Who We Are:

The International Chemistry Olympiad started in Eastern Europe in 1968 and has grown to about 75 countries with New Zealand first competing in 1992. The NZ Chemistry Olympiad is a charitable organization managed by a group of trustees and each year the program is run on a voluntary basis by a small group of dedicated secondary and tertiary teachers.

To be eligible, students must be under 20 and not intending to attend University in the year of the International Olympiad. Students must be a NZ Citizen or permanent resident at the time of accepting a place in the training group and must have attended school in NZ for two of the last 4 years prior to selection for the training group. Students must also be at least 15 years of age at the time of the camp.

The New Zealand program involves:

• A 2-hour written exam in late October or early November which selects 80-100 students,
• A series of problem based assignments (February – March),
• A second exam in March to select the training group (about 30 with no more than 4 students from any one school),
• The camp (about 30 students) that takes place in the Term 1 holidays and includes a practical exam and a theory exam that are used to determine the final team of 4 students to represent NZ at the International competition,
• A training program during term 2 for the final 4 students (in anticipation of international competition).

The International Chemistry Olympiad examinations are arduous and involve a 5 hour practical examination followed 2 days later by a 5 hour theoretical examination. These occupy only 2 days of the week the students spend at the Olympiad, the remainder of the time allowing the students to establish personal and friendly contacts with other like-minded secondary students from a diverse range of cultures. They also are able to get acquainted with various aspects of the life of the host people and country.

Objectives:

Why is the Chemistry Olympiad worthwhile?

• The sending of teams to the Olympiads provides very powerful motivation and challenge for capable students.
• The training programs provide a cost-effective approach to enrichment to a wider student population beyond that provided in secondary schools.
• It attracts top students to a career in science or mathematics.
• Contact by students and leaders with their counterparts in many other countries benefits science and mathematics education in New Zealand. Teachers as well as tertiary lecturers are regularly mentors for the teams.
• The performances of the team members demonstrate that the New Zealand education system can produce students that are the equal of the best in the world.

Results:

The 53rd International Chemistry Olympiad competition (2021) was held remotely in Osaka, Japan. The NZ team earned 1 bronze medal and 3 honourable mentions.

The four students in the NZ team (shown in the picture L to R) were Daniel Jang (Honourable mention, Kings College), Mason Liu (Bronze, Rangitoto College), Abhinav Chawla (Honourable mention, Macleans college) and Sam Zhuang (Honourable mention, Kristin College). The team was mentored In Auckland by Dr Sheila Woodgate (BestChoice) and Professor Duncan McGillivray (University of Auckland).