Hawken Senior Wins Gold at International Physics Olympiad

Eric Mecklenburg `05 has achieved academic excellence by winning a gold medal at the 36th Annual International Physics Olympiad in Salamanca, Spain held July 3-12. One of only five students representing the United States at the event, Eric competed with representatives from 74 countries in the competition that consisted of a five-hour theoretical exam and a five-hour experimental exam. Overall, the United States team won two gold medals, two silver and one bronze medal. While in Spain, participants also enjoyed guest speakers, cultural performances and tours of attractions in and near Salamanca. Physics teacher Robert Shurtz nominated Mecklenburg to the team. Mr. Shurtz has been coaching the U.S. Physics Olympiad team since 2001 and has been named academic director of the team for the 2005-2006 academic year. Last year, Mr. Shurtz helped coach Eric and other representatives of the 2005 team to five medals and two special prizes at the 35th International Physics Olympiad in South Korea. This year, Mr. Shurtz was unable to attend the competition due to last minute health problems. In May, Eric traveled to the University of Maryland for a week-long physics camp during which students conducted lab experiments, took exams, and heard presentations from prominent scientists. Out of the 24-member U.S. Physics Team, the top five students from the camp were named to the traveling team and competed at the International Physics Olympiad in Spain. This is the fourth time Hawken School has had a student represent the United States on the international level at the International Physics Competition. It is also the 36th year for the competition, and is also the World Year of Physics, honoring the hundredth anniversary of three revolutionary theories written by Albert Einstein. The theories, the most famous of which is the equation \"E=mc2\", changed the way scientists perceive matter, energy and time. Einstein was just 26 years old when he published this work. \"These students will almost certainly make contributions to science and technology in modern life,\" said Dr. Bernard Khoury, executive officer of the American Association of Physics Teachers during the AAPT sponsored training camp. \"For students like those on the U.S. Physics Team, every year is the World Year of Physics. Physics is an intellectual adventure, and we as a society are always helped when students engage in this adventure.\" The U.S. Physics Olympiad Program was started in 1986 by AAPT to promote and demonstrate academic excellence. The Olympiad is a nine-day international competition among pre-university students from more than 60 nations.