1. Study Skills Webinar: 29th April, 6pm - 7pm
Vicphysics is organising a Study Skills webinar for VCE physics students. It will be held on Tuesday, 29th April. It will be an online event from 6pm to 7pm.
The cost is $10.00 inc GST per person, which will also include access to prepared material.
There will be three presenters (details to follow), each speaking for 15 mins on one of the three topics below, followed by 15 mins of question time in breakout rooms for each topic.
- The Science of learning
- How the brain works
- Preparing for SACs and exams
Students can make individual bookings here. Credit card is required.
Schools can make group bookings here. Credit card and EFT are available.
Bookings close on Thursday, 24th April.
The Vicphysics website also has two web pages to assist students Advice on Revising Physics and Advice of Learning Physics.
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2. Out of Field PD: Special Relativity, Forces & Motion, Light & Sound
The Out of Field PD continues in 2025 starting in Term 2. The program starts with
Cost of each event: $265 per participant with discounts for teachers from Government schools ($55) and from schools with a low ICSEA rank.
To Book an event: Click on the link above.
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3. Some UK Curriculum Resources
The Oak National Academy was set up as a response to COVID to support schools to keep students learning. They have continued and now they have many thousands of resources across all curriculum areas and ages.
The Physics material now has 208 lessons in 13 topics including Forces and Motion, Thermal energy, Electricity, Light, Waves, Electromagnetism and Nuclear Physics from Years 10 to 12. Each lesson has:
- A slide deck of explanatory material
- Lesson details with key points, keywords and common misconceptions
- A video of a talking head plus animation explaining the content (about 30 min)
- A worksheet
- A starter quiz
- An exit quiz
- Additional learning material.
All the material can be downloaded and it is free. The intended audience is the independent learner, so post COVID, its main use may be as revision material or support for the student who is unsure about a particular topic.
The material is for the UK with its different curriculum authorities. Three authorities are displayed on the webpage, but the physics topics seem to be mostly common across all three, so just pick any one and go from there.
There is also a student option to use the material and there is no need for them to log in or identify yourself.
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4. Come with Me Inside a Black Hole: A Carlo Rovelli Public Lecture with the Perimeter Institute
What happens if you fall into a black hole? In this lecture, Carlo Rovelli, takes you on a journey inside a black hole—exploring time dilation, the warping of space, and the potential for black holes to transform into white holes. From Einstein’s equations to the cutting edge of quantum gravity, Rovelli explains how black holes are not just cosmic mysteries but key to unlocking the future of physics. Could they be a shortcut through time? Could they explain dark matter? Watch as Rovelli unpacks the mind-bending physics of black holes—challenging our understanding of space, time, and the nature of reality itself.
Other Rovelli videos of interest are:
5. Events for Students
a) Physics Days at Luna Park: Aerobatic displays, Dates and Cost and Synchrotron Tours
Aerobatics Update: Last week the ADF confirmed that there would be a PC21 aircraft on each of the five days. However a few days later the RAAF base at Sale advised that there would be up to three displays, with the days yet to be decided. We will keep you updated as more information comes to hand.
Check here for a description of the plane's manoeuvres, some aerobatic worksheets as well as websites on aerobatics.
The Synchrotron tours, see below, will be unaffected as it takes about 30 min to get from Luna Park to the Synchrotron along North Rd, however schools down for the 3:00pm tours should leave Luna Park about 2:20pm.
Bookings are open at Luna Park.
The cost is $35 per student with teachers free. Physics Days at Luna Park will be on from Monday, 3rd March to Friday, 7th, March
In the past, Luna Park invoiced the school after the event. Once the actual student numbers are known, they will now require a deposit of 30% to confirm the booking, which must be paid four weeks prior to the event. You can now seek your school's approval for the activity.
Flight Simulators: The RAAF flight simulators will again be there on each day.
Synchrotron Tours: As an add on and also a benefit to regional schools for whom the trip to Melbourne is a major commitment, the Australian Synchrotron is offering Synchrotron tours. Each tour runs for one hour and has a limit of 24 students. The tour is free, with ANSTO covering the cost for two days and Vicphysics the other two days. Tours are available from Monday to Thursday.
The 3pm tours for each day are now fully booked. There is now a second tour starting at 3:15pm on each day. Tentative bookings can be taken for the second tours. Confirmation of their availability from the Synchrotron will displayed on our website.
Note: The website, see link below, displays the number of spots still available.
Information on the day and worksheets as well as booking for a Tour can be found here
b) Girls in Physics Breakfasts in 2025
These are the dates and speaker details for breakfasts that have been organised. Bookings are now open for
- Bendigo, 20th March. Using Radiotherapy to Treat Skin Cancer with Emma Dyce and Natalie Clements, Medical Physicists with Genesis Care Bookings open.
