Boy genius from Carlingford High School wins state neuroscience title

It would be easy to label Jacob Lee as gifted — having just won a state title for budding neuroscientists at the Australian Brain Bee Challenge.

Carlingford High School student Jacob Lee, 15, with his trophy from the competition. Picture: Troy Snook

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It would be easy to label Jacob Lee as gifted — having just won a state title for budding neuroscientists.

But the Carlingford High School student will tell you his success mainly came down to hard work.

Jacob, 15, poured up to nine hours a day into studying for the prestigious neuroscience competition, the Australian Brain Bee Challenge, exclusively for Year 10 students.

Jacob Lee with school mate Josphine Lee, who helped promote and run tutorials for the challenge at Carlingford High. Picture: Troy Snook

The best students from across NSW were invited to the state final held at the University of NSW recently, following the first round held online.

Jacob not only impressed at the state final but was crowned the champion.

“I did not really comprehend it. I was sitting there and was like ‘oh wait, I won’,” he said.

“Initially, I thought this challenge was a good opportunity to get some qualifications and if I achieved anything it would look good on my resume.

Carlingford High School Year 10 student Jacob Lee will compete at the national champs in December in Adelaide.

“And I think neuroscience is a field I would like to get into. It is fairly new and one where there is still a lot to discover.”

During the state final, he managed to make it through to the top eight students and then the top three, who went head to head answering a series of tough questions.

“We were closely matched … we actually ended up finishing the last question, all three of us, on the same amount of points and we went into a sudden death round.”

The sudden death question was about working memory and Jacob was the only one who produced the correct answer: phonological loop.

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He said he did not expect to win but he had studied hard. “I think it is all about hard work.”

His science teacher Kelly Morcomb and school mate Josephine Lee — who ran tutorials and encouraged other students at Carlingford High to take part in the competition — were on hand to congratulate him.

Mr Morcomb said he was very proud of Jacob and it showed how well you could do in a public, non-selective school if you were dedicated and had the support of other students.

For winning, he will represent NSW at the Australian Brain Bee Challenge national finals in Adelaide in December.

He also collected a trophy, $300 in vouchers at JB Hi-Fi and two books.

The Australian Brain Bee Challenge began in 2006 to give Year 10 students an opportunity to learn more about neuroscience and careers in neuroscience.