UC's Mid-Year MATH199 Workshop

By Richard Harvey | Posted: Thursday July 17, 2025

The University of Canterbury (UC) recently hosted its annual mid-year workshop for high-achieving high school students enrolled in MATH199, their calculus and linear algebra STAR course, which we currently have 6 Year 13 students completing.

This workshop offers a taste of university life, connects students with peers, and deepens their understanding of mathematics, statistics, and engineering. This year, some of our top mathematicians, Will Ding and Aaron Young, attended. Here's what they had to say:

"The Mid-Year Workshop was a fantastic experience! It was great meeting other MATH199 students from across New Zealand. The well-supported lectures and activities made it more than just a 'camp for nerds.' We even met an OBHS old boy, Lachlan Jones, who was a MATH199 tutor and has completed his Masters in Artificial Intelligence.

The workshop brought like-minded MATH199 students together for challenging mathematics. We toured the campus and halls of residence like Arcady and University Hall , listened to guest speakers, and explored UC's offerings through an interactive engineering experience day. Aaron and I are even working on an assignment together that contributes to our final grade.

But it isn't just a camp for math nerds. For me, it's been fun meeting and socialising with the students who came from places around New Zealand. We mostly sat in groups and had conversations, played card games and went out together. As well as meeting tutors in person, including one of OBHS' old boys, Lachlan Jones. It's an unforgettable experience and very rewarding for students who are determined in accelerated mathematics.