1. 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!
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.
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2.Space Weather: Resources and Project Grants
On Wednesday, 11th December Vicphysics held another 'Talk, Dinner and Catching Up' with Paul Butler speaking on Space Weather: Auroras and Solar Maxima.
His presentation is now available on our website. There is also an extensive range of website links on the last few slides.
Paul was recently elected as a Director of the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA), which is an international organisation. At the dinner, Paul mentioned that SARA offers Student and Teacher Project Grants
The funds are available in small grants of no more than $200 each or more, with the approval of the grant committee, to ensure that the money reaches the largest number of students. Preference will be given to students 5th grade through to university, and to new and innovative ideas.
Teachers are also eligible to apply for grants to bring radio astronomy to the classroom.
For more details and application forms click here.
To find out more about SARA, click here for their brochure for teachers.
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3. Newsletter and Website Readership Survey
Teachers are now accessing information and resources by a variety of technologies, each with their benefits and constraints.
To assist with presenting our material in the most useful way, we are interested in identifying which technologies you use. For example, how many read the newsletter on their smart phone.
Also over January we will be modifying the website to make it easier for you to find the resources you want.
So we would appreciate you taking a few minutes to answer a few questions in this survey.
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4. Events for Students
a) ASTRAL 2025, Swinburne University, 6th - 24h January
This is a three-week astrophysics program for students who have completed Year 10, have some experience with programming languages and are interested in STEM subjects.
They will take part in a research project with astrophysicists.
The program aims to takes real data to produce a scientific result by working as a team under the supervision of world-renowned researchers.
To download the flyer click here
Students and their parents can register here. The closing date is 20th December.
There is no mention of any cost.
b Physics Days at Luna Park: Dates and Cost and Synchrotron Tours
Bookings will open early next week now that Luna Park's end of year school activities are over.
The cost next year will be $35 per student with teachers free. In 2025 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.
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 a possibility of a second tour on each day, starting at 3:15pm. 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.
An aerobatic display has been requested, but confirmation will not be received until February.
It is expected that the RAAF flight simulators will be back.
Information on the day and worksheets as well as booking for a Tour can be found here
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Vicphysics Teachers’ Network Inc is excited to announce that “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 Early bird discounts for bookings before 18th Dec and payments later.
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There is one school 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.
- Wangaratta High School (Two positions: close 17th, 18th December)
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) Quantum processor enters unprecedented territory for error correction
Researchers at Google Quantum AI and collaborators have developed a quantum processor with error rates that get progressively smaller as the number of quantum bits (qubits) grows larger. This achievement is a milestone for quantum error correction, as it could, in principle, lead to an unlimited increase in qubit quality, and ultimately to an unlimited increase in the length and complexity of the algorithms that quantum computers can run.
b) Scientists braced for Donald Trump’s second term as US president
Before Donald Trump takes oath for a second term as US president on 20 January, the US scientific community is preparing for what the next four years may look like. Many already have a sense of trepidation given his track record from his first term in office. There are concerns, for example, about his nominations for cabinet and other key positions. Others are worried about the role that SpaceX boss Elon Musk will play as the head of a new “department of government efficiency”.
c) The Nobel prizes highlight what is wrong with recognition in science
The article argues that the Nobel prizes are continuing to damage science by indicating that only certain demographics can succeed
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