POISK Centre

Infobox University

name = The POISK Centre


established = 2004
director =
home = Saint Petersburg State University
city = Saint Petersburg
country = Russia
campus =
website = http://www.phys.spbu.ru/pc|

The POISK Centre (in Russian:"Центр «ПОИСК»") 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.

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' Tournament.

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.

Activities

*Regular scientific seminars at the department of physics (Saint Petersburg State University) which encourage both school and university students to discuss their research works with the academic community. Students receive immediate qualified support from university professors;
*regular international English-language scientific conferences and preparatory seminars with teams from Europe (such as Poland, Finland, Belarus etc.);
*local YPT in Saint Petersburg 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 University);
*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 Russia 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 YPT-participants when they become university students (participation in the Ukrainian Physicists' Tournament for University Students, 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' Tournament
*Ukrainian Physicists' Tournament for University Students
*History of Young Physicists' Tournament in Russia
*Austrian Young Physicists' Tournament

External links

* [http://www.phys.spbu.ru/outeducational/poisk_centre/ The POISK Centre's official Web-site en icon, ru icon]
* [http://www.phys.spbu.ru/content/Media/poisk/POISK_AYPT_final_14_earthquake_2007.wmv Video of the presentation made by the Russian National team (prepared at POISK Centre) in the finals of AYPT'2007 in Leoben (May 5, 2007)]
* [http://www.phys.spbu.ru/outeducational/conference/english/ Web-site of the Annual young scientists' conference 'Physics and Progress' (November 14-16, 2007)]