American Association of Physics Teachers
Encyclopedia
The American Association of Physics Teachers was founded in 1930 for the purpose of "dissemination of knowledge of physics, particularly by way of teaching." There are more than 10,000 members that reside in over 30 countries. AAPT publications include two peer-reviewed journals, the American Journal of Physics
American Journal of Physics
The American Journal of Physics is a monthly, peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Institute of Physics. The editor is Jan Tobochnik of Kalamazoo College.-Aims and scope:...

 and The Physics Teacher
The Physics Teacher
The Physics Teacher is a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Association of Physics Teachers and includes papers on physics research, papers on the history and philosophy of physics, papers on applied physics, papers curriculum developments, papers on pedagogy, papers on instructional...

. The association has two annual National Meetings (winter and summer) and has regional sections with their own meetings and organization. The association also offers grants and awards for physics educators and programs and contests for physics educators and students. It is headquartered at the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...

.

Brief history

The American Association of Physics Teachers was founded on December 31, 1930, when forty-five physicists held a meeting during the joint APS
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...

-AAAS meeting in Cleveland specifically for that purpose.

The AAPT became a founding member of the American Institute of Physics
American Institute of Physics
The American Institute of Physics promotes science, the profession of physics, publishes physics journals, and produces publications for scientific and engineering societies. The AIP is made up of various member societies...

 after the other founding members were convinced of the stability of the AAPT itself after a new constitution for the AAPT was agreed upon.

Contests

The AAPT sponsors a number of competitions. The Physics Bowl, Six Flags
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...

' roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...

 contest, and the US Physics Team are just a few. The US physics team is determined by two preliminary exams and a week and a half long "boot camp." Each year, five members are selected to compete against dozens of countries in the International Physics Olympiad
International Physics Olympiad
The International Physics Olympiad is an annual physics competition for high school students. It is one of the International Science Olympiads. The first IPhO was held in Warsaw, Poland in 1967....

 (IPHO).

See also

  • The Physics Teacher
    The Physics Teacher
    The Physics Teacher is a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Association of Physics Teachers and includes papers on physics research, papers on the history and philosophy of physics, papers on applied physics, papers curriculum developments, papers on pedagogy, papers on instructional...

  • Oersted Medal
    Oersted Medal
    The Oersted Medal recognizes notable contributions to the teaching of physics. Established in 1936, it is awarded by the American Association of Physics Teachers. The award is named for Hans Christian Ørsted. It is the Association's most prestigious award....

  • American Institute of Physics
    American Institute of Physics
    The American Institute of Physics promotes science, the profession of physics, publishes physics journals, and produces publications for scientific and engineering societies. The AIP is made up of various member societies...

  • American Journal of Physics
    American Journal of Physics
    The American Journal of Physics is a monthly, peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Institute of Physics. The editor is Jan Tobochnik of Kalamazoo College.-Aims and scope:...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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