Australian Brain Bee Challenge (ABBC) judges were greatly impressed by the determined solo effort which saw a single representative from the outer Brisbane suburb of Cleveland storm home to win the individual round of the 2009 Queensland competition yesterday.
Undaunted by not being able to entice her classmates to join her in the comp, Cleveland District State High School student Millie Macdonald fought through to win the dramatic final individual round of the ABBC (Qld), the nation’s most prestigious neuroscience knowledge competition for high school students.
Organised annually by the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) the Australian Brain Bee Challenge is the nation's biggest neuroscience competition for high school students, attracting more than 3,000 competitors from 234 schools nationally in 2009.
Yesterday’s Queensland finals involved more than 130 students from 30 Queensland high schools.
Runners up in the individual final were Sarah Thomas (Somerset College, Mudgeeraba) and Chanchanok Chaichim (Queensland Academies of Science Mathematics and Technology, Toowong).
A team from the Queensland Academies of Science Mathematics and Technology won the team challenge (see details below).
Millie will progress to the national final in Sydney in January 2010, where she will compete against other state and territory winners and attend the annual meeting of the Australian Neuroscience Society.
The winner of the national final will then represent Australia at the 2010 International Brian Bee in the United States.
Team winners from the state final received microscopes and binoculars donated by Carl Zeiss, Australia (major sponsor) for their schools, as well as neuroscience books from Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, iPods from Infinite Systems, plus commemorative UQ pens and T-shirts.
(results)
2009 INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGE – Qld
1st Place Individual Challenge
Millie Macdonald – Cleveland District State High School, Cleveland
2nd Place Individual Challenge
Sarah Thomas – Somerset College, Mudgeeraba
3rd Place Individual Challenge
Chanchanok Chaichim – Queensland Academies of Science Mathematics and Technology, Toowong
TEAM CHALLENGE – Qld
1st Place Team Challenge
Jocelyn Bosse, Chanchanok Chaichim, Christopher Martin, Hayden Champion
Queensland Academies of Science Mathematics and Technology, Toowong
2nd Place Team Challenge
Kelvin Scarabel, Oliver Piva, Czarwill Hyne, Bernadette Dash
Burdekin Catholic High School, Ayr
3rd Place Team Challenge
Winnie Yum, Michelle Ball, Savini Liyanagama, Lily Xu
Somerville House, South Brisbane
More photographs available under the 'view proofs' section at:
