Year 12 student JJ Wada plus a long list of mathematical achievements equals a chance to excel at one of America’s top universities.

Much to his “shock”, the 16-year-old Christ’s College student has been awarded a place at the Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC), a prestigious four-week programme held in July. Every year, a select group of 40 students from around the world are chosen from a vast application pool to undertake intensive study in advanced mathematics in the United States.

JJ will “literally live and breathe” abstract algebra and number theory, staying on the Stanford campus in California. In an environment that captures the intricacies of mathematics amid research and problem solving, JJ believes he has found an early “high point” in learning.

“I applied for SUMaC last year, hoping that I might have a chance to win a place,” he says. “I was travelling with my family in the car when I got a notification to say the application portal had been updated. It was such a shock when I logged in to see that the dream had become a reality.”

Over a learning-packed month, JJ will take part in lectures, guided research, and group problem solving, exploring the “current lines of mathematical research, historical development of important areas of mathematics, and applications across scientific disciplines”.

Created for students with an exceptional interest and ability, SUMaC is an opportunity for students who are passionate about the pure form of Mathematics.

“Even the application process was intense, with several short essays and an entrance exam to navigate,” he says. “I cannot wait to work alongside like-minded students and delve deeper into my passion for all things Mathematics.”

JJ has already made his mark not only in Mathematics but also in English.

In 2024, his impressive list of achievements included gaining a Bronze Award in the Maths Olympiad, High Distinction in the international KSF and the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC), and Distinction in the Otago Mathematics Competition. He also sat the CIE AS Level Mathematics exam, earning an A grade.

Meanwhile, all the numbers added up to a big win for College in the 2023 Cantamath team competition, with JJ joining Ericsson Ye, Charlie de Costobadie, and Josh Shannahan to take the Year 10 title with a perfect-score golden ticket.

The same year, JJ was short-listed for the prestigious John Locke Institute 2023 Global Essay Competition. Supported by the University of Oxford and Princeton University, the institute encourages “students to become more academically ambitious and intellectually adventurous”, with more than 19,000 essay entries.

In Year 9, JJ was placed first in New Zealand for his efforts in the annual KIWI Competitions for Science and Mathematics.