From the Classroom to the Global Stage: Chilean Students Recognized at IMMC 2025|CMM

The Center for Mathematical Modeling (CMM) at the University of Chile hosted the award ceremony of the National Challenge of the International Mathematical Modeling Challenge (IMMC Chile 2025), which brought together 80 high school teams from 10 regions of Chile, with the participation of 369 students.

Over the course of five days, the teams tackled the problem “Global Sports League”, which challenged them to design a mathematical model to organize an international sports league, taking into account competitive fairness, sustainability, logistics, and economic feasibility.

CMM Director Héctor Ramírez emphasized: “We are very pleased with this experience. It is inspiring to see how students engage with mathematics, apply models to real-life situations, and, through this, represent the country in such a meaningful competition.”

Teams Selected to Represent Chile at the International Stage

Chile was represented in the international phase of IMMC 2025 by two teams from Liceo Bicentenario Santa Teresa de Los Andes, both under the guidance of teacher María Angélica Fuentes Salazar:

Team 1: Carlos Gómez Ahumada, Martín Silva Aguilar, Renato Saur Méndez and Joaquín Gutiérrez Durán.
Team 2: Clemente Munita González, Cristian Matus Concha, Sebastián Soto Gómez and Vicente Inostroza Mena.

Reflecting on the experience, student Martín Silva remarked: “It was the effort we put in over time that allowed us to represent the country, and that fills us with pride. Anyone—whether they lean more toward mathematics or the humanities—can learn a lot and have fun through this experience. I truly encourage others to participate”.

The reports from both teams were translated and submitted to the IMMC international committee, which in its 2025 edition gathered 69 teams from 39 countries. Chilean students presented their solutions alongside delegations from around the world, strengthening the country’s presence in a competition designed to prepare the next generation of mathematicians to tackle complex problems with social, environmental, and economic impact.

In recognition of their performance, the eight national representatives were also awarded scholarships to participate in the University of Chile’s Summer School.

Camila Aravena, Associate Director of School Outreach and Early Training at the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (FCFM), emphasized “For us as a Faculty, it is a great joy to support and empower these young talents. We congratulate the winners and look forward to welcoming them at the Summer School, where they can make the most of this learning space”.

National Finalists

In addition to the teams selected for the international stage, other groups reaching the national finals were also recognized:

Liceo Bicentenario Santa Teresa de Los Andes
- Alonso Osorio, Antonella Torres, Gabriel Maulén, and Matilde Toro.
- Tutor: María Angélica Fuentes.
Liceo Bicentenario Santa Teresa de Los Andes
- Sebastián Cabrera, Vicente Barraza, and Vicente Marticorena.
- Tutor: María Angélica Fuentes.
Instituto Alonso de Ercilla
- Sebastián Gallardo, Fabián Pomatanta, Gabriel Palma, and Patricio Millar.
- Tutor: Mauricio Arenas.
Highlands Montessori School
- Rafaela Gajardo, Aurelio Klopfenstein, Santiago Fuster, and Cristóbal Behn.
- Tutor: Mariela Navia.

Representing the finalists, student Matilde Toro from Liceo Bicentenario Santa Teresa de Los Andes reflected: “It was a great challenge, not only because of the mathematics involved but also because it required integrating many other skills to write the reports. That was the most enriching part.”

Honoring a Dedicated Teacher

The ceremony also paid special tribute to teacher María Angélica Fuentes Salazar of Liceo Bicentenario Santa Teresa de Los Andes (Colina), who supported four finalist teams and the two that ultimately represented Chile in the international round. Her leadership, dedication, and pedagogical commitment were instrumental in developing rigorous and innovative mathematical models.

Flavio Guíñez, CMM’s Outreach Coordinator, noted: “Recognizing the work of teachers is essential, because they are the ones who make it possible for students to participate in these initiatives and reach their full potential”.

IMMC Chile 2025 highlighted the talent, perseverance, and creativity of hundreds of Chilean students who dared to take on a global challenge from their classrooms. This experience not only strengthens the teaching and application of mathematics in real-world contexts but also inspires future generations to see the discipline as a powerful tool to transform the world.