The 2023 NZ team: Isla Swanney (Nayland College), Jayden Kumar (Auckland Grammar), Oliver Gunson (Auckland Grammar), Cedric Siriwardana (ACG Sunderland).
The International Chemistry Olympiad, ICHO, started in Eastern Europe in 1968 and has grown to about 90 countries with New Zealand first competing in 1992.
The 56th Olympiad is to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 21-31 July 2024.
Selection of a training group is made around September/October of the previous year and is based upon performance in a selection test. It will next be held on 14 September 2023. The selection test assumes knowledge of only Year 12 (NCEA Level 2) Chemistry and is great preparation for these exams.
During term one, the training group will be enrolled in Piazza and Bestchoice so that they can work through a series of modules that extend their level of chemistry knowledge. A second exam in March is used to select the group of about 32 students (with no more than three students from any one school) for a training camp to be held in the April school break.
The initial NZCHO test in September is an opportunity for students to be challenged and test skills that will extend them and prepare them for the external exams. Students will be awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates based on their level of achievement. The results of this test will also be used to select the students in the NZCHO training group, however, the following additional criteria will apply.
To be eligible for the camp, students must be under 20 and must be fully enrolled at high school prior to the IChO in July, but may do no more than 2 courses at University level (not chemistry) prior to the International competition. Students must be a NZ Citizen or permanent resident at the time of accepting a place in the training group and must have attended school in NZ for two of the last 4 years prior to selection for the training group. Students must also be at least 15 years of age at the time of the camp.
The New Zealand Chemistry Olympiad Trust is a member of the Science Olympianz Association.
