Hradec Králové, February 1, 2018 – More than sixty talented secondary school students competed this week in the national round of the 54th Chemical Olympiad. The main themes of theoretical and practical tasks were molecular orbits, gas reactions, chemical engineering, or DNA. Most of the representatives – five - came to the national round from Střední průmyslová škola v Brně – Vranovská (Secondary Industrial School in Brno - Vranovská). This traditional competition is announced by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague is the organizer. The strategic partner is the Unipetrol Group; the main partner is Cayman Pharma, s.r.o.
Unlike last year, when the national round was held in Chempark Záluží, Unipetrol Group’s industrial complex, it was the Faculty of Pharmacy of Charles University in Hradec Králové that welcomed the students this year. The East Bohemian Regional City hosted the Olympics for the first time in 20 years.
The winner of the grammar school category is Jan Obořil from Brno - Bystrc Grammar School (Gymnázium Brno – Bystrc) who as a sophomore student unexpectedly outperformed his older rivals. The category of industrial schools was dominated by Petr Palivec of Masaryk's High School of Chemistry in Prague (Masarykova střední škola chemická v Praze). The first 16 finalists of the grammar school category advanced to a selection training camp, where they will be competing for a chance to represent the Czech Republic at the 50th jubilee of International Chemistry Olympiad. It will take place on July 19 – 29, 2018 in Bratislava and Prague.
Beside the competition itself, a four-day programme of the Chemistry Olympiad full of accompanying activities was prepared for the students. The students went on a trip to an observatory and a planetarium, a sightseeing tour around the Hradec Královy city centre and watched a performance at Drak Theatre. During the opening ceremony they also visited Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants.
„Searching for answers to complex questions, experiments, partial triumphs and doubts is a natural part of the DNA of all scientists. It's our identification code. I am happy that year after year I can see new enthusiasts in the Chemistry Olympiad, who in a few years will be bearing the future of our fascinating field on their own shoulders.“ Karel Melzoch, Rector of the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, says.
„We’ve been cooperating with UCT for 17 years now. We also focus on supporting secondary schools in the surroundings of our production facilities. One example is Schola Humanitas in Litvínov with its student Dominik Krupka who has made it to the finals,“ Andrzej Modrzejewski, Unipetrol Group CEO, said adding: „We also supported the international round of the Chemistry Olympiad, which will take place in Prague and Bratislava in July.“
Winners list:
Category A – Grammar schools
1st place – Jan Obořil, Gymnázium Brno-Bystrc
2nd place – Josef Tomeček, Gymnázium Jana Pivečky, Slavičín
3rd place – Pavel Věžník, Gymnázium Blansko
Category E – Secondary industrial schools
1st place – Petr Palivec, Masarykova střední škola chemická, Praha
2nd place – Jiří Doležel, Střední průmyslová škola chemická, Brno
3rd place – Jan Všetečka, Střední průmyslová škola chemická akademika Heyrovského, Ostrava
The Chemistry Olympiad is announced by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, with the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague as guarantor at which most of the competitors study in chemical fields once they finish secondary school. The competition starts with school rounds and continues to district and regional rounds. Finalists then meet in the national round. The winners represent the Czech Republic at the International Chemistry Olympiad.
The International Chemistry Olympiad is a prestigious competition of the most talented secondary school students from all over the world, judged by an international jury composed of academics also from all over the world. About 300 students and 250 academics from almost 80 continents of all continents, including France, Germany, Russia, China, the United States, or Australia, participate in the competition. Future elite of chemists in both academic and private spheres emerges from the competing students. In July 2018, there will be 50th anniversary of the Olympics. The Czech and Slovak Republic are joint organizers (Czechoslovakia hosted the first year in 1968). Unipetrol RPA is platinum partner of the Olympiad. The Czech Olympic Committee is among those who assumed patronage over the event.
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The University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague is a natural centre of top-class studies and research in the field of chemistry. It is one of the largest educational and research institutes focusing on technical chemistry, chemical and biochemical technologies, material and chemical engineering, food processing, and the environment. UCT has long been among 4% of the world's best universities. Each student has the opportunity to participate in scientific projects of his / her own choice or to go through foreign internships. A diploma from the UCT, Prague is a ticket to prestigious, well-appreciated job both at home and abroad.
Contact – UCT, Prague, Chemical Olympiad, International Chemical Olympiad:
Michal Janovský, UCT, Prague spokesperson
The Unipetrol Group is a partner of the Chemical Olympiad as well as this anniversary of the International Chemical Olympiad in Prague and Bratislava. The Unipetrol Group is the Czech Republic’s largest refining and petrochemical company. The Unipetrol Group focuses primarily on crude oil processing, fuel distribution, and petrochemical production. In all these areas, the Group is a key player on both the Czech and Central European market. In 2005, Unipetrol became part of the PKN Orlen Group, Central Europe’s largest crude oil processor. Unipetrol is one of the Czech Republic’s most important companies in terms of turnover. It employs over 4600 people.
Contact UNIPETROL RPA:
Pavel Kaidl, Unipetrol Group spokesperson