The Physics Department would like to announce its “Big Physics Question” for the 2019-20 school year. The question is:
Women have made tremendous contributions to the advancement of physics. Consider the work of Marie Curie, Maria Goppert-Mayer, Chien-Shiung Wu, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Emmy Noether and Vera Rubin. Yet as of 2019, only 20 percent of physics PhD’s in the U.S. are held by women.
QUESTION: How can we achieve an equal number of women as men pursuing physics degrees by 2040?
This is the third year the Physics Department has hosted the “Big Physics Question” essay contest. The contest is open to high school students in grades 9-12. It is an opportunity for bright young minds to offer their ideas to big questions.
The awards are as follows:
First Place: $750 Canisius College scholarship and $100 gift card
Second Place: $500 Canisius College scholarship
Third Place: $250 Canisius College scholarship
For contest rules, click here. For more information about this year’s question, click here. The deadline for submissions is Saturday, February 1.
Submitted by: Michael Wood, chair, Physics and Pre-engineering
