• Purpose: To encourage students to investigate the sources, motivations and the development of mathematical ideas.
• The Competition: A 10-20 page expository paper on Mathematics and/or History of Mathematics and/or Philosophy of Mathematics. The topics may be chosen from any time period from ancient to modern. The subject of the paper may be pure, applied or both. The essay may also center on the discussion of mathematical ideas evolving from (or contributing to) important advances in engineering, statistics, logic and foundations, or the physical and biological sciences.While the focus of the paper should be on mathematical ideas, it may also include a collateral presentation of individuals who made major contributions. Attention should be paid to the quality of the prose, organization of the narrative, and identification of source materials.
• Eligibility: Undergraduate or graduate students at UF, including High School students taking a course at UF. Multiple authors within this population are allowed, all authors of an essay are considered equal.
• The Prize: One or two scholarships may be awarded. The total amount for these awards is typically $500.
• Manuscript Due Date: Manuscripts in PDF form should be submitted via email to Prof. Jindrich Zapletal, zapletal@ufl.edu by 11:59PM on Friday, March 21, 2025. In your email message, indicate whether you are an undergraduate or graduate UF student, or a High School student taking a UF course.

The winning essays will be deposited in the Mathematics Little Hall Library and possibly inserted in Mathematics Department web pages. The winners will be notified mid-April, 2024. For further information, contact Prof. Jindrich Zapletal at zapletal@ufl.edu. A 2014 winning essay by Chase Saucier.