Shen of ORHS one of 20 U.S. high school students selected for USA Biology Olympiad Finals

 

Henry Shen of Oak Ridge High School is one of 20 high school students selected for the 16th Annual USA Biology Olympiad National Finals.

The top 20 students were announced by the Center for Excellence in Education in May.

Nearly 10,000 talented students from across the country registered for the USA Biology Olympiad, or USABO. Nearly 700 were selected as semi-finalists, a press release said.

The 20 finalists were selected following completion of a three-part, two-hour exam in April.

The 20 finalists will meet from June 23 to July 5 at the University of California San Diego for 10 days of biology instruction that includes laboratory training and conceptual understanding, followed by two days of testing, the press release said.

Ultimately, four students are competitively chosen to represent the USA at the International Biology Olympiad from July 15-22 in Tehran, Iran.

USABO has earned the coveted Number One Team in the World in 2017, 2015, 2013, and 2011, the press release said. Every member of Team USA has medaled at the IBO since first competing in 2003, the release said.

“UC San Diego congratulates the USA Biology Olympiad finalists as we look forward with excitement to hosting them here soon on campus,” said Bill McGinnis, dean of UC San Diego’s Division of Biological Sciences. “We wish them all the best and we are confident that UC San Diego’s stellar research laboratories and outstanding campus resources will provide them with an unforgettable experience during the USABO contest finals.”

The USABO is jointly sponsored by CEE and UC San Diego for the first time ever, the press release said. Program officials from CEE and UC San Diego are making final arrangements in preparation for the final stage of the premier national biology competition for U.S. high school students.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for USABO scholars to be exposed to UC San Diego research and faculty,” said Xiaojun “Bill” Li, vice president of CEE’s USABO.

“The mission of the USABO is to encourage excellence in biology education throughout the United States and to challenge students and their teachers to reach the gold standard in biology,” said Joann DiGennaro, president of the Center for Excellence in Education. “These students are some of the highest achieving biology students from this country.”

Here are the USABO national finalists:

California

• Allen Huang, Canyon Crest Academy
• Helen Yang, Northwood High School
• Alexander Tsao, Troy High School
• Charles Huang, Lynbrook High

Michigan

• Jason Zhang, Troy High School

Minnesota

• Lucy Chen, Mounds View High School
• Kimberly Shen, Mounds View High School

New Jersey

• Atharv Oak, West Windsor Plainsboro High School – South
• Jason Yang, West Windsor Plainsboro High School – North
• Lucy Zou, East Brunswick High School

New York

• Jessica Woo, Kappa Academy

Pennsylvania

• Bhav Jain, Franklin Regional SHS

Tennessee

• Henry Shen, Oak Ridge High School

Texas

• Edward Lee, LASA High School
• Shree Mohan, Dulles High School
• Nithin Parsan, Clements High School

Virginia

• Derrick Liang, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology
• Sabrina Cai, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology
• Eugene Lee, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology
• Wenbo Wu, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology

This press release was submitted by Holly Cross.