This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Los chicos ganadores de la Olimpíada Nacional de Química recibieron un Premio al Esfuerzo

The guys the National Chemistry Olympiad winners received a prize for the effort

14/12/2010

December 14, 2010

This Tuesday, December 14, three students who obtained the gold medal at the National Olympiad in chemistry, and who later represented Spain international in the summer Olympics and in the Ibero-American, received a commitment to employment by the subsidiaries Spanish three large multinational in the chemical sector. The winners, who were high school when they started the competition, reached the national final after overcoming a few local stages involving nearly 2,000 students of all Spain. In the finals, held in Seville on 1 and 2 may, the award-winning three won the gold medal. It's Andreu Tortajada and Jesus Álvaro Gómez, who succeeded in addition medals bronze in the 42nd International Chemistry Olympiad, held in Tokyo (Japan) from 19 to 28 July last.

The business award, which was awarded for the first time in 2005, aims to recognize knowledge and the work done by the students, as well as to promote the social recognition of the values of the effort demonstrated. It consisted of the delivery of a letter of understanding, signed by the Chief Executive of a chemical company, in which the company committed to offer the first job opportunity to the student at the time they end their studies.

The ceremony, organized by the Forum 'Chemistry and society' and that it took place at the Hotel Urban in Madrid, was chaired by Ángel Gabilondo, Minister of education, and was attended by the interventions of Nazario Martín, President of the Royal Spanish society of chemistry; María Carmen Cartagena, Coordinator of the Olympics of the National Association of chemical Spain; Carlos Negro, Chairman of the chemistry Forum and society and Luis Serrano, President of the Business Federation of the Spanish chemical industry (Feique).

This unique competition, who was born in 1959 as a test for students of Bachelor's degree from the countries of Eastern Europe, is currently held in 65 different countries and has become a real event within the educational community. Its aim is to stimulate the interest in chemical science, promoting scientific vocations, and discovering future talent among students that have not yet reached the age of majority. In Spain, the first edition of this event took place in 1996 as an agenda for the then Ministry of education and science, entity that organizes it in collaboration with the National Association of chemical (although) and the Royal Spanish society of chemistry.

From left to right: Jon Victor Bilbao, commercial director for Europe West of Basic Chemicals & Performance Products Dow Chemical; Carles Navarro, commercial director of BASF; Jesus Álvaro Gómez Iregui, award-winning of BASF; Marconi Nicholas Peñas de Frutos, award-winning of Dow Chemical; Angel Gabilondo, Minister of education; Andreu Tortajada Navarro, award-winning Bayer; Susana Vilas, responsible for corporate communications of Bayer; Carlos Negro, Chairman of the chemistry Forum and society; Luis Serrano, Feique President; and Nazario Martín, President of the Royal Spanish society of chemistry.