Meet Oliver Downing, an experienced ASI alum who has been successful in multiple ASI programs over the years, including representing Australia at the 2023 International Junior Science Olympiad, where he earned a gold medal.

In 2020, Olly was introduced to ASI programs when he sat the Big Science Competition (BSC) through his school. His performance in this, and subsequent BSCs, earned him an invitation to the JSO Training Squad, and later he also completed the JSO Academy.

Olly’s dedication, scientific abilities and outstanding performance in subsequent JSO exams and Spring Schools earned him a spot on the teams representing Australia at the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO). In 2022, he was selected but unfortunately the team did not travel to compete with the IJSO being held in Colombia.  In 2023, he represented Australia at the IJSO held in Thailand. The team was not only successful with their results, they also had an amazing experience.

Olly has also sat the Australian Science Olympiad (ASO) Exams and been selected for ASO Summer School in Chemistry in 2024 and Biology in 2025.

Currently, Oliver is completing Year 12 at Melbourne High School, but he took a moment to tell us about his journey with ASI so far.

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How did you first learn about ASI programs, and what inspired you to participate?

My Year 7 Science teacher from Thornbury High School introduced me to the Junior Science Olympiad and the Big Science Competition, which allowed me to get my foot in the door. I’m grateful to all my teachers – and my mum – for pushing me to succeed. I was inspired by the teachers and mentors that ASI provides, and I’ve kept up my participation by being a tutor for the Junior Science Olympiad Training Squad. I want all students to have the same opportunities I had.

What was your experience of doing Big Science Competition, JSO Training Squad and JSO Academy? How did the programs impact you?

I was fortunate to be selected for the JSO Training Squad in Year 7 and JSO Academy in Year 8. I hadn’t been exposed to much science before entering high school, so these programs opened up a whole new world. Much like a virus and a host, science hijacked my brain and I’ve been loving it ever since.

It takes perseverance, but once you progress to the level that you start to apply the science you’ve learnt to everyday life, it becomes addictive, and you can’t go back. Whatever career you’re looking to pursue, learning science is rewarding in and of itself. To any young students, keep working and learning!

What were your highlights during JSO Spring Schools and ASO Summer Schools? What impact did it have on you?

Definitely the main highlight of the spring schools and summer schools has been the prac work. Having the chance to work in uni labs as a high school student is invaluable. I fondly remember using acid to dissolve brass, for example, and then performing a titration to find the percentage of copper by mass (my calculation was pretty much bang on!)

It was also on an ASI camp that I used a telescope to see Saturn (you can make out the rings!).

“Without ASI’s programs an ordinary kid from suburban Melbourne would never have had these wonderful, formative experiences.”

Left: Locals at the Kioloa Coastal Campus for ASO Biology Summer School. Right: With three fellow biology students – and equally importantly, some moss – in Canberra.

Did anyone in ASI (Staff, PDs, fellow summer school cohort) inspire you? Who was that, and how was that person inspirational?

Kathryn White, the driving force behind the Junior Science Olympiad program, has become an inspiration for me. Her passion for science is infectious and her ability to teach complicated concepts clearly is enviable. As I become an adult, I aspire to be someone who can have such a positive impact on young people’s lives.

I’m also grateful to have met a number of uni students through ASI programs, who are often tutors on ASI camps. Learning about their lives has helped me see where I could go in the future.

What is failure to you and how did you face it?

I’ve definitely fallen for the trap of seeing Science Olympiads as purely a competition, when looking back it’s much more about the journey than the destination.

At the Chemistry Summer School, I remember getting tests back with less than 50% of the marks, and my goal of representing Australia in Chemistry never came to fruition. However, the camp helped me understand the role of chemistry in our lives and our economy, preparing me to take on high school chemistry a year early.

“When you set your sights high, occasionally failing is inevitable, but you shouldn’t let that deter you.”

Beside anything Science, what other interests do you have?

I enjoy reading and writing in my spare time. These days I’ll read whatever – fiction or non-fiction, books or newspapers, online articles – anything that’s thought-provoking and well-written.

Writing is definitely a work in progress, but I hope that by exploring lots of authors some of their talent might rub off on me. I’m certainly learning to communicate my ideas in clearer and more interesting ways. That’s a useful skill in any profession – especially science, where explaining scientific concepts to the public is paramount if we are to tackle issues like climate change and vaccine scepticism.

I also coach and play basketball. I enjoy the challenge of coaching; my most recent team were under 14 boys, so maintaining their attention and earning their respect took a little while. After that, it became incredibly rewarding, and another example of the importance of communication. I’ve applied the skills learnt in coaching to teaching science in the Junior Science Olympiad Training Squad – it’s all about keeping information short and digestible.

What is your most memorable personal (interests, hobbies, activities, etc) highlight recently?

Cycling has definitely been a highlight of my year! I’ve started riding to school more often, which is about 45 minutes on a bike. I love travelling through parklands, where I ride along creeks and under gum trees, and I love cycling down trendy streets in the inner city. It has really enhanced my appreciation of the city I live in – plus, it’s free exercise and faster than public transport.

Do you still keep in touch with anyone from your spring school, summer school or Olympiad team cohort? Tell us a little bit about that.

I’m still in regular contact with my International Junior Science Olympiad team from 2022 – we competed in an online Ukrainian competition together. They’re a great source of validation and support, as they understand the pressures that Olympiad programs and Year 12 can sometimes bring. I’m lucky to have met them and wouldn’t have without ASI.

I went to Thailand at the end of 2023 to represent Australia in science. The Australian team and the Canadian team became pretty close, and I’m hoping to go to Toronto some day to see them again! In an age where young people face the highest rates of social isolation and society faces a loneliness crisis, connecting like-minded individuals has never been more important. For me, the Olympiad programs have been invaluable.

Thank you to Oliver for answering our questions and we cannot wait to see where his journey takes him!