Following the Winter Olympics and the ongoing Paralympics, the University of Jena will also be hosting an Olympic event on 18 March-the Thuringian Chemistry Olympiad »Chemie-die stimmt!« (»The Chemistry is right«). Around 100 pupils in grades 8, 9 and 10 from all’over Thuringia will take part in the competition at the Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry. They have previously qualified for the state round by passing a written exam.
The winners from each age group will not only receive certificates and prizes. The six best students from Year 9 and 10 will also go on to the Central German final round, which lasts several days and is a preliminary stage of the national final in Leipzig.
During the competition day, participants will first put their skills to the test in another written exam. After lunch in the university dining hall, they can look forward to a supporting programme featuring an experimental lecture, a lab tour and activities with chemistry students. The day will conclude with the awards ceremony.
The University of Jena is hosting the state round of »Chemie-die stimmt!« for the eighth time. »The Chemistry Olympiad has become a fixed date in our annual calendar, as it allows us to support talented young people with an interest in science and at the same time introduce them to the University and our study and training programmes«, says Dr Sven Krieck from the Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry. »I saw some of the former participants again a few years later in my courses. That is of course particularly nice«, says the chemist, who organizes the Thuringian Chemistry Olympiad together with Alexander Rübsam from Erfurt’s Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium.
Background information on the competition
The »Chemie-die stimmt!« competition is organized annually by the Förderverein Chemie-Olympiade e. V. (Chemistry Olympiad Association). In Thuringia, it is held in cooperation with the Thuringian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (TMBJS). The competition consists of a total of three rounds. It begins with the first round, which is organized as a written examination in Thuringia.
This is followed by the one-day state Olympiads and the multi-day, cross-state regional rounds. The national final is held in Leipzig in September. In Thuringia, »Chemie-die stimmt!« is aimed at pupils in grades 8, 9 and 10. The state representative of the Thuringian Chemistry Olympiad is Alexander Rübsam, Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium Erfurt, which offers special classes for mathematics and natural sciences. The Thuringian Institute for Teacher Training, Curriculum Development and Media (ThILLM) is also involved in the organization.
