The 33rd Annual University of Alabama High School Physics
Contest will be held on Friday, January 30, 2009 on the campus of
the University of Alabama. This event is open to all high schools
and usually attracts schools from surrounding states as well as
many from Alabama. It consists not only of physics
competitions but also of a program for teachers, an open house on
research in physics, a physics show, and informal opportunities to
experience campus life at The University of Alabama. More details,
pictures, and a movie clip may be seen here.
The top two finishers in the written exam who choose to attend
the University of Alabama will receive four-year in-state tuition
scholarships. Books, trophies, plaques, and medals will be awarded
to the top individual and team finishers. Students who do
well in the competition will be invited to apply to the E. Scott
Barr scholarship program, which awards generous scholarships to
students majoring in physics. The program consists of (all
times still preliminary!)
8:00- 8:30 AM Registration (Ferguson Center Ballroom Lobby)
8:30- 9:00 Greetings and Instructions (Ferguson Center Ballroom)
9:00-10:15 Written Exam (Ferguson Center Ballroom) Old exam
9:15-10:00 Teachers' Program
10:30-11:45 Ciphering Exam (Ferguson Center Ballroom) Old exam
11:45- 1:00 PM Lunch on your own
1:00- 2:00 Open House (Bevill Building)
2:15- 3:00 Physics Show (Ferguson Center Theatre)
3:00- 3:30 Awards Ceremony (Ferguson Center Theatre)
In addition, for those who drive to Tuscaloosa on Thursday and
stay overnight, there will be an Astronomy Public
Night at 7 PM Thursday evening. A talk on a topic
of current interest in astronomy will be presented, and
weather permitting, the new 16-inch Ritchey-Chretien reflector
telescope will be used to view the Moon, Saturn, and the Orion
Nebula. The observatory is located atop Gallalee Hall, at
the corner of University Blvd. and Hackberry Lane on the UA
campus.
Contest Rules
- The use of calculators is not allowed on the written
exam. Calculations on the written examination will involve
simple numbers so far as feasible and trigonometric tables for
commonly used angles will be provided. The use of
calculators is allowed for the ciphering competition provided
any stored formulas are not used.
- Students having tattoos of physics formulas will be allowed
to participate only if the tattoos are completely covered by
clothing. T-shirts or other clothing bearing formulas are
not allowed.
- A school can enter any number of students in the written
exam and (subject to space availability) any number of teams in
the ciphering competition.
- Ciphering teams have four members, whose names must be sent
in on the registration
form. Last minute changes may be faxed to 205-348-5051 or
emailed to Bill Keel
(wkeel@bama.astr.ua.edu)
before 5 PM the day before the contest (Jan. 29). A
database of team rosters will be finalized then -- it is no
longer possible to make changes in the database on the day of
the contest.
- The ciphering teams are divided into five divisions:
- Small public high schools
- Large public high schools
- Private high schools
- Small magnet high schools
- Large magnet high schools, which includes state math and
science schools such as MSMS and ASMS.
- Joint teams (having members from more than one school) may
be formed. Note that a student may not occupy more than
one of the four slots on a team, so if a school does not have
four students it must join with another school or compete as
a "fun run" team in which a stuident can compete multiple times, which is
scored but ineligible for awards.
- Team rankings in the ciphering competition will be announced
unofficially at the end of the competition and officially at the
awards ceremony.
- Books, trophies, plaques, and medals will be awarded to the
top finishers (both individuals and teams). Recognition
will also be extended to all students scoring in the upper 20%
on the written examination
E. Scott Barr Award
It will be our pleasure to present
the E. Scott Barr Teaching Award to an outstanding high school
physics teacher during the afternoon awards ceremony. The
winner will receive a plaque and a check. Nominations
for this award are invited from principals, fellow teachers,
parents, and students. If you would like to nominate
someone, please send the nominee’s name and contact
information, along with a supporting statement, to Professor Bill
Keel by fax (205-348-5051) or email.
Contest information and registration forms are mailed out to
schools in October of each year. If your school does not receive
one or needs a replacement, or for further information, contact Ms. Nancy Pekera
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0324 npekera@bama.ua.edu ,
205-348-5050
or save, edit, and email back the email registration
form. As we did last year, we have
had to set this at $7 per registrant to keep up with the cost of using
the facilities. Also, note a change in address for both registration forms and
fees this year. It will help us plan if you can email us in advance with an
estimate of how many students you expect to bring.
The registration deadline is Monday, January 26, 2009. |
