Alumni

Science Olympiad to Medical Student: Carolyn’s Story

Carolyn Wang with Emeritus Professor Ian Chubb AC, Patron

“Go for it! As scary or daunting it may seem, there’s no harm in trying and you might be surprised with how far it takes you.”

After competing in the Big Science Competition, Carolyn Wang was selected to participate in the Junior Science Olympiad (JSO) Academy, an online science extension program supported by JSO program staff.

“My first Olympiad experience was attending the Junior Science Olympiad Academy, which really kickstarted my passion for science and also my participation in other Olympiad exams.”

Carolyn participated in JSO Exams and was invited to attend JSO Spring School in 2022. Competing in the Australian Science Olympiad Exams is where Carolyn’s enthusiasm for Earth and Environmental Science (EES) shone through. She was invited to attend the Summer School for EES in both 2023 and 2024.

In 2024, Carolyn was selected to represent Australia in China as a member of the International Earth Science Olympiad team. She won one Gold and two Bronze medals, and had an unforgettable experience with the team in Beijing.

Now studying at UNSW, Carolyn is busier than ever—but she took some time to chat with us about her journey with Australian Science Innovations and to share advice for young science enthusiasts.

How did you first learn about ASI programs, and what inspired you to participate?

I first learned about the ASI programs from my science teachers at school. While some competitions such as the Big Science Competition had been compulsory, the Olympiads were optional to enrol in. Initially, I had been hesitant to sign up as the exams seemed quite daunting, but I was inspired to participate with the mindset of “there’s no harm in trying”. Indeed, there was absolutely no harm but so many surprises! Taking that leap of faith in year 9 kickstarted an unexpected, but very rewarding journey with the Olympiad program.

What was your experience and the impact of doing JSO Academy?

The Junior Science Olympiad Academy was my first real taste of the Olympiad program. While I had found science a generally engaging subject in my first few years of high school, JSOA was definitely the catalyst for my love and interest in the field.

My experience being a part of JSOA was incredibly eye-opening as we were exposed to content that went much deeper than school, with a particular focus on understanding the “first principles” behind concepts, rather than just rote memorisation. I think this problem-solving approach really shaped my attitude towards learning as a process of making connections between theoretical concepts and then anchoring that theory in the real world, and this approach is something that I have used in the Olympiads, throughout high school and in uni as well.

Outside of academics, JSOA was also the beginning of my network of friends that would come from the Olympiads, and I still bump into fellow students every now and then!

What were your highlights during ASO Summer School? What impact did it have on you?

I must admit that I found it quite difficult to answer this question because of the sheer number of highlights that I have had across my Olympiad experience! If I were to encapsulate my highlight in one big idea, it would be the many wonderful friends I have made along the way.

So many of the people I have met during summer school have become like my found family, and they are the ones I turn to when I have good news to share, questions about topics I’m confused by or if I simply just want to chat. While I may have only spent two weeks or so of my life with them, I know that these friendships will be long-lasting.

They have impacted me in small ways, like their favourite songs infiltrating into my playlists, as well as in bigger ways by inspiring me with their enthusiasm and work ethic.

Photos from Carolyn’s experiences at ASO Summer School, Australian Olympiads Teams Announcement (AOTA) Ceremony, April Training at Kioloa, and the team at the 2024 IESO in China.

Did anyone in ASI inspire you? Who was that, and how was that person inspirational?

It’s impossible to just choose one person! Over the years I have met so many incredible people who have inspired me in different ways.

Firstly, I would like to give a shoutout to Dr Kathryn White, who is really the person who started it all. Although I wasn’t sure how I had gotten there, JSOA was a unique learning experience that could almost be said to have “changed my brain chemistry”.

I also want to mention all of my summer school friends. Each and every one of them has strengths and interests that continually inspire me to this day!

And of course, the EES mentors. What struck me most about the mentors were their attitudes and their passion. While I definitely learnt a lot about earth science, I think my most valuable takeaways from the mentors were their pieces of life wisdom.

What are you currently studying at university?

I am currently studying medicine at UNSW. While you often hear that medicine is quite a content-heavy course, I have found it remarkably similar to the summer school experience as we are constantly confronted with a large volume of new content. There have been many moments where I have found the learning strategies I picked up from doing the Olympiads helping me with my coursework! While it is sometimes intense, I am finding the course very interesting and honestly quite fun. Outside of the theory, we have also had a few opportunities to practice our clinical skills, which has been unlike anything I’ve done before. I’m quite excited to see what the rest of my degree holds!

What has been your most memorable highlight recently?

One of my recent highlights was being invited to a “summer school” style conference to help aspiring medical students with the different stages of the admissions process. There were a lot of new experiences for me, from liaising with seasoned doctors to interacting with students in a mentor role. I found it to be a very rewarding opportunity, as I got to develop my professional skills while also learning a lot about the ins and outs of a few specialties in medicine. I even got to try out a new virtual reality medical simulation that left me physically dizzy but very in awe of the power of technology.

However, the real highlight was getting to interact with the students and pass on my learned wisdom. Surprisingly, two of the students turned out to be mutuals with some of my friends from summer school!

“A photo from a medical conference I attended where I got to meet fellow med students and specialists.” Photo and permissions provided by Carolyn.

What advice would you give to young science students hoping to succeed like you?

I can’t really say I’ve lived enough outside my high school bubble to have made any lifetime professional or personal achievements, but there are a few pieces of helpful advice that I’ve collected over the years. My best piece of advice would be that your mindset controls how you see the world, but also how the world sees you.

When the going gets tough, I’d encourage you to try to reframe your perspective to highlight the opportunities you currently have (although it is always easy to focus on the negatives). Something will always bring you joy, so find ways to connect what you’re doing back to those sources of happiness.

My second piece of advice is to be proactive in getting to where you want to be. If you are willing to take the first step – whether that be cold emailing, initiating a conversation or even just putting in effort – you might find yourself surprised by the number of doors that open!

Do you still keep in touch with anyone from Summer School or Olympiad team cohort?

Yes! I keep in touch with my friends from both summer schools I’ve attended (both within and outside of EES), my IESO team and also some of my friends from IESO. I think becoming friends through the Olympiad almost bonds you for life – even if we go without talking for some time, we’re always able to pick up where we left off.

From in-person meet ups to supporting them in their latest endeavours or sharing photos of the latest rock I’ve collected, I always feel connected to my Olympiad friends. It’s also been really incredible to meet and get to know people from different corners of the country and the world. It’s not often that you can say you have friends from so many different places!

Carolyn at ANU Kioloa Coastal Campus for ‘April Training’ ahead of the team heading overseas to compete in the 2024 International Earth Science Olympiad.