European Physics Olympiad

The European Physics Olympiad’s (EuPhO) challenges are similar in concept to real research situations – a short description of the problem and plenty of ways for creative solutions. The European Physics Olympiad has been organised since 2017. Organised by Estonia (2017), Russia (2018), Latvia (2019), online (Estonia – 2020, 2021), Slovenia (2022) and Germany (2023).

The Latvian team is represented by the top five Nordic-Baltic Physics Olympiad participants, studying in 10th and 11th grade. Participation in this Olympiad is an opportunity for younger high school students to gain experience in the international olympiads and also to improve their problem-solving skills ahead of the International Physics Olympiad. The problems, solutions and results of previous years can be found on the Olympiad’s website.

During the Olympiad, participants take part in a theoretical round, where they have to solve three problems in five hours, and an experimental round, where they also have to solve one or two experimental problems in five hours. Students have the opportunity to appeal against the grading of the problems and to defend their solution.

The Latvian team is led by the faculty and students of the Faculty of Physics, Mathematics and Optometry of the University of Latvia who have been involved in the preparation of the students (since 2017): Dāvis Zavickis, Andrejs Cēbers, Valts Krūmiņš, Virgīnija Vītola, Jānis Cīmurs, Ivars Driķis, Aleksandrs Sorokins.

Performance of Latvian students in the European Physics Olympiad: