Natalie Kwok, Department of Mathematics | April 23, 2026
The undergraduate team topped the scoreboard for the sixth year in a row and also took the Elizabeth Lowell Putnam Prize again.
In an outstanding performance at the 86th William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, MIT’s team once again took the top spot for the sixth consecutive year. MIT secured four of the five Putnam Fellows, who are the five highest-ranking students, and the Elizabeth Lowell Putnam Prize, which is given to a woman whose “performance in the competition is particularly meritorious.”
The members of the winning team, consisting of junior Cheng Jiang, senior Luke Robitaille, and first-year Chunji Wang, were all awarded as Putnam Fellows alongside senior Zixiang Zhou, each receiving a $2,500 award for their performance. Notably, Robitaille is a four-time Putnam Fellow, having received the award for each year of his studies. For a second consecutive year, sophomore Jessica Wan was awarded the Elizabeth Lowell Putnam Prize and received $1,000.
