Great Scot December 2019 Great Scot 158_December_ONLINE | Page 35

OLYMPIAD SUMMER SCHOOL
INVITATION FOR RION AHL
A Year 11 boy is Scotch’s latest Olympiad Summer School invitee
Congratulations to Rion Ahl (Year 11) who has received an invitation
to the Australian Science Olympiad Summer School for Biology in
Canberra, after being named in the top 24 students in the Olympiad’s
qualifying examination.
The top four students at the summer school will form the Australian
team at the International Science Olympiad, arguably the most
challenging Science examination program in the world, which pits
teams comprising the best Science students from Australia against
those of other countries.
The selection process begins with students sitting a qualifying
examination in any of Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Physics.
The top 24 students in each discipline are then invited to the summer
school, where they undertake a gruelling three-week preparatory
course and selection assessments to determine the final four
members of each team to represent Australia in Biology, Chemistry,
Earth Science and Physics.
Over the years, Scotch has had a number of students selected
to the summer school, and since 2011, eight students have been
successful in representing Australia in either Biology, Chemistry
or Physics.
Canberra – not just
a capital city
The 2019 Year 7/8 Science Camp enabled us to see Canberra
as not only the nation’s capital but also as a frontier of scientific
innovation.
MR MATT MANNING, RION AHL AND MR DAVID SKELT
We visited a variety of places of scientific interest during the
camp (29-31 August). This included the Canberra Deep-Space
Communication Complex where they have the 42 metre-wide
satellite dish which live-streamed the Apollo moon landing. It was
the size of two elephants stacked on top of each other.
We also spent time at Questacon. It is the ultimate experience,
where science and fun are mixed in spectacular galleries and
interactive experiences. The real highlight was the vertical slide,
six metres in height, and as the name suggests vertical in drop. The
slide allowed us to experience what astronauts feel when orbiting
in space. With a brief moment of weightlessness, simulating what it
would be like if you were falling through space, we all agreed it was
a thrilling experience.
Also in our nation’s capital we visited the Mt Stromlo
Observatory where Professor Brian Schmidt conducted his
research for his Nobel Prize, using supernovae to explain how the
universe is expanding at an accelerating rate. We even got to see
the Nobel Prize up close!
During the three days, we saw scenic vistas, with impressive
views over Canberra City and Parliament House from the Mount
Ainslie lookout.
On our final day we went to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, where
we glimpsed platypi swimming in open ponds. It was such a
contrast to the large mob of kangaroos thundering past, as they cut
across the reserve.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot
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