Efforts for Popularization of Astronomy in Korea through Astronomy Olympiad

Activities : 2001-2012

A Workshop in honor of Prof. Sang-Gak Lee’s Re-tirement,

Current Issues in Stellar Astronomy : Stars, Planets, and Life

Feb. 21-22, 2013

Yoojea Kim (Korea Astronomy Olympiad, KAS)

Brief History of Korea Astronomy Olympiad (KAO)

2000 : Prof. Lee, Sang Gak (then-president of KAS) initiates KAO with Prof. Woo, Jong Ok (1st Chairman of KAO)

2001, Oct. 27 : The 1st Korea Astronomy Olympiad is held in Seoul National University (SNU) with 535 high school students participating.

2003 : Government starts financial support for KAO

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 20120

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

Middle school

High School

Num

ber

of

Part

icip

ants

Quantitative Evolution of KAO (2001-2012)

Cause : Change in government policy regarding the admission to prestigious Science High schools

astronomer scientist/engineer other0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

20102011

Future Career Choices of KAO Participants (2010-2011)

Participation in International Astronomy Olympiads

2002 : 7th IAO (International Astronomy Olympiad) as an observer team with three high school students (North Caucasus, Russia)

2005 : 1st APAO (Asia -Pacific Astronomy Olympiad) (Irkutsk, Russia)

2007 : 1st IOAA (International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics) (Chiang Mai, Thailand)

1st APAO (2005)

2nd APAO (2006) 14th IAO (2009)

4th IOAA(2010)

year IAO IOAA APAO

2002 3

2003 3

2004 5

2005 3 2

2006 8 8

2007 8 5 7

2008 7 4 8

2009 9 5 15

2010 7 4 5

2011 8 5 7

2012 6 5 7

Total 67 28 59

Number of Korean students in IAO, IOAA and APAO (2002-2012)

College majors of Students who have participated in IAO, IOAA and APAO (2002-2012)

astronomy/physics other sciences /engineering N/A0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

IAOIOAAAPAO

The 5th Asia Pacific Astronomy Olympiad (APAO)

Oct. 7-14, 2009 / Damyang, Korea

“2009 The Year of Astronomy”

- 11 teams from 9 countries (Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Singapore, Thailand)- 88 participants (60 students & 28 team leaders)

The 17th International Astronomy Olympiad (IAO)

Oct. 16-24, 2012 / Gwangju, Korea

-22 teams from 21 countries (Armenia, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Czecho, China, Estonia, Ghana, In-dia, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lithuania, Mongolia, Romania, Russia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine)- 129 participants (83 students & 46 team leaders)

Prof. Sang-Gak Lee, Thank you !!