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Cambridge Science Competition Winner
We are thrilled to announce that a group of outstanding pupils from Wellington College Tianjin has been awarded the prestigious Country Award for China 2025 in the Cambridge Upper Secondary Science Competition. This accolade recognises their remarkable project, "Creating Bioethanol from Food Waste Using Yeast" which embodied scientific rigour and practical relevance.
Under the insightful guidance of the Head of Science, Mr Dentico, the team demonstrated exceptional creativity and resilience. Their project explored sustainable solutions for managing food waste in schools and successfully produced bioethanol with ethanol concentrations between 60–70% through distillation. This achievement was made all the more impressive given the pupils' ability to balance a demanding IGCSE schedule alongside numerous extracurricular commitments.
In the words of Mr Dentico, "It was a real privilege to supervise this group. The project grew from a genuine interest in reducing waste and rethinking how schools can manage their environmental impact—an impressive example of sustainability in action."
The Head of Senior School, Ms Peden, expressed her delight, stating, " We are delighted to congratulate our pupils on their success in this prestigious competition. Their project embodies the creativity and purpose we encourage at our school, and seeing them succeed in their initiative—identifying a real issue within our community and working tirelessly to find a solution—has truly impressed us."
The pupils' journey was not just about scientific discovery but also about personal growth.
Terrell, one of the participating pupils, shared, "The process wasn’t always smooth—we faced setbacks, adjusted our goals, and had to be flexible when plans changed—but in the end, the experience taught us a lot about adaptability, teamwork, and the value of sticking with a project even when it gets difficult."
Michael, another team member, added, "Through the project, we deepened our understanding of the biochemical mechanisms behind fermentation and the practical challenges of producing sustainable bioethanol at scale. It also showed us how science can be applied meaningfully in the real world."
Huahong, reflecting on the unexpected victory, remarked, "Winning first place in the competition was completely unexpected. Looking back, I learned a lot about perseverance and the importance of supporting each other through challenges. It was a genuine team effort, and I’m proud of what we achieved together."
The judges were particularly impressed with the team's application of ancient scientific techniques to solve modern problems, highlighting their focus on addressing food waste within the school. They also noted that "Further to the combination of the ancient and the contemporary, the use of AI in the construction of the report appeared to be well considered. The report itself was considered to be very strong."
This award not only celebrates a scientific achievement but also honours the character and determination of our pupils. Their success shines as an example of what is possible when creativity, perseverance, and teamwork combine.
Congratulations to the Wellington team for making our school community proud. You are indeed an inspiration to us all.
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