Siyang Qin, a senior at Red River High School, earned the maximum score on Advanced Placement exams in biology, chemistry and calculus BC last year -- without taking any of those AP classes.
For his achievement, he was named the North Dakota state winner of the 2010 Siemens Award for Advanced Placement earlier this month.
"I self-studied bio and chem ... and [calculus] BC," Qin said with a laugh.
His Red River classes helped, he said, though he took only basic classes in chemistry and biology and an AP calculus class geared toward a less challenging exam. "It's kind of the foundation of what I learned, but a lot of self-studying is needed for a college-level introductory course."
Among his mentors, Qin counts Red River biology teacher Robert Owners, former Red River physics teacher David Nowatski and UND nanochemistry professor Julia Zhao, from whom Qin has taken chemistry courses.
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Qin, whose name is pronounced "Sean Chin," is headed for Ithaca, N.Y., this fall to study chemical engineering, with a focus on biofuels research, at Cornell University. But, before starting college, he and his parents will return to Guiyang, China, where he lived until he was 8. It will be his first trip back in almost a decade.
"I'm quite excited to see grandparents and cousins," he said.
Qin comes from a family of scientists and scholars, including his mother, a cancer researcher at UND's School of Medicine; a cousin studying at Peking University, "the Harvard University of China"; and grandparents who taught chemistry at a university in China.
The Siemens Award recognizes achievement in AP math and science exams, but Qin has not limited himself to those subjects. He also took AP exams in U.S. history and psychology. This spring he will tackle tests in micro- and macroeconomics, English and government.
He has a light load this year -- just four classes -- but he also keeps busy playing violin in the Grand Forks Youth Symphony and competing in math track and science bowl.
To take an exam for a subject not offered at Red River, such as microeconomics, Qin asks his school counselor to order the test and takes it with a proctor in the school's office.
"Sometimes I get one or two friends who give me some moral support and take it with me," Qin said.
Gulya covers education. Reach her at (701) 780-1118; (800) 477-6572, ext. 118; or send e-mail to lgulya@gfherald.com .
