Press Release

(Hong Kong – 12 December 2015)The Twelfth International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) was held from 2 to 11 December 2015 in Daegu, South Korea, where about 250 scientifically gifted secondary students from 43 countries and regions gathered and learnt from each other through the competition. Six student members of The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education representing Hong Kong achieved outstanding performance in the IJSO, winning one gold and five silver medals.

The IJSO, a competition for students at the age of 15 or below, covers biology, chemistry and physics content. It tests contestants’ scientific knowledge, mastery of theories and experimental skills by questions up to senior secondary level.

During the toasting ceremony, the Hong Kong Team members invariably said that the international competition had given them an opportunity to exchange ideas with students from different countries. It was an invaluable experience to know about the training methods of other teams, as well as learning about foreign cultures and making friends with students from other countries.

The gold medallist Brandon Trevor Tang said that he had been a science lover since primary school where he acquired the knowledge in class only. After ranking second in the Science subject in Secondary Two, he decided to compete at the IJSO – Hong Kong Screening with the encouragement of his teacher and mother. Since then, he started to study textbooks at senior secondary level and eventually passed the trainings and tests of all phases and got the opportunity to represent Hong Kong after more than one year of hard work. He admitted that his gold medal was unexpected. “I’ve never thought I could achieve this result throughout my preparation and participation in this overseas competition. I just wanted to do my best in every round of the contest,” he said. Brandon is going to help his juniors prepare for the IJSO next year with his successful experience.

Cheng Yan Yau, one of the silver medallists, has been striving for a place in the IJSO Hong Kong Team for 2 years. He got a second class honour award at the IJSO 2013 – HK Screening and took a series of science enrichment programmes but could not go further after the phase II training. He made his second attempt and successfully passed the phase II training to become a member of the Hong Kong Team this year. “The experience in this competition made me strongly believe that we will succeed someday if we persevere,” he said. Being keen on both science and mathematics, he sets his sights on the International Mathematical Olympiad as his next target.

Members of the Hong Kong Team:

The Hong Kong Team grabbed one gold and five silver medals in the IJSO. (From left: Wong Lok Wang, Cyrus Fung, Brandon Trevor Tang, Cheng Yan Yau, Fan Wai Hin, Chau Chun Wang)	The Hong Kong team members said the international competition had given them the invaluable experience of exchanging ideas with students from different countries.