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Traveling Team Selected to Represent the U.S. Physics Team at the 2012 International Physics Olympiad


USPT2012_traveltmJune 13, 2012, College Park, MD — Five students have been selected to represent the U.S. Physics Team as the 2012 Traveling Team at the 43rd International Physics Olympiad, a competition among high-school physics students, to be held in Estonia, from July 15 to 24.  They will be accompanied by coaches Paul Stanley and Andrew Lin.

The Traveling Team members are:
Jeffrey Cai, Ridge High School, Basking Ridge, NJ; bio at http://www.aapt.org/physicsteam/2012/team.cfm?id=862&year=2012
Allan Sadun, Liberal Arts & Science Academy High School, Austin, TX; bio at http://www.aapt.org/physicsteam/2012/team.cfm?id=874&year=2012
Eric Schneider, High Technology High School, Lincroft, NJ; bio at http://www.aapt.org/physicsteam/2012/team.cfm?id=875&year=2012
Jeffrey Yan, Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto, CA; bio at http://www.aapt.org/physicsteam/2012/team.cfm?id=881&year=2012
Kevin Zhou, High Technology High School, Lincroft, NJ; bio at http://www.aapt.org/physicsteam/2012/team.cfm?id=884&year=2012

"All twenty students who earned a position on the 2012 U.S. Physics Team are world class. They have tested themselves with the best of their peers for ten days and have proven to be an exceptional group of young people," said Beth Cunningham, Executive Officer of the American Association of Physics Teachers, which sponsors the team. "We are proud of them all and are confident that the five Traveling Team members will continue the tradition of success for the United States as they represent the U.S. Physics Team in Estonia."

The students attended a rigorous training camp at the University of Maryland, where, through classes, labs, and special lectures, they were coached on difficult physics concepts, and then took a series of exams. They also made a trip to nearby Washington, DC to visit their congressional representatives and senators, and see the Einstein Statue at the National Academy of Science and the National Air and Space Museum. The coaches for the 2012 U.S. Physics team are: Paul Stanley, Academic Director, Andrew Lin, Jia Jia Dong, Qiuzi Li, Coaches, and Jason Larue and Marianna Mao, Assistant Coaches.

The U.S. Physics Olympiad Program was started in 1986 by AAPT to promote and demonstrate academic excellence. It continues to be supported as a joint initiative between AAPT, AIP, and the member societies of the American Institute for Physics: Acoustical Society of America, American Association of Physicists in Medicine, American Astronomical Society, American Crystallographic Society, American Geophysical Union, American Physical Society, AVS - Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing, Optical Society America, and the Society of Rheology.

List of Events
June 3 — 2012 Physics Team members and coaches arrive at the University of Maryland for their intensive training camp
June 4 — Welcome Reception at the University of Maryland
June 6 or 7 — Congressional Visits
June 13 — Five students will be chosen to represent the U.S. Physics Team at the international competition during the Closing Ceremony
July 12 — Traveling Team and coaches depart for Estonia
July 15-24 — The International Physics Olympiad in Tallinn/Tartu, Estonia
July 25 — Team departs for home

More on the Web
Main website of the U.S. Physics Team: http://www.aapt.org/physicsteam/2012/
History of the physics team, including past winners: http://www.aapt.org/Contests/olympiad.cfm
43rd International Physics Olympiad:  http://www.ipho2012.ee/home/

About the International Physics Olympiad:  AAPT began the program in 1986 to promote and demonstrate academic excellence. The International Physics Olympiad (IPHO) is a nine-day competition among pre-university students from more than 88 nations. The 2012 Olympiad will be held in Tartu, Estonia, from July 15-24.
U.S. Physics Team Selection:  AAPT is responsible for recruiting, selecting, and training the U.S. Physics Team each year to compete in the IPHO Competition. This selection process begins in early January when high schools register their students to participate in the Fnet=ma exam. Approximately 300 top scorers on this first test advanced to the Semifinal round of competition.
A second exam is used as the basis for selection of the 20 members of the U.S. Physics Team.  In June these students traveled from schools all over the United States, to the University of Maryland-College Park for the U.S. Physics Team Training Camp. There, they engaged in nine days of intense studying, mystery lab, daily exams, and problem solving.
At the end of that training camp, five students and an alternate were selected as the "Traveling Team" to represent the United States Physics Team at the IPhO. In July, the Traveling Team and their coaches will attend a three day Mini Camp of intense laboratory work before moving on to the IPhO.
Funding and Sponsorship
Funding for the U.S. Physics Team is supported through donations from concerned individuals and organizations.  Contributions are entirely used to support the selection, training, and travel of the team.  Donations to the U.S. Physics Team are accepted at www.aapt.org/physicsteam/donate.cfm.
The U.S. Physics Olympiad Program is a joint initiative of AAPT in partnership with the University of Maryland Physics Department, the Joint Quantum Institute and the member societies of the American Institute for Physics (AIP): Acoustical Society of America, American Association of Physicists in Medicine, American Astronomical Society, American Crystallographic Society, American Geophysical Union, American Physical Society, AVS, Optical Society America, and the Society of Rheology.
About AAPT
AAPT (www.aapt.org) is the premier national organization and authority on physics and physical science education —with members worldwide. Our mission is to advance the greater good through physics teaching. To this end, AAPT provides our members with numerous opportunities for professional development, communication, and student enrichment.

CONTACT:
Marilyn Gardner, American Association of Physics Teachers, mgardner@aapt.org, 301-209-3306