Prize Recipient

Jorge Chavez-Saab
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Background:

My name is Jorge Chavez Saab and I am a US-born Mexican. I was born in State College, Pennsylvania while my parents were in graduate school at Penn State University. We returned to Mexico when I was about 3 months old, so I am Mexican both ethnically and culturally.

My enthusiasm towards Physics started in 9th grade, when my Physics teacher decided to start an Olympic team and asked me to join it. At this time, Physics was just another subject to me, but I soon began to realize that my teacher was probably one of the best ones in my state and was preparing us to a very solid level. As I progressed in the Olympiad, I began to grow more and more fond of Physics.

However, this middle school Olympiad only got to the national level. When it finished, I found myself desiring more opportunities to challenge myself. I found these in high school, where I gave my all to the Olympiad, and eventually ended up where I am right now – preparing for the Iberoamerican Physics Olympiad to take place in Spain next September, after more than a year of preparation and tough competence.

I will be attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology next fall to study pure Physics, and I am thrilled to attend a foreign university where I will be able to challenge and measure myself against others!