Sixteen Students Advance to 2009 USA Chemistry Olympiad Semifinal Exam

2009 USA Chemistry Olympiad Orange County Local Exam was held at Santa Ana College on March 28, 2009.  Sixteen students qualified for the national exam to be held on April 25, 2009 at Santa Ana College.

• Eric Azama, Valencia High School
• P. Bryan Changala, Northwood High School
• Chung-Jen Chen, Troy High School
• Justin Gottula, El Dorado High School
• Peter Joe, Northwood High School
• Clement Kao University High School
• Jonathan Li, Saint Margaret’s Episcopal School
• Justin Lo, Troy High School
• Morgan Low, Corona Del Mar High School
• Jang Myung, Sunny Hills High School
• Aanand Patel, Troy High School
• Tiffany Peng, Troy High School
• Elaine Thai, Marina High School
• Candace Wu, Valencia High School
• Arthur Xu, Valencia High School
• Janis Yee, Valencia High School

The USA Chemistry Olympiad team selection process begins at the local level. Typically, about twenty-five High Schools from all over Orange County send as many as four students each to compete in the local section exam.  The top scorers advance to the national round of the competition (semifinal) where each student takes a five-hour exam that includes extensive laboratory work.  The top twenty scorers on the national exam are invited to attend the Olympiad Study Camp at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The top four at the camp will then go on to represent the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad in July.