Overview

SPS Reporter Kenneth Bader found the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) meeting to be the pinnacle of his undergraduate experience. Read Report...

The Society of Physics Students (SPS) national office offers partial support for SPS chapters to travel and report on AIP Member Society meetings where SPS Research Sessions are scheduled. The funding is awarded to the chapter, with the mandate that funds go toward travel expenses. Funds are distributed in the form of a check upon receipt of the report(s). Award amounts are determined on a case-by-case basis.

To qualify, two members of the chapter are to be officially designated as "SPS Reporters," tasked with reporting on their attendance at the meeting, and with taking photographs. Each reporter can write their own report, or they can collaborate on one report, dividing labor as they see fit. The chapter may enlist more reporting and photography help if so desired.

Examples of qualifying events include, but are not limited to, national meetings of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), the American Physical Society (APS), the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the American Astronomical Society (AAS).

Reporting Expectations

When planning meeting coverage and taking notes, please remember that we are especially interested in:

1. A few sentences about yourself and your chapter and how it is you got to the particular meeting,
2. Several paragraphs about the SPS research sessions,
3. An interview with one of the elected officers of the society (for example, the president of the society),
4. Any other meeting highlights that you find interesting (keynote speakers, demonstrations, breaking research, etc), and
5. Several photographs with appropriate captions.

Other topics to consider include the SPS welcome reception or other receptions, banquets, exhibits, and chapter excursions to notable local landmarks.

The writing can be done in a formal style, or a less formal style like a chronological blog—feel free to experiment with the best way to convey your experiences.

Application Procedures

If your chapter is interested in participating in the SPS Reporter program, please contact SPS Director Gary White by email: gwhite@aip.org, or by telephone: 301-209-3013.

Submitting Reports

Reports should be submitted to SPS Director Gary White in Microsoft Word©, WordPerfect©, or PDF format:

Gary White
Director, Society of Physics Students
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse
College Park, MD 20740
Tel: 301-209-3013
E-mail: gwhite@aip.org

Please include permission to use the reports and photographs in SPS publications. There is also the possibility that reports will be used in publications of the host society.

Program Support

The SPS Reporter Awards are funded, in part, by the generosity of Sigma Pi Sigma members through the Sigma Pi Sigma Alumni and Trust Funds.