News Release

U.S. student from Ohio wins the top gold medal in International Chemistry Olympiad

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American Chemical Society

Together, U.S. team achieves its best finish ever with three gold medals and one silver in competition held in Thailand

Washington, D.C., July 14 - For the first time ever an American student has taken the top gold medal in the 31st International Chemistry Olympiad, held this year in Bangkok, Thailand. Seventeen-year old Timothy Jones of New Concord, Ohio, finished first place in the overall competition.

The U.S. team, sponsored by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, also achieved its best finish ever with three gold medals and one silver after 8 days of rigorous competition against nearly 200 students from over 50 countries.

"Make no mistake: American students can achieve top honors in science in worldwide competition," said Sylvia Ware, director of education and international activities at the American Chemical Society. Calling the win "a true team effort," she noted the importance of support for advanced science students: "With families, teachers, senior chemists and the U.S. Air Force Academy standing behind them, these outstanding young people have been able to achieve best-in-the-world status."

Jones, who boarded and graduated from the North Carolina School for Science and Math in Durham, NC, will enter the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., this fall.

Sixteen-year-old Wei Ho, a graduate of New Berlin West High School in New Berlin, Wis., was also awarded a gold medal. Seventeen-year-old Alexander Ho (no relation to Wei Ho) graduated from Niles West High School in Lincolnwood, Ill., and was also honored with a gold medal. Lisa Carlivati, an eighteen-year old graduate of the Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology in Reston, Va., received a silver medal. Wei and Lisa will both attend Harvard University this fall and Alexander the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The Olympians competed in a five-hour laboratory practical and a rigorous five-hour theoretical exam designed at a level which would challenge most second and third-year college students. In addition to competition, activities allowed students to experience the culture of Bangkok through pre-arranged educational and social events. The competition was held July 4-11.

The four U.S. team members were selected from about 10,000 high school students nationwide. In the initial phase of competition 20 students were selected to compete for one of the four spots on the Olympic team during a two-week chemistry training camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., last month. Accompanying the team to Bangkok were two adult mentors and coaches: Dr. Jesse Bernstein of the Hawken School in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and Col. Larry Strawser of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

The International Chemistry Olympiad originated with Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary in 1968 and was quickly joined by other eastern European countries. Western Europe began participating in 1974. The first U.S. team competed in 1984, winning a silver and two bronze medals. Each country sends four contestants and two coaches to the host country for seven to ten days of exams, lectures, recreation and tours.

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The location of the International Chemistry Olympiad changes each year. Next year's competition will be held in Denmark.

Participation of the U.S. team is sponsored by the American Chemical Society (ACS). It is principally funded by the ACS Othmer Olympiad Endowment, with additional support from the U.S. Air Force Academy, IBM Research, Merck Publishing Group, Texas Instruments Inc., and W.H. Freeman & Company.

A nonprofit organization with a membership of nearly 159,000 chemists and chemical engineers, the American Chemical Society publishes scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences, and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. www.acs.org

The web page for the 31st International Chemistry Olympiad is scicsws01.sci.ku.ac.th/~icho31



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