Published Date: 21 September 2023 10:00 AM
Singapore students clinched first place in the International Chemistry and Biology Olympiads, and brought home a total of 14 gold medals, 12 silver medals, two bronze medals, and one honourable mention
The Ministry of Education (MOE) congratulates all students for their excellent performance in the International Olympiads for Geography, Informatics, Mathematics and the Sciences, and the Online Young Physicists’ Tournament, which were held either overseas or virtually from July to September this year. Our students benefitted from the opportunity to interact with like-minded peers from all around the world, and they continued to fly the Singapore flag high in the international arena.
2. The Singapore team secured four Gold medals at the 55th IChO held in Zurich, Switzerland, from 16 to 25 July 2023, and emerged joint 1st out of 89 countries/territories and 348 participants. This is the first time Singapore has obtained first place since we first participated in the IChO in 1988. The Singapore team was also one of two countries where all team members obtained gold medals. This year’s IChO required students to compete in both experimental and theory components. In the experimental component, students were tasked to conduct organic synthesis, complexometric titration, and qualitative analysis to determine the identity of unknown ions in aqueous solutions. In the theoretical component, students were given the opportunity to explore a range of tasks related to artificial photosynthesis, molecular imaging, electrochemical carbon dioxide conversion, and drug synthesis.
| Gold medallists | ● Chan Chee Yong Leemen, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Lee I-Shiang, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Marcus Chu Jian-Hao, Raffles Institution ● Panshul Sharma, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science |
| Led by | ● Dr Tan Wee Boon, National University of Singapore ● Dr Zhang Sheng, National University of Singapore ● Mr Lim Ting Liang, Raffles Institution ● Mr Jamues Nicholas Ng, Ministry of Education |
3. The Singapore team clinched four Gold medals at the 34th IBO held in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, from 2 to 11 July 2023, and emerged 1st out of 76 countries/territories and 293 participants. The Singapore team was one of only two countries where all team members obtained gold medals The IBO required students to pit their skills and knowledge against their peers in both practical and theory components. In the practical component, students were challenged with four practical tasks on the topic of ecology and ethology, plant molecular biology, biochemistry, and bioinformatics. In the theory component, students had to answer theoretical questions across a myriad of topics, including animal and plant anatomy and physiology, cell biology, genetics and evolution, and biosystematics.
| Gold medallists | ● Debraath Pahari, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Lai Le Hao Jerome, Raffles Institution ● Lim Le Xuan, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Soh Sze Hian, Lionel, Raffles Institution |
| Led by | ● Dr Beverly Goh, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University ● Dr Chen Zhong, Nanyang Technological University ● Ms Loy Jing Si, Singapore Institute of Biology ● Mr Foo Yongkuan, Ministry of Education |
4. The Singapore team won two Gold medals, one Silver medal, and one Bronze medal at the 19th iGeo held in Bandung, Indonesia, from 8 to 13 August 2023, and placed 2nd out of 46 countries/territories and 177 participants. The iGeo comprised a series of challenging written, fieldwork, and multimedia tests, and students had to demonstrate their depth of knowledge and understanding across a wide range of physical and human geography topics, including the investigation and analysis of geographical concepts in Bandung.
| Gold medallists | ● Choo Vee Shen, Raffles Institution ● Poh Shang Yi, Joshua, Raffles Institution |
| Silver medallists | ● Lee Sunjae, Raffles Institution |
| Bronze medallists | ● Luo Chang (Loh Chang), National Junior College |
| Led by | ● Ms Priscilla Tan Wan Xian, Ministry of Education ● Mr Nicholas Low, Ministry of Education |
5. The Singapore team won one Gold medal, two Silver medals, and one Bronze medal at the 35th IOI held in Szeged, Hungary, from 28 August to 4 September 2023, and they placed 10th out of 89 countries/territories and 354 participants. The IOI required students to design and implement efficient algorithms and data structures to overcome challenging computational problems.
| Gold medallists | ● Tia Shi Wei, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science |
| Silver medallists | ● James Sng, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Yaw Chur Zhe, Hwa Chong Institution |
| Bronze medallists | ● Jamie Lim Jia Sin, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science |
| Led by | ● Associate Professor Steven Halim, National University of Singapore ● Associate Professor Tan Sun Teck, National University of Singapore ● Ms Teo Si Ni, Ministry of Education |
6. The Singapore team won two Gold medals, three Silver medals, and one Honourable Mention at the 64th IMO held in Chiba, Japan, from 3 to 13 July 2023, and they placed 12th out of 112 countries/territories and 618 participants. The IMO required students to solve six challenging problems on topics such as number theory and geometry.
| Gold medallists | ● Edden Chew Keyn-Hantz, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Gabriel Goh Hao Xiang, Hwa Chong Institution |
| Silver medallists | ● Cheng Wenhao, Hwa Chong Institution ● Drew Michael Terren Ramirez, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Peh Yan Xi, Raffles Institution |
| Honourable mention | ● Yu Qinxi, Raffles Institution |
| Led by | ● Assistant Professor Soh Yong Sheng, National University of Singapore ● Mr Zong Lixing, Hwa Chong Institution ● Dr Tay Tiong Seng, Singapore Mathematical Society |
7. The Singapore team won five Silver medals at the 53rd IPhO hosted in Tokyo, Japan, from 10 to 17 July 2023, and they came in joint 15th out of 80 countries/territories and 387 participants. The IPhO tested students on their knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving, presentation and analysis, and hands-on skills in both experimental and theoretical physics. In the experimental component, students were challenged to determine an unknown mass using resonance characteristics, as well as quantify the thickness of a quartz plate using optical birefringence. In the theoretical examination, students had to answer questions based on a range of both classical and modern physics topics, such as the characterisation of soil colloids, determining properties of neutron stars, and fluid mechanics.
| Silver medallists | ● He Jingyang James, Raffles Institution ● Li Yichen, National Junior College ● Shanay Jindal, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Sun Yu Chieh, Raffles Institution ● Tan Pin Che, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science |
| Led by | ● Dr Nidhi Sharma, National University of Singapore ● Assistant Professor Tsao Hoi Nok, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University ● Dr Tan Da Yang, National University of Singapore ● Mr Wong Chu Lin, Raffles Institution ● Mr Timothy Yeo Guang Hui, Ministry of Education |
8. Singapore sent two teams for the OYPT hosted virtually by Germany, from 2 to 6 August 2023. The teams came in 1st and 3rd in the preliminary rounds, out of 18 teams. The first-place team in the preliminary rounds proceeded to the final round and clinched the overall championship, while the team that came in 3rd during the preliminary rounds was awarded honorary silver for their outstanding performance. The OYPT required students to solve complicated real-world physics problems, as well as communicate and defend their ideas through rigorous scientific research and discussions.
| Silver medallists (Team) | ● Hilary Chee Xin Yi, Raffles Institution ● Martin Koh Zhen Xuan, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Mazereeuw Luc Martin Linus, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Ong Jiunn Xiang, Raffles Institution ● Wang Yunze, Raffles Institution |
| Honorary Silver medallists (Team) | ● Chua Ke Rui, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Puah Xuan Ying Vera, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science ● Tan Myn Jae, Hwa Chong Institution ● Yin Yue, Raffles Institution ● Zhu Hou De, Hwa Chong Institution |
| Led by | ● Dr Koh Teck Seng, Nanyang Technological University ● Associate Professor Paul Lim, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University ● Mr Sze Guan Kheng, Raffles Institution ● Ms Chan Kwee Yong, Raffles Institution ● Mr Chin Chii Tarng, Ministry of Education |
