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The AIP Travelling Scholarship

The AIP (Vic Branch) Education Committee provides one scholarship worth up to $2000 each year for a teacher to attend an overseas physics conference.

Teachers in Victorian schools interested in applying for the scholarship should send i )details of the event they wish to attend ii) a statement about their contribution to physics education and why they should be selected and iii) a letter of recommendation from their school to reach the AIP at PO Box 304, Glen Waverley VIC 3150 by the end of the end of first term each year.

It is expected that the successful applicant will give a presentation at a Physics Teachers Conference and other suitable events upon return.

In 2009 the scholarship was awarded to Barry Homewood form Braemar College, whoc attended the 'EinsteinPlus' workshop at The Perimeter Institute in Toronto, Canada, see details below. In January 2011 Adrian Camm, the 2010 scholarship winner, now from Quantum Victoria attended and presented at the Association for Science Education (ASE) Conference in the UK. He also met with representatives of the Institute of Physics (IOP) to discuss their various support programs for physics teachers and students.

The scholarship can be used for any overseas conference on physics education.

Possible International Conferences include:

  • American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) National Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, USA from July 30 - August 3, 2011. This website will give some details about this event, but details about their January 2011 meeting will give a better idea of what to expect. Their next National Meeting will be in Ontario, California from February 4 to 8 in 2012,
  • GIREP, the International Research Group on Physics Teaching, will have their 2011 conference in Jyvaskylla, Finland from 1 - 5 August 2011. Their website has details about the conference and proceedings of other conferences to give you a sense of what is normally on offer.
  • International Commission on Physics Education (ICPE) 2011 Conference will be in Mexico City, date unknown at this stage. Check this website for details of previous conferences.
  • Association for Science Education (ASE) Conference in UK over four days in early January. Check this website for details of the ASE Conference for January 2012.
  • The workshop "EinsteinPlus" at the The Perimeter Institute in Toronto, Canada, is on the teaching of modern physics including quantum physics, special and general relativity, and cosmology and runs in mid July each year. Participants need to register by the end of April. The Institute, among many things, runs workshops for Canadian and international physics teachers and they cover all costs within Canada, that is, workshop costs, accommodation, travel and meals. A person just has to get to Toronto. However there is a catch. The Institute won't accept anyone. Applicants need to show evidence of innovative teaching, to be active in professional development and to be prepared to conduct activities for other teachers on return as well as having something for 'Show and tell’ at the workshop.

The successful teacher is expected to actively participate in the event, if possible by offering a workshop, and to also present a session about the experience at a following Physics Teachers Conference.

Applications for the scholarship should show evidence of innovative teaching and activity in professional development and be supported by a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s school. The applications should state the chosen international conference and indicate how the applicant might participate.

Scholarship applications should reach the AIP at PO Box 304, Glen Waverley VIC 3150 by the end of March each year to enable the Committee to make a quick decision, so that the successful applicant can begin planning.