Physics Club Wins National Award

The Randolph College chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has been named an Outstanding Chapter by the National Society of Physics Students for 2008-2009.

This is the fourth national Outstanding Chapter award for the club, having earned the honor in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2007-08.

“We have an outstanding group of students who are passionate about physics,” said faculty advisor Peter Sheldon, professor of physics. “We won this award because of their dedication to bringing science to the public.”

The award is the culmination of a very eventful 2008-09 academic year for the group.

• The chapter won the 2008 Blake Lilly Prize for their work with Randolph’s annual Science Day for local elementary school children. That event also won them the Randolph College award for Best Philanthropic Event.
• SPS hosted activities for all students including field trips to an amusement park to enjoy the physics of rollercoasters and the Smithsonian Institution, a photo contest, a project to design and build a t-shirt gun, and a Wii tournament.
• In addition, four physics majors received travel grants from SPS National to attend and present research at the American Physical Society National Meeting.
• SPS President Wai Sze Cheung, with the help of SPS, coached a group of children in the FIRST Robotics tournament.
• SPS ran the Lynchburg area’s first Science Festival, and their signature event, Science Day, attracted about 300 children, teachers, and their families.
• Randolph hosted the Society of Physics Students’ Zone 4 Meeting, a regional student physics conference.

Sheldon praised the 2008-09 officers of the SPS for their leadership and all the clubs members for their enthusiasm They were …

• President: Wai Sze (Winncy) Cheung
• Vice President: Tiffany Paonessa
• Secretary: Catherine Khoo
• Treasurer: Yanpaing Oo
• Historian: Nema Marjana