Indonesian Team Wins Gold Medal At The 20th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) 2009 Tsukuba Japan

Indonesian team that followed the The 20th International Biology Olympiad 2009 (IBO 2009) that was held 12-18 July 2009 in Tsukuba, Japan, succeeded in achieving a gold medal. Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the press conference in Jakarta on Monday (20 / 7), said the gold medal achieved by Anugerah Erlaut, 3rd grade high school students from SMA Kharisma Bangsa, Tangerang, Banten.

At the event of Biology Olympiad coincided with the celebration of 200 years Charles Darwin and 150 years the publication of "The Origin of Species", the team also achieved a Silver Medal by Irfan Haris 1st grade high school student of SMAN 1 Pringsewu, Lampung. While a bronze Medal obtained by Elbert Wijaya, 3rd grade high school student from SMANK 1 Penabur Jakarta.

IBO events this year, followed by delegations from 56 countries with the number of students, 221 people, plus the four countries as the Observer. Team Indonesia represented by four students from a number of schools in the country, other than the Anugerah Erlaut, Irfan Haris and Elbert Wijaya, also Danang Crysnanto, grade 2 high school student of SMAN 1 Wonogiri, Central Java.

The four students accompanied by Team Instructors of IBO Indonesia, namely Dr. Agus Dana Permana, Dr Maelita R Moeis, Dr Devi Nandita Choesin, and Dr Iriawati from Sekolah Ilmu dan Teknologi Hayati / SITH ITB, Dr Sucipto Hariyanto of Biology UNAIR, and Ir Gunardi Sihhatmanahadi from the Ministry of National Education.

After the opening, the Instructors who acts as Jury started a discussion and translation of the four sets of practical test, including Animal and Botanical Anatomy which is Anatomy of the silkworm (Bombix mori), flower and fruit Vigna angularis (a kind of bean plants).

Then Biochemistry and molecular Biology, namely the determination of fosfatase acid enzyme activity viewed based on the reaction of fosfatase from the changes of absorbance, because the concentration changes measured with spectrophotometer. All of the practical tests conducted in the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan.

Acquisition of a gold medal in the scientific Olympiad cauldron in this international level, completes a number of victory was also achieved by Indonesian team in Mathematics and Physics Olympiad. This award not only for students to become experiences, but also prod the spirit of scientific education in the environment of education in Indonesia.

The International Biology Olympiad (IBO) is a science olympiad for secondary school students. The first academic international Olympiads after the (originally Eastern European-based) International Mathematical Olympiad were launched under the auspices of the United Nations in the 1960s.

The programs have gradually expanded to include more than 70 participating countries across five continents. The IBO is one of these olympiads. All participating countries send the four winners of their National Biology Olympiad to the IBO, accompanied by usually one team leader and two observers/jurors.

The aims of the IBO are to promote a career in science for talented students and to stress the importance of biology in our current society. It also provides a great opportunity to compare educational methods and exchange experiences. This is useful information to improve biology education on a national level.

Since the organization of every National Olympiad requires the cooperation of many institutions, such as ministries of education, industry, teachers' associations, universities and schools, communication and cooperation between those institutions is promoted and intensified.

And last but not least, the IBO stimulates contact between students and teachers from many countries in a friendly environment. To demonstrate this last aim, both students and teachers swear an oath of behaving according to the principles of fair play.