- Mildura, 25th March. The Fascinating World of Solar Energy with Damaris Getanda from RayGen. Bookings open
- Ballarat, 27th March. Molecular Movies with X-ray lasers with A/Prof Nadia Zatsepin, Swinburne University Bookings open
- Wodonga, 8th May. Breath of Discovery: Nanotechnology a Disease Breathalyser with Renee Goreham, University of Newcastle Bookings open
- Monash University Date: TBC, Amelia Lui and Taïssa Danilovich, Monash University
- Traralgon, Early June.
- Geelong, 14th August. i) How important are powders? ii) Rethinking Waste: Engineering a Circular Future with Negin Amini and Sirjana Adhikari, Deakin University Bookings open
- Melbourne, 20th May, The AIP Women in Physics speaker is Dr Danielle Holmes (UNSW Sydney). She works in quantum computing. Bookings will open when details of her topic are available and flyers have been prepared.
Bookings
Change for 2025. This year the metropolitan events will start at 8:00am and the regional events will start at 8:30am.
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The “PHYSCON 2025 – Making a Quantum Leap,” a hybrid conference for all teachers of Physics, will be taking place on Friday, 21 February online and at Swinburne University of Technology’s Hawthorn Campus with the support of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
2025 is the international “Year of Quantum,” and we are very fortunate to have Professor Nicolas Menicucci from RMIT give the keynote address at the conference. He is an outstanding communicator who is leading the Australian national campaign to raise awareness of the ubiquity and importance of quantum phenomena and the opportunities that quantum technologies present for those with physics knowledge and skills.
The other keynote speaker is Prof Manjula Sharma from the University of Sydney. Prof Sharma is a professor of Science Education and is active in STEM and teacher enrichment. She will speak on 'Curiosity, inquiry and emotional engagement.'
Program features:
- Inspiring keynote speakers: quantum physicist, Prof Nick Menicucci and physics education expert, Prof Manjula Sharma, see details above.
- Four sessions encompassing more than 40 workshops relevant to secondary Physics teaching and learning, many livestreamed and available post event on demand,
- Presentations by the VCE Physics Chief Assessor and the VCAA Science Curriculum Manager,
- Includes networking opportunities, exhibitors, cutting-edge laboratory tours and Saturday excursions.
Flyer Program
To check out the Conference fees and to Register click here Bookings for online participation will close this Wednesday.
b) Forensic Engineering Society of Australia: Truck Safety Design: Rollovers and Mirrors, 20th Feb, 6:30pm Auburn Hotel
Dr Peter Hart will discuss some missing requirements in heavy truck design, and explain operational rules that could otherwise reduce road trauma. The presentation will consider:
- Mirror visibility requirements in ADR 14/02 and the trade-offs that exists between visibility at the side using flat and curved mirrors.
- Safety of trucks travelling down long, steep hills. The discussion will be about the use of ‘endurance brakes’ and will address the question of why they are not mandated or regulated.
- Rollover safety of tall and heavy trucks. How rollover stability is regulated in Australia, and the missing requirements that often cause tankers and concrete agitators to come to grief.
The event also includes dinner, cost $65. To register click here.
c) Astrophysics Scholarship Program for Vicphysics Members
The Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing at Swinburne University is offering the Graduate Certificate of Science (Astronomy) — a fully online program designed to deepen your understanding of the universe while fitting seamlessly into your professional schedule.
As a physics teacher, this program is an excellent opportunity to broaden your knowledge and inspire your students with cutting-edge insights from the world of astronomy.
Scholarship Opportunity:
Swinburne University are excited to announce a 20% tuition scholarship exclusively for VicPhysics members, valued at $2,560, to support your studies. Simply enrol here and afterwards contact the course coordinator Dr Sara Webb (swebb@swin.edu.au) who will implement your scholarship. The remaining course fee is tax deductable as a self-education expense relates to your employment activities.
Course Structure ( do 4 of 5)
Full-time or part-time study options available.
Apply Now! Applications close 26th Feb
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to enhance your professional development and bring engaging, cutting-edge astronomy insights into your teaching.
For more information visit Swinburne Astronomy Online.
If you have chosen not to be a Vicphysics member, but just to only have access to resources, you can upgrade to membership by completing this form.
d) Beginning Physics Teachers' In-Service, Tues, 8th April
If you are teaching physics for the first time or returning to physics teaching., this workshop will be of value.
It will be on Tuesday, 8th April in the first week of the school holidays at John Monash Science School. Check here for details of the program and to register. The program has two regular features:
- practical activities demonstrated by experienced teachers and
- a presentation by Colin Hopkins on techniques for teaching and learning, which will complement his PHYSCON talks plus
- two other sessions from a list of four, based on the participants' preference when they register.
