The Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Vigo is organising the Chemistry Olympiad for pupils in Years 3 and 4 of ESO.
What drives us in this venture?
- To show pupils nearing the end of their secondary education that science, and chemistry in particular, can be great fun.
- To introduce them to the Faculty of Chemistry and the campus.
- To foster skills such as teamwork and time management.
- To encourage interaction between students from different schools.
- To strengthen our relationship with secondary schools by introducing them to other programmes in which our faculty participates, such as StemBach.
- To raise the profile of the Faculty of Chemistry within the wider community.
How are we going to organise this?
Each school may register a maximum of between 6 and 10 pupils in Years 3 and 4 of ESO, depending on the number of pupils in these year groups.
The challenges will be carried out in teams, comprising pupils from different schools.
The event, which will be highly engaging, will take place in mid-June and will essentially consist of two parts:
- Chemistry-themed treasure hunt: through twelve challenges spread across a circuit in the woods near the Faculty of Chemistry, pupils will demonstrate their skills in chemistry, logic and teamwork.
- Practical sessions in the teaching laboratories of the Faculty of Chemistry: participants will work in a real laboratory and carry out practical tasks independently, tailored to their age and knowledge.
All participants will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation, as well as materials from the Faculty of Chemistry.
There will be a winning team, whose members will receive a special certificate and a prize.
To organise and run the event, we are working in collaboration with technical, management, administrative and support staff, as well as teaching and research staff.
