The 10th Ateneo Chemistry Olympiad hosted by the Ateneo Chemistry Society was truly a challenging, yet informative engagement for students from all over the country who are interested in the field of chemistry. Due to the restrictions brought by the pandemic, the entire event had to be transitioned online. This posed as both a challenge and an opportunity for exploring different ways of testing the participants’ competency in chemistry.
Last April 24 and 30, 75 student teams participated in the competition, a significant amount compared to the 60 team slots that were initially opened. The event transitioned into the online setting which created opportunities for the project team to introduce new segments such as the Video Presentation round and a total of eight webinars on science communication and the applications of chemistry. Moreover, participants had the opportunity to undergo a mentorship program under third-year BS Chemistry students from the Ateneo De Manila University in preparation for the competition.
Student participants were required to take a synchronous written exam done primarily via Microsoft Teams and Canvas. Moreover, webinars were held by a number of Filipino chemistry professionals from a variety of fields such as medicine, forensics, agriculture, mass media, and more. These served as a synthesis of the foundational chemistry concepts that were included in the exam. Finally, the participants were required to create informative and engaging video presentations according to a specific theme. These video presentations were posted on the Ateneo Chemistry Olympiad Facebook page and the public was able to vote for their favorite video entry.
With these, the following student teams showcased an outstanding performance at the 10th Ateneo Chemistry Olympiad:
Synchronous Examination
Philippine Science High School Main Campus (Team 3)
Jubilee Christian Academy (Team 26)
Video Presentation
Industrial Chemistry of Everyday Objects
Philippine Science High School Cordillera Administrative Region (Team 32)
Chemistry in the Climate Crisis and Environmental Sustainability
Holy Spirit Academy of Malolos (Team 25)
Chemistry in Health and Medicine
Philippine Science High School- Main Campus (Team 3)
Top Scorers
Ron Angelo A. Gelacio (Philippine Science High School Main Campus)
Aames Juriel B. Morales (De La Salle University Integrated School)
Wesley Gavin G. Palomar (Philippine Science High School Main Campus)
Overall, the Ateneo Chemistry Olympiad was able to serve as an avenue for students to test their knowledge in chemistry as well as showcase their skills in science communication, innovation, and more.
