Yang (Robert) Xu, a junior, will represent Middleburg Academy, the only independent high school in Virginia to claim a semi-finalist, in the 2012 U.S. Physics Team Competition.

He now sets his sights on the upcoming final exam which will identify the top twenty physics students in the country.

The U.S. Physics Team Competition is sponsored each year by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), the premier national organization and authority on physics and physical science education.

Robert completed AP Physics during his sophomore year and is currently undertaking Independent Science Research in Physics with Dr. Ann Reimers.

"He is an incredibly curious learner," Dr. Reimers said. "He is able to see problems in ways others can't, so he can solve them in very creative ways. He also works very hard."

Robert's course load includes AP Chemistry and college-level Biology through Middleburg Academy's Dual Enrollment Program. An AP Scholar, he recently earned perfect scores on three SAT subject tests: Physics, Chemistry and Math 2.

Not surprisingly, Robert hopes to be a physicist someday.

When not engrossed in science, Robert serves as President of the Junior Class and on the Student Council He is a member of the Math Club and ranked in the top 1% of 300,000 test takers in the recent American Mathematics Contest 12.