During 2008 NRICH teamed up with Entrepreneurs in Action (EiA) to develop a series of mathematical business challenges aimed at highlighting the application of mathematical thinking skills in business contexts.
This innovative pilot project required a firm understanding of the role of mathematics in business and drew on the extensive business experiences of Derek Browne, chief executive of EiA, and the mathematical business skills Steve Hewson from NRICH developed during his time working as a financial modeller.
The results was the project 'Mathematics: From Classroom to Boardroom' in which 75 year 12, mathematically gifted learners from three City Challenge areas (Manchester, the Black Country and London) took part in a week-long series of mathematically focused business challenges, reinforcing the vital links between STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and business.
NRICH and EiA initially worked together to put together possible ideas for challenges which would be both rich yet accessible to Y12 students with a flair for mathematics. Businesses were then approached and challenges were created and developed by individuals in the businesses who were directly involved with using mathematics and quantitative thinking in their jobs.
Three businesses were involved with the challenges: The London Underground, online identity specialists Garlik, and the National Physics Laboratory. The challenges set involved
Planning for the demands on the London Underground around the time of the 2012 London Olympics.
Developing a way of determining a measure of 'online identity presence'.
Making recommendations on the use of bioinformatics in identity cards.
Students finally came together at Royal Holloway University in Surrey to work on these tasks in a high pressure, high energy environment, culminating in presentations to board members of the various businesses.