Blazers shoot for the stars in the science olympiads

This summer, most of us were glued to screens watching our favorite athletes compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, a handful of Blazers spent that time making a name for themselves in another olympiad arena: the science olympiads. Senior Yunyi Ling competed for Team USA against more than 80 other nations in the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO), and brought home an individual gold medal. Junior Kian Dhawan was amongst the top 20 biology students in the nation, invited to attend the residential olympiad training camp and was ultimately awarded the silver medal in the USA Biology Olympiad (USABO). Senior Ivy Guo was among the top 60 math students in America, selected to participate in the 3-week intensive Math Olympiad Summer Program (MOP) held at Carnegie Mellon University. And finally, senior Katherine Wang participated in a 10-day residential study camp along with the top 40 students in Earth Science in the US. 

What are the olympiads? 

Even though they’re not as mainstream as their sports counterparts, academic olympiads are quite popular among many motivated secondary school students. In the US, Science Olympiads are held annually across various subject areas, including physics, chemistry, math, biology, and earth science. Contestants from all across the nation participate in a series of qualifying examinations to earn the top spot. Eventually, 20-60 students at the top of each subject area are invited to attend a week-long residential training camp in their respective subject area. The journey culminates in a four-member team selected to represent the USA in the international academic olympiad. Let’s dive into each of our Blazers’ journeys to see how they got to where they are today. 

Yunyi Ling

Team USA at IChO 2024

Photo: The 2024 US IChO team (Yufei Chen, Alice Liu, Anant Asthana, Yunyi Ling).

The 2024 US IChO team (Yufei Chen, Alice Liu, Anant Asthana, Yunyi Ling). Photo courtesy of American Chemical Society.

Even temperatures crossing the 110-degree-mark in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the Chemistry Olympiads were being held, were not enough to dampen Ling’s excitement and the sense of pride he felt while representing the US in IChO. 

Even though Ling didn’t enter high school knowing exactly what subject he wanted to delve into, he quickly fell in love with chemistry, especially organic chemistry. This initial spark led to Ling achieving early success in the United States National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO). “In ninth grade, I didn’t even know if I could qualify for nationals, and then I did and made the top 50 [in the nation], and I was like, really?” Ling remarks. From there, it was all about raising the bar to see how hard he could push himself. Ling spent countless hours poring over textbooks, and during his sophomore year he placed among top 20 students in the nation—thus qualifying for his first olympiad study camp. 

Attending the study camp was an exciting experience for Ling. Even though the work was challenging and days were packed with lectures and lab sessions, he still found time to bond with his fellow campers, play board games, and soak up the experience. Ling walked away from camp having deepened his chemistry knowledge as well as his desire to return the next year.

By the time the next summer rolled around, Ling came back with even more knowledge and qualified to represent Team USA at IChO. His experience in Saudi Arabia was completely eye-opening, both culturally and academically. “Everyone was just super friendly and inviting. The welcome committee started off with handing out chocolates and flowers, and like Saudi coffee, which was quite good,” he says. Meeting peers from around the world also stood out to Ling. Initially unsure if they would share common interests, he soon found camaraderie among students from countries like China, India, and the Netherlands. "We made friends with everyone," he says, reflecting on how humor and shared passions for chemistry bridged the cultural divides. 

While Ling values the gold medal he earned at the IChO, he emphasizes that the greater reward lies in the friendships formed and the experiences gained. For students wanting to participate in the USNCO, his advice is straightforward: “Make sure you genuinely enjoy the subject. Don’t feel pressured to compete if it’s not your passion,” he explains.

Kian Dhawan

Unlike Ling, who discovered his passion for chemistry early in his high school career, Dhawan explored both the USABO and the USNCO to find his true interest. His efforts culminated in the remarkable achievement of being selected among the top 20 students for the USABO study camp this past summer. 

Although Dhawan always had a keen interest in math and science, he hadn’t planned to specialize in it until an upperclassman introduced him to “Campbell’s Biology,” a college-level textbook. 

