2024 U.S. Chemistry Olympians named

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, June 20, 2024 — The American Chemical Society (ACS) is proud to announce the team that will represent the U.S. at the 56th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) on July 21 to 30 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The members of 2024 Team USA are:

  • Anant Asthana, John Foster Dulles High School, TX.
  • Yufei Chen, University High School, CA.
  • Yunyi Ling, Montgomery Blair High School, MD.
  • Alice Liu, Marquette High School, MO.

The first and second alternates are:

  • Aaron Wang, Conestoga High School, PA.
  • Yash Shah, Panther Creek High School, NC.

After outscoring hundreds of other students on a national exam, the top 20 were invited to an intensive study camp. There, they received college-level chemistry training with an emphasis on organic chemistry via a series of lectures, problem-solving exercises, lab experiments and tests at the University of Maryland, College Park. This was at least the second study camp for all six students. The four highest-scoring students during the study camp make up Team USA and the next two highest-scoring students are the alternates. Liu was on Team USA in 2023.

The mentors who supported the study camp and will support Team USA at IChO are:

  • Head mentor Laura Serbulea, University of Virginia.
  • College mentor Songwen Xie, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
  • High school mentor Komal Jain, Lake Braddock Secondary School, VA.
  • High school mentor Steve Lantos, Brookline High School, MA.

ACS has sponsored the American team annually since the U.S. joined the Olympiad in 1984. Principal funding is through the ACS Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Chemistry Olympiad Endowment, with additional support from other donors. For a complete list of sponsors, visit the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad website.

The International Chemistry Olympiad originated with Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary in 1968. Soon, other Eastern European countries joined the event; Western Europe began participating in 1974. The first U.S. team competed in 1984, winning one silver and two bronze medals.

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