2025 TSAAPT Joint Spring Meeting: TSAAPT/TSAPS/SPS Zone 13 - University of Houston
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Department of Physics

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2025 TSAAPT Joint Spring Meeting: TSAAPT/TSAPS/SPS Zone 13

Meeting Dates: April 3–5, 2025

Attend the TSAAPT 2025 Joint Spring Meeting, the premier meeting of physicists in the state of Texas, hosted at the University of Houston main campus!

Meeting Registration   Abstract Submission

Please complete steps 1–4 below by the abstract deadline on March 15, 2025 to be eligible for a Student Travel Award.

  1. Complete the application form.
  2. Submit an abstract with the student as the first author and presenter. The abstract deadline is March 15, 2025.
  3. Have your research supervisor or department chair complete the form supporting the travel award.
  4. Register for the meeting by March 15 2025.
  5. You are encouraged to join the Texas section of the American Physical Society and/or the Texas section of the American Association of Physics Teachers. Students may request reimbursement for travel expense up to $200 after confirmation of participation in the conference. Students will be contacted by email with further instructions on the reimbursement process.

Travel awards will be $50–200 for as many students as possible, but funds are limited. Students are expected to attend the major events of the meeting including the banquet. Recipients will be notified by e-mail. Once attendance at the meeting is confirmed, a check will be issued to reimburse the applicant.

Some funds exist to support high school teacher travel. If you are planning to travel to the conference, you can apply for a travel award by completing this application. The award will allow for a reimbursement of up to $200, although the maximum amount depends on the number of applications we receive. Reimbursement is contingent upon participation in one or more workshops, where you will be asked to sign in. The attendance at workshops must be for at least one hour combined across all workshops attended. All workshops are expected to occur the morning of Saturday April 5.

Faculty and postdocs are encouraged to volunteer as judges for the Student Presentation Awards. Each talk or poster that is submitted by a student needs to be judged by 2–3 different judges. A huge effort that cannot be accomplished without your help!

This two-day Texas meeting is a great opportunity for exhibitors from industry, national laboratories, and research centers to showcase their products and/or attract physics graduates to their organizations. For Exhibitor and Sponsorship opportunities, contact Dr. Greg Morrison at gcmorrison@uh.edu.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Exhibitors have the opportunity to sponsor a table at the poster session on Friday evening and during lunch on Saturday. Exhibitors also have the opportunity to sponsor meeting breaks and other activities. Sponsors will be listed on the sponsorship page and printed program.

NOTE: Sponsors’ logos will only be printed on signage dependent on their sponsorship. Example: If a company agrees to sponsor a beverage break or reception, their logo will be printed on any signage for that designated event and included on the website and printed program.

Exhibitor Fees

  • One table (size 6’x3’ or 8’x4’) and two chairs: $500 USD for two days or $300 for one day
  • Meeting registration is provided for exhibitors.
  • Banquet fee (optional): $50 per person

Electricity provided upon request. Free Wi-Fi for all participants.

Tentative Agenda

Thursday, April 3

  • 5–8 PM - Registration; Welcome and SPS Reception
  • 7–8 PM - TSAPS/TSAAPT Business Meetings

Friday, April 4

  • 8–10:15 AM - Registration
  • 9–10:15 AM - Welcome and Plenary 1
  • 10:15 AM–12 PM - Poster Session 1
  • 12–1:30 PM - Parallel Sessions
  • 1:30–2:30 PM - Networking Sessions
  • 2:30–4 PM - Parallel Sessions
  • 4–5:30 PM - Poster Session 2
  • 5:30–6:15 PM - Plenary 2
  • 6:30–8:30 PM - Banquet Dinner

Saturday, April 5

  • 8–10:30 AM - Parallel Sessions
  • 8:30–10:30 AM - Workshops
  • 10:45–11:30 AM - Plenary 3
  • 11:30 AM–12:30 PM - Lunch and Student Awards

About the Meeting

The joint meeting of the Texas Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers (TSAAPT), the Texas Section of the American Physics Society (TSAPS), and Zone 13 of the Society of Physics Students (SPS), brings together a diverse group of physicists — researchers and teachers, students and faculty, college and high school — to show off their research, learn from each other and discuss how to enrich physics for all.

The program includes plenary talks, sessions and workshops devoted to research, teaching and the interaction between physics and society.

High school physics teachers will receive professional development certificates for sessions and workshops they attend.

Travel to Houston

The meeting will be held at the University of Houston’s main campus. Most events will be held at or near the Science Building, but it may be useful to use the campus map when you arrive. UH is on the Houston Metro’s purple line and has many bus stops.

A block of rooms at a special group rate is available at the Hilton University of Houston for $179 per night. This rate is available only until March 8. The Hilton University of Houston will be the most convenient housing for those traveling, as it is on campus and a short 5-minute walk to most of the events.

For those travelers that are flying into Houston, Hobby Airport is closer to campus than Bush Intercontinental and may be more convenient to fly into/out of.

Hotels

On Campus

Hilton University of Houston
4450 University Dr
Houston TX 77204
832-531-6300

Block of rooms available until March 8.

On Houston Metro’s Purple Line

Club Quarters Hotel Downtown, Houston
1085 Rusk St
Houston TX 77002
713-224-6400

At Hobby Airport

Holiday Inn Houston - Hobby Airport
8611 Airport Blvd
Houston TX 77061
713-946-8900

Details of the locations of each event will be available soon. Details of where to park will also be provided closer to the event date. Parking is $12 per day.

Abstracts for Poster or Talk

Poster Guidelines

  • Posters should be no larger than 48” wide x 36” high (landscape orientation, not portrait) and should be mountable with push pins/clips which will be provided.
  • Times for poster setup will be included in the Meeting Program Schedule.
  • During Poster Sessions, presenters are expected to be available at their poster for discussion.

Speaker Guidelines

  • Locate the time/location of your presentation in the printed or online program booklet.
  • Arrive at your session 10 minutes early to set up, introduce yourself to the Session Chair, upload your presentation onto the computer provided or to connect your personal laptop, and to test any animations, movie or videos included in your presentation.
  • Your presentation will be 12 minutes (10-minute presentation and 2 minutes for questions). You will be signaled by the session chair when you have 2 minutes remaining of the 10 minutes allotted for the presentation. When you have reached the 10-minute mark of your presentation, the session chair will stand and you should stop your presentation. The session chair will then solicit questions for 2 minutes.

Session Chair Guidelines

  • Arrive at least 10 minutes before the session, locate the speakers, and encourage them to upload their presentations to the session laptop or connect their personal laptops.
  • At the start of the session, briefly introduce yourself and explain the timing system to the audience.
  • Start the session on time, announce each abstract and its author(s), and inquire whether the presentation is being given by a student (graduate or undergraduate) who is competing for a student award.
  • Adhere to the time schedule listed in the program so that simultaneous sessions are as closely synchronized as possible. Speakers must be asked to stop when their allotted time is up in a courteous but firm manner.
  • If any problems arise during the session, immediately contact the local support team at the meeting.

Code of Conduct