Carmel Valley student Catherine Wu wins gold medal at 24th International Biology Olympiad

Canyon Crest Academy senior Catherine Wu won the gold medal at the 24th International Biology Olympiad recently at Bern, Switzerland.

The event, which was held from July 14-21, included about 240 participants, 240 jury members, and observers with a total of 60 delegations from all over the world. Team USA won four gold medals.

Catherine said, “I’m truly delighted that I received a gold medal, and I’m also extremely happy for all of my teammates, who also did very well.”

The International Biology Olympiad (IBO) is the annual World Championship Biology Competition for high school students. The first academic international Olympiads were launched under the auspices of the United Nations in the 1960s. The programs have expanded gradually to include over 70 countries across five continents. The USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) and the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) award individual achievement in theoretical and laboratory biology knowledge. USA IBO delegations consist of four students and two academic advisors.

The competition focus on the skills in dealing with biological problems and the ability to tackle biological experiments.

The aims of the International Biology Olympiads are:

•To challenge and stimulate students to expand their talents and to promote their career as scientists.

•To promote the dialog between students, teachers and scientists from all over the world.

•To promote cooperation in scientific education and to offer the opportunity to compare the syllabuses and educational trends in biology around the globe.

•The Biology Olympiads cover the complete range of modern biology, from disciplines as different as biochemistry to ethology or ecology.