This textbook sparked Dhawan’s curiosity, leading him to dive deeper into more advanced books about genetics, biochemistry, and anatomy/physiology. "It was a huge time commitment," Dhawan reflects, acknowledging the dedication required for him to self learn the material.

His hard work paid off when he was awarded a silver medal at the USABO. Reflecting on his experience at camp, Dhawan recalls gaining valuable hands-on experience through lectures on niche biology topics that extended into practical sessions. “I hadn’t really had any lab experience prior to then, so seeing how all of the theoretical knowledge could be applied was really great,” he explains. 

Energized by his accomplishments, Dhawan hopes to return next year even more prepared, with the goal of securing a spot in the US International Biology Olympiad team. He encourages younger students with similar inspirations to form study groups. “Find friends to study with,” he suggests. “It’ll make learning much more fun and also effective.”

Ivy Guo 

Guo, a qualifier for the prestigious MOP, discovered her passion for math in sixth grade through the MathCounts competition, a competition dedicated to getting middle school students interested in math. The thrill of collaborating with others to tackle hard math problems inspired her to engage in the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) series. Studying for these competitions became a shared adventure with her twin sister, Olivia, making the journey enjoyable despite its challenges. 

As Guo prepared for each stage of competition, she set progressive goals. "At first, I just wanted to see how well I would do," she recalls, "But once I qualified for the American International Mathematics Examination (AIME), I set my sights even higher." Despite the intense nature of the exams, she learned to focus on her personal progress over comparing herself to others. Her dedication paid off when she qualified for United States of America Junior Mathematical Olympiad (USAJMO) in ninth grade, a significant milestone in her math journey. Building on this achievement, she continued to work diligently, ultimately qualifying for the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) exam and scoring high enough to earn a spot in the MOP this summer.

Guo’s time at MOP was both educational and fun, offering a mix of structured learning and ample free time to bond with peers who shared her passion for math. “We all stayed in the same dorm, and were with each other a lot,” she says. “We got a lot of opportunities to learn from each other.”

Offering her advice to aspiring math competitors, Guo emphasizes the importance of staying resilient. "If you get stuck on a problem, don’t hesitate to read the solutions,” Guo says. “And don’t get discouraged—one score doesn’t define your journey."

Katherine Wang 

Katherine Wang's journey into Earth and Space Sciences (ESS) began in ninth grade, though her initial focus wasn’t on the Olympiad. Instead, she was preparing for the Science Bowl, a national fast-paced competition where teams answer questions across a wide range of science topics. 

Wang initially chose earth sciences because it seemed like an easier subject to self-study, but she quickly discovered a deeper passion for the subject: the beauty of its logic. “What kept me going with ESS was the feedback-loop logic,” she explains. “There’s much more reasoning involved than what probably meets the eye.” From topics like plate tectonics to weather patterns, Wang found herself fascinated by how interconnected the field is.

When Wang qualified for the Olympiad study camp, she was excited and optimistic about the experience ahead. “I was looking forward to diving deeper into the subject,” she recalls. Flying out to Oklahoma, she joined 39 other students from across the country for a ten-day intensive camp, which had a unique structure compared to other Olympiads. “We had a lot of hands-on experience,” she says. “We worked on case studies like brine spills, road cuts, and other environmental scenarios.” For Wang, camp was less about competition and more about increasing knowledge, and she approached it with curiosity and an open mind.

Her tips for aspiring earth science students—or anyone with a similar passion—is straightforward: follow your curiosity. “If something interests you, don’t be afraid to explore it further,” she encourages.

A round of applause…

This year’s academic Olympiad season showcased the extraordinary talents of Blair students. These Blazers proved that curiosity, dedication, and a genuine love for learning can lead to incredible achievements. Whether it was Ling’s gold medal in chemistry or Wang’s hands-on experiences in earth science, their journeys remind us that there’s more to success than medals—it’s about the friendships, experiences, and knowledge gained along the way. Their advice to fellow Blazers is simple: find what excites you, and pursue it wholeheartedly—you never know where that passion might take you.