News From OSA

U.S. Student Chapter Contest – Optics Questions/Answers Needed for U.S. Physics Team or Ways OSA Chapters Can Win Free Green Beer!

The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the American Institute of Physics (AIP) have invited OSA to participate in the U.S. Physics Olympiad Program! We have the opportunity to submit optics-related physics questions that will be included in the second screening exam taken by 200 of the nation’s top-scoring high school students as they advance to the semifinals for the national team. Students who qualify are among the brightest and most motivated.

Based on the results of the exam, which includes 10 theoretical questions and 5 labs, as well as students’ school transcripts and letters of recommendation, 24 members of the U.S. Physics Team are chosen in early May. Later in the month, team members travel to the University of Maryland-College Park for nine days of intense studying, testing, and problem-solving at the annual U.S. Physics Team Training Camp. Five students are chosen out of the 24 at the close of camp to make up the national traveling team which will compete at the international level.

The U.S. Physics Olympiad Program is a joint initiative of AAPT and AIP. AAPT began the program in 1986 to promote and demonstrate academic excellence.

We are coming to the OSA Student Chapters for help!

To help you gauge appropriate level of difficultly, please view a sample of questions and answers from the 2007 exam submitted by American Crystallographic Association (links below, but you must be a member of the sites):

OSA Student Chapter Yahoo Site
OSA Education Outreach Site
OSA Box.net Site (public access)

Contest Timeline

What Can Chapters Win for All of The Hard Work?

Chapter(s) submitting questions chosen for the final exam will win a St. Patrick’s Day Party – complete with green beer, pizza and a green laser to use for educational outreach!!!

Questions? Contact KiKi L’Italien at klital@osa.org.