Sean Kedrowski of Signal Mountain enjoys many things about chemistry. “I think it’s interesting the many ways it can be applied,” the recent Baylor School graduate said. “I like math, and there’s a lot of math involved. But there’s also a practical side.”
From July 6 until July 15, Sean, 18, will get to display his love of chemistry at the 33rd International Chemistry Olympiad in Mumbai, India. He was selected as a member of this four-person team at a national chemistry camp that was held from June 3-17 at Colorado Springs, Colorado at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
The camp, which included one four-hour exam, two three-hour exams, and six four-hour labs, took the top twenty chemistry students in the US and narrowed them down to the top four. “At the end of the camp they announced the top four. I was actually quite amazed,” Sean said. “ I didn’t think I’d done well on the final exam, so I didn’t think I had a chance.”
Sean’s family moved to the Chattanooga area when he was 14. He credits a lot of his success in chemistry to his high school teacher, Peter Melcher, without whom, he says, “I certainly wouldn’t have gotten as involved [in chemistry].”
Sean will be traveling with three other students, Albert Wang of Texas, Collin Martin of Oklahoma, and Bing-Hai Ling of New York. Also accompanying the students will be two chemistry mentors, Dr. Nadine Szczepanski and Mrs. Jane Nagurney. “I’m looking forward to it,” Sean said of the trip. “I’m continuing to prepare. I don’t exactly know what to expect, but I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun.”
Sean is aware that there will be a five-hour lab and a five-hour test that the teams will be evaluated on. Over the course of the ten-day excursion, the teams will get to tour the Mumbai area and visit many of the local attractions.
Sean has done a little bit of thinking about his future, and how chemistry will be involved. “It’s certainly a likely possibility that I’ll choose a career in it,” he said. “I will probably major in it at Duke, but I may double major. I may go to grad school in it later, but I’m not planning that far ahead yet.”