Coastal Carolina University will host the Dr. Subhash C. Saxena Math Contest (33rd annual) for high school students, sponsored by Subhash C. Saxena, on Friday, March 9 from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. in the Wall Auditorium. The purpose of this event is to stimulate interest in mathematics among high school students. Several South Carolina high schools will compete for awards, prizes and scholarships in two levels of competition.

The following high schools will participate: Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology; A.C. Flora; Academic Magnet; Aynor; Bishop England; Carvers Bay; Conway; Creek Bridge, Dutch Fork; Goose Creek, Green Sea Floyds; Hammond; Scholars Academy; South Aiken, West Florence; Williston-Elko; and Wilson.

Coastal Carolina University offers a Coastal Scholars Award to the highest scoring Horry County senior on the Level II test.

In addition to the competitions, Coastal Carolina University professor Menassie Ephrem will give a presentation titled "Cryptography: Secret Sharing." Ephrem, an associate professor of mathematics, earned a master's degree at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and a Ph.D. from Arizona State University.

CCU professor Andrew Incognito will be presenting contest solutions. Incognito, an associate professor of mathematics, earned bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees from Temple University.

Saxena, retired math professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, endowed the fund for the annual math contest.

Schedule of events of interest: 9 - 10 a.m. -- Registration for competition

10:10 to 10:40 a.m. -- Presentation by Menassie Ephrem

11 to 11:50 a.m. -- Competition in the classrooms

12:45 to 1:30 p.m. -- Presentation by Andrew Incognito

1:30 to 2:15 p.m. -- Awards Presentation with Saxena

For more information, contact Coastal Carolina University's Department of Mathematics and Statistics at 843-349-2004.