Westminster Physics Professor Wins Online Contest in Successive Months

Dr. Craig Caylor, assistant professor of physics at Westminster College, won the Website contest sponsored by "The Physics Teacher" journal for the months of April and May.

 "I ran across the contest at the Website for the journal in early March," Caylor said.  "There is a new challenge problem each week.  I submitted solutions to all the problems for the March, April, and May contests."

 "The problems, while complex, can mostly be solved with a careful application of the same principles introduced to students in Westminster's "Principles of Physics" course," Caylor said.  "The solution to each problem takes about two to six hours to prepare.  Much of that time is spent writing up the solution with the clearest possible presentation."

 "The Physics Teacher," published by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), sponsored this world-wide contest in celebration of the World Year of Physics, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of Einstein's published papers about his explanation of the photoelectric effect and his theory of special relativity.

 "I have really enjoyed participating in the contest and am grateful to the AAPT for sponsoring it.  Being named a winner in the faculty category for the months of April and May was a nice bonus," Caylor said.

 Caylor, who has been with Westminster College since 2001, earned his undergraduate degree from Kansas State University, and his master's and Ph.D. from Cornell University.

 Contact Caylor at (724) 946-7202 or e-mail calorycl@westminster.edu for more information.

Dr. Craig Caylor