Thirty-one of Australia’s brightest high school scientists and mathematicians have won selection to represent Australia at the UNESCO-sanctioned International Science, Informatics and Mathematical Olympiads – the world’s toughest maths and science competitions for teenagers. They will compete against more than 2,000 of the world’s brightest students.
The young Olympians will receive their Australian team blazers, and hear from the Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic, and Chief Scientist, Dr Cathy Foley, at an official team announcement ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra, on Monday 20 June. Media are invited to attend.
The selected students represent 23 schools from the ACT, NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and WA. They have spent a year participating in exams and intensive training to make the cut. The students have succeeded against more than 20,000 other students in extension programs and qualifying exams, competing against a shortlist of 237 to attend specialised training for ultimate selection of the teams.
This year’s teams include Australia’s first student to achieve the top overall score at the Asian Physics Olympiad, who beat more than 200 competitors from 28 countries, and a Year 8 student from Melbourne who has outperformed senior high school students to represent Australia in mathematics. Grace Chang Yuan, a Year 12 student from Methodist Ladies’ College in Victoria, has also been chosen for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) after scoring a gold medal and ranking sixth in the world in the European Girls Mathematical Olympiad held earlier this year.
Locally, two Canberra students are part of the Olympiads teams, with students from Narrabundah College and Merici College.
Year 12 student, Fredy Yip, from Knox Grammar School in Sydney (and 2020 IMO gold medallist), won the recent Asian Physics Olympiad with a gold medal and the top overall score of 47.6 out of 50. He said, “I am delighted that my passion for physics has been recognised and I hope my achievement will inspire other students.”
Year 8 mathematics team member, William Cheah, from Melbourne’s Scotch College is the youngest member of the IMO team and has been in the Australian Maths Trust’s Olympiad training program since he was in Year 5. He sat the Year 7 level of the Australian Mathematics Competition when he was in Year 4, receiving a gold medal.
“It is an exciting opportunity to represent Australia at the IMO, and I look forward to meeting inspiring students from around the world,” William said.
The mathematics team will travel to compete in the IMO in Norway – the first time a team has travelled internationally since the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The science and informatics Olympians will compete in online exams and challenges supervised at approved competition venues in Australia.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES TO:
Debra Maynard on 0407 299 007 for the Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Physics Olympiads.
Threesides Marketing Lauren Griffiths, 0417 409 264, for the Mathematical and Informatics Olympiads.
Also contact: Abra Pressler on 02 6125 6282 for International Science Olympiad enquiries.
MEDIA BACKGROUNDER
Olympiad programs are funded through the Australian Government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda. Additional support for the Science Olympiads comes from the Australian National University. Optiver is the National Sponsor of the Australian Informatics and Mathematical Olympiads.
Australia’s International Science and Mathematical Olympiads programs are run by the not-for-profit Australian Science Innovations (biology, chemistry, Earth science and physics) and the Australian Maths Trust (mathematics and informatics).
The Australian team members for the 2022 International Science and Mathematical Olympiads are as follows:
International Biology Olympiad
10–18 July
Koen Dubrow Year 12 Ivanhoe Grammar School VIC
Douglas Joshi Year 12 Balwyn High School VIC
Quinton Nguyen Year 12 Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School VIC
Chi Chi Zhao Year 12 St Peter’s Collegiate Girls School SA
International Chemistry Olympiad
10–18 July
Daniel Wang Year 12 Baulkham Hills High School NSW
Kevin Wang Year 12 The Kings School NSW
Kerui Yang Year 12 James Ruse Agricultural High School NSW
Owen Yi Year 12 James Ruse Agricultural High School NSW
International Earth Science Olympiad
24–30 August
Adrian Lehane Year 12 Narrabundah College ACT
Jacinta Rees Year 11 Meriden School NSW
Sean Roe Year 11 John Monash Science School VIC
Lauren Singh Year 11 Alstonville High School NSW
Georgia Tonkin Year 12 Merici College ACT
David Wang Year 11 Brisbane State High School QLD
Edmond Wu Year 12 Knox Grammar School NSW
Jonathon Zhong Year 10 James Ruse Agricultural High School NSW
3/…
International Olympiad in Informatics
7–15 August
Joshua Chen Year 12 Christ Church Grammar School WA
Jerry Zirui Li Year 11 James Ruse Agricultural High School NSW
Evan Lin Year 11 Melbourne High School VIC
Arthur Sun Year 11 Scotch College VIC
International Mathematical Olympiad
6–16 July
William Cheah Year 8 Scotch College VIC
Sizhe Pan Year 11 James Ruse Agricultural High School NSW
Zian Shang Year 11 Scotch College VIC
Christopher Tran Year 11 The University High School VIC
Tony Yuzheng Wu Year 12 Killara High School NSW
Grace Chang Yuan Year 12 Methodist Ladies’ College VIC
International Physics Olympiad
10–18 July
Lydia Colla Year 12 Loreto Kirribilli NSW
Austin Lin Year 12 Barker College NSW
Vincent Ng Year 12 James Ruse Agricultural High School NSW
Tianxia (Thomas) Qiao Year 12 Carey Baptist Grammar School VIC
Fredy Yip Year 12 Knox Grammar School NSW
Learn more about the Australian Science Olympiads at: www.asi.edu.au
Learn more about the Mathematical and Informatics Olympiads at: https://www.amt.edu.au/olympiad-programs
