Olympiad Diaries
Day 6
Day 6
The main event of the sixth day of the Open International Biology Olympiad (OIBO) was the project round, where teams tackled one of five biological problems. All tasks were developed by Sirius' industrial partners, based on real-world challenges in modern biological science. The Olympiad’s partners included the Caucasus State Natural Biosphere Reserve, Lomonosov Moscow State University’s Marine Research Center, BIOCAD, and Generium. The project round involved sample collection, laboratory analysis, and collaborative problem-solving.
Anastasia Nahibenka, a participant from Belarus, has been involved in the Olympiad movement since the third grade. "Being part of this community means belonging to something global and meaningful," she says.
"Our task in the project round was to develop a complete project — one we could continue working on afterward. For me, the easiest part was the theoretical round since it relied on reading, erudition, and knowledge from class. But dissecting mollusks? That was new! It became a deeply emotional experience for me." says Anastasia. — "Sirius is an energizing place. This isn’t my first time here, and I always leave motivated to take on big projects. This year, I was especially impressed by the university’s cutting-edge technology, labs, and equipment. OIBO also has an incredibly friendly atmosphere — we help each other constantly, sharing materials, notes, and textbooks."
"Our task in the project round was to develop a complete project — one we could continue working on afterward. For me, the easiest part was the theoretical round since it relied on reading, erudition, and knowledge from class. But dissecting mollusks? That was new! It became a deeply emotional experience for me." says Anastasia. — "Sirius is an energizing place. This isn’t my first time here, and I always leave motivated to take on big projects. This year, I was especially impressed by the university’s cutting-edge technology, labs, and equipment. OIBO also has an incredibly friendly atmosphere — we help each other constantly, sharing materials, notes, and textbooks."
The students' work is evaluated by a scientific committee comprising professors, PhDs in biology, researchers from top Russian universities, national biology team coaches, and undergraduate and graduate biology students. International consultants also contribute by reviewing tasks, adjusting difficulty levels, and ensuring alignment with Olympiad standards.
Ahmad Faizal, an international consultant from Indonesia and Professor of the School of Life Sciences and Technology at the Bandung Institute of Technology, noted:
“Most international Olympiads have only two rounds — theoretical and practical. But OIBO’s project round is its unique feature, developed with partners to let participants apply their knowledge to real-world problems. While not all tasks are strictly school-level, they’re designed so that students can successfully tackle them.”
“Most international Olympiads have only two rounds — theoretical and practical. But OIBO’s project round is its unique feature, developed with partners to let participants apply their knowledge to real-world problems. While not all tasks are strictly school-level, they’re designed so that students can successfully tackle them.”
