Physics team add to Irish success in international science Olympiad
9 August

Shane O'Farrell, Patricia Kelly, Stephen McMahon, Gillian Heavy and Barry O'Mahony

(left) Stephen McMahon and Dr Paul van Kampen

The 2002 International Science Olympiad has just completed the physics stage in Bali, Indonesia. Ireland has achieved yet another success with Stephen McMahon of the Irish physics (IPhO) team returning home with a Bronze medal. Ireland first participated in the IPhO in 1998 in which 50 countries compete each year. This is the second time Ireland has brought home a medal in this category.

A panel for the Irish physics team was selected from the Irish Science Olympiad finals held in DCU last December and they received tuition from the staff of the School of Physical Sciences.

The final team selection, comprising five students, was decided in May; the team members are Patricia Kelly, from Derry, Shane O'Farrell, from Down, Gillian Heavy, from Dublin, Stephen McMahon, from Co Down, and Barry O'Mahony, from Cork. In preparation for the competition the students attended a weeklong intensive residential training programme with senior DCU academic Dr Eilish McLoughlin and Dr Paul van Kampen, who led the team in Bali. The team also included David Rea, Deputy Team Leader, and Michael A. Cotter, Irish Science Olympiad Director.

This brings the number of medals won by Irish students at the international Science Olympiad to five so far this year. The Informatics team leave for Korea with Dr Charlie Daly on the 17 August. We wish them every success.