Lauren Singh selected for Australian Earth science Olympiad

Lauren Singh will represent Australia at the UNESCO International science, Informatics and Mathematical Olympiads – the world’s toughest maths and science competitions for teenagers.

Lauren Singh of Alstonville High School has been selected to represent Australia in the UNESCO-sanctioned International science, Informatics and Mathematical Olympiads in August.

The 16-year-old is the only regional student to be accepted from thirty-one of Australia’s brightest high school scientists and mathematicians.

She will be competing against more than 2000 of the world’s brightest young minds and is one of eight students from NSW, ACT, VIC and QLD selected to compete at the Earth Science Olympiad, which will be held from 24 to 30 August.

The Alstonville High student made waves in November 2021 when she ‘had a go’ at a science competition where she outperformed more than 3000 students nationwide to be one of six members selected in Australia’s first International Junior science Olympiad team.

“In December 2021 we went to the International Junior Olympiad and everyone on the team achieved a silver medal,” Ms Singh said.

“The Junior Olympiad is a more general thing of science,” Ms Singh said, “After that they have senior ones which are split into different areas, and this is what the Earth Science Olympiad is.”

16 year-old Lauren Singh from Alstonville High School was selected to represent Australia in the International Earth science Olympiad 24-30 August 2022. Lauren received her Australian team blazer at an official team announcement ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday.

Australian science Olympiads are a staged enrichment program where students receive support and recognition for their efforts.

Each year Australia sends teams to compete in the International science Olympiads in physics, biology, earth science, and chemistry.

Ms Singh told the Northern Star she is finding the next level challenge hard, where selectees are learning first year university level concepts.

“I haven’t done any earth science at school or in any other area,” she said.

“We’re studying a mix of things; geology, rocks and minerals, then there is natural disasters, a bit of climate science and space as well so there is a whole mixture of things to do with Earth and also other planets.”

The teenager said she is really enjoying the process of learning new things even though initially she didn’t know what to expect upon beginning this journey.

“There are a lot of different things to explore,” Ms Singh said.

“We were given a box of rock and mineral samples in bottles where we have to observe their crystal structures and things we find in them to identify where it came from or when it was possibly formed or how old the fossil was.”

In an intensive pre-competition camp to sharpen their skills and knowledge students are taken on excursions to visit different geographical locations to practise their skills.

“The activities are designed so that we can use things we have at home rather than special equipment we don’t have access to,” she said.

Lauren travelled with her mum Swee to the Australian Capital on Monday where she received her Australian team blazer at the official team announcement ceremony at Parliament House.

16 year-old Lauren Singh from Alstonville High School was selected to represent Australia in the International Earth science Olympiad 24-30 August 2022.

“In the Junior Olympiad we didn’t get to meet the other competitors mostly due to Covid,” Ms Singh said.

“We didn’t get to collaborate with students from other countries but the interesting thing with the Earth Science Olympiad is that you do a project in a team made of people from around the world.

“You’ll have students from a few different countries and you all get to work together on a project.

“I’m pretty excited.”

Many Olympiad participants go on to careers in medicine, research and government.