A Moro student from Marawi City—known for his exceptional talent in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and statistics—is set to pursue higher education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) after winning top awards in national and international Olympiads.
Mohammad Nur Casib, an 18-year-old senior at the Philippine Science High School-Central Mindanao Campus (PSHS-CMC) in Lanao del Norte, has been a consistent gold medalist in various science and math competitions.
He recently clinched the Absolute Winner & Gold Medalist titles at the 2025 Philippine Physics Olympiad (PPO) held at the University of the Philippines Los Baños on March 15-16.
He also won gold at the 27th Philippine Mathematical Olympiad (PMO) and the 24th Philippine National Chemistry Olympiad (PNCO) in March. His victories secured his eligibility to represent the Philippines at the 2025 International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) in Dubai this July.
Journey to MIT Class of 2029
Nur’s acceptance into MIT, ranked as the world’s top university by QS World University Rankings, was announced on March 14 (Pi Day)—a day celebrated by mathematicians worldwide.
Despite the pressure of upcoming competitions, he decided to check his admission status before the Philippine Physics Olympiad began.
“I could have just viewed my admission results later, since a rejection or waiting list could have ‘discouraged’ us… Having faith to myself and to Allah… I braved the circumstances and peeked… We made it!” Nur told MindaNews on Sunday.
His admission letter, signed by MIT Dean of Admissions Stuart Schmill, described him as one of the most talented and promising students among thousands of applicants worldwide.
Nur is the first PSHS-CMC student—and likely the first from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)—to be admitted to MIT. He has received a full scholarship and is considering a double major in Chemistry and Artificial Intelligence.
Breaking Barriers for the Bangsamoro
Nur’s achievements extend beyond academics. He has represented the Philippines in international Olympiads since he was 12, earning gold, silver, and bronze medals in prestigious competitions.
His most notable victories include:
· Gold at the 17th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in Brazil (2024), the first-ever for the Philippines
· Gold at the 36th Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad (APMO) (2024)
· Gold at the 24th National Statistical Challenge (2025), where he was named the competition’s first-ever Most Valuable Person (MVP)
Despite the gruelling schedule of back-to-back contests this year—coinciding with Ramadan—Nur continued to excel, fasting while competing in multiple Olympiads across different fields.
His father, Dr. Norodin Casib, described the period as “very tough,” but said his son’s dedication never wavered.
With his MIT journey ahead, Nur will continue to represent BARMM and the Philippines in three major international Olympiads later in July this year.
