Devin, Class of 2026: From ISHCMC to Seoul National University

ISHCMC
2 hours ago
2 min read

After 12 years and an international math medal, Devin is off to study Physics at Seoul National University.

For a student who has spent 12 years at ISHCMC chasing the question of why things work the way they do, it's a fitting next chapter.

"Physics intrigues me because it lets me use mathematics to understand what's going on around us," he says. "A phrase I always like for physics is, 'Everything happens for a reason.'"

That curiosity has been there from the start. Devin has been competing in math competitions since fourth grade, always looking for a harder problem to solve. Earlier this year, that path took him to Imperial College London for the World Mathematics Championship Senior Finals, where he spent a week in university dorms solving problems alongside some of the most talented young mathematicians in the world. He came home with the individual high-point medal.

His Extended Essay pushed the same instinct further, examining how braking force in bicycle hydraulic disc brakes affects the angular deceleration of a wheel. The topic was technical, but what stayed with him was the process.

"It kind of felt like I was writing an actual academic paper," he says. "Conducting experiments, interpreting data, evaluating errors, it was all new to me, and more rewarding than anything else I've done here."

Math was never the whole story. Over 12 years Devin also swam with the ISHCMC Stingrays and performed with the ISHCMC Orchestra, the kind of full involvement he credits to the school itself.

"The learning experience at ISHCMC is challenging but rewarding," he reflects. "I can't think of anything I learned that was useless. Everything gave me a sense of accomplishment."

As he leaves, Devin has a message for the rest of the Class of 2026: "I know all of you are talented. Keep shining your way, and make your own path if you have to. You will make it, and I really emphasize the 'will.'"