Department of Physics Hosts Inaugural Physics Olympiad

Looking to both engage the local community and expose physics to a young audience, Stevens’ Department of Physics hosted the inaugural Physics Olympiad on June 15 at the Tech Flex Center at the University Center Complex.

The Physics Olympiad was a free event open to high school students. The event was spearheaded by Ting Lu, teaching assistant professor and associate chair for undergraduate studies in the Department of Physics. Lu led the Physics Olympiad Committee, which also included fellow department faculty members Vladimir Lukic, Samuel Hedemann and department chair Ting Yu. Additionally, Ph.D. candidates Michel Inman, Daniel Tafone and Pengju Chen helped organize the event.

Jean Zu, Lore E. Feiler Dean of the Schaefer School of Engineering and Science, got the day started with a presentation to the participants at 10 a.m., after which the students had two hours to complete an exam in designated classrooms.

The exam, designed to challenge even the most accomplished high school students, consisted of 10-20 questions that spanned a range of topics such as mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, quantum, optics/wave and astronomy. Necessary mathematical equations and calculators were provided. However, the test was closed book.

Although primarily the Physics Olympiad was a student competition, a large component of the event was the opportunity to engage in community outreach. While the students had two hours to complete the test, members of the Physics department interacted with the parents and educated them about Stevens’ Department of Physics, including a tour of the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, led by Tafone.

“A lot of family members showed up. And we had great conversations with them about physics, other majors and career options while waiting for the test takers to finish the test,” said Lu. “They were very excited about the tour of our million-dollar Quantum Lab.”

Three winners – Gold, Silver and Bronze – were invited to an awards ceremony two weeks after the event.

Lu and the members of the committee are excited about the results and feedback from the inaugural Physics Olympiad and are already determining ways in which to improve the program going forward.

“It was incredibly exciting to be a part of the team laying the groundwork for this new event,” said Inman. “Planning and hosting the first Physics Olympiad was a very rewarding experience as well as to see the all the pieces come together. I hope the participants found it rewarding as well, and I look forward to next year.”