Physics talents on the podium

• Adrian Serrano Capatina, Ecole Internationale de Genève (GE)
• Bruno Pontecorvo, Institut International de Lancy (GE)
• Patrick Zenhäusern, Kollegium Spiritus Sanctus (VS)
• Lucio Ineichen, Kantonsschule Uetikon am See (ZH)
• Luis Jost, Alte Kantonsschule Aarau (AG)

Five silver medals and five bronze medals were also awarded (see ranking).

Physics from dawn to dusk

The 19 finalists from all around Switzerland, selected among the 595 participants in the first phase, met on Saturday morning in Aarau's train station. The competition started soon after: for almost six hours, the students were tested in various areas of physics on the premises of the new cantonal school in Aarau. In addition to the theoretical questions, the young talents were able to demonstrate their practical skills during the experimental tests.

Friendship and fascination for the subject

Before exercising their brains again on Sunday, the participants had time to relax and socialize on Saturday evening. Patrick Zenhäusern, who made it to third place, particularly enjoyed this part of the final. "What I like best is getting to know the other participants and spending time with them," says the 19-year-old from Valais, who wants to study physics at ETHZ after high school. At the Physics Olympiad there are not only medals to be won, but also friends. Second-placed Bruno Pontecorvo would also like to study physics after a gap year. Explaining everyday phenomena through physics fascinates him.

No participation in the Physics Olympiad in Belarus

The results of the competition were announced at the closing ceremony on Sunday afternoon, after a lecture on magnetism by ETH researcher Yves Acremann. Gold medalists qualify to take part in the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO). But since the IPhO is being organized by Belarus this summer, Switzerland will not be taking part. Instead, an alternative IPhO is being planned with Swiss support. In addition, some of the finalists will have the chance to travel to the little sister of the IPhO: the European Physics Olympiad will take place in Ljubljana in May.

Ranking

* Participation in the alternative IPhO

** Participation in EuPhO

The Science Olympiad supports students, awakens scientific talent and creativity and proves that science is exciting. Ten Olympiads are held every year: workshops, camps, exams and competitions for over 4,000 young talents in biology, chemistry, geography, computer science, linguistics, mathematics, philosophy, physics, robotics and economics. The organizers are young researchers, students or teachers who voluntarily invest many hours and passion in this national program..

Pictures

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Contact

Lara Gafner

Medienverantwortliche

Wissenschafts-Olympiade
Universität Bern

Hochschulstrasse 6

3012 Bern

+41 31 684 35 26

l.gafner@olympiad.ch