Waste not, want not: Solving Plastic Recycling through Math

PHILADELPHIA - April 16, 2013 - PRLog -- Last month, more than 5,800 U.S. high school students took part in the eighth annual Moody’s Mega Math (M3) Challenge. Organized by PA-based Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) and sponsored by The Moody’s Foundation (headquartered in NYC), the Challenge spotlights the power and relevancy of mathematics in solving real-world issues, while inspiring juniors and seniors to consider further education and careers in STEM fields. Since its inception in 2006, the M3 Challenge has experienced a steady increase in both its number of participants and its geographical reach.

On Challenge weekend, 1,279 teams of students from 29 states were given 14 hours to study the problem, collect data, and devise models before uploading their solutions online in the form of a report to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Since then—and as a result of a rigorous judging process—the participating teams have been narrowed down to the Top Six. On April 29, 2013, each of the top six teams will present their solutions to a panel of professional applied mathematicians and a live audience at the final Team Presentations and Awards Ceremony. By the end of the day, $115,000 in scholarship prizes will be awarded to the winning teams.

As a member of the media that may have particular interest in the Challenge, we cordially invite you to attend. As you will glean from the 2012 Challenge Videos posted in the contest's media center, there will be many great visual and interview opportunities throughout the day. Additionally, it’s been confirmed that Ron Gonen, Deputy Commissioner of Sanitation, Recycling & Sustainability in New York City, will be attending and speaking at the Awards Ceremony.

For more information about Moody’s Mega Math (M3) Challenge, please visit m3challenge.siam.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Dawn Warden-Reeder
dawn@wardenettingergroup.com
(267) 250-8005

Kim Ettinger
kim@wardenettingergroup.com
(610) 952-5623