Aquinas College has won first place over 11 other Bay of Plenty and Waikato schools at a chemistry competition held at the University of Waikato.<\/p>\n
The team of four Year 13 students won prize money and a trophy for their effort.<\/p>\n
It involved them spending a day in a university laboratory analysing the makeup of a sample of zinc sulphate and then determining how many water molecules were associated with each zinc sulphate molecule.<\/p>\n
It was a process that involved carefully using the equipment and information provided for the task, to get an accurate result.<\/p>\n
Attention to details and precise calculations were key, Elise Oxenham, 17, says.<\/p>\n
Sponsored by the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry, the competition gives students a peek at the sophisticated resources of tertiary laboratories and the way the professors and technicians run them.<\/p>\n
\"It's great for students looking at doing the chemistry scholarship exams to understand university doesn't need to be daunting,\" Aquinas teacher Richard James says.<\/p>\n
Student Janelle Dawber-Mair, 18, wants to study biomedical science next year and hopes to enter a career where shes able to help benefit lots of people's lives.<\/p>\n
Being able to participate in some practical chemistry was a really fun and rewarding opportunity, she says.<\/p>\n
Fellow winner Put Suthisrisinlpa, agrees.<\/p>\n
The competition allowed him to apply the knowledge hed gained from school to solve a practical problem and reinforced his passion for chemistry.<\/p>\n
Its helped prepare me for the undergraduate degree in chemical engineering that Im pursuing next year, he says.<\/p>\n
Elise intends to go on and study engineering, while Daniel Nirmalaraj is planning a career in medicine.<\/p>\n
Aquinas College Principal Matt Dalton says the school is very proud of the teams competition achievement.<\/p>\n
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