Dafftin Schenk, Olympiad participant in Paraguay and Switzerland

Why did you take part in the Chemistry Olympiad in Paraguay?

Many of my friends were always talking about chemistry. I attended a regular high school but my friends were in a technical school. At the beginning, I could not understand what they were talking about related to chemistry, so starting from zero, I gave my best to reach their level and I ended up representing Paraguay at the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). 

You moved to Switzerland in the past year. What brought you here?

I always dreamed of coming here to study because I am Swiss too - my father is Swiss.

Did you know from the start you would also join the Swiss Chemistry Olympiad after your move?

Yes! When I went to the IChO in the UAE last summer, I met Silas, one of the Swiss volunteers, and asked him if I would be able to join the Olympiad here as well. He said yes! I finished school in Paraguay and now I am doing an internship in cancer research at the University of Bern. I’m hoping to publish scientific papers this year and would love to study biochemistry or biomedical sciences.

Have you noticed any differences between the Chemistry Olympiad in Switzerland and Paraguay?

It’s very different! In Paraguay the organization was a bit improvised. At the Swiss Chemistry Olympiad, we had a lot of preparation weekends, you get to travel across the country. The volunteers here teach us very well and they also really care about their participants. For example, we got a really nice dinner yesterday - it’s like a reward for standing in the lab all day! Another big difference is that in Paraguay, we don’t have practical exams like we do here. When I went to IChO for Paraguay, it was my first time in a lab! 

Here the organizers are mostly former participants and university students. What was it like in Paraguay?

The Chemistry Olympiad in Paraguay started out two years ago, so there aren’t that many former participants yet. It’s not that well established yet - there are around 400 participants in total, as opposed to about 800 in Switzerland.  It’s still a lot, however, the main problem is that in Paraguay the government doesn’t fund the trip to IChO. That makes a lot of people leave the competition. 

That’s similar to what Leonard said about the participation of Cuban youth in the International Mathematical Olympiad…

Yes and It’s a bit sad because there’s so much untapped potential in public schools; talent shouldn't be limited by travel costs..

Was there anything else Leonard said that you could relate to?

He said that the people were a bit more closed off in Switzerland, and I did feel that at the beginning. However, during the final week in Zurich, it was super nice. We stayed overnight, we connected more… we’re probably all a bit worried because we look at each other and think: “Oh, this person knows way more than me!” Yet in the end, we all feel the same way and our shared passion for chemistry helps us to connect with each other.