UNSW Physics students preparing a presentation for high schools.

1905 was Einstein’s annus mirabilis, the year his contributions to physics changed the world. Special relativity, quantum theory and the structure of matter all emerged from Einstein’s writings that year. In 2005, the centenary of that year, how could we not celebrate? From that simple thought the idea of the “Year of Physics” spread throughout the worldwide physics community. At UNSW our contributions to the celebration were threefold; a series of public lectures coordinated by Wilfred Walsh, the remarkable “Einstein Light” multimedia presentation put together by Joe Wolfe and George Hatsidmitris, and a schools visit program put together by myself, Maria Cunningham and Wilfred Walsh.

Our idea was modelled on the “Astronomy on the Go” program we ran during 2003, though a little less ambitious in scope. We were to take physics to high schools across Sydney, giving a series of interactive presentations that highlighted some of the physics pioneered by Einstein. These presentations were to be given by our students, not our aging academics! A group of undergraduate and postgraduate students signed up, some were physics specialists, others were majoring elsewhere. The training began. Some fell by the wayside, whereas others prospered, growing in strength and confidence as they learnt how to turn classroom theory into practice.

Four presentations were put together: project SEARFE on radio waves and radio astronomy; solar viewing; spectroscopy; and a multi-media black hole show. Each presentation was given by two of our team working in tandem. In addition to the usual talk, they all included experimentation, with the school children able to participate to varying degrees.

Working with Rachelle Carritt in the Faculty office, we made contact with high schools, and put a program together. Each school required a slightly different combination of shows, meeting their own teaching timetables. We were targeting years 9 and 10 students, before their all important HSC choices had been made. We visited seven schools, including Randwick Boys and Girls High Schools, just up the road from UNSW, Ravenswood on the north shore, and MLC Burwood in the inner west. The schools visited encompassed public and private schools, with great ranges of student ability. With three to four consecutive presentations at each, often switching from one show to another, it was exhausting work for the student presenters, but a good time was had by all!

The UNSW students participating were Catherine Beehag, Marton Hidas, Tracey Hill, Mikayla Keen, Justin King-Lacroix, Nathan O’Dea, Tang Wei and Emma Welshman.

Michael Burton