Ole Einar Dalen came home with a bronze medal after several days of tough examinations in both practical and theoretical biology skills. This year's final took place on the 10th-18th. July in Yerevan, Armenia, where approx. 500 students from 66 different countries participated.
The training week
This year, the International Biology Olympiad was organized as normal. Our four finalists were invited to the training week at the Department of Biosciences, where they learned practical skills in the laboratory. The students received training in bioinformatics, plant anatomy, biosystematics and biochemistry.
The journey to Armenia
After a week of training in the laboratory, the journey continued to Armenia. With a long layover in Warsaw, the Norwegian finalists had plenty of time to stroll around the old town. Here they had dinner and ended with an obligatory ice cream for dessert. They also passed the statue of Marie Salomea Skłodowska–Curie, the pride of Poland and a good role model for many budding researchers.
Armenia
Once in Armenia, the Norwegian finalists were checked into a separate hotel together with all the other finalists from the approximately 66 participating countries, while the jury members were taken into another hotel. The Norwegian finalists were given their own personal guide, Arevik, with whom they eventually became good friends.
In the first four days of the competition, the jury members and the finalists were kept separate, to prevent the finalists from getting information about the exam papers at the time when the exam papers were to be approved and translated.
The students went on excursions when the jurors approved and translated exams, and when the students completed exams the jurors were allowed to go on similar excursions.
Bronze winner
After a week of hard work for both jury members and finalists, the results were announced at the closing ceremony where Ole-Einar Dalen was announced as the bronze winner. We could not be more proud of the efforts of Ole-Einar and the rest of the Norwegian team.
We thank all Norwegian students who participated in this year's Biology Olympiad and look forward to next school year. Then the trip goes to the United Arab Emirates.