Called "Chemistry prodigy", but Dinh Cao Son, the owner of the gold medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad, does not like this name.
Dinh Cao Son, a 12th grade Chemistry student at Ha Tinh High School for the Gifted, was one of three Vietnamese students who won a gold medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad (IchO) in Switzerland on the evening of July 24. Son had the highest score of the Vietnamese team, ranking 7th out of nearly 350 students from 90 countries and territories.
When his name was announced as the gold medal winner, the Ha Tinh male student hugged his friends to share his joy, then called his parents at home.
Son admits that he is good at natural sciences, including Math, Physics, and Chemistry, but is most passionate about Chemistry. "I especially like practical experiments, wanting to witness the process of chemical substances reacting with each other," Son told VnExpress this morning.
Dinh Cao Son, gold medalist of the 2023 International Chemistry Olympiad. Photo: Character provided
Son said his most memorable conquest was the national Chemistry competition for excellent students in grade 11. The first time he entered a big arena, Son felt overwhelmed and "difficult", especially during the practical exam, because he was surrounded by good opponents from many specialized schools across the country. That year, Son won second prize. In grade 12, when he was no longer a "newbie", Son was more confident and won first prize, being selected for the selection round of the international competition team. Before that, the male student had won first prize at the provincial level in Chemistry many times from grade 9 until now.
According to the male student, the secret to studying Chemistry well in particular and natural sciences in general is to always seek new knowledge outside of textbooks. Son often goes online to read, as well as practice more exam questions. The young man also does not force himself to study at a certain time frame but chooses the time when he feels most comfortable. According to Son, the most important thing when studying is to be absorbed, at this time "the more you study, the more fascinated you become". When tired, Son rides a bike to relax.
When he was chosen as one of four students representing Vietnam to compete in the International Chemistry Olympiad in Switzerland, the male student told himself that he needed to make an effort to "bring something back".
Son assessed that this year's exam was difficult, with questions covering many modern scientific issues such as environmental protection, renewable energy, etc. The male student took the exam over two days, working for 5 hours each day, and always made full use of the time allowed to complete and review his work.
"I am very happy and proud to have devoted myself to bringing high achievements to the team. But through the competition, I see that I still have a lot to strive for," Son said, admitting that although he is strong in theory, he also achieved quite good scores in practice but there is still a gap with the contestants above him.
Dinh Cao Son (second from right) with members of the Vietnamese delegation at the International Chemistry Olympiad held in Switzerland. Photo: MOET
Mr. Le Phi Hung, Vice Principal of Ha Tinh High School for the Gifted, assessed Son as intelligent, modest and calm.
"In his studies, he has a systematic investment and a thorough plan for each subject. When doing his homework, Son always shows confidence, so he can assert himself through exams," said Mr. Hung.
Son is the second student from Ha Tinh province to win an international gold medal in Chemistry, after Phan Xuan Hanh in 2022.
Although teachers and friends call him "Chemistry prodigy", Son does not like this name. The male student said that knowledge is limitless, he is like a small grain of sand in the ocean and "wants to be just an ordinary person".
With his achievements both domestically and internationally, Son has been accepted directly into many major universities. The male student said he is still researching and has not decided which school to choose. Son's next plan is to learn a new foreign language to supplement his studies.
vnexpress.net
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