Sie Evan Setiawan, a student at the 10 November Institute of Technology (ITS) in Surabaya, East Java, received an honorable mention at the 2018 International Mathematics Competition for University Students held from Jul. 22 to 28 in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria.

According to the ITS website, Evan who comes from Kalimantan, has previously competed in math competitions. Most recently, he won gold at the 2018 National Olympics of Math and Science in May. He said that math was his favorite subject ever since he was in first grade.

For the competition in Bulgaria, Evan spent a year preparing with a team from the university. “Our practice could take up to four hours a day on weekends,” he said.

Read also: Indonesian students win gold medals at math competition in Bulgaria

During the competition, Evan finished five problems in five hours, two days in a row. “Being in the competition exceeded my expectations, as I was aiming for the silver medal in the national Olympiad,” he said.

Evan is on a Higher Education Affirmation scholarship, created by ITS and the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry to help students from underdeveloped regions.

“I hope this award can inspire other Affirmation scholarship students, as most of the recipients do not finish school. I aim to prove to Indonesian universities that we, the Affirmation students, can make achievements as well,” he said. (wng)