Don’t forget to check the 43rd and for the 15th time international Rudolf Ortvay International Problem-solving Competition in Physics! (http://ortvay.elte.hu)
Date: 26th October – 5th November, 2012
Competition problems are available on http://ortvay.elte.hu/2012/E12.pdf and rules are on http://ortvay.elte.hu/2012/E12szab.pdf
The competition is electronic, so you are welcome to join from any country in the world as long as you are a university or PhD student in any field.The assigned problems do not focus on school-level problem-solving routines but rather on the skills of physical way of thinking, recognition of the heart of the problem, and the appropriate choice of the mathematical armoury.
You are encouraged to solve as many of the 29 problems as you can, but you may only send up to 10 solutions. The problems list can be downloaded from the web page above in pdf format from 11 am (GMT) on Friday 26 October 2012. You will be able to send solutions through the website of the competition.
Deadline is the 5th November 2012, 11 am (GMT).
You have to solve the problems by yourself (no group works are accepted). However, any kind of reference material may be consulted! Textbooks and articles of journals should be cited.
The competitors are separated into categories by their years of study (PhD students form a separate category), so dear Undergraduates, do not be afraid to join in!
Hungary, along with other countries, has a tradition of organising problem-solving competitions of high standard. The Ortvay Competition started in parallel with the famous International Olympiads for high school students, which also originates from Eastern Europe.
Among the one-time contestants and winners of the Ortvay Contest, there are several internationally acknowledged researchers.
The first three places in each category are rewarded with a certain amount of money and an official certificate signed by the president of the jury, a well-known university professor in Hungary, and the president of the Hungarian Association of Physics Students. Above this, the jury also rewards the best solutions to certain problems, and there are also some special prizes given, so if you only have one or two problems solved, it is still wise to send them.
If this has you made you curious, take a look at the problems, and you are welcome to participate! Good luck and all the best!