German Physicists' Tournament
The German Physicists' Tournament (GPT) is a nationwide physics competition for physics students from all over Germany who like to experiment. Within several "Physics Fights" teams of students discuss problems from different fields of physics and gain points from an independent jury. The best team is given the chance to represent Germany at the International Physicists' Tournament (IPT).
The German Physicists' Tournament (GPT) is a Germany-wide physics competition for students who like to experiment and is the national pre-selection for the "International Physicists' Tournament" (IPT). Both competitions aim to bring students from different universities together to discuss physics and to work on problems with theoretical models and own experiments. The IPT has been in existence since 2009 and has been gaining increasing attention ever since. At the IPT 2019, 18 teams from around the world have already competed for first place.
Usually in August the exciting problems from different fields of physics are published for the GPT and IPT of the subsequent year. The participating students can choose from these problems, which they will work on and prepare in teams in the run-up to the GPT with theoretical models, simulations and their own experiments. The problems are intentionally open and free, so that different approaches and creativity are required.
At the GPT one of these problems has to be presented in a "Physics Fight" within 10 minutes and the audience has to be convinced of the sound scientific understanding and the correct approach to the problem (reporters). Afterwards, an opposing team (opponent) highlights weaknesses and errors in the presented argumentation and points out possible improvements. Finally, a third team (reviewer) summarises the different positions and initiates a fact-based discussion between reporter and opponent, during which the ideas of both teams are taken up to gain a deeper understanding of the problem in question.
An independent jury consisting of experienced scientists from the participating universities and institutes finally decides on marks for all teams. After the end of the first round of the Physics Fight, the roles of the participating teams change and another problem is discussed. After three rounds the Physics Fight ends. The best teams compete in a final round.
The winning team gets the opportunity to represent Germany at the IPT. Physics students from all over the world travel to this competition to spend a week discussing different areas of physics. In preparation for the international competition, the tournament language of the GPT is English.