Pakistan has won three bronze medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), with five students recognised for their performance at the prestigious global science competition held in Bucaramanga, Colombia, from July 4 to 12.
The bronze medals were awarded to Zulfiqar Ali of Government City Boys School, Dera Ghazi Khan, Ali Hamdan Alvi of FG Sir Syed College, Rawalpindi, and Daniyal Shahzad Hamid of The Science School, Rawat, Islamabad.
Hazza Mahmood of Aitchison College, Lahore, and Abdullah Ejaz of Siddeeq Public School, Rawalpindi, received honourable mentions.
The Olympiad brought together more than 400 students from over 90 countries, providing a platform for some of the world’s most talented young physicists to compete in theoretical and experimental physics.
The Pakistani students were selected through the 22nd National Science Talent Contest (NSTC), organised under the STEM Careers Programme, a joint initiative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS).
Following a nationwide selection process, the team underwent intensive residential training at the PIEAS campus under the guidance of national and international experts.
According to officials, Pakistan has participated in the International Physics Olympiad since 2001, while it has been sending teams to the International Mathematical Olympiad since 2005 and the International Biology and Chemistry Olympiads since 2006.
Since the launch of the STEM Careers Programme, more than 365 Pakistani students have represented the country at International Science Olympiads, winning a total of 144 medals. More than 5,000 students have also benefited from over 256 advanced training camps organised under the programme.
PIEAS, working under the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, conducts the National Science Talent Contest annually in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics to identify and train talented secondary and higher secondary school students for international competitions.
