Taiwanese students win 2 gold, 2 silver medals at International Earth Science Olympiad, ranking 3rd globally

Taiwanese students have achieved remarkable success at the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad held in Italy, bringing home two gold and two silver medals. The team's collective performance placed Taiwan third overall in the competition, which featured 160 students from 41 nations.

Wang Yi-cheng from Taichung First Senior High School was a standout performer, earning a gold medal and achieving the second-highest individual ranking. Shih Tzu-hung from Kaohsiung Senior High School also secured a gold medal, ranking sixth individually. The silver medals were awarded to Liu Hsin-tse from the Hsinchu Science Park Experimental High School, who ranked 20th, and Huang Ting-yu from Tainan First Senior High School, who ranked 27th.

Wang Yi-cheng's passion for Earth science began with an interest in astronomy, fueled by encyclopedias at home. He discovered a liking for mathematics and science in junior high and rekindled his interest in Earth science in high school's science program. He views Earth science as the most relevant science to daily life, encompassing weather, earthquakes, celestial movements, and climate change, all of which drive his desire to understand the world's operating principles.

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Earth science is the most relevant science to daily life, from the daily weather, earthquakes, the movement of the sun and moon to climate change, all of which make me want to further understand the laws of how the world operates.

Despite moments of doubt during the competition, Wang Yi-cheng persevered, motivated by the thought, "I've already come this far, why should I stop now?" Through intensive training camps and field studies, he not only deepened his Earth science knowledge but also honed his skills in time management, teamwork, and on-the-spot adaptation. His teacher, Hsu Wei-hsiu, noted Wang's ability to extend his understanding of knowledge and pose questions beyond the curriculum.

Shih Tzu-hung, a gold medalist from Pingtung, developed his interest in Earth science through a fascination with typhoons in junior high, leading him to participate in science fairs. His experience at the Asian Earth Science Carnival in South Korea during his first year of high school inspired him to compete again. Liu Hsin-tse has been curious about the universe since kindergarten and participated in cosmology research at university, while Huang Ting-yu's interest in Earth science was sparked by stargazing in elementary school. Both silver medalists overcame previous setbacks in national team selections to achieve their current success.

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I've already come this far, why should I stop now?