Michael Kohn
| Michael Kohn | |
| Noted subjects | Fine Arts, Literature, Religion/Mythology, Mathematics |
| Current college | Durham University (2022-) |
| Past colleges | Cambridge(2021-22), Imperial(2018-21) |
| Stats | HDWhite • NAQT |
Michael Kohn is a player for Durham University and the current president of UK Quizbowl. A Mathematics PhD student, he also is an amateur conductor, currently conducting Durham University Palatinate Orchestra's chamber orchestra and previously founding Kohncertino during his undergraduate at Imperial. For this reason he is considered to be an AFA specialist, but has large areas of the canon that he has not encountered naturally as a musician, leading to weaknesses in non-orchestral music. His particular quizbowl interests broadly align with his specialisms.
University Career
Michael began his quizbowl career by signing up on a whim to play the 2018 EFT set. After playing only a few tournaments in his first year, he was then helped to get better at quiz by Brandon Blackwell and former Imperial Quiz Society President Conor McMeel, gaining a grounding in most of the University Challenge/ Quizbowl canon. He then led Imperial's quizbowl teams in the 2019-20 season and 2020-21 season, serving as Secretary of the society in both years. In the 2020-21 season, he was on the first Imperial team to win a non-novice tournament, beating Southampton A in the final of the 28-team Southeast-Midwest housewrite [2021 Southeast-Midwest Housewrite, and achieved one of Imperial's best results at BSQC beating Cambridge A along the way.
He then transferred to Cambridge for a Masters degree in Pure Mathematics, and played quizbowl for Cambridge A. This culminated in a team of himself, Liam Hughes, Delia Cropper, and the first UK appearance of Harrison Whitaker winning BSQC 2022, only losing to Oxford B.
Michael began a PhD in low-dimensional topology at Durham university in 2022, and soon joined their quizbowl team, appearing on the side that achieved Durham's best result in modern BSQC history with an equal 3rd place finish at BSQC 2023. He can be found on Durham A alongside Sam Moore, Isaiah Silvers and Kai Madgwick, and appears at some open tournaments, usually on teams with former Imperial player Felix Swift Roberts.
Aged 19, Michael captained Imperial's University Challenge team, who reached the semifinal of the show in Season 50, losing three games, first to Strathclyde, and twice to victors Warwick University. Due to a high number of games played, he amassed 45 correct starters and a large number of negs, one of the highest totals in recent history. He then selected and trained the winning Imperial team for season 51, and assisted in training Imperial for season 53, before retiring completely from anything to do with University Challenge.
Michael first got involved in UK Quizbowl's committee as Blog Editor for the 2021-22 season. He then progressed through more major positions, first as Communications Officer and then as Tournaments Supervisor, before becoming president in the most recent elections. In his current role he aims to continue to grow quiz in the UK, strengthen the resources and digital content that UK Quizbowl puts out, and aid societies in helping more players bridge the gap from novice to regular quizbowl.