Thai students win medals at global science olympiad

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Thai students win medals at global science olympiad
Visarut Sankham
The Nation


The students who won a gold and three bronze medals at the 9th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO); from left, Patsakorn Tangadulrat, Panthon Imeinkamon, Pitchapon Jirawongsapan and Kunanon Leelahakorn.

BANGKOK: -- FOUR THAI students have returned from the ninth International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) in Brazil with one gold and three bronze medals.

Held this month, the international competition attracted contestants from 23 countries, including South Korea, Indonesia, Italy, Japan and India.

The Thai whiz kids arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday.

Pitchapon Jirawongsapan, from Bangkok Christian College, won the gold medal. The bronze medals were won by Panthon Imeinkamon from Triamudom Suksa School; Patsakorn Tangadulrat from Hatyaiwittayalai School; and Kunanon Leelahakorn from Suankularbwittayalai School.

The students travelled to Pocos de Caldas, Minas Gerais state, to compete against 92 students from secondary schools in other countries.

The students were selected during a 15-day camp of the Promotion of Academic Olympiad and Development of Science Education Foundation, where 40 students from across the nation competed in science tests. The best four were selected to represent Thailand at the IESO.

Gold medallist Pitchapon said he was fascinated by Brazil but it took him a while to get used to the time difference, so he had to drink coffee before taking the examination.

He said each student had to participate in a theoretical examination and a practical examination with fieldwork tests. The examinations focused on integration of theologies related to earth-science subjects. The practical examination consisted of five four categories: geophysics, meteorology, oceanography and astronomy.

The students were brought to a national park to analyse stones and the find the speed of the Earth's rotation, measuring the amount of moisture in the air and calculating the stream flow rate, Pitchapon said.

Students from different countries were separated into groups of eight and given two research projects: International Team Field Investigation (ITFI) and Earth Science Project (ESP).

The ITFI required the students to study geology in Pocos de Caldas by measuring indicators found in hot springs, and the ESP required them to examine the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Both projects required each member of the groups to learn about the education systems in each of their countries.

Pachrasu Wannakao, a teacher and team leader, said the examinations were 70 per cent theoretical and 30 per cent practical.

Pitchapon said: "I was interested in astronomy first, and I became interested in earth science as a part of astronomy."

Veera Jirawongsapan said his son became interested in earth science when he joined an astronomy camp when he was 14. After that, physics became his favourite subject, and he has been studying it on his own almost every day.

Veera added that his son liked coming up with problems on his own, such as calculating the distance between Earth and Mercury.

"I've supported him since he was young, and helped him create robot for a competition, for which he won a visit to a Japan-based robot factory.

"I think that sparked his interest in science," he said.

Bronze medallist Patsakorn Tangadulrat said: "I think earth science is an interesting subject not like any subjects in school, and I take it as my hobby helping to ease stress from normal courses."

Another bronze medallist, Kunanon Leelahakorn, said he had been inspired by his brother to join the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology's camp, where learned about earth science and grew to love it.

Panthon said: "Science was my favourite subject, and then I joined the science camp and learned about a subject that covers everything. I later learned it was called earth science."

The 92 students competed for nine gold medals, 18 silver and 27 bronze.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thai-students-win-medals-at-global-science-olympia-30269345.html


-- The Nation 2015-09-23

[Reigntax]

"The students were brought to a national park to analyse stones and the find the speed of the Earth's rotation, measuring the amount of moisture in the air and calculating the stream flow rate, Pitchapon said."

Yes, they are stones, angular velocity has been known for 1,000's of years, speed is determined by location, its called reletative humidity and I would think volumetric flow rate varied depending on runoff so any figure would be correct at a given time only.

But hey, discover the wheel and well done for receiving those amulets!

Edited September 23, 2015 by Reigntax

[Prbkk]

Well done to these guys. Great to see. We need more youngsters in science.

[Reigntax]

Why does Thailand rotate faster than all other countries?

Because the government subjects the country to alot more spin!

Edited September 23, 2015 by Reigntax

[MockingJay]

That means there still is hope - good!!!

Edited September 23, 2015 by MockingJay

[attrayant]

I'd love to get my students more interested in science but there is only so much I can do when my science equipment and supplies consists of four walls, a ceiling, floor, whiteboard and 50 desks.

Oh I forgot; there's a projector that sometimes works.

[ksamuiguy]

Congratulations, keep up the good work.

Hopefully one day your Country will appreciate you contributions and knowledge them.

[Thian]

I'd love to get my students more interested in science but there is only so much I can do when my science equipment and supplies consists of four walls, a ceiling, floor, whiteboard and 50 desks.

Oh I forgot; there's a projector that sometimes works.

Then first you show/teach them how to fix the projector. Probably a loose lightbulb or connector. That's the practical knowledge they miss in Thailand. Don't cry like a baby about it, just fix it. It's just a light which needs electricity or it won't burn.

[MrBrilliant]

Well done lads!

No doubt they can work on theorems as to cancelling the numbarse negativity/comments on this forum.....

[attrayant]

I'd love to get my students more interested in science but there is only so much I can do when my science equipment and supplies consists of four walls, a ceiling, floor, whiteboard and 50 desks.

Oh I forgot; there's a projector that sometimes works.

Then first you show/teach them how to fix the projector. Probably a loose lightbulb or connector. That's the practical knowledge they miss in Thailand. Don't cry like a baby about it, just fix it. It's just a light which needs electricity or it won't burn.

They're not crying about it, they just won't get off their duff and fix it. It's a bad VGA cable. I brought my own cable in and whenever I need to use that room, I have a student climb up onto a desk and connect my cable. Then at the end of the class, he disconnects it for me. That I've found a work-around only gives the school another reason why they don't need to fix it correctly.

[Thian]

I'd love to get my students more interested in science but there is only so much I can do when my science equipment and supplies consists of four walls, a ceiling, floor, whiteboard and 50 desks.

Oh I forgot; there's a projector that sometimes works.

Then first you show/teach them how to fix the projector. Probably a loose lightbulb or connector. That's the practical knowledge they miss in Thailand. Don't cry like a baby about it, just fix it. It's just a light which needs electricity or it won't burn.

They're not crying about it, they just won't get off their duff and fix it. It's a bad VGA cable. I brought my own cable in and whenever I need to use that room, I have a student climb up onto a desk and connect my cable. Then at the end of the class, he disconnects it for me. That I've found a work-around only gives the school another reason why they don't need to fix it correctly.

Then you need another approach to the ploblem. Just hit it hard with something when the light is burning and only stop when the light goes off.

Tell them you really need it for your lessons and you put much time in making the sheets to show.

Hopefully they will bring you another one.

Or you bend the cable 50 times at the connector untill it stops working, then you need a new cable.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Thian

[NickJ]

Maybe when they get a little older they can reinvent something very important.