SCUDEM - SIMIODE Challenge Using Differential Equations Modeling
QUBES
ystemic
nitiative for
odeling
nvestigations &
pportunities with
ifferential
quations
EXPO X 2025
Problems Posted  Here!!
Summary Report
of EXPO X 2025 Participation
Outstanding Awards Team Videos Are Posted at
SIMIODE YouTube site
SCUDEM is supported by MathWorks.
Fully Registered student teams are provided a
FREE copy of MATLAB
MathWorks offered a Differential Equations Modeling webinar on 9 October 2025.
Here is information
on viewing the 48-minute webinar and downloading resources.
Want More Modeling Challenges or Competitions?
COMAP Modeling Competitions. See
Institute of Competition Sciences. See
General Information about SCUDEM
SCUDEM
IMIODE
hallenge
sing
ifferential
quations
odeling is a 3-student group modeling challenge that runs over multiple days culminating in a strict limit 10 minute video which is reviewed by at least 3 judges.
Teams choose one of the Challenge Problems provided in the areas of
physics/engineering,
chemistry/life sciences,
social sciences,
and develop a model using differential or difference equations and a presentation.
Teams and Coaches may meet remotely or in person. Student challengers must work with their team without other animate assistance, including from their coach, during the challenge period. Team submissions will be judged
Outstanding
Meritorious
, or
Successful
Read the
Complete Rules
for details of the challenge.
See
problem statements and results for past events
in our wiki.
SIMIODE's YouTube channel
features presentations of past Outstanding Award recipients.
As a Judge, you have the opportunity to help students develop their mathematical modeling skills.  If you'd like to support our teams' intellectual growth, as well as help them to network, then please
volunteer as a Judge for SCUDEM X 2025
Consider
volunteering as a Coach
for SCUDEM X 2025. Plan to start working with your team before SCUDEM begins in order to help prepare these energetic students for the modeling experience.
MathWorks software information
We are pleased to offer all SCUDEM X 2025 participants (team members and coaches) a complimentary MATLAB & Simulink license. For registered SCUDEM X 2025 participants you can visit
this webpage
and press "Request Software" to acquire your license. MathWorks customer services will send you a license key within 48 hours. You can then use this key to install MATLAB following the instructions from
video
You can experience and learn about MATLAB immediately after registration here at these helpful sites.
MATLAB Onramp
Essentials of Math Modeling — Basic Programming in MATLAB
Essentials of Math Modeling — Difference and Differential Equations
SCUDEM is administered by
SIMIODE
, a non-profit Community of Practice focused on a modeling first approach to teaching differential equations. SIMIODE is a US 501(c)(3) charitable organization and
donations
to support SIMIODE's mission are always appreciated.
SCUDEM IN THE NEWS
MAA
Math Horizons
Article by Student Team
A wonderful article,
SCUDEM Competition
, published in the Mathematical Association of America’s  journal
Math Horizons
by Aidan Bryant and Aryan Tiwari of the University of Florida, discusses in great detail a team effort leading to an Outstanding Award in SCUDEM VIII 2023. This piece was beautifully written in a personal tone by students. See the team
video presentation
in SIMIODE’s YouTube Channel.
Math Horizons
is one of many great journals available for
membership
in MAA.  ©
Mathematical Association of America
, 2025. All rights reserved.
SCUDEM Testimonials
Stuyvesant High School
Stuvesant High School, a science and mathematics school in Manhattan, New York City, shares news of its participating teams in SCUDEM IX 2024 in a very
engaging and informative articl
e written by student journalists in the school newspaper,
The Spectator.
Achieving Team Success
What do these schools have in common?  Click on their name to find out.
Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate TN USA
University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE USA
Brno University of Technology, Brno CZECH REPUBLIC;
Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne FL USA
Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University, Saint Petersburg RUSSIA;
Central Academy, Des Moine IA USA
Texas A&M University, Commerce TX USA
Masaryk University, Brno CZECH REPUBLIC;
Penn State Berks, Reading PA USA
MassBay Community College, Wellesley MA USA
University of Florida, Gainesville FL USA
All shared good news about SCUDEM. Join them!
University of Delhi
An example of scope and breadth of participation. Congratulations to Arya Yadav, Utkarsh Singh, and Kamaldeep Bhatt (holding their team certificates) for this amazing team effort and Meritorious Award and a heartfelt thanks for the opportunity at SCUDEM VIII 2023 under Coach Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Rajni Arora, Shyam Lal College of the University of Delhi, New Delhi INDIA.
The Collegial Conversation webinar
Watch the Collegial Conversation webinar
from 27 September 2021, conducted by Brian Winkel (Director SIMIODE) and Anthony Stefan (Florida Institute of Technology) for practical advice for Coaches and Student Challengers. The
slides of the presentation
include helpful links to details and guiding materials.
SCUDEM Team Papers Published
The Outstanding SCUDEM IX 2024 Team from Duquesne University
The Outstanding SCUDEM IX 2024 Team (Megan Kwiatkowski, Mitchell Livengood, Kyla Covato) from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh PA 15282 has published their model as a paper,
Heavy metal never tasted so good: A mathematical model of cadmium exposure from dark chocolate consumption
, as part of the SCUDEM IX 2024 Modeling Challenge, in the
Pittsburgh Interdisciplinary Mathematics Review
, Volume 23, Number 1, pp. 107-131. The team was coached by DR Kimberly F. Williams.
The Outstanding SCUDEM V 2020 Team from Florida Institute of Technology
The Outstanding SCUDEM V 2020 Team (Miles Pophal, Chenming Zhen, Henry Bae) from Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne FL USA has published their model as a paper,
Using Differential Equations to Model a Cockatoo on a Spinning Wheel as part of the SCUDEM V Modeling Challenge
, in the
Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal
, Volume 23, Number 1. The team was coached by Anthony Stefan while a graduate student at Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne FL USA.
The Outstanding SCUDEM Team IV 2019 Team from Florida Institute of Technology
The Outstanding SCUDEM IV 2019 Team (Z. Fralish, N. Hallmark, J. Marshall) from Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne FL USA has published their model as a paper,
Using Differential Equations to Model Phoretic Parasitism as Part of SCUDEM Challenge
, in the
International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education
, Volume 16, Issue 1. The team was coached by Jay Elsinger, faculty member at Florida Southern University, Lakeland FL USA.
The Outstanding SCUDEM III 2018 Team from Florida Southern University
The Outstanding SCUDEM III 2018 Team (Z. Fralish, A. Stefan, B. Tyson) from Florida Southern University, Lakeland FL USA has published their model as a paper,
Using Differential Equations to Model Predator-Prey Relations as Part of SCUDEM Modeling Challenge
, in the
Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal
, Volume 20, Issue 2. The team was coached by Jay Elsinger, faculty member at Florida Southern University, Lakeland FL USA.
SCUDEM Competition
A wonderful article,
SCUDEM Competition
, published in the Mathematical Association of America’s  journal
Math Horizons
by Aidan Bryant and Aryan Tiwari of the University of Florida, discusses in great detail a team effort leading to an Outstanding Award in SCUDEM VIII 2023. This piece was beautifully written in a personal tone by students.
Math Horizons
is one of many great journals available for
membership
in MAA.  ©
Mathematical Association of America
, 2025. All rights reserved.
If your team or coach has published a paper about your work on SCUDEM we would like to hear about it and add it to this list.
Created by
Leigh Noble
Last Modified Tue March 31, 2026 8:41 am by
Larry Theden