Cambridge Chemistry Challenge
Merchant Taylors' students have been extremely successful in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, with a special mention to Thomas Compton who finished in the top 25 out of the 4200 entrants. This competition is sponsored by the University of Cambridge and offers 4200 aspiring young scientists from the top 200 schools in the country first-class preparation for the full International Chemistry Olympiad. The challenge is comprised of a 90-minute written paper which contains two or three questions designed to test understanding and reasoning skills and allow pupils to apply concepts beyond the A Level syllabus.
A total of 25 of our Lower Sixth Form Chemists accepted the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, a number which in itself is a tribute to the strength of the Chemistry department at Merchant Taylors'. Congratulations to all those who took part! 20 of our boys earned medals, gaining eight copper (top 33% of entries), eight silver (top 14% of entries) and Sam Baumal, Dylan Amin and Freddie Collings all successfully achieved gold medals (top 5% of entries).
Thomas Compton was awarded a Roentgenium Award: the top prize. Tom placed in the top 0.8% of over 4200 applicants, a truly remarkable achievement. This qualified him to attend a three day Chemistry camp at St. Catherine's College, Cambridge, where he was taught how to approach similar problems to those set in the Olympiad paper. There was also the opportunity to discuss university-level topics and to take a tour of the Chemistry department, including the analytical machines available to research chemists for determining the chemical composition and bonding in compounds.
Tom will also attend the reception at the Royal Society of Chemistry in November along with all the other Roentgenium Award Winners. Here crystal trophies will be awarded to students and their teachers.