NPUA High School Students Qualify for the International Physics Olympiad

The NPUA (National Polytechnic University of Armenia) Yerevan High School once again reaffirms its status as a vital platform for nurturing talent. A shining proof of this is Emil Harutyunyan and Garnik Gavaljyan, who successfully passed the republican selection round of the Physics Olympiad, taking first and second places, respectively. Thanks to their outstanding results, both students have been included in the national team of the Republic of Armenia. From July 4 to 12, they will represent Armenia at the 56th International Physics Olympiad, which will be held in the Republic of Colombia.

At the core of the students' success is the long-term, consistent work carried out at the NPUA Yerevan High School. For years, the school's physics Olympiad club has fostered not only a deeper understanding of the subject but also the development of research thinking, diligence, a competitive spirit, and purposefulness.

Naturally, the dedicated and responsible work of the physics Olympiad club leaders—Alfred Petrosyan, Hovsep Karapetyan, Artyom Gasparyan, and Arsen Asatryan—has been crucial in achieving this result, ultimately forming a strong and competitive team.

Hovsep Karapetyan, Olympiad club leader at the Yerevan High School:

"To achieve this result, we didn't use any unconventional preparation methods; we simply continued our classes in a stable and consistent manner. Emil and Garnik have been studying and working non-stop for three years, and this success is the logical outcome of their efforts. Of course, there were difficulties and failures along the way, but they overcame everything with honor and, most importantly, never lost hope."

According to Hovsep, alongside subject knowledge, the instructors also strive to instill willpower so that, in the event of failure, the boys can continue their journey with the same or even greater enthusiasm.

For Garnik Gavaljyan, the world of physics began to open up during his preparation to enter the Polytechnic High School, eventually becoming the core of his professional interests:

"I first got an in-depth introduction to physics at the end of the ninth grade. Initially, I perceived it mostly as an engineering subject. In the tenth grade, I started attending physics clubs and studied the problems with great interest, but I still wasn't practicing enough to actually solve them, which is why I failed to pass the school stage of the Olympiad. That failure, however, became a new beginning. I realized that physics is exactly the field I want to pursue in life, and I started becoming more actively involved in the Olympiad movement."

Garnik advises his peers to first set clear goals, properly evaluate the time and effort required to achieve them, and, once a decision is made, start moving toward that goal as soon as possible.

Emil Harutyunyan:

"The upcoming international Olympiad is a new opportunity to represent Armenia with dignity and to live up to the responsibilities of a national team member. Drawing on last year's experience, I feel a great sense of responsibility. The difficulty of the selection rounds was mostly consistent, but each stage had its own specific nuances. I believe these stylistic differences are exactly why the pool of contenders shifted from round to round. The most exciting moment was after the third stage, waiting to hear which of our friends had made it onto the Armenian national team."

Emil anticipates a successful performance from both himself and the national team at the Olympiad in Colombia. He is also looking forward to interesting encounters and events, noting that this is the first time in history that the International Physics Olympiad is being hosted in that country.

The Polytechnic University wishes great success to the Armenian national team and its students.