Silver medal for Year 9 student at Science Olympiad

Zhou was part of a six-member contingent of Canadian students who were selected after several difficult qualifying rounds. 

The IJSO is an annual individual and team competition in the natural sciences for students under 16. It consists of three exams covering biology, chemistry and physics. 

It was a multi-stage qualification designed to test understanding of the three subjects. It was incredibly challenging, and when I did qualify, it was the greatest feeling of going from low to high. 

Yes. The team did a lot of theoretical skills and laboratory practical preparation with the coaches who would accompany us to Romania. The coaches were truly amazing throughout. And I couldn’t have prepared for the competition without Mr. Bruce, my UCC science teacher, who provided lots of support and advice. Thanks!

I missed around two weeks, but was able to keep up with my schoolwork with the help of Ms. Hogan, my adviser. All my subject teachers were understanding and supportive in helping me prepare before I left and catch up after I returned. 

There were two individual rounds: one for multiple-choice theory, the other for long-answer theory. Then there was a practical laboratory team section. All three had components for chemistry, physics and biology.

I won a silver medal, meaning I was in the top 30 per cent. The rest of the Canadian team also performed very well. More importantly, we’re all proud for the opportunity to have been able to represent Canada.

The trip was an amazing, eye-opening experience and I learned a lot from it. Bucharest is a beautiful city. The Romanian people were lovely. [Many locals] helped welcome the international arrivals at the airport, and they were very helpful.

We made meaningful connections with students from Australia, South Africa, South Korea, and many other countries. It was fantastic to meet these like-minded individuals who share a similar passion for science. 

When I was around five. I believe I was playing with a yo-yo, and wondering how it worked scientifically. My grandpa, who was a mechanical engineering professor, told me. But like everything else in science, that only created more questions for me, and inspired me to learn everything I could.

I can safely say it will probably remain one of my favourite moments of my life.

Absolutely! This experience has emboldened me even more to pursue a career in science.