Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Novosibirsk State University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Four students from the NSU Faculty of Natural Sciences won and placed first in the 4th International Chemistry Olympiad among students, which took place from October 15 to 17 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, at Magtymguly Turkmen State University. Alexander Tomilov and Nazim Mustafin won gold medals, while Nikita Chernovsky and Alexander Sapov won silver.
Over 250 students from 47 universities in Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, the United Kingdom, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the competition. The Olympiad was held in two categories: Category A for students majoring in chemistry, and Category B for students in other fields. Russian participants won 13 gold medals, 11 of which were in Category A, demonstrating a high level of preparation.
Nazim Mustafin has won numerous prizes at major competitions: in 2025, he was among the winners of the "I Am a Professional" Olympiad, winning two bronze medals in the Chemistry and Biotechnology tracks. In 2024, as part of the NSU team, he received a third-place diploma in the Molecular and Cellular Biology section of the International Biological Universiade. Last year, he was also part of the NSU team that won a gold medal in the International Chemistry Olympiad at Magtymguly University in Ashgabat. Nazim works as a laboratory assistant at the International Tomography Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Magnetic Resonance Microtomography Lab.
"Last year, we participated in this Olympiad with almost the same team, and it was a very rewarding experience. When the organizers sent an invitation again, I immediately began coordinating the trip with the dean's office. On behalf of the entire team, we express our deep gratitude to the leadership of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at NSU for their support and the opportunity to participate. This year, there was only one round, four hours long, with six problems. For many participants, this proved challenging: the problems were easy, but very complex, and sometimes there wasn't enough time to solve them," Nazim Mustafin shared.
Alexander Tomilov has participated in school olympiads in various subjects since the 7th grade. He developed an interest in chemistry in the 8th grade, and in the 10th and 11th grades, he won prizes in the final round of the All-Russian School Olympiad in Chemistry. In 2022, he entered Novosibirsk State University (NSU), majoring in Chemistry. During this time, he successfully competed in the All-Russian Student Olympiad "I Am a Professional" in Chemistry (winner in 2024, gold medalist in 2025), as well as the International Chemistry Olympiad at Makhtumkuli Tomsk State University (gold medalist in 2024 and 2025). He works at the International Tomography Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, conducting research in the fields of EPR spectroscopy and metal-organic coordination polymers.
"I already participated in this Olympiad last year and wanted to prove my abilities. This year, I was able to properly balance my efforts and focus on tasks I was confident in. This is what helped me secure a gold medal. I was nervous while writing the Olympiad problems, but when I received the results, I was thrilled not only for myself but for the entire NSU team. We won two gold and two silver medals—one of the best results among Russian universities," notes Alexander Tomilov.
The Olympiad was not only an academic challenge but also a unique experience of networking and knowledge sharing. Students found the forum interesting as a platform where science and practice intersect with business and innovation.
"The experience of working with diversely trained participants is invaluable. For example, one of our colleagues, Nikita Chernovsky, just last week won the Mendeleev Competition for Young Scientists. This demonstrates the students' high level of fundamental preparation," says Alexander.
The Olympiad is held annually and aims to develop academic collaboration, stimulate student interest in scientific research, and enhance the participants' professional skills. The results of the NSU team confirm the high standard of student training in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and demonstrate the university's competitiveness on the international stage.
"There was a funny moment. Before the medal presentation, everyone was seated according to their scores. Since I was attending a conference on educational methods, I was seated separately, and I wasn't sure until the end what color medal I'd receive. I admit, I was a little nervous at the threshold between the gold and silver medals," Nazim recounts.
We congratulate the medalists and wish them new victories in the future!
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