The Travelling Scholarship

The Vicphysics Teachers’ Network 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 Committee at PO Box 290, Flinders Lane VIC 8009 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, who 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 2011 scholarship was awarded to Kim Northmore from Simonds Catholic College, who attended the Physics Teacher School at CERN. There were no applicants in 2012. The 2013 scholarship was awarded to Milorad Cerovac, who will attend and present a paper at the 64th International Astronautical Congress in Beijing in September 2013. In 2014 Nathan Hanns attended the ‘EinsteinPlus’ workshop at The Perimeter Institute in Toronto, Canada, see details below

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

Possible International Conferences include:

  • American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). This website will gives details about their conferences. They hold a two five day conferences each year, one in July and another in January.
  • GIREP, the International Research Group on Physics Teaching. Their website has details about their six day annual conference, which is usually held in July as well as proceedings of other conferences to give you a sense of what is normally on offer.
  • International Commission on Physics Education (ICPE) Their website has details of the 2013 conference held in August 2013.
  • Association for Science Education (ASE) Conference in UK over four days in early January. Check this website for details of the latest ASE Conference.
  • 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 Committee at PO Box 290, Flinders Lane VIC 8009 by the end of first term each year to enable the Committee to make a quick decision, so that the successful applicant can begin planning.