanced mathematical enrichment programs.”
“In fact, Australia’s leading Mathematicians under the age of 40 were discovered and
developed as a result of their participation in the AMC”, he concluded.
The University of Canberra and the Canberra Mathematical Association in Australia are
supporting sponsors of the AMC.
For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Professor Peter Taylor, Executive Director, Australian Mathematics Trust, 0412 258 699
Suzanne Fraser, Manager, Australian Mathematics Trust, 0437 670 610
Russell Coad, AMC State Director for Western Australia, 08 9233 1017; 0407 080 284
(Student biog notes follow)
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PROFILES OF THE 2009 AMC MEDALLISTS IN AUSTRALIA
Alexander Chua
School:
Christ Church Grammar School
Year:
8
Alexander achieved a High Distinction in the AIMO this year. He also won
prizes in the AMC in Year 5 and Year 7 and holds a music scholarship at
Christ Church Grammar School. Alexander plays both piano and violin
(Grade 8) and is in the Christ Church Grammar School Orchestra and
Symphony Orchestra. He would like a career in medicine.
Michael Warton
School:
Hale School
Year:
9
Michael received High Distinctions in both Mathematics and Science in 2008.
He also achieved an Perfect Score in the Olympiad for both 2007 and 2006.
Michael’s hobbies include chess, piano and soccer. He hopes to become an
astronautical or chemical engineer.
Dylan Kerr
School:
Mazenod College
Year:
12
Dylan took part in the 2009 ASO Physics training program and was awarded
the Cletus Oakley Medal in the 2008 WA Mathematics Talent Quest. His
interests include medieval re-creation with the Society
for Creative
Anachronism, music recording, percussion and sound engineering. Dylan
plans to study pure mathematics at UWA in 2010 and hopes for a career in
mathematics research and teaching.
Ferris Xu*
School:
All Saints’ College
Year:
12
Ferris received an AMO Silver Medal in 2009. He enjoys tennis, piano, music
and reading. Ferris hopes to apply his mathematical talents to a future career
in actuarial science.
NEWS 
