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Saudi students win medals at IChO 2018

Jul 30, 2018 Faculty Focus

Four Saudi students mentored by KAUST Professor Kuo-Wei (Andy) Huang recently won one silver and three bronze medals at the 50th International Chemistry Olympiad. Image courtesy of Andy Huang.

A team of four Saudi students mentored by KAUST Professor of Chemical Science Kuo-Wei (Andy) Huang competed in the 50th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO 2018) from July 19 to 29 in Prague, bringing home one silver and three bronze medals.

Student Bader Almulhim won a silver medal, while students Abdulrahman Aledrees, Ali Alasmari and Osama Alali won bronze medals. In the coming academic year, Aledrees will continue at medical school in Riyadh, while Almulhim and Alasmari were accepted to the KAUST Gifted Student Program (KGSP) and will study in the U.S. Alali will continue high school in the 11th grade.

Four Saudi students mentored by KAUST Professor Kuo-Wei (Andy) Huang (center) recently competed in the 50th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO 2018) in Prague, winning one silver and three bronze medals. Image courtesy of Andy Huang.

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Huang is the only faculty member from the University's Physical Science and Engineering Division who has been working with the IChO team since 2010, building the program with Professor Basheer Chanbasha from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and Professors Daifallah Aldhayan and Nada Al-Jallal from King Saud University. KAUST Professors Zhiping Lai, Yu Han and Jorg Eppinger also contributed to training activities for students from 2012 to 2014. So far, KAUST has helped over 240 students compete in the Olympiad. The Saudi team won its first two bronze medals in 2013, and the team has brought back a total of five silver and 16 bronze medals over the years.

"We have established a solid foundation, and I trust that we can amplify the impact in chemistry education by building a platform for practical training," Huang said. "The happy faces of the students really make it worth our efforts!"

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