These are the finalists of the 2023 Chemistry Olympiad

Mid-January, 50 curious young people from Ticino, French- and German-speaking Switzerland, and Liechtenstein met at the University of Bern. They went to research labs and learned new things from researchers. At the end, they solved 12 chemistry problems. 17 young people succeeded particularly well.

Have solved the problems very well: Anthony Gillioz, Davide Petraglio and Laura Ratano get the places 1-3 at the 2nd round of the Chemistry Olympiad.

Congratulations to the 17 finalists of the Chemistry Olympiad 2023:

Anthony Gillioz, Kollegium Spiritus Sanctus, VS
Davide Petraglio, Liceo cantonale di Locarno, TI
Laura Ratano, Collège du Sud, FR
Andrin Hauenstein, Kantonsschule Uster, ZH
Vivian Michael Huber, Allgemeine Gewerbeschule Basel - AGS
Si Tou Yuan, Brillantmont International School Lausanne, VD
Alex Martinetti, TI
Alexander Gibbert, Collegio PapioVia delle Cappelle 1, TI
Livia Behnisch, Kantonsschule Solothurn, SO
Sabine Isabelle Neuhaus, Berufsbildungszentrum IDM, BE
Divya Venkat Sridhar, International School of Lausanne, VD
Ethan Sebastian, Kantonsschule Wettingen, AG
Antonio Pirozzi, Collegio PapioVia delle Cappelle 1, TI
Ritik Singhal, International School Basel
Noah Burger, Kantonsschule Romanshorn, TG
Silvan Zumbrunn, Gymnasium Thun, BE
Cedrik Schwegler, Hull's School Zurich, ZH

This year, a total of 472 students took part in the Chemistry Olympiad. The 52 best from Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein qualified for the preparation weekend at the University of Basel and for the central exam at the University of Bern.

Lab visit, lectures and exam

The 2nd round of the Chemistry Olympiad 2022/23 took place on January 13-14, 2023. In addition to the exam on Saturday, the 50 participants also visited the research laboratories of the University of Bern and benefited from lectures by researchers on current research topics.

The exam itself lasted three hours and consisted of ten to twelve theoretical problems. These problems covered a wide range of topics where candidates do not need to be able to solve everything: this allows participants to focus on their individual strengths and knowledge. (Here are the problems and solutions from 2022)

This is how it continues

The finalists will now continue with a lot of chemistry at various Swiss universities:

10.02. - 12.02.2023 Preparation weekend, laboratory, at the University/EPF Lausanne
25.03. - 26.03.2023 Preparation weekend, theory, at the University of Zurich
10.04. - 15.04.2023 Final week, at ETH Zurich

The big highlight then follows in July: The International Chemistry Olympiad takes place during 16.07. - 25.07.2023 in Switzerland. The Swiss and Liechtenstein winners of the final week in April will also be there. At IChO 2023, 300 young talents from 90 countries will show what they can do on paper and in the laboratory, make contacts and get to know the host country. The organizers include the Swiss Chemistry Olympiad and the Science Olympiad Association, as well as ETH Zurich and the Swiss Chemical Society.

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