POISK Centre
Encyclopedia
The POISK Centre is an educational and research organization founded in 2004 at Saint Petersburg State University
(Russia
). Its primary aim is to encourage secondary school students and university students to do independent scientific research.
The POISK Centre supports educational programs that motivate youth to develop an interest in physics
and natural sciences, and to involve them in “what a real scientist does” as early as possible. These activities include tight collaboration with leading universities and secondary schools in Russia and abroad, joint seminars and workshops, regular international scientific conferences, language programs, but also the promotion of research competitions, such as the Young Physicists' Tournament
.
POISK means ‘search’ in Russian
, but it is also a Russian abbreviation for the Support Centre for Olympiads and Intellectual Competitions.
.
The POISK Centre’s team has been a participant of IYPTs
in 2004 (Brisbane
, Australia
), 2005 (Winterthur
, Switzerland
) and 2006 (Bratislava
, Slovakia
) with significant success, winning bronze medals twice. In May 2007, the POISK’s Russian team fought in the Finals and won silver at the Austrian Young Physicists' Tournament
held in Leoben
, Austria
.
In November 2007, the POISK's team of university students was one of the two gold winners at the Ukrainian Physicists' Tournament for University Students
held at the Kiev National University, Ukraine
.
Saint Petersburg State University
Saint Petersburg State University is a Russian federal state-owned higher education institution based in Saint Petersburg and one of the oldest and largest universities in Russia....
(Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
). Its primary aim is to encourage secondary school students and university students to do independent scientific research.
The POISK Centre supports educational programs that motivate youth to develop an interest in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and natural sciences, and to involve them in “what a real scientist does” as early as possible. These activities include tight collaboration with leading universities and secondary schools in Russia and abroad, joint seminars and workshops, regular international scientific conferences, language programs, but also the promotion of research competitions, such as the Young Physicists' Tournament
International Young Physicists' Tournament
The International Young Physicists' Tournament is a competition among teams of secondary school students in their ability to solve complicated scientific problems, to present solutions to these problems and to defend them in scientific discussions called "Physics Fights".The precise course of the...
.
POISK means ‘search’ in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, but it is also a Russian abbreviation for the Support Centre for Olympiads and Intellectual Competitions.
Achievements
Since 2004, the POISK Centre is the only university-based organization in Russia that is being selecting, supervising and preparing the National team that represents Russia at the International Young Physicists' TournamentInternational Young Physicists' Tournament
The International Young Physicists' Tournament is a competition among teams of secondary school students in their ability to solve complicated scientific problems, to present solutions to these problems and to defend them in scientific discussions called "Physics Fights".The precise course of the...
.
The POISK Centre’s team has been a participant of IYPTs
International Young Physicists' Tournament
The International Young Physicists' Tournament is a competition among teams of secondary school students in their ability to solve complicated scientific problems, to present solutions to these problems and to defend them in scientific discussions called "Physics Fights".The precise course of the...
in 2004 (Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
), 2005 (Winterthur
Winterthur
Winterthur is a city in the canton of Zurich in northern Switzerland. It has the country's sixth largest population with an estimate of more than 100,000 people. In the local dialect and by its inhabitants, it is usually abbreviated to Winti...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
) and 2006 (Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
) with significant success, winning bronze medals twice. In May 2007, the POISK’s Russian team fought in the Finals and won silver at the Austrian Young Physicists' Tournament
Austrian Young Physicists' Tournament
The Austrian Young Physicists' Tournament is an Austrian competition among teams of secondary school students in their ability to solve complicated scientific problems, to present solutions to these problems and to defend them in scientific discussions called "Physics Fights".It is executed in...
held in Leoben
Leoben
Leoben is a Styrian city in central Austria, located by the Mur river. With a population of about 25,000 it is a local industrial center and hosts the University of Leoben which specialises in mining...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
In November 2007, the POISK's team of university students was one of the two gold winners at the Ukrainian Physicists' Tournament for University Students
Ukrainian Physicists' Tournament for University Students
Ukrainian Physicists' Tournament for University Students is a creative team competition of university students targeted to realize their potential through solving complicated scientific problems and defending their research projects in a scientific discussion, called Physics Fight.The...
held at the Kiev National University, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
Activities
- Regular scientific seminars at the department of physics (Saint Petersburg State UniversitySaint Petersburg State UniversitySaint Petersburg State University is a Russian federal state-owned higher education institution based in Saint Petersburg and one of the oldest and largest universities in Russia....
) which encourage both school and university students to discuss their research worksResearchResearch can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
with the academic community. Students receive immediate qualified support from university professors; - regular international English-language scientific conferences and preparatory seminars with teams from EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(such as PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, BelarusBelarusBelarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
etc.); - local YPT in Saint PetersburgSaint PetersburgSaint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
which initially invited students from European Russia, but currently involves participants from coming from all of Russia. More than 10 teams take part in these tournaments annually; - experience in hosting several National Russian YPTs (on the base of the Saint Petersburg State UniversitySaint Petersburg State UniversitySaint Petersburg State University is a Russian federal state-owned higher education institution based in Saint Petersburg and one of the oldest and largest universities in Russia....
); - encouraging students in language learning (‘English for Special Purposes’ programs, tight collaboration with specialized language centres in Russia and abroad, published researches in methodology of scientific language learning).
- promotion of physics and natural sciences through media (regular questions and demonstrations on physics for the 'Igra Uma' TV show, aired nationwide in RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
on Channel 5); - annual expo of physical gadgets and demonstrations (Science Festival);
- annual Physics Summer Camp (resort facilities + intensive physics learning + preparation for IYPT and other international conferences and contests);
- continuing to work with former YPTInternational Young Physicists' TournamentThe International Young Physicists' Tournament is a competition among teams of secondary school students in their ability to solve complicated scientific problems, to present solutions to these problems and to defend them in scientific discussions called "Physics Fights".The precise course of the...
-participants when they become university students (participation in the Ukrainian Physicists' Tournament for University StudentsUkrainian Physicists' Tournament for University StudentsUkrainian Physicists' Tournament for University Students is a creative team competition of university students targeted to realize their potential through solving complicated scientific problems and defending their research projects in a scientific discussion, called Physics Fight.The...
, organization of a special scientific contest for university students, organization of regular seminars and international conferences). - promotion of physics in society (Round tables, wikiconferences, conferences in physics teaching, etc.).
See also
- International Young Physicists' TournamentInternational Young Physicists' TournamentThe International Young Physicists' Tournament is a competition among teams of secondary school students in their ability to solve complicated scientific problems, to present solutions to these problems and to defend them in scientific discussions called "Physics Fights".The precise course of the...
- Ukrainian Physicists' Tournament for University StudentsUkrainian Physicists' Tournament for University StudentsUkrainian Physicists' Tournament for University Students is a creative team competition of university students targeted to realize their potential through solving complicated scientific problems and defending their research projects in a scientific discussion, called Physics Fight.The...
- History of Young Physicists' Tournament in RussiaHistory of Young Physicists' Tournament in RussiaThe very first Young Physicists’ Tournaments were held in Soviet Union in 1979, 9 years prior to the first IYPT...
- Austrian Young Physicists' TournamentAustrian Young Physicists' TournamentThe Austrian Young Physicists' Tournament is an Austrian competition among teams of secondary school students in their ability to solve complicated scientific problems, to present solutions to these problems and to defend them in scientific discussions called "Physics Fights".It is executed in...