All five members of the Serbian team at the 53rd International Physics Olympiad, held in Tokyo, from 10th to 17th July, won bronze medals. The medalists are Vuk Hip and Đorđe Parojčić from the Mathematical Grammar School in Belgrade, Tadija Jelesijević from the Grammar School in Kruševac, Sava Todorović from the First Grammar School in Kragujevac and Tadej Ristić from the Computing Grammar School in Belgrade.
The competition officially featured 400 participants from 83 countries. The leaders of the Serbian team were professors Imre Gut from the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Novi Sad and Vladimir Marković from the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Kragujevac.
“We consider this a great success that brings us immense joy, especially since this year has seen a low number of students enrolling in faculties that educate physics teachers. We hope that these golden Olympians will continue their education in Serbia and contribute with their work to raising the scientific level of physics and technology in Serbia. We believe that their success will have a stimulating effect on other students, increasing their interest in studying physics, the fundamental science on which many technical sciences are based,” said Prof. Dr. Bratislav Obradović, the President of the Serbian Society of Physicists.
The professor added that he would like to thank the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS) for the assistance provided in organising the selection competition where the team for the International Olympiad (Serbian Physics Olympiad) was determined, as well as for the organisation of our team’s trip to Tokyo.
“Funding science is somewhat of a challenging task because the results of that funding become visible only after many years and are often not in the spotlight of public interest. I am glad that NIS recognised that financing the improvement of scientific literacy in Serbia through the “Energy of Knowledge” programme is a strategic goal and that they are aware of the long-term nature of achieving that goal,” Professor Obradović added.
In order to popularise natural sciences and promote our young and talented physicists, NIS has been cooperating with the Serbian Society of Physicists within the “Energy of Knowledge” programme since 2013, providing support for physics competitions at both the national and international levels.
