The first female student to represent the ACT in the International Science Olympiad in more than a decade has brought home a bronze medal.
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Narrabundah College year 12 student Claire Yung finished in the top half of about 400 students from 85 countries in the competition's week-long physics contest.
The clever Lyneham 17-year-old sat two five-hour exams - one theoretical, one practical - to take the bronze.
"It was very difficult," Claire said.
"I didn't feel very confident with how I went because I found the exams really difficult, but a lot of other people did too, so basically we were all in the same boat.
"The questions were very challenging and you're not expected to fill out all of it, so it's about tackling the problem as best you can."
Claire will now focus on finishing college, where she studies maths, physics, chemistry and biology, before applying to study science at university.
She encouraged other young women to try their hand in STEM subjects.
"Give it a go because you can do it and you can't do it if you don't try," Claire said.
Eight of the 17 Australian students participating in the International Science Olympiad were female, equalling 2015's record high level of representation.
