Casino theme deals Maths victory

Wednesday 28 March 2007
Casino theme deals Maths victory
Maths were crowned the 2007 Student Skills Competition champions on Wednesday 21 March and in the process earned themselves a cash prize of £1500 which was sponsored by RPS Group.

Team members Jenny Daniels, Ed Davies, Elen Jones, Zoe Dunn and Sally Thompson built a stand on the theme of a Casino which took its inspiration from the film Ocean 11, and featured a variety of board games and a day long poker game with chocolate money for prizes. Their presentation called on the mathematical skills of team members to be applied to solve a casino based crime.

Speaking after the result was announced Ed said:
“We're absolutely elated to have won. We weren't expecting it at all, and all the hard work has paid off at last! Our presentation was based on a team of criminal masterminds who all had different skills and one was a police officer who with a team of mathematicians had to follow a plan.  Our Stand was based on a Casino theme and we had a poker match that lasted all day, it was sort of like the film Ocean 11.  We had loads of games all day like countdown and we had loads of chocolate money as prizes! It’s been a really fun and unforgettable day.”

The prize for Best Presentation and £500 sponsored by the BBC, was won by the team from the English Department; Fern Daish, Graham Reynolds, Hannah Chmielewska, Kathleen Taylor, Laura Parrack, Leona Smart, Luke Robinson and Sarah Payne.

The prize for Best Stand and £500 sponsored by The Army, was won by the team from Biological Sciences; Jonathan Rass, David Williams Parry, Mbeledogu Chukwudumebi and Ian Paynter.

The event, which is in its eleventh year, has proved to be very successful and generated a great deal of interest amongst students and staff. Speaking before the winners were announced, Chairman of the Judges, Michael Hunting from Whitebeam Connections Ltd, said:
“We really enjoy the student skills competition which is why many of us come back year after year. The teams are to be congratulated on their efforts, both for the presentations and the stands, but we must say the stands this year are the best we have seen! This is a fantastic event and it is great to see all the students engage with the public.”

The judges at this year’s Students Skills Competition featured three Aber graduates, Gareth Davies who studied Law and now working for Veredus, Andrew Evans who also studied Law and now working for HBJ Gateley Wareing, and Emily Hayes who studied at IGES and is now working for the events main sponsor RPS Group. The other four judges were Marline Freckleton from BBC Wales, Maggie Hill representing the Countryside Council for Wales, Chairman Michael Hunting from Whitebeam Connections Ltd and John Johnston from Amoeba Publications.

The year’s event also marked the end of an era. For Lynda Rollason, who has organised the Students Skills Competition for the past 9 years, this was he last event. Professor Noel Lloyd thanked her for all her enthusiasm and hard work and presented her with a bouquet of flowers, and Douglas Lamont from RPS Group presented her with a magnum of pink champagne.