Behind these results lies a distinctive support network of eleven academic staff from diverse disciplines, including computer science, mathematics, electrical and electronic engineering, chemistry, and composite materials.

Before the national contest, the Faculty of Science and Engineering organised an on-campus modeling competition, inviting these eleven mentors to provide pre-contest guidance to the winning teams.

Jiaqi Ye, a member of a third-prize team, recalled how his mentor recommended three reference books and reminded the team to pay close attention to competition rules. Faced with a radio-interference localisation problem, he and his teammates repeatedly adjusted their model and tested it through simulations. "I gradually learned how to break a seemingly complex real-world problem into solvable steps," he said. "That was my biggest takeaway."

For Yan Cui, a first-time provincial competitor, the guidance went beyond technical advice. "Our mentor organised two training sessions based on past problems, and the earlier campus contest helped us get used to working together," she said. "The three of us had clear roles and shared goals, and we kept communicating whenever we disagreed on modeling approaches."

Dr Yanwen Mao, who mentored two teams that both won provincial second prizes, sees preparation as building reliable methods rather than "doing more practice questions." He reminded students to focus on key assumptions, manage their time wisely, and use AI tools responsibly, while ensuring that core modeling ideas and conclusions remained their own. "AI is a tool, not a shortcut," he said. The real growth, he believes, comes from learning to make trade-offs under time pressure and take responsibility for one's own solutions.

Mathematical modeling tests far more than mathematical knowledge. It requires students to translate real-world problems into models and draw on knowledge from different fields. The cross-disciplinary backgrounds of the mentors offered students a wider range of perspectives.

Xinan Chen, who organised this year's campus competition, noted that most preparation took place during the summer holidays, when many students were away from campus. "Online discussions were very active though," she said, "and we hope to create more opportunities for face-to-face exchange next year."

For the Faculty, the value of a competition lies not only in the awards, but in the process of putting knowledge into practice. Moving forward, the Faculty will continue to support students through curriculum teaching, research opportunities and academic competitions—standing behind every student as they explore and grow.