08/05/2015: Congratulations to Janice again for winning a silver medal at the 47th IChO in Baku, Azernaijan

See a previous post for the prelude.

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2015 (via Joan Coyle, Society Communications, Office of Public Affairs, ACS)-- National chemistry whiz Janice Ong of Springfield won a silver medal at the 47^th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) competition in Baku, Azerbaijan. She was the only female student on the US team.

Her three teammates also earned high scores, receiving two silver medals and one gold. Ong recently graduated from the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria.

The U.S. students competed with teams from 74 countries for gold, silver and bronze medals, July 20-29. During these 10 days of exams, laboratory work, athletics and sightseeing, the students had a chance to compete at the highest levels and establish networks that go beyond cultures and borders.

The IChO originated with Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary in 1968. Soon, other Eastern European countries joined the event; Western Europe began participating in 1974. The first U.S. team competed in 1984, winning one silver and two bronze medals.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) has sponsored the American team annually since the U.S. joined the Olympiad. Principal funding is through the ACS Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Olympiad Endowment, with additional support from the Air Force Academy; Advanced Chemistry Development; Carolina Biological Supply Company; Cengage Learning; Flinn Scientific, Inc.; Fisher Science Education; Pearson Education Company; Sigma Aldrich Co.; Texas Instruments, Inc.; University Science Books; and Wiley & Sons Publishers.