Judges'Commentary 167 Conclusion The judges extend their congratulations to all who participated in the con- test. It is a pleasure to see the variety of approaches taken by the different teams; some of these were novel and interesting. The number of excellent pa pers made the judging both enjoyable and difficult. The problem this year was extremely challenging and the ability to both research and thenmodelin a short period of time was impressive Two facets of this years ICM are worth noting The importance of understanding the underlying science in formulating mathematical models. In the practice of modeling, assumptions should be carefully thought out and checked and, whenever possible, experts should How critical communication skills are to the analyst. a great mathematical model is not likely to be used if not clearly and concisely explained Recommendations for Future Participants Not even ingenious solutions are a substitute for clear exposition Ensure that the assumptions you make are clear to the reader, and address them in your conclusions and recommendations Address all aspects of the problem that are asked. Between two equally-clear explanations, the shorter one is better. Properly citing sources is critical. Judges notice plagiarized material and disqualify papers that contain it; cite as you go, not at the end The recommendations and sensitivity analysis are often as important as the model itself. Frequently, it is better to have a well-analyzed model that accounts for slightly less than a comprehensive but untested one Teammembers should work to integrate their final submissions. Your paper should read as though it has only one author.Judges' Commentary 167 Conclusion The judges extend their congratulations to all who participated in the con￾test. It is a pleasure to see the variety of approaches taken by the different teams; some of these were novel and interesting. The number of excellent pa￾pers made the judging both enjoyable and difficult. The problem this year was extremely challenging and the ability to both research and then model in a short period of time was impressive. Two facets of this year's ICM are worth noting: "* The importance of understanding the underlying science in formulating mathematical models. In the practice of modeling, assumptions should be carefully thought out and checked and, whenever possible, experts should be consulted. "* How critical communication skills are to the analyst. A great mathematical model is not likely to be used if not dearly and concisely explained. Recommendations for Future Participants "* Not even ingenious solutions are a substitute for clear exposition. "* Ensure that the assumptions you make are dear to the reader, and address them in your conclusions and recommendations. "* Address all aspects of the problem that are asked. "* Between two equally-clear explanations, the shorter one is better. "* Properly citing sources is critical. Judges notice plagiarized material and disqualify papers that contain it; cite as you go, not at the end. "* The recommendations and sensitivity analysis are often as important as the model itself. Frequently, it is better to have a well-analyzed model that accounts for slightly less than a comprehensive but untested one. "* Team members should work to integrate their final submissions. Your paper should read as though it has only one author