The 37th Annual IAPT Convention held at Jaipur was a resounding success, bringing together the brightest minds in physics education and research. The event spanned from 8 to 10, October, 2023; showcasing the significance of physics in education and fostering a community of passionate educators and researchers.
Pre-convention Workshop & Hand-on Activities
Pre-convention workshop was included first time in the annual convention. The objective was to provide ample opportunities of interaction of students and faculties of UG & PG colleges with eminent scientists, experimentalists, inventors and innovators. Houseful session witnessed the interesting and interactive session contributed by Prof. O.S.K.S. Shastri, Dr. V.V.V. Satyanarayan, Dr. Jasvinder Singh and Dr. Amit Kumar Jana. They showcased interesting experiments and newly developed gadgets that have the potential to revolutionize physics teaching. Their demonstrations aimed to make physics more explorative and interesting, inspiring educators to adopt innovative teaching methods.
Inauguration Ceremony
The convention commenced with a prestigious inauguration ceremony graced by esteemed dignitaries. Prof. A.C. Pandey, Director of IUAC (Inter-University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi), presided as the Chief Guest, and Prof. T. Kumar, Vice Chancellor of the Central University of Haryana, Mahendragarh, was honoured as the Guest of Honor. Their very presence added immense value and set the tone for a knowledge-filled event. Prof. Y.K. Vijay President IAPT RC06 welcomed the guests and emphasized the importance of experiments in Physics, Prof. Y.C. Sharma presented the overview of the convention, Prof. P.K. Ahluwalia highlighted the goals and achievements of IAPT, Dr. Rekha Ghorpade coordinated the IAPT award ceremony and Mr. R.K. Parashari presented vote of thanks of the inauguration ceremony.
Distinguished Invited Speakers
The convention featured several distinguished invited speakers who shared their insights, research findings, and experiences. These sessions provided a platform for the exchange of ideas, fostering collaboration and innovation in the field of physics education. Prof. P.C. Deshmukh presented a talk on Time-delay in Quantum Scattering and in Photoionization/ Photo-detachment & significance of otto-second physics
Prof. Vijay A. Singh provided a brief account on A Central Puzzle in Physics: Wave-Particle Duality and Prince Louis de Broglie and how his contributions provided comprehension to it
Prof. H.C. Verma enthralled audience with his very well-knit thoughts on a topic much in need Social responsibility - Training the trainers
. Dr. Neetu Verma discussed her finding on the same topic.
Prof. Bhupati Chakravarty, Prof Ajit M. Shrivastava shared the importance of research in physics education.
Prof Rajesh Kumar, shared his thoughts about Role of AI in education
.
Prof. Mehnaz Hussain & Prof. Ashutosh Tiwari Presented their talk on Physics education research
.
Numerous researchers presented their important contributions to the wealth of knowledge in the physics domain. The convention served as a nexus for researchers to share their findings, paving the way for advancements in the understanding and application of physics principles. These sessions provided a platform for the exchange of ideas, fostering collaboration and innovation in the field of physics education.
Awards, Certificates & Medals for Students & Teachers
Recognizing and encouraging the budding talent in physics, the convention awarded students & teachers. This gesture not only celebrated academic excellence but also motivated students to pursue careers in physics with passion and dedication.
National Graduate Physics Examination (NGPE) Medal Awards for Students:
National Graduate Physics Examination (NGPE) is conducted on similar lines as NSEP. S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata, allows direct admission to toppers in NGPE, after an interview, in their integrated Ph.D. programme. A number of scholarships (subject to a maximum of 5) have been instituted to encourage students to take-up physics as a career. Those who seek admission in M.Sc. (physics) after NGPE, are eligible for these scholarships.
Prof. B. P. Tyagi, Coordinator of the National Graduate Physics Examination awarded Certificate and Gold Medal to final six contestants:
1. Ms. Sharada from Delhi Gold Medal
2. Ms. Rinku from Chandigarh Gold Medal
3. Mr. Heerak Sharma from Pune Gold Medal
4. Mr. Vivek Gurunath from Pune Gold Medal
5. Mr. Anubhav Srivastava from Bangalore Gold Medal
6. Mr. Panchanantala from Bangalore Gold Medal
National Competition on Essay Writing in Physics (NCEWP) Medal Awards for Students:
National Competition on Essay Writing in Physics (NCEWP-2023) is one of the three national competitions being held by the IAPT every year. The competition CEWP is open for participants in the following two categories.
The aim of this competition is to promote comprehensive writing, by elaborating various aspects of a given topic in Physics. Essay writing is becoming a forgotten art and skill today in the age of MCQs. Writing makes one perfect, essay writing more so, and hence the competition offers a challenge and an opportunity for teachers and students in the categories as above.
