Ghana's quiz mistress Prof. Elsie Kaufmann's son places second at major US mathematics competition

Augustus Kaufmann, son of renowned Ghanaian academic and legendary National Science and Maths Quiz mistress Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann, has placed second at the Ohio section of the Mathematical Association of America's annual Leo Schneider Student Team Competition, representing the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) Math Club.

The team, which featured undergraduates Nate Brown, Avi Chetlin, and Augustus Kaufmann, correctly solved eight mathematics problems out of ten, missing first place by just one point.

The margin was razor-thin, a single problem separating the CWRU trio from the top podium position.

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The Leo Schneider Student Team Competition is a prestigious annual collegiate mathematics contest held as part of the Ohio Section Spring Meeting of the Mathematical Association of America. Groups of three students collaborate to solve ten challenging mathematics problems, with the top three teams awarded cash prizes.

The problems covered topics such as calculus and linear algebra, were drawn from a standard mathematics undergraduate curriculum, varied in difficulty, and required both computation and a detailed explanation of answers. Crucially, no calculators, computers, or technology of any kind are allowed in the competition, students must rely entirely on their mathematical knowledge, analytical ability, and collective teamwork.

The competition honours the late Leo Schneider, a mathematician with a direct connection to CWRU itself. Schneider received his PhD from Case Western Reserve University and was a professor of mathematics and computer science at John Carroll University, where he served as an active member of the Ohio Section of the MAA, including as its President.

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Beyond competitive mathematics, Augustus Effah Kaufmann is an active member of the university's mathematics community. He serves as Risk Manager on the leadership team of the CWRU Math Club.

This is not his first notable appearance in collegiate mathematics competition. A CWRU Math Club team scored 21 out of 90 on a previous undergraduate mathematics competition and placed second within the Ohio teams, tying with John Carroll University, while Cleveland State University came in first. That team also included Augustus Kaufmann alongside Emily Ye and Avi Chetlin.

For Ghanaians, the Kaufmann name carries enormous weight. Augustus's mother, Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann, is one of the most celebrated figures in Ghana's educational history, a pioneering biomedical engineer, a trailblazing academic administrator, and the beloved face of the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ).

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Elsie Akosua Biraa Effah Kaufmann is a Ghanaian academic, academic administrator, biomedical engineer, and television host, and has been the host of the National Science and Maths Quiz since 2006.

Her academic credentials are world-class. She holds a PhD, an MSE, and a BSE cum laude, all from the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. Before joining the University of Ghana in 2001, she completed postdoctoral study at Rutgers University, where she worked as a research supervisor in the Department of Chemistry.