Modeling Olympic Sports Selection & HPC Environmental Impact – HiMCM 2024 Guide

The 2024 HiMCM competition released its problem set on November 6, 2024, giving teams 14 days to select a topic, build a model, solve it, and submit a paper.

Problem Overview

2024 HiMCM Problem A: Play or Not – Modeling for the Future Olympic Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is preparing the 2032 Brisbane Summer Olympics and will adjust sports, disciplines, and events (SDEs) to stay relevant and impactful. Criteria include popularity, gender equality, sustainability, inclusivity, relevance, safety, and more.

Popularity and Accessibility : Boost Olympic appeal while controlling costs and logistics.

Gender Equality : Ensure equal participation opportunities for men and women.

Sustainability : Promote environmental and social responsibility.

Inclusivity : Represent diverse cultures and involve at least 75 countries across four continents.

Relevance and Innovation : Attract younger audiences, reflect modern trends, and incorporate virtual sports while respecting tradition.

Safety and Fair Competition : Protect athletes and enforce anti‑doping measures.

Your team (HiMCM Olympic Consultant, HOC) is tasked by the IOC to develop a mathematical model to evaluate which SDEs should be added or removed for the 2032 Games.

Tasks include identifying quantitative and qualitative factors, incorporating them into a model, validating with data from past Olympics, recommending three new or reinstated SDEs for 2032, and assessing model robustness.

Summarize the model and recommendations for the IOC in non‑technical language.

2024 HiMCM Problem B: Examining the Environmental Impact of High‑Performance Computing

As demand for HPC grows in AI, data science, and cryptocurrency mining, its environmental footprint becomes a concern, with significant energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Key environmental impacts include:

Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions : Large energy use, especially from fossil fuels, leads to a high carbon footprint.

Water Usage : Cooling systems consume substantial water.

E‑Waste : Production, use, and disposal of hardware generate waste.

Resource Depletion : Rare‑earth mining for hardware harms ecosystems.

Land Use : Data centers occupy land, affecting local ecology.

Air Quality : Power generation and operations cause pollution.

Chemical Use : Cooling chemicals can leak if mishandled.

Socio‑Economic Impact : Energy access inequality may arise.

Noise Pollution : Facility noise affects communities and wildlife.

Network Infrastructure : Extensive data transmission requires broad networks.

Tasks include describing global HPC energy consumption, building a comprehensive model to quantify carbon emissions, forecasting future demand, simulating renewable energy adoption, extending the model to other impacts, and proposing technical and policy solutions.

Submit a letter to the UN Advisory Committee urging inclusion of HPC environmental analysis in the 2030 agenda.

Competition Rules

Teams: 1‑4 high‑school students from the same school plus a mentor.

Timeline: November 6‑19, 2024 (14 days).

Problem Choice: Choose either Problem A or B.

Resources: Use computers, literature, software, but no external assistance.

Paper Submission: Submit an English paper ≤25 pages within the 14‑day window.

Awards: Outstanding: ~1% of teams. Finalist: ~7%. Meritorious: ~13%. Honorable Mention: ~33%. Successful Participant: Remaining teams.

Important Notes

Time Management: Plan the 14 days wisely.

Team Collaboration: Leverage each member’s strengths.

Paper Quality: Ensure clear structure, rigorous argument, and proper academic language.

Best wishes to all participants for outstanding performance in this HiMCM competition!