Day 3.
The main event of the 3rd day of the International Olympiad on Climate Change and Environmental Issues (IOCE) was the Practical Tour. It consisted of two stages: field and laboratory. The school students went on mini-expeditions to the Sochi National Park, where they conducted research in the natural ecosystem. The experiments continued in the Sirius laboratories with modern equipment.
During the field tour, the participants had to describe the vegetation, identify the species composition of the ecosystems, and determine the projective coverage — an indicator that assesses vegetation density. Additionally, they needed to collect water samples for further analysis. Upon completion of the tour, all notes and collected samples were handed over to the organizers for the subsequent laboratory stage.
‘This year, several significant changes were introduced to the International Ecology Olympiad (IOCE). First, the tasks for the participants were developed by specialists from the International Scientific Center for Ecology and Climate Change. This allowed us to focus on the most pressing environmental challenges. Second, the Olympiad’s practical stage consisted of two parts: field and laboratory. Participants had the opportunity to complete tasks directly in the natural environment and then continue their research in the Sirius laboratories using modern equipment. Third, an international observing board has been working throughout all stages of the Olympiad, ensuring the transparency and objectivity of the process,' - notes Ekaterina Filimonenko, a member of the Ecology Olympiad Scientific Committee and a leading researcher in geoecology at the International Scientific Center for Ecology and Climate Change at the Sirius University of Science and Technology.
For Kausthubh Gopalan, a school student from India, participating in the International Ecology Olympiad (IOCE) it is an opportunity to deepen his knowledge in ecology. In the future, he plans to become a doctor to help people and dreams of developing a project that will reduce plastic use.
‘Ecology, for me, is about love for nature, caring for our planet and for future generations who will be able to live in a clean world. I am sure that events like IOCE help form a competent community capable of solving humanity’s global problems. I really enjoyed the field tour part of the practical round, where I got to see plants that don’t grow in India,' - shares Kausthubh Gopalan.
During the laboratory stage, participants had to measure water hardness and alkalinity using the titration method. Furthermore, they had to determine pollution indicators such as the content of nitrites, nitrates, phosphates, ammonium, and ammonia. They also measured pH levels and chlorine content. Based on the data obtained, the participants drew conclusions about the quality of water taken from different sources.
Anastasia Nahibenka, a participant from the Republic of Belarus, has been involved in the Olympiad movement since the third grade. ‘Being part of the Olympiad community means belonging to something global and significant,' - she notes.
‘Sirius is a place that energizes you. This isn’t my first time here, and I always leave motivated to work on large-scale projects. At this Olympiad, I was particularly looking forward to the laboratory stage: research and experiments on modern equipment at Sirius are always impressive. IOCE helps you understand that global environmental problems can be addressed right now — not just by studying them in theory, but by learning to solve them in practice. Even though the Olympiad participants are from different countries, we are united by a common goal: sustainable development and preserving the planet. This diversity of perspectives helps create truly meaningful solutions,' - notes the participant from Belarus.
Tomorrow, the school students will have their theoretical tour, where they will test their knowledge in an individual round.
