M3 Challenge Video Contest

About the contest

Prizes: The top two teams from each category will receive a swag box and one $100 gift card (via email). Celebratory team dinner, anyone?  

View highlights of the 2024 video submissions!

Category 1: Your M3 Challenge Weekend Experience

What did your M3 Challenge Weekend look like? Create a 2–3 minute video documenting your M3 Challenge experience. Consider light editing and copyright-free music so you can include all the best parts! Some ideas of things to include in your video:

  • How you prepared for Challenge weekend
  • How you approached solving the problem
  • What you would have done differently
  • Obstacles, funny situations, or reflections
  • Advice for future participants
  • Teamwork and team fun

Category 2: Direct an M3 Challenge Commercial

Create a 30-second commercial, aimed toward high school students or teachers, promoting M3 Challenge. Some ideas of things to include in your video:

  • M3 Challenge description
  • Your favorite parts of M3 Challenge
  • The importance of math modeling
  • How M3 Challenge has helped you
  • M3 Challenge resources

Eligibility

If you’re participating in the Challenge this year, you’re eligible!

ALL teams can submit a contest video if they submit a solution paper; even if you are not finished with a paper within your work time period, partial submissions are accepted, encouraged, and judged.

Your videos MUST include your M3 Challenge team ID #.

Teams may only enter in one category; duplicate submissions will not be accepted.

Publicity

By participating, each entrant grants MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge permission to use their submission and his/her/their name, likeness, comments and videos for publicity or any relevant purposes without payment of additional consideration, except were prohibited by law.

The M3 Challenge video contest is organized by MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (“Organizer”). This contest is governed by these official rules (“Official Rules and Guidelines”). By participating in the contest, each entrant agrees to abide by these Official Rules, including all eligibility requirements, and understands that the results of the contest, as determined by Organizer and its agents, are final in all respects.

Name of the game  
Be sure to tell viewers that you’re competing in MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge, also known as M3 Challenge. Getting the name right matters! 

Speak to us!  
Some of the most compelling submissions show teams talking about their experiences during M3 Challenge weekend. If your team gets shy in front of a camera, ask each other questions: What has been the most rewarding part of the experience? What have you learned—not just about math modeling, but about yourselves and each other? What helped you make it through 14 hours? What’s something that surprised you about competing in the Challenge? 

Tell a story  
You won’t necessarily know what the story is when you’re filming, but take a minute before you start editing to think about the narrative you want to convey. Many teams are successful with a chronological video showing their journey from downloading the problem to uploading their solution. Teams that have really let their creativity shine—by making an M3 Challenge commercial, for instance—have also done well. Don’t be afraid to try something different—other story arcs are certainly welcome! 

Pro tips: 

  • Avoid shaky video
  • Capture video that has clear audio with one person speaking at a time 
  • When possible, make sure people are well-lit and the background is free of excessive clutter 
  • Maintain the energy; grab our attention and then keep things moving!