Australian Institute of Physics
Australian Institute of Physics |
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South Australian Branch |
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Our state branches hold monthly scientific meetings and arrange visits to research laboratories and to industrial organisations in the major cities. A national congress is organised every two years, with programs ranging from social and political matters affecting physics to specialsied talks on current research projects. These conferences usually attract over 300 Australian members and up to 50 overseas delegates.
Several specialist conferences are organised every year with financial backing and guarantees from the Institute. The Institute is affiliated with and supports the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS), which represents the interests of all Australian scientists and technologists to the Australian government through its permanent Canberra office.
The Institute's monthly journal, The Australian and New Zealand Physicist, is a high quality colour magazine. It brings members articles about the latest developments in physics, notices of meetings, topical articles, book reviews and so on. It also serves as a valuable forum for members' opinions and views.
Through its Education Group, the Institute is actively engaged in fostering education in Physics. Many high school physics teachers are members. A regular insert in the The Australian and New Zealand Physicist entitled Fix on Physics is directed towards secondary school students and teachers.
The Allan Harper Prizes, established in 1987, are five $500 prizes awarded annually to those high school Physics students selected to represent Australia in the International Physics Olympiad. These prizes mark the Institute's 25th anniversary.
The Pawsey Memorial Lecture (in honour of Dr. J. L. Pawsey, whose work helped place Australia in the forefront of radio astronomy) is delivered each year by a distinguished scientist.
The Walter Boas Medal, awarded annually, recognises excellence in physics research performed in Australia.
The Institute, through its State Branches, also awards prizes of one year's free membership to the top graduates in physics from many of the tertiary institutions in Australia.
