American Association of Physics Teachers
The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) is an American association with physics didactic goals. According to its official statutes, it serves to “disseminate knowledge of physics, especially through teaching” (“dissemination of knowledge of physics, particularly by way of teaching”). It has over 11,000 members in over 30 countries (2007). The AAPT publishes the journals (both peer-reviewed ) " American Journal of Physics " and "The Physics Teacher". There are two national conferences in winter and summer as well as conferences of the regional sub-societies. They organize a number of competitions for students (including the US Physics Team for the International Physics Olympiad) and award prizes - their highest honor is the Oersted Medal .
The Society was founded on December 31, 1930 at a specially organized meeting of 45 physicists during the annual joint APS - AAAS conferences. The AAPT was a founding member of the American Institute of Physics.