Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2015

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INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

Tully Briggs (11B), Anna Ruddell (11O), Elizabeth Perrin (11H), Ranita Atcheson (11R), Cherie Shih (11R) and Lauren Fidler (11R) in their team uniform at the International Junior Science Olympiad.

AUTHORS Ranita Atcheson (11R) and Lauren Fidler (11R)

We were surprised to hear that the emphasis on women’s education was not considered with the same high regard that we inherently expect at home. Overseas, women often struggle and experience discrimination in their pursuit of science. As reported in The Guardian , men in the UK are six times more likely to obtain a career in science (Wilson as cited in Saini, 2012). This appears to be a worldwide trend and suggests that there is a need to continue to strive for equality of opportunity between the sexes in all fields of science. We are privileged and proud that our School and country supports females in their pursuit of careers in all scientific fields. In the 2014 IJSO competition, only a small percentage of competitors were female. However, despite the fact that the majority of the competitors in IJSO were male, many of the female participants achieved very high standards in the examinations. The second and third overall prizes were awarded to girls, a testament to their hard work, dedication and intelligence. Additionally, one of our own team members, Elizabeth Perrin (11H) won a bronze medal, an outstanding achievement. IJSO provided all its participants with a very valuable experience and lifelong memories. The entire team would strongly recommend the competition to any girls who are offered the opportunity in the future.

In December 2014, we joined Elizabeth Perrin (11H), Tully Briggs (11B), Cherie Shih (11R) and Anna Ruddell (11O) as the Australian delegates at the 2014 International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) held in Mendoza, Argentina. IJSO is an internationally-recognised competition in which students under the age of fifteen compete by completing examinations in the three mainstream fields of science (biology, chemistry and physics). This competition involved 250 students from thirty-four countries over a two-week period. At Girls Grammar, science teachers pass on their love and passion for science to their students and strive for us to achieve scientific excellence. Our teachers have fostered our love for investigation and knowledge, which we have been able to pursue further through IJSO. It was an incredible opportunity and has helped us to grow and develop our scientific understanding. Not only did we receive extensive prior training to advance our knowledge, the enriching nature of the competition presented us with the opportunity to learn different ways of thinking and different approaches to problem solving. We were also exposed to a wide variety of cultures and their different lifestyles. A major aim of the IJSO competition is to help forge cross-national links and academic networks that extend beyond borders. This cultural immersion provided us with insight into the perception of young women in different societies and the relative importance placed on girls’ education.

REFERENCES Saini, A. (2012). Why has the UK got so few women scientists? The Guardian. (Women). Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/ lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2012/may/09/whu-uk-few-women-scientists

AUTUMN ISSUE / 2015