IYPT 2026


Date
Sun, 05 Jul 2026 — Sun, 12 Jul 2026
Location
Zurich/Switzerland
Congratulations! The Austrian national team won a bronze medal at the IYPT 2026 in Zurich.

Bronze for Austria

The 39th International Young Physicists' Tournament took place from July 5 to 12, 2026 in Zurich. 35 teams from all continents competed — the Austrian national team came home with a bronze medal.

The Austrian national team holding the national flag in front of the IYPT photo wall
The Austrian national team at the IYPT 2026 in Zurich. From left: Noah Rauchegger, Manuela Kainer (team leader and juror), Dominik Kainer, Johannes Schmid (team leader), Thomas Riedle (team leader), Oliver Kickl and team captain David Mayr. Not pictured: Jakob Woittenek, who unfortunately had fallen ill.

That team is put together at the AYPT: the five best students of the tournament in Leoben represent Austria at the international competition. For this team, that was the AYPT 2026.

The tournament

At the IYPT the teams discuss the same 17 problems that are prepared for the AYPT, in five so-called Physics Fights — the international counterpart to the Rounds in Leoben. What counts is not the one correct solution, but your own investigation and how you justify it.

One of the problems was Singing Ruler: a clamped ruler that oscillates when struck and produces a characteristic sound. Team captain David modelled the eigenmodes and their superposition and was able to reproduce the sound — his predictions matched the experimental measurements.

Besides the competition there was time for Zurich: a hike around Stoos including a ride on the steepest funicular in the world, and a boat trip on Lake Zurich.

Preparation and thanks

The team prepared for months, among other places at the SchülerInnenforschungszentrum of the Faculty of Physics of the University of Vienna, headed by Dr. Marianne Korner.

The national team would like to thank its sponsors: the Austrian Physical Society, the Faculty of Physics of the University of Vienna, IQOQI Innsbruck, MED-EL, TU Wien, Infineon Technologies AG and Lam Research.

And 2027?

The next IYPT will take place in Auckland (New Zealand) in 2027. Austrian students qualify for it at the AYPT 2027 from April 2 to 4, 2027 in Leoben.