On the couch, Cearense Biatriz Silva watched in awe on TV as rockets launched. Her eyes sparkled even more as she noticed her father, Carlos, a furniture salesman, also captivated by the sight, sharing her fascination for films like "Interstellar". It was with him and her mother, Leidiana, a housewife, that the girl learned to look at the stars. They taught her that studying would expand her place in the world.
On this Wednesday, November 23rd, 17-year-old Biatriz will embark on a solo journey to Hanoi, Vietnam, to participate in the 19th International Olympiad of Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), one of the most prestigious student competitions globally, beginning next Friday, November 25th. She will be the only female among the five Brazilian students attending.
Pici neighborhood resident, Biatriz, who is currently in her third year of high school, won the gold medal in the 2023 Brazilian Astronomy Olympiad. She aims to replicate this achievement in Vietnam. There will be four tests covering theoretical knowledge, data analysis, telescopes, and planetariums. She will return to Brazil on June 6th.
I have a special notebook where I've noted over 380 stars, and I also decorate their positions.
The national achievement, while still a student in a public school, earned her a scholarship to a school with special preparation for admission to the Brazilian Air Force Institute of Technology (ITA). She wants to study engineering. "Maybe aerospace."
The student says she has a normal and disciplined study routine. Like every teenager of her age, she enjoys having fun with friends, and study is not an enemy. "I also like to draw," she adds, a student passionate about the universe.
Among so many stars in the sky, the favorite is Alchiba, from the constellation of the Crow, which is located at around 49 light-years from Earth. "It's because the Crow is in a very good location. It's the alpha star and it used to be the brightest."
The bright star of the Silva family competed for this opportunity with approximately 300 students from the country. "It was tough, but it's very rewarding."
Anxiety
Besides Biatriz, four other Brazilian students will represent Brazil and are also eager for the exchange of experiences with young people from different languages and perspectives on astronomy.
Biatriz's three colleagues are from Fortaleza: Jailson Henrique Godeiro Neto, 17, Arthur Alencar Spuri, 16, and Isaac Victor de Araújo Santos, 16. The fifth is Eyke Cardoso de Souza Torres, 17, from Ourilândia do Norte (PA).
"It's an experience I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. It's very rewarding to have this opportunity, especially because of the challenges that came with getting here," said Eyke Torres.
The International Olympiad has 67 teams registered from all regions of the world, ensuring that Brazilians will have contact with different perspectives on the field.
In Brazil, students went through a selection process promoted by the Brazilian Olympiad of Astronomy and Aeronautics. To compete for a place in the international and Latin American Olympiads, high school students must achieve a score of 7 or higher on the Brazilian Olympiad of Astronomy and Aeronautics (OBA) test from the previous year.
For 9th-grade elementary school students, they must achieve a score of 9 or higher. Those who qualify take three advanced online tests. Then, 45 students are selected for intensive training and in-person evaluations. At the end of the process, the five young people who represent Brazil at the event are chosen.