Celebrating Young Mathematical Talent at the Clarkson Institute 2026 Prize Ceremony

On 9 July 2026, we hosted the Clarkson Institute Luncheon and Prize Ceremony at M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, bringing together students, parents, educators, academic leaders, partners and supporters to celebrate the top scorers of the Clarkson Institute Mathematical Competition 2026.

The occasion marked an important milestone for our students and for Clarkson Institute. It gave us the opportunity not only to recognise outstanding academic achievement, but also to reaffirm our commitment to supporting young people with exceptional mathematical potential.

The ceremony opened with remarks from Mr Kenny Lam, CEO of Two Sigma Asia-Pacific. He spoke about the importance of rigorous mathematical education and the need to nurture students with intellectual curiosity, discipline and strong problem-solving abilities.

Professor David Cardwell, former Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategy and Planning and former Head of the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, then shared the founding vision behind Clarkson Institute. He reflected on our mission to create meaningful and sustained academic pathways for mathematically gifted students.

Our founder, Mr Danny Wang, thanked the partners and supporters who have contributed to the development of Clarkson Institute. He also shared our ambition to build a broader ecosystem for mathematical excellence — one that extends beyond a single competition and provides outstanding students with diverse opportunities to learn and grow.

As part of this mission, we hope to encourage more female students to pursue mathematics and participate in future Clarkson Institute programmes.

During the Prize Ceremony, we presented awards to the competition’s top scorers and hosted a panel discussion titled “AI, Mathematics and the World”.

Featuring Professor David Cardwell, Mr Danny Wang and Clarkson Institute Ambassador Mr Frank Han, the discussion explored the enduring importance of mathematics in an AI-driven world. The speakers considered how mathematical thinking continues to provide a foundation for reasoning, creativity and solving complex real-world problems.

We also shared a video presentation from Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, introducing its facilities and academic environment. Dr Owain Salter Fitz-Gibbon offered words of encouragement to the students ahead of their upcoming summer programme.

The top 20 students from this year’s competition will receive full scholarships to attend a two-week intensive mathematics programme at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, from 2 to 16 August 2026.

The programme has been academically designed by Dr Owain Salter Fitz-Gibbon, College Assistant Professor in Mathematics at Lucy Cavendish College, together with Dr James Moore, Assistant Professor in the College’s Department of Physics. It is designed to challenge and inspire the students while developing the skills, intellectual confidence and curiosity required of the next generation of mathematically gifted scholars.

As Mr Danny Wang shared during the ceremony, “Mathematics is not only about competition. It is about learning how to think, create, and solve problems that matter.”

Through our competition, summer programme and growing academic network, we are building a long-term ecosystem for young mathematical talent.

Our goal is not simply to help students succeed in one examination. We hope to support them throughout a much longer journey of mathematical exploration, intellectual growth and the pursuit of excellence.