German Students win one Silver and Five Bronze Medals at the 16th International Junior Science Olympiad in Qatar
Tim Enders from Ilmenau, Nico Enghardt and Richard Kirsch from Dresden, Jannes Köhler from Leipzig, Chantal Schlenther from Magdeburg and Joris Witte from Frankfurt (Oder) travelled to this year's Junior Science Olympiad in Qatar from December 2nd to 12th. Under the guiding principle of "future viability", the six researchers worked with young talents from some 70 countries on tricky scientific problems. The 14- to 15-year-old students had to prove their scientific skills in two theoretical and one practical exams.
Tim Enders won a silver medal, the five other team members, Joris Witte, Richard Kirsch, Nico Enghardt, Chantal Schlenther and Jannes Köhler, each won bronze.
The approximately 400 young people from all over the world had numerous opportunities to make new contacts, gather insight into the country and its people and broaden their horizons. Destinations were for example the national museum, the beach at the Persian Gulf and a tour with traditional wooden boats. The "Cultural Night", in which the host country and the participating nations gave an insight into their cultural heritage, also impressed the young people's mentoring team. The closing ceremony in the "Qatar National Convention Centre", where the medals were also awarded, was more formal.
PD Dr. Heide Peters, Vice-President of the IJSO for Europe and Managing Director of the IJSO Germany, looks to the future: "Next year we will be the hosts of the international competition. We are delighted to welcome these young talents and their mentors to Frankfurt am Main".
Background
The International JuniorScience Olympiad - or IJSO for short - offers support for young talent in the STEM field from as early as the 5th grade. It is a nationwide school competition in four rounds and one of the six Science Olympiads at the IPN - Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education in Kiel. The competition is sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the cultural authorities of the federal states. The competition challenges are interdisciplinary and allow students to experience science in everyday life.
The best six students of the IJSO qualify for the national team. They will be selected for the IJSO Federal Final in September and will travel to the International Junior Science Olympiad in early December. The teenagers will be accompanied and trained by a team from the IPN in Kiel, the organizer of the IJSO Germany. The 10-day international finals, which are held in a different country each year, bring together student delegations from up to 70 nations worldwide to compete for gold, silver and bronze.
Contact at the IPN
Dr. Felicitas Niekiel
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Ph.: +49 (0)431 880 7170
