Congratulations the team of students selected to represent Australia at the 2026 International Chemistry Olympiad, which will be held from 10 to 19 July, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The following remarkable students have been chosen to represent Australia:

• Chloe Jain – Rossmoyne Senior High School, WA

• Daniel Lin – James Ruse Agricultural High School, NSW

• Ishan Umranikar – Melbourne Grammar School, VIC

• Dylan Win – Normanhurst Boys High School, NSW

The team were celebrated at the Australian Olympiad Teams Announcement at the Australian Parliament House in Canberra on 22 June 2026.

Their journey started by sitting the nation-wide Australian Science Olympiad (ASO) Exam in July 2025 before being selected to attend ASO Summer School in January 2026, onsite at the Australian National University. These four students have outperformed thousands of other students in qualifying exams and intensive training to earn their place on the team.

The team have gained immense knowledge and skills during the last year, under the guidance of Program Director, Trent Wallis, and Deputy Program Director, Anthony Mai, along with a team of chemistry enthusiasts. Callista Leong-La, along with Trent and Anthony, will support the team when they compete overseas.

The students have been supported by their teachers and schools, along with their families and friends, to reach the prestigious achievement of being selected to represent Australia.

We would like to extend our heartfelt best wishes to the Australian team representing us at the 2026 International Chemistry Olympiad. Your dedication and hard work have been truly inspiring, and we are confident in your abilities. Wishing you the very best of luck!

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Chloe Jain

Rossmoyne Senior High School, WA

The intellectually challenging environment was one of Chloe’s favourite aspects of ASO Summer School. She enjoys chemistry because it beautifully connects both the physical and biologicals worlds, acting as a bridge between disciplines and allowing her to understand how fundamental principles of matter give rise to the complexity of life.

Chloe is ‘looking forward to is travelling to the fascinating country of Uzbekistan, where I hope to immerse myself in its rich culture and history. I am especially excited to explore the country and to meet people from all around the world, sharing experiences and perspectives across different cultures.’

When Chloe isn’t in the lab, she plays the flute, ‘which gives me a creative outlet and a chance to express myself through music’. She stays active through swimming and tennis, and loves spends time with her dog, a big part of her life. ‘In addition, I enjoy playing chess, as it challenges my strategic thinking and problem-solving skills in a different way.’

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Daniel Lin

James Ruse Agricultural High School, NSW

Daniel previously represented Australia at the 2025 International Chemistry Olympiads in United Arab Emirates, winning Bronze. ‘As this is my second IChO experience, I can’t wait to meet other chemistry enthusiasts across the world where you can form many connections and enjoy time with.’ Daniel is also excited about the Uzbekistan food.

The hands-on laboratory sessions were Daniel’s favourite part of ASO Summer School. Having the opportunity to work with specialised lab equipment – and make a mess along the way – has him hooked on chemistry.

He loves chemistry because it allows him to see and understand the world around him better, from industrial processes to pretty crystals, chemistry has it all. ‘I think practically chemistry is the most fun to see between colour changes and crystals and some odd looking liquid.’

Outside of the Olympiads, Daniel is a keen badminton player and coach.

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Ishan Umranikar

Melbourne Grammar School, VIC

‘Aside from being able to connect with people who are also interested in chemistry, Ishan’s favourite part of ASO Summer School was ‘probably the practical component. The opportunity to work in a real university lab as a high school student was pretty amazing.’

Ishan plans to test his Specialist Maths teacher’s claim that Tashkent has ‘the best food in the world’ at the International Chemistry Olympiad. His teacher, proudly from Uzbekistan, will be cheering the team on!

Ishan’s biggest dream is to study science abroad at an internationally acclaimed institution, with MIT and Cambridge at the top of his list.

‘Science is often a collective effort, and most of the time scientific achievements are the result of many brilliant people all working towards a common goal.’ Wise words from Ishan.

Outside the lab, he expresses his creativity through music, playing guitar and producing his own tracks. ‘Though I am not particularly good at it, I find it to be a welcome break from schoolwork and other commitments.’

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Dylan Win

Normanhurst Boys High School, NSW

Dylan has a genuine passion for chemistry, loving the way it bridges real-world thinking with logical problem-solving, a challenge he finds both exciting and deeply rewarding. The unique and intensive learning environment of ASO Summer school pushed Dylan to give his very best and grow in unexpected ways

Dylan’s journey into science was sparked by his teacher, Ms Chau, whose enthusiasm was infectious, and further nurtured by Ms Kim, both of whom have been incredible mentors.

‘I’m inspired by Copernicus’ proposal of the heliocentric model of the solar system, one of the earliest discoveries propelling humanity into modern science and challenging the widespread beliefs of his society,’ says Dylan. ‘I believe that the heart of science lies in sparking intellectual interrogation that promotes critical thinking and curiosity, rather than accepting ideas blindly.’

When he’s not exploring the world of science, Dylan loves spending quality time with his family and practising martial arts, particularly Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

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Australian Science Olympiads (ASO) programs are run by Australian Science Innovations, a registered not-for-profit proudly delivering science extension programs for over 35 years. Each year we select and support the teams representing Australia at the International Science Olympiads.

The ASO program is supported by our Major Funder, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, and our University Partner, the Australian National University. We also thank Citadel Securities for their support as Major Partner.

Learn more about Australian Science Olympiads program here.

Learn more about the 2026 International Chemistry Olympiad on their website www.icho2026.uz/

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