FAQs

Can I present in French? Will the judges and mentors be able to use French?
Yes! We will ensure to fully accommodate teams that prefer to speak french both during mentorship and during the event.

Where and when will the event take place?
This will be a one-day event taking place at the Rutherford Building at McGill, 3600 rue University, Montreal. The event will take place sometime in June (date TBD), from 9:00-19:00. If this date does not work for you, we will offer the opportunity to present virtually, too!

What kind of projects are you looking for?
Ideally, your projects will include some components of physics. This may include acoustics, mechanics, electricity and magnetism, astronomy, fluid dynamics, materials/quantum physics or optics. That said, we encourage students with any project in mind, and our mentors will help you tailor it to the event. Even if your projects lean toward engineering, geology or chemistry, we encourage you to apply!

By the end of the project, your project should have some demonstrable results, one which could test a hypothesis. We are looking for a physical explanation to the behaviours you observed and a comparison to the theoretical expectations you had.

I’m not sure what project to pursue. What can I do?
You can ask one of the organizers to discuss potential ideas! You can also consult a premade project list, which we believe to be a good fit for this event!

Will I be mentored throughout the project?
Yes! All teams will be given a mentor for help and advice! Mentors cannot directly do work on the project for you, but can guide you toward solutions! Mentors are instructed to meet with students in person once a week, with biweekly meetings in person, if requested.

I can’t afford the $10 registration fee? Can I not participate?
We are asking students to pay a registration fee to ensure that the spaces we reserve for students will actually result in participation. We are working with schools to see if they can cover or refund registration costs. If you cannot cover this registration fee, please contact us, and we will help you to cover the cost.

How do I register my team?
All participants should register individually and include their team project and information in the registration. We will send you a link to the registration via email, so sign up to our email list! Links to register will also be up on our website.

Will there be prizes?
Yes, we are hoping to highlight projects that stood out to us!  TO NOTE: “standing out” is a relative term. The most intricate projects may not necessarily win a prize. We will be considering the solutions’ thoroughness, creativity, complexity, poster quality and the participant’s school grade. There may be certain awards associated with projects that target certain topics (like astronomy or quantum). You can consult the prize list on our website (it may be updated periodically, so keep an eye out)!

I don’t have all the equipment for my project. What can I do?
We will be allocating each project an initial budget of $100. Students will be responsible for their purchases and will be refunded throughout your experiments, though we require students to have their purchases be reviewed by a mentor first. Students should not be paying anything out of pocket for their projects. Our aim is to make sure that this event comes at no cost for students, to ensure financial accessibility.

If your project needs more funding, you can submit a request for extra funding. It’s always a good idea to ask your teachers how to access equipment in your labs. When purchasing equipment, you will need to keep all receipts to be refunded. If you are unable to purchase the items yourself due to financial constraints, please contact your mentor for help.

Can I keep my equipment and project after the event?
Yes! Students will keep full ownership of all of the equipment they procured for their projects, though if you do have spare components after finalizing your work.

How will I get to McGill?
All participants who will require it will be given a “2 passages simples” for all modes of public transportation for the event. We will ask whether you will need an A, AB, ABC or ABCD zone pass. Detailed instructions on getting to campus will be provided later. If your situation requires you more complex transportation to campus, please let us know as soon as possible.

Can I participate online?
Yes! If you’d like to present your poster virtually, listen to the presentations or Q&A we will set up a Zoom link for you to join. Virtual presentations will be given a specific time for you to join and give your talk. Note, it may be impossible to accommodate online participation for certain parts of the event like lab visitations. 

I will need accommodations overnight. What can I do? 
If you will be unable to safely or reasonably get home after the end of the event, we will have you fill out a form to provide us with the required information, and we will secure accommodations for you overnight. Given the cost for such accommodations, we will only be reserving a few such spaces, likely on or near campus grounds. An organizer will be present overnight in case an issue arises. If you are under 18 years of age and require accommodations, please contact us.

I will be under 18 years of age at the tournament, will that be a problem?
For those under 18 years of age at the day of the tournaments, we will require you and a parent/guardian to sign a permission/consent form.

Will I be photographed at the event?
There will be people taking photos, videos and recording the event. All participants will need to let us know if they consent to be photographed or recorded at the event. You do not need to consent to participate in the event. Precautions during and after the event will be taken to respect your choice. If you will be under 18 years of age at the tournament, you will need a parent/guardian to sign the release forms as well.

Where should I go for more information?
Please visit our website, where you can find more details regarding prizes, scheduling, contact information and more. All of the most up-to-date information will be posted there. You can always email mipt.physics@mcgill.ca for more information too.