TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Are you ready to play “Who Wants To Be A Scientist?” Dozens of the brightest high school students from across the state are ready, and while the top two winners of The University of Alabama’s upcoming physics contest will not win a million dollars, they will compete for two, four-year scholarships to UA.
The 25th annual University of Alabama high school physics contest will be held in the Ferguson Center Ballroom at UA on Friday, Feb. 2. Typically, the contest is attended by students from Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. While not quite as popular as the nationally televised game show, “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?,” last year more than 250 students competed for the scholarships and other prizes.
In addition to the scholarships, books and trophies will be awarded to the top individual and team finishers, and the E. Scott Barr award will be awarded to an outstanding high school physics teacher.
Dr. Pieter Visscher, professor of physics, has been involved with the contest for some 20 years, chairing the contest committee for about 10 years. “It’s more than just a written physics test to take,” Visscher said. “There is an almost quiz-show-like portion in which one student from each team has to answer a question in 40 seconds. The answers are graded on the spot and a running total for each team is kept on a computerized scoreboard.”
Participants also tour UA physics laboratories and see an entertaining physics demonstration. This year’s demonstration will be run by John Daffron of the University of Memphis’ physics department.
Registration starts at 8 a.m. A written exam is scheduled from 9 until 10:15 that morning and the quiz-show style event, known as a ciphering exam, is from 10:30 until 11:45. Physics laboratory tours are from 1-2 p.m. in Gallalee Hall and the demonstration in Ferguson theatre lasts from 2:15-3 p.m.
Contact
Chris Bryant, Assistant Director of Media Relations, 205/348-8323
Source
Dr. Pieter Visscher, 205/348-3773