First Northern Ireland Science Olympiad (Biology, Chemistry & Physics)

18 March 2010

The Northern Ireland Science Olympiad (NISO) in Biology, Chemistry and Physics was established by Mr. Michael A. Cotter (DCU) as part of the Irish Science Olympiad. The Biology section was held in the University of Ulster (UU) Coleraine Campus, Derry and the Chemistry and Physics sections in Queens University Belfast (QUB). Dr. Damian O'Kane (UU) and Professor Tom Millar (QUB) accepted the responsibility for managing the 2010 NISO.  Michael A. Cotter continues as Director of the Irish Science Olympiad (ISO) and coordinator of the science Olympiad activities in both jurisdictions. The top students from both the Republic and Northern Ireland will undertake a final training programme / selection process and teams of four will represent Ireland at the 2010 International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in Changwon, Korea, the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) in Shinjuku, Japan and the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) in Zagreb, Croatia in July. Approximately 450 Northern Ireland students took part in the 2010 NI Science Olympiads in Biology, Chemistry & Physics. Only 65 NI students participated in ISO 2009.

The All Ireland Computer Programming Olympiad will be held in DCU in March as part of the 2010 ISO and a team of four will be selected to represent Ireland at the International Olympiad in Informatics in Waterloo University, Canada in August.

The Irish Science Olympiad for students from the Republic of Ireland will be held in DCU on March 27th. 

Northern Ireland Biology Olympiad

The University of Ulster hosted the first Northern Ireland Biology Olympiad (NIBO). Fifteen secondary schools involved with the Step-Up programme were invited to take part. Step-Up provides new learning opportunities in science for young people who live in areas of social and economic disadvantage in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry. The competition comprised two main rounds. The first round, a Biology Theory test, was distributed to schools and completed under strict examination conditions on 11th December 2009. The second round consisted of a laboratory based practical exam at the University of Ulster.

Dr. Damian O'Kane, Head of Access and Educational Partnerships, University of Ulster (UU) is the Director of the Northern Ireland Biology Olympiad.

350 students from the 15 Step-Up schools were invited to take part in the first round. This is the first time that these schools participated in the All Ireland Biology Olympiad since it was first established in 1989.  The top scoring 60 students were invited to take part in the second round in the Teaching Laboratories at the University of Ulster’s Coleraine campus, on Thursday 4th February 2010.

In Attendance

Dr. Damian O'Kane, NIBO Director, Ulster
Dr. Elizabeth Peachey, IBO Deputy Team Leader
Dr. Clare Ryan, IBO Deputy Team Leader
Mr. Michael A. Cotter, ISO Director, DCU

Awards Ceremony

Dr. Damian O'Kane congratulated the students and their teachers on their participation in the first NIBO and emphasized the high standard of work produced.  Mr. Michael A. Cotter presented each finalist with a personalised certificate of participation. In addition, the top 6 students were awarded 2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals. Perpetual challenge trophies were presented to the gold medal winners for display in their respective schools.

Dr. O'Kane concluded the proceeding by congratulating Liam O’Reilly, Christian Brothers Secondary School, Glen Road, Belfast and Emma O’Deorain, St Cecilia’s College, Northland Road, Derry for their hard work and he wished them well in Korea in July. He pointed out this is the first time that students from these schools have been selected to represent Ireland at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) or any other International Science Olympiad since Ireland first participated in the International Olympiad in Informatics in 1994.

2010 International Biology Olympiad (IBO)

Dr. Sue Townsend (DCU), Irish Team Leader
Dr. Elizabeth Peachey (UU), Irish Deputy Team Leader
Dr. Clare Ryan (UU), Irish Deputy Team Leader

Liam O’Reilly and Emma O’Deorain, together with the top two students from the Republic of Ireland will represent Ireland at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in Korea in July. The Irish Biology Olympiad for students from the Republic of Ireland will take place in DCU on 27th March.

Dates and location of the IBO training programme to be decided.

Northern Ireland Chemistry and Physics Olympiads

(NIChO & NIPhO)

Queen's University Belfast hosted the first Northern Ireland Chemistry and Physics Olympiads in the Whitla Hall, Queen’s University on Saturday 30th January 2010. QUB worked closely with Sentinus in producing publicity material and in inviting all schools in NI delivering Physics and/or Chemistry at A-level to participate. Schools invited by QUB to enter students returned registration forms before Friday 15th January.  30 schools were represented in each of Physics and Chemistry with 19 of these sending students to both.  The Schools have a wide geographic distribution. Both Olympiads were run simultaneously. The test papers were in an MCQ format at A-level standard and modelled closely on the 2009 test papers provided by Irish Chemistry and Physics Olympiads (DCU).

Professor Tom J. Millar, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences and Professor of Astrophysics in the School of Mathematics and Physics, QUB is the Director of the Northern Ireland Chemistry and Physics Olympiads.

In attendance

Dr. Gary N. Sheldrake, Environmental Chemistry, QUB
Dr. Nicholas C. Fletcher, Inorganic Chemistry, QUB
Dr. Matthew Cook, Organic Chemistry, QUB (IChO Deputy Team Leader)
Dr. Paraic James, Organic Chemistry, DCU (IChO Team Leader)          
Professor Ian Williams, Physics and Astronomy, QUB
Professor Alan Fitzsimmons, Astronomy QUB
Mr. Michael A. Cotter, ISO Director, DCU

Award Ceremony

81 students from 30 schools attended the NIChO and 63 students from 25 schools attended the NIPhO.  All competitors received a certificate of participation. Professor James C. McElnay, Pro-Vice-Chancellor QUB and Mr. Michael A. Cotter (DCU) presented the top two students with a Chemistry trophy and a Physics trophy and the second placed candidates were awarded gold medals.  A further four silver and bronze awards were presented to next highest scoring students in both subjects.

2010 International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)

Dr. Paraic James (DCU)                   Irish Team Leader Dr. Matthew Cook (QUB)                   Irish Deputy Team Leader

The Irish Chemistry Olympiad for students from the Republic of Ireland will take place in DCU on 27th March. The top six medal winners from the Republic of Ireland will join with the top six NIChO medal winners for an experimental / practical test from which the four members Irish International Chemistry Olympiad team will be selected.  Dr. Paraic James (DCU) the IChO Team Leader and Dr. Matthew Cook (QUB) Deputy Team Leader have drawn up a team training programme. The 2010 IChO will be held in Shinjuku, Japan in July

2010 International Physics Olympiad (IPhO)

Dr. Eamonn Cunningham (DCU)      Irish Team Leader
Dr. Stephen McMahon (QUB) Irish Deputy Team Leader

The Irish Physics Olympiad for students from the Republic of Ireland will take place in DCU on 27th March. The top two medal winners will join with the top two NIPhO medal winners for an IPhO training programme designed by Dr. Eamonn Cunningham (DCU), the IPhO team leader and Dr. Stephen McMahon (QUB) in July. Dr. Stephen McMahon represented Ireland at the 2002 IPhO and was awarded a bronze medal. The 2010 IPhO will be held in Zagreb, Croatia in July.