Science young guns hone skills at Monash
Australian Chemistry Olympiad team member Lachlan Vom
Australia’s brightest secondary-school science students are currently undertaking their final training sessions before taking on the world at the 2012 Science Olympiads.
The training sessions, held at Monash University’s Clayton campus, is the last chance the 16 budding scientists have to prepare for the International Science Olympiads to be held in July.
Like Olympic athletes, the science students have gone through a rigorous selection process and training schedule in the hope of representing Australia in biology, chemistry or physics on the international stage.
To earn a spot on the Australian Science Olympiad Team, the Year 10 and 11 students had to complete a challenging science exam and a summer school held at Monash in January before the final 16 students were announced.
The week-long training session at the University was the last opportunity the teams will have to brush up on the international science curriculum they will be tested on at the Olympiads.
Associate Professor Cristina Varsavsky, Associate Dean (Education) in the Faculty of Science, said she was delighted to have the opportunity to engage with the young scientists.
“It is a wonderful opportunity to enthuse the next generation of scientists,” Associate Professor Varsavsky said.
“The students all have a passion for science. The work is intense, with both this final training session and the Summer School great starting points for further studies in science.”
This year, teams from 80 countries will complete for gold, silver and bronze medals in each of the three science disciplines. The Biology Olympiad will be held in Singapore, the Physics Olympiad in Estonia and the Chemistry Olympiad in Washington DC.
The Australian Science Olympiad Competition is coordinated by Australian Science Innovation and made possible by Monash University and the Commonwealth Government.