Pakistani students delivered a strong performance at the third International Nuclear Science Olympiad in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, winning one gold and two silver medals.
INSO-2026, organised with the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), took place from August 2 to 8 and featured nearly 120 students and experts representing 19 countries.
Participants included delegations from China, Japan, Russia, Türkiye, Malaysia, Indonesia and the host country, Saudi Arabia.
Muhammad Ali of Government College University (GCU), Lahore, claimed the gold medal for Pakistan. Muhammad Usman and Seerat Fatima Bhatti added two silver medals to the country’s tally. Syed Shuja Haider was also part of the Pakistani delegation.
The Pakistani participants earned their places through the Pakistan Nuclear Science Olympiad (PANSO), a programme launched by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) to identify promising young students and prepare them for international-level competitions in nuclear science.
Pakistan has been selected to host the fourth International Nuclear Science Olympiad in 2027.
Dr Muhammad Maqsood of the PAEC Directorate of Education and Dr Sajjad Tahir of the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) received a commemorative memento during the event to mark Pakistan’s selection as the next host nation.
INSO is an international academic contest designed for secondary-school students with an interest in nuclear science.
