1998 School Magazine

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Girls datammar ^ichool a!Brisbane 1998

INTERNA'ITONAL YOUNG PHYSICISTS To1.1RNAMENT

Tom 29th May until 8th June five Year Twelve Physics students, Emuna Camsle, Georga Cooke, Rebecca Farley, Caitlin Marley, and Vivien Stewart, accompanied by MAIlinson,

offered a unique opportunity to communicate with people from countries that the BGGS team knew little about. "\);'e had the opportunity to talk to people from Sweden, Austria, Gennany,

Russia, Georgia, the Czech Republic, Belorussia, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland, " commented Elmna Carlisle. "I bet no one else at school has heard a Dutch rendition of the Spice Girls, Waft"@be. " The host nation, Germany, also provided a cultural program for the tournament participants, and the team members had the opportunity to shop in Stuttgart, visit the majestic Lake Constance, which fans on the board- ers of three countries, Gennany, Swit- zenand, and Austria, and see the oldest castle in Germany at Meersburg. The sightseeing highlight of the trip was the town of Doriaueschingen, in which the Prince of Fuerstenberg has his residence. The team would like to thank Mr killnson for his coriumittnent, organi- sarion, and support, as without his assistance such an enlightening, en- joyable, and educational experience wouldn't have been possible CEORGA COOKE

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St""dimg (L-R).' E. Cork!e, G. Coofoe, MrA. Amuson Seated (L-R).. V Stew@r!, C. M@714y, R. For/Qi-'

competed in the International Young Physicists Tournament (TYPO in Doriaueschingen, Germany. Upon the recommenda- tion of an English teacher in our partner school in Saulgau, BGGS was invited to enter the tournament as the Australian national team unT is a competition, spoken in English, among teams of physics students in their final year of schooling testing their ability to solve complicated scientffic problems. Each team was required to prepare solutions to seven- teen complex problems prior to the coinpeti- tion. in a tri-national debate called a "Physics Fight", each country was required to present and defend its solution to a selected problem, while the other two teams tried to discredit or evaluate the solution presented. A round ^ robin style draw of fights preceded the elimi- nation semifinal and final ^

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"While we did not gain a place in the tournament, we were exposed to the practical and professional side of physics which is impossible to teach in schools, " said Rebecca Faney. However, as the team consisted of relatively inexperienced travellers, IYPT