American Association of Physics Teachers

The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) is a United States-based professional association founded in 1930 to advance the teaching and dissemination of physics. Its stated purpose centers on sharing knowledge of physics, particularly through teaching. The organization serves educators and others involved in physics education and has developed an international membership community extending beyond the United States. AAPT functions as a professional, scholarly, and educational network rather than as a commercial product brand. Its activities include publishing peer-reviewed journals, organizing national and regional meetings, recognizing achievements in physics education, supporting educators through grants and awards, and sponsoring competitions and instructional programs. The association’s two annual National Meetings—traditionally held in winter and summer—provide forums for presentations, professional development, educational exchange, and discussion of physics teaching practice. Regional sections maintain their own organizations and meetings, giving members additional opportunities for collaboration. The association’s principal publications are the American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher. Together, these journals support different but complementary parts of the physics-education community. The American Journal of Physics publishes scholarly work and material relevant to the teaching and learning of physics, while The Physics Teacher focuses on practical classroom teaching, demonstrations, instructional approaches, and related resources for teachers. These publications give AAPT a continuing role in connecting research, pedagogy, and classroom practice. AAPT also supports recognition and development through educator awards and grants, including the Richtmyer Memorial Award. Its student and teacher activities include Physics Bowl, the High School Physics Photo Contest, the Apparatus Competition, and a roller-coaster-related contest historically associated with Six Flags. The association is also involved in selecting and preparing the United States Physics Team. According to the referenced description, selection uses two preliminary examinations followed by an intensive boot camp, after which five students are chosen to represent the United States at the International Physics Olympiad. AAPT was established on December 31, 1930, when 45 physicists met during a joint meeting of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Cleveland. It later became a founding member of the American Institute of Physics after the other founding organizations were satisfied that AAPT had a stable structure and had adopted a new constitution. This institutional relationship places AAPT within the historical development of organized physics in the United States. The association is headquartered at the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland. Its archival record includes organizational papers, section records, officers’ records, publication-related materials, and records connected with physics education programs. These collections document the association’s long-running role in professional service, educational publishing, teacher development, student competitions, and the organization of the physics-teaching community.

The American Association of Physics Teachers was created during a period when physicists and educators were developing more formal national structures for professional cooperation. On December 31, 1930, 45 physicists met in Cleveland during a joint meeting of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Their purpose was to establish an association devoted specifically to the teaching and dissemination of physics. The resulting organization adopted a mission focused on spreading physics knowledge through education. In its early institutional development, AAPT became connected with the emerging national infrastructure of American physics. It was a founding member of the American Institute of Physics. The other founding members reportedly sought assurance that AAPT had sufficient organizational stability before accepting it into the institute’s founding group; adoption of a new AAPT constitution helped establish that confidence. This connection placed the association alongside other major organizations representing physics research, professional practice, and education. Over time, AAPT developed a broad service model for physics teachers. National Meetings held in winter and summer became recurring venues for professional exchange, while regional sections created additional local and regional networks. The organization’s work expanded beyond meetings to include peer-reviewed publishing, awards, grants, competitions, and programs intended for both educators and students. Its publication program became one of its most visible long-term activities. The American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher serve as scholarly and practical channels for the physics-education community. The journals help circulate research, teaching ideas, demonstrations, classroom techniques, and discussions about how physics can be taught effectively at different educational levels. AAPT has also maintained a substantial role in student engagement and talent development. Programs and contests associated with the organization include Physics Bowl, the High School Physics Photo Contest, the Apparatus Competition, and a roller-coaster contest. AAPT’s work with the United States Physics Team involves preliminary examinations and an intensive training period, culminating in the selection of five students to compete for the United States at the International Physics Olympiad. The association’s recognition programs include grants and awards for physics educators, among them the Richtmyer Memorial Award. Its archival holdings preserve records of national administration, regional sections, officers, publication activity, education programs, and historical correspondence. Examples include records associated with the South Atlantic Coast Section, the Chesapeake Section, the Physics Teaching Resource Agents program, the Commission on College Physics, and multiple former secretaries and executive officers. AAPT is headquartered at the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland. With more than 10,000 members and members in over 30 countries according to the referenced material, it remains an active professional organization focused on physics teaching, educational scholarship, professional development, and student achievement.

• 1930

  Association founded in Cleveland

  [1]American Association of Physics Teachersen.wikipedia.org

  Forty-five physicists met on December 31 during a joint American Physical Society and American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting and established AAPT to promote the dissemination of physics knowledge through teaching.

• Becomes a founding member of the American Institute of Physics

  [1]American Association of Physics Teachersen.wikipedia.org

  AAPT joined the founding group of the American Institute of Physics after the organization adopted a new constitution that demonstrated its institutional stability.

A member-based professional association connecting physics educators, scholarly publishing, teacher development, classroom practice, and student physics competitions.

• Peer-reviewed journal

  American Journal of Physics

  AAPT’s scholarly journal for work connected with physics teaching and learning. It provides a formal publication channel for research, analysis, and educational material intended for the physics community, helping connect disciplinary knowledge with instructional practice.

• Peer-reviewed teaching journal

  The Physics Teacher

  A publication focused on practical physics instruction and the needs of teachers. Its subject matter includes classroom approaches, demonstrations, apparatus, and other material useful to educators working to make physics understandable and engaging.

• Professional development and conferences

  AAPT National Meetings

  AAPT organizes two National Meetings each year, traditionally one in winter and one in summer. These meetings provide settings for professional exchange, presentations, instructional discussion, networking, and continuing development among physics educators.

• Student competition

  Physics Bowl

  A physics competition sponsored by AAPT for students. It forms part of the association’s broader effort to encourage student interest, assessment, and achievement in physics through organized academic challenges.

• Student talent-development program

  United States Physics Team

  AAPT supports the process used to identify and prepare the United States team for the International Physics Olympiad. The referenced description states that candidates take two preliminary examinations, attend an intensive boot camp, and that five students are ultimately selected to compete internationally.

• Educator award

  Richtmyer Memorial Award

  An AAPT recognition program honoring achievement in physics education. It represents the association’s role in acknowledging educators and contributors whose work advances the teaching and understanding of physics.

1. 1American Association of Physics Teachersen.wikipedia.org
2. 2American Association of Physics Teachers official websiteaapt.org