DATE: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday,

EVENT: More than 155 students and teachers are registered to participate in the 2004 Physics Olympiad, sponsored by the University of Michigan Physics Department.

One of the most photogenic events will include high school students building a water-balloon catcher and a catapult capable of hurling standard-size water balloons a distance of 50 feet. Another event, Rocket Mania, has teams launch their air-propelled rockets from the lawn of the Dennison Building, aiming for a target hanging high above, on the side of that building. Also, nine to twelve-foot tethered hot air balloons will launch in the atrium of the math department, in East Hall, in an attempt to lift a specified amount of sand high into the air.

Participating high schools and their teachers are:

Bloomfield Hills: International Academy, David Lyon and Brother Rice High School, Vicki Kramer

Detroit: University of Detroit Jesuit High School, Anne Moeser

Ida: Ida High School, Joseph Rathke

Monroe: Monroe High School, Darol Straub

Novi: Novi High School, James Di Dio

East Lansing: East Lansing High School, John Plough

Jackson: Northwest High School, Megan Palen

Battle Creek: Harper Creek Community Schools, Steve Barry

Elsie: Ovid-Elsie High School, Allen Martin

Saginaw: Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central, Dave Horny

Troy: Troy Athens High School, Jennifer Guenther and Steve Gottlieb (separate teams)

LOCATION: U-M central campus, 170 Dennison Building.

Map: http://phys-advlab.physics.lsa.umich.edu/Olympiads2004/aamap.htm

SPONSORS: The University of Michigan Physics Department,FOCUS

TO REGISTER: This is a free event. Spectators are welcome.

WEB LINK: For more information about the Olympiad, a schedule of events, and last year’s photographs, visit http://www.physics.lsa.umich.edu/olympiad.

To learn about the U-M Physics Department, visit http://www.physics.lsa.umich.edu/nea/

Contacts: Carol Rabuck
Contacts: Ramon Torres-Isea