15 May 2010
Josh Stedman is celebrating his selection, from nearly 2500 applicants from across the country, to represent the UK in the 42nd International Chemistry Olympiad to be held in Tokyo in July. Josh will be one of a team of four sixth formers who have won through two rounds of fierce competition to be awarded a place in the UK team. Equally impressive, Josh is the third pupil from Abingdon School, in as many years, to make the International Chemistry Olympiad Final with John Morgan receiving a Gold Medal in 2008 and Ian Houlsby a silver in 2009.
The International Chemistry Olympiad is organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry, RSC, to find the best young chemists in the country and it offers a fantastic opportunity to travel and meet fellow enthusiasts from all over the world. The annual competition is open to all post-16 year old sixth formers.
Josh, who is 18 and comes from Abingdon, says, ‘It was a very tough process. Round one involved a two-hour written paper from which the RSC Olympiad Selection Committee selected 20 people to go through to round two, which was held over two days at Cambridge University. We had to do a three-hour practical exam followed by a three-hour theory paper. It was great to get through to the final.’
Josh flies off to Japan with his teammates on 19 July. But it’s not all hard work, the International Final lasts ten days and there is plenty of time for relaxing and sightseeing. Around 70 countries will be competing in Tokyo and the Chinese, Russians and Japanese are the favourites. Josh continues, ‘Because I enjoy Chemistry I get to travel and visiting Japan will be really exciting. I hope to come back with a silver medal but just taking part will be a brilliant experience.’
Josh’s keen interest in Chemistry began when he was seven and he hopes to make a career out of it. He says, ‘I would like to study Natural Sciences at Cambridge and then hopefully a PhD but we will have to see, I have to get through my A levels first. Abingdon is a great school though, we are very well prepared and, besides the theory, you are taught really good practical skills as well.’