Prof. S. K. Joshi, Coordinator of the NCEWP certificates to final seven contestants:
1. Mr. Anmol Setia, Panjab University, Chandigarh First Prize
2. Mr. Aditya Kumar, Ramjas College, Delhi Second Prize
3. Ms. Kavita Asawara from IPS Academy - Indore, Third Prize
4. Mr. Rahul Vishwakarma, Department Of Physics, Marwari College, Ranchi Third Prize
5. Mizan Alvi, SMS Dutta Memorial School, Khatima Incentive Award
6. Akshay Shankar, COIS- Ahmedabad Incentive Award
7. Mannit Goyal, DAV Public School, Ludhiana Incentive Award
National Competition for Innovation in Computational Physics (NCICP) Awards for Students:
National Competition for Innovation in Computational Physics (NCICP) is open for students and teachers of both School and college. These participants display their experimental skills using mathematical modelling, sensors/ actuators interfaced with microprocessors/ PC and Android based applications.
DSM Award:
IAPT conferred Dr. Uthra Dorairajan, Dwaraka Doss Goverdhan Doss Vaishnav College, Chennai the IAPT-DSM Award. It is in recognition of the passion you breathe into the classroom, igniting curiosity and problem-solving skills through a mix of pedagogy and innovation, using creative and unconventional platforms for conveying complex concepts in Physics among under-graduate students, your persistent and unmatched commitment to improve the quality of Physics education among the broader Physics educators, in English and Tamil languages, and the unprecedented dedication to get more women into STEM.
National Anveshika Experimental Skill Test (NAEST) Medal Awards for Students:
National Anveshika Experimental Skill Test (NAEST) is a unique competition embodying the principles of NEP-joyful learning, experiential learning and competency-based assessment. NAEST is conducted every year by National Anveshika Network of India (NANI), a special platform of the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) which guides 29 Anveshikas all over the country.
Prof. S. K. Joshi, Coordinator of the NCEWP conferred certificates to the final seven contestants.
National Winners-College Level
1. Amit Khokhar First Prize
2. Ajeet Ramesh Salunke Second Prize
National Winners-College Level
1. Udayan Deopujari First Prize
2. Yashashwi Kumar Second Prize
3. Mahak Kumar Third Prize
Prof. B.L. Saraf & Prof. H.S. Hans Memorial Medals
Both Prof. B.L. Saraf & Prof. H.S. Hans has been the inspirational figure for all of us. Their contributions to the experimental physics have been unparallel and has deep rooted impact on forthcoming generations as well. Prof. P.K. Ahluwalia, Mr. S.D. Saxena, Prof. R.K. Khanna, Prof. Y.K. Vijay & Prof. Y.S. Shisodia recollected their long-lived cherished memories.
Year 2023 Saraf Medal for Physics Education were presented to:
1. Prof. Pradhan
2. Prof. U. S. Kushwaha
3. Prof. P. K. Dube
4. Prof. M. G. Tarnekar
5. Prof. Y. K. Vijay
Year 2023 Hans Medal for Experimental Physics was presented to:
1. Prof. Manjit Kaur
Stamp & Envelope Release in Memory of Prof. B.L. Saraf & Prof. H.S. Hans
To commemorate the centenary year of Prof. B.L. Saraf and Prof. H.S. Hans, IAPT RC06 is proud to release special cover stamp in collaboration with Philatelic Society of Rajasthan. My Stamp Design of the cover and that of My Stamp is conceived by Mr. Yogesh Bhatnagar, executive Member of RC06 and President of Philatelic Society of Rajasthan.
Books Release
Physics Fraternity assembled at the 37th Annual Convention, Jaipur heartly congratulate you dear Prof. O.S.K.S. Shastri, Prof. Y.S. Shishidia & Prof. P.C. Deshmukh. Wishing you great success as your words find their way in to the heart & minds of readers.
1. Computer Simulations In Quantum Physics: O.S.K.S. Shastri, Central University Himanchal Pradesh
2. Physics Through Experiments: Prof. Y.S. Sisodia
3. Quantum Mechanics: Formalism, Methodologies & Applications: Prof. P.C. Deshmukh
Networking Opportunities
Apart from the formal sessions, the convention provided ample networking opportunities. Attendees had the chance to interact with peers, exchange ideas, and establish connections that could potentially lead to collaborative research endeavours.
Conclusion
The 37th Annual IAPT Convention at Jaipur was a resounding success, emphasizing the importance of physics education and research. The presence of distinguished guests, insightful speakers, and innovative demonstrations made the event a memorable experience for all participants. As we reflect on the convention, it is evident that the future of physics education holds great promise, with the potential to make learning more engaging and inspiring for students. The success of this convention lays a solid foundation for future endeavours in the dynamic field of physics education and research. Mr. R.K. Parashari, Treasure IAPT RC06 presented vote of thanks of the event.
