Belarusian biologists, physicists, chemists and IT specialists capture fourteen medals at international Olympiads
Indonesia’s Bali recently hosted the 25th International Biology Olympiad, with several Belarusians clinching prizes. Tatiana Skugarevskaya, an alumnus of the Belarusian State University’s Lyceum, won silver, while bronze went to Yekaterina Dragunova (a graduate of Mogilev’s secondary school #15) and Margarita Kurban (an alumnus of the BSU Lyceum).The event gathered 238 youngsters from 61 countries and had two rounds: practical and theoretical. The former focused on molecular and cell biology, plant anatomy and physiology, animal anatomy and systematics, ecology and ethology. The theoretical round comprised questions on molecular and cell biology, plant and animal physiology, genetics and evolution, ecology, ethology and bio-systematics.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Astana recently hosted the 45th International Physics Olympiad, with Belarus represented by five students: from Minsk, Mogilev, Soligorsk and the BSU Lyceum. Four youngsters won silver medals: Anton Khvalyuk (an alumnus of Minsk’s gymnasium #29), Ilya Perapechka (Soligorsk’s gymnasium #3) and BSU Lyceum students Stasis Chyuchyurka and Alexey Gorlach. Meanwhile, a student from Mogilev’s state regional lyceum #3 received a commendation.
This annual competition for senior physics students has been held since 1967, acknowledging the growing significance of physics in all spheres of science and engineering, as well as being part of young people’s education. Its focus is the development of international education-related relations in the field of physics. This year’s Olympiad gathered around 400 schoolchildren from 86 countries, and comprised a theoretical round (three problems based on the school curriculum) and experimental tasks. In 2015, the Olympiad is to be hosted by India.
In late July, Vietnamese Hanoi hosted the 46th International Chemistry Olympiad, attracting 193 participants from 75 countries. Belarus was represented by four pupils: Andrey Loiko (Minsk’s secondary school #165), Alexandra Radchenko (a graduate of Molodechno’s gymnasium’s #7), Andrey Shved (Minsk’s gymnasium #12) and Andrey Semenov (a graduate of Minsk’s Yanka Kupala secondary school #19). All won silver medals except Semenov, who took bronze. This Olympiad was first held in 1968, in Czech Prague — aiming to enhance schoolchildren’s interest in chemistry. Each country was then represented by a team comprising at least four youngsters and two teachers. The 47th Olympiad is to take place in Baku (Azerbaijan).
In late July, the Taiwan capital hosted the 26th International Informatics Olympiad, with pupils from 82 countries competing. The Belarusian team won silver, thanks to Alexey Vistyazh (Grodno Region’s Ivye secondary school) and two bronze medals: Barbara Kuskova (Vitebsk gymnasium #1) and Dmitry Demidko (Gomel’s state regional lyceum).
