Chemistry Olympiad

We are pleased to announce that the San Gorgonio Local Section will be participating in the 2023 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO). The primary goals of this program are to stimulate interest and achievement in chemistry among high school students throughout the United States and to provide recognition of outstanding students, teachers, and schools. Students in AP or IB chemistry are encouraged to participate. 

We have the privilege of nominating ten students to represent the San Gorgonio Local Section in the National Chemistry Olympiad exam.  The Local Section exam will be used to identify these students.  The results of this exam will also be used to select students who will receive San Gorgonio Section scholarships of up to $1200 that can be used for college expenses. 

The Local Exam will be offered in a hybrid format which means it will be available online as well as paper.  There will be no charge for the exam this year.  It is planned for this exam to be given the week of March 13-18.  

The twenty students nationwide with the highest scores on the National exam will be invited to attend a two-week study camp in June.  At the end of camp, four students will be selected based on a combination of objective and subjective evaluations as the United States team to participate at the International Chemistry Olympiad.   Here is the schedule for this year’s program:

February 11: Deadline to register school and choose exam format

March 4:  Deadline to register students

March 13-18:  Local Exam

April 15-23:  National Exam

June 4-17:  Study Camp

July 16-25:  International Chemistry Olympiad

Students from our Section who are nominated to participate in the U. S. National Chemistry Olympiad and as San Gorgonio Section scholarship winners will be honored in May, along with their teachers.  The student from each participating school who attains the highest score on the Local Section exam together with his or her teacher will also be honored.  

For more information about the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad program and for past exams, click here.  For information about the San Gorgonio local exam, email Dennis Pederson (dennis.pederson@gmail.com) or Eileen DiMauro (edimauro@mtsac.edu).