The cost is $60 with member discounts.
ce PD on SACs in March
Last year in June, Vicphysics ran a PD on SACs, partly in response to some schools' experience of the audit process, but mainly about the increased specificity in the descriptions of the four formats available for assessment tasks.
The event will be repeated this year, but earlier.
It is an online event, after school, over two Thursdays a week apart.
Dates: Thursdays 13th and 20th March
Times: 5:00pm to 6:30pm
Cost: None
To register and for more details. click here. The webpage also has resources from last year's PD
In the form we ask you for some information:
- In what format do you plan to do your first assessment task,
- If decided, the format for your other assessment tasks.
- Whether you can look after a breakout room and
- Whether you are happy to zoom/share your assessment task
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There are two schools seeking a physics teacher.
The Job Ads page on Vicphysics website is updated every weekend. The webpage also has a link on how schools can register a position and lodge a payment for this service.
- Rosehill Secondary College (closes 27th Feb)
- Bairnsdale Secondary College (closes 16th Feb)
i) Vicphysics Membership and Access to the Teachers' Resources on the website.
Vicphysics has changed its membership structure, benefits and fees. Previously, a subscription to the website resources was separate from being a member of Vicphysics. Access to website resources is now being included as one of a number of member benefits.
Membership benefits include:
- access to teacher resources section of the website
- discounts to attend conferences, in-services, etc,
- certification for attending each PD event,
- PL certificate for committee meetings supplied at the end of the calendar year and
- voting rights.
Membership fees are: Individual: $60, Retired: $40, Student (tertiary): $40, School: $120.
Vicphysics also offers a Resources Access Only option without the discounts and other benefits listed above. The fees for this option are the same as above.
Existing subscribers currently receive discounts, which will cease when their subscription expires. At that point, subscribers will need to choose between the two options above for continued access to the Teacher resources.
We are looking forward to increasing the membership base of Vicphysics and to fostering member input into our extensive range of activities from Physics teaching professional learning such as our recent SAC PD events or the Physics Teachers Conference to supporting activities for students, such as the Luna Park Physics Days or photo and poster competitions.
You can join us here!
ii) Vicphysics Forum: Tips and Questions for the Physics Teaching Community
The Vicphysics Teachers’ Network has set up an online Forum for teachers to raise issues, seek ideas, offer suggestions, etc.
Link here directly, or look out for it on our webpage where it can be found at the top right of our home page.
We hope it will be an opportunity for mutual professional development.
The forum is open to all teachers. If you are a subscriber, you can log in the usual way. If you are not a subscriber, you can register to use the forum at ‘My Account’. Given the purposes of this Forum, we ask that you use your real name when generating a topic or lodging a post.
We hope this Forum will become a valuable medium for exchanging ideas as we begin planning the new study design.
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Items selected from the bulletin of the Institute of Physics (UK).
Each item below includes the introductory paragraphs and a web link to the rest of the article.
a) US science in chaos as impact of Trump’s executive orders sinks in
Donald Trump’s second term as US president has begun with staff layoffs, slashed budgets, axed diversity programs and cancelled conferences.
b) Euclid discovers a stunning Einstein ring
Euclid, the European Space Agency’s dark Universe detective, has made an astonishing discovery – right in our cosmic backyard.
c) Organic photovoltaic solar cells could withstand harsh space environments
Carbon-based organic photovoltaics (OPVs) may be much better than previously thought at withstanding the high-energy radiation and sub-atomic particle bombardments of space environments. This finding challenges a long-standing belief that OPV devices systematically degrade under conditions such as those encountered by spacecraft in low-Earth orbit. If verified in real-world tests, the finding suggests that OPVs could one day rival traditional thin-film photovoltaic technologies based on rigid semiconductors such as gallium arsenide.
Lightweight, robust, radiation-resilient photovoltaics are critical technologies for many aerospace applications. OPV cells are particularly attractive for this sector because they are ultra-lightweight, thermally stable and highly flexible. This last property allows them to be integrated onto curved surfaces as well as flat ones.
d) Replacing Wires Could Double How Much Electricity The US Grid Can Handle
Everyone pretty much agrees the electrical grid will need modernising as the demand for electrons to power EVs, green steel, data
centres, and heat pumps increases. We also know that building new transmission lines is a long and expensive process fraught with obstacles ranging from permitting to supply chains. There is an old expression that says, “Don’t raise the bridge, lower the river.” There are new technologies available that may allow the existing grid to carry more electricity without all those messy policy hurdles to jump over.
One of them is the so-called “magic ball” from Norway’s Heimdall, a bowling ball-sized device that fits around HVDC lines to measure their temperature. Cooler wires can carry more electrons, but most transmission line operators have no ability to know the actual temperature of their wires, so they guess. Not surprisingly when talking about infrastructure worth billions of dollars, those guesses tend to be on the low side.
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