Abstract
We carried out a follow-up study on the students who participated in International Astronomy Olympiad(IAO). We surveyed home and school environment, personal characteristics with regard to four high school student and five college students who participated in IAO from 2002 to 2005. In the home environment variable of science elite students who took part in the IAO, we found out significant corelation between science elites and their parent's educational career. In their personal characteristics, we found out considerably their motivation capacity, intelligent curiosity, flexible and creative thinking ability. This study illuminated that the experience of IAO participation offered the opportunity for the students to gain mare self-esteem and positive confidence on scientific study. The IAO experience is construed to effect greatly the students' future. Through the IAO experience, the participating students are expected to major in astronomy and become excellent astronomers in the future. We expect that the interest of student will increase greatly in the area of astronomy and it will contribute to the substantial development of Korean astronomy. In this respect, with the constant support to the IAO participants, the effort to cultivate outstanding astronomers and follow-up study on those participants of the IAO should be continued.
