Sunday Times 2
Lankan team wins Gold and Silver at International Nuclear Science Olympiad
View(s):By Prof Shantha Gamage
The gold medal was won by M N A Mushab, a student of D S Senanayake College, Colombo. Additionally, Pabasara Maduwage, a student of Royal College, Colombo, and Akila Bandara from Kingswood College, Kandy, secured silver medals. The prestigious competition took place in New Clark City, Philippines, from July 30 to August 7, featuring over 60 contestants from 20 countries.
The Institute of Physics Sri Lanka (IPSL) conducted the 1st Sri Lankan Nuclear Science Olympiad (SLNSO) for GCE (A/L) students from both government and non-government secondary schools. The examination, based on the A/L Physics syllabus, was held in February 2024 in 12 centres across the island and conducted in Sinhala, English, and Tamil.
Based on their performance in the SLNSO, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals, along with Certificates of Merit, were presented to the winners at the national level during the annual awards ceremony organised by IPSL in March 2024.
A pool of around 12 students was selected from the medal winners of the initial examination, and IPSL conducted several practical and theory workshops for them. Subsequently, four representatives of the Sri Lankan team were selected through a highly competitive theory examination.
The Lankan team was led by Prof Shantha Gamage, Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, alongside Prof Susura Perera from the Open University. Prof H H Sumithipala from the University of Kelaniya participated as a member of the steering committee of INSO. Financial support for the team was provided by the World Atomic Energy Agency in Austria through the Atomic Energy Board of Sri Lanka.
The INSO is an annual international science competition for secondary school students. It aims to increase awareness of the peaceful applications of Nuclear Science and Technology. INSO was initiated under the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) technical cooperation project “Supporting Nuclear Science and Technology Education at the Secondary and Tertiary Level.”
The Institute of Physics, Sri Lanka (IPSL), established in 1980 and incorporated by an act of Parliament, is the apex body of physicists in Sri Lanka. It works for the development of Physics and its applications to improve the quality of life. The main objective of the Institute is to promote and advance the science of Physics and its applications in Sri Lanka. The Institute represents physicists from all branches of Physics.
(The writer is Country coordinator, Sri Lanka Nuclear Science Olympiad (SLNSO))