These four young talents will represent Switzerland at the International Chemistry Olympiad in Zurich

• Vivian Michael Huber, Allgemeine Gewerbeschule Basel (BS)
• Sabine Isabelle Neuhaus, Berufsbildungszentrum IDM Thun (BE)
• Alex Martinetti, Centro professionale tecnico Lugano-Trevano (TI)
• Andrin Hauenstein, Kantonsschule Uster (ZH)

The four winners will receive the Swiss Chemical Society Award, which is endowed with CHF 500 per person and is intended to support them in their studies.

For the first time in nine years, the Principality of Liechtenstein will also be represented at the International Chemistry Olympiad:

• Merlin Vogt, Liechtensteinisches Gymnasium (FL)

In addition, four silver and four bronze medals were awarded (see ranking list).

472 young people took part in the Swiss Chemistry Olympiad this year. The top 15 took part in the national finals from 11-15 April, where they demonstrated their theoretical and practical knowledge of chemistry during two three-hour exams. Beforehand, they trained intensively for three days. In the mornings, the secondary school students attended lectures on topics such as organic chemistry or spectroscopy, and in the afternoons, they had to apply what they had learned in the laboratory. "During the lessons, PhD students taught us useful tricks", says bronze winner Noah. The result came as a surprise to him, says first-place winner Vivian, who is doing an apprenticeship at Roche. "I didn't think I would get this far!"

Meetings with like-minded people from all over the world now await the four Swiss champions. In other years, they would have had to travel to another country for this - in 2023, the world is coming to them. From 16 - 25 July, the International Chemistry Olympiad will take place on the Hönggerberg campus of ETH Zurich. Over 300 young chemists from around 90 countries will travel to Zurich to make contacts, look for clever solutions and get to know Switzerland. "My expectations of the IChO are to learn even more about chemistry and make new friends," says Alex, a vocational student from Ticino. "I'm looking forward to showing Switzerland to people from all over the world," says Sabine, who completed her apprenticeship as a chemical lab technician at Lonza last year and is now taking her Matura.

You can find more information about the IChO 2023 on the website. You are invited to experience the competition live in July. We will also be happy to put you in touch with the protagonists.

Ranking

*Alphabetical order

** In agreement with the Liechtenstein Education Authority, the Swiss Chemistry Olympiad is also responsible for the selection and training of students from the Principality for their participation in the IChO. They take part in the same examinations and the same preparatory events under the same conditions, but are listed in a separate ranking list.

Pictures

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Contact

Lara Gafner

Media Officer

Science Olympiad
University of Bern

Hochschulstrasse 6

3012 Bern

+41 31 684 35 26

l.gafner@olympiad.ch

The Science Olympiad encourages young people, awakens scientific talent and creativity and proves: Science is exciting. Ten Olympiads take place every year: Workshops, camps, exams as well as competitions for over 6'000 talents in biology, chemistry, geography, computer science, linguistics, mathematics, philosophy, physics, robotics, and economics. The organizers are young researchers, students or teachers who voluntarily invest many hours and heart and soul into the national program.