Outreach

Community Outreach

Physics Outreach Committee

The Physics Outreach Committee aims to illustrate the role which physics plays in everyday life to inspire students to look more favorably at physics and science in general. Our hope is to show students that they can use physics to understand the world around them. In particular we try to tailor our demonstrations and hands-on activities toward their areas of interest (music, sports, etc.).

The Physics Outreach Committee hosts several Physics Family Fun Day events each year for the community.  The committee also brings classroom experiences, performs demonstrations and offers hands on activities to local students, both within schools and to home-schooled groups.

 

Featured Outreach Activity

Physics Family Fun Day

The Physics Outreach Committee aims to illustrate the role which physics plays in everyday life. Our hope is to show students that they can use physics to understand the world around them. In particular we try to tailor our demonstrations and hands-on activities toward their areas of interest (music, sports, etc.).

See All Upcoming Outreach Events

Astronomy on Tap

 

Astronomy is even better with beer! Scientists, educators, writers, artists & more reveal how they explore the universe at Urban Chestnut Grove Brewery! Each FREE event features accessible, engaging science presentations on topics ranging from planets to black holes to the beginning of the Universe. Presenters are from research and educational institutions like Washington University in St. Louis, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, and more. Each event consists of two 10-15 min talks, followed by questions and comments. There will also be a trivia session with questions related to astronomy. At the end of the night prizes will be handed to the winners! There is always lots of time to ask questions and interact with the presenters and other scientists who tag along for the beer.

 

SEE EVENTS PAGE FOR UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS

For more information, contact: 

Andrés A. Plazas Malagón
plazas@physics.wustl.edu
@plazasmalagon1 (twitter)

Young Scientist Program

The Young Scientist Program Teaching Teams promote science literacy among students and encourage the pursuit of careers in science by introducing students to areas of scientific study through interactive demonstrations brought into the classroom. Teams of graduate students present the curricula in small groups, fostering a comfortable atmosphere for scientific discussion.

If you would like to request the physics teaching team, visit the Young Scientist Program page.

YOUNG SCIENTIST PROGRAM
Physics Family Fun Day

Crow Observatory

Crow Observatory is open evenings to the public in the fall and spring semesters.

Visitors can check here or phone 314-935-6278 during viewing hours to see if the Observatory is open.

Observatories

Saturday Science Public Lectures

Spring 2025

Complex Behavior from Simple Rules

Our daily lives are largely governed by a simple set of physical laws: the laws of gravity, put forth by Newton in 1687, and Maxwell’s equations for electricity and magnetism, found by Maxwell in 1861. From these fundamental forces, a vast variety of patterns and strucutures arise: galaxies, rainbows, beehives and more. Much of this is emergent behavior: It’s hard to predict, but once you know it happens, you can look for what makes it happen. In this series of lectures, we will examine the interplay between the emergence of complexity and the reduction to simple laws of nature. Each lecture will begin at 10 AM in Crow 201, which is the physics building with the observatory on the roof. All lectures are free and open to the public. Parking is available in the underground East End Garage. Although the lectures will be in-person, video recordings of the lectures will be available afterwards under “Previous Saturday Science Lectures” or on YouTube.

New This Semester!
We’re thrilled to announce an expansion of our offerings to include Saturday Science: Future Innovators, tailored specifically for middle and high school students. This new series of events is perfect for families, school groups, or any curious young minds eager to explore the exciting world of physics, math, biology, chemistry, and beyond. Sessions will feature experiments, live demonstrations, and opportunities to interact with professors from WashU!

These events are free and open to the public, and no prior knowledge of physics or science is required—just a curious mind! Bring the whole family for a morning of fun and learning. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

UPCOMING SATURDAY SCIENCE LECTURES

Previous Saturday Science Lectures

To be added to the Saturday Science mailing list, please contact physics@wustl.edu

Garv Chauhan

"The WashU Physics Department has helped me integrate into the physics research community over the past two years through their PhD program. The welcoming environment and the vibrant graduate student community helps you maintain a healthy balance in your work-life. This place makes me feel excited about the cutting edge research in other fields, too, in addition to mine. As physicists, I believe it's our duty to contribute to our society by illustrating the importance of physics. As a member of the outreach initiative from the department, I help organize and demonstrate physics in everyday life to school students through our "Physics Family Fun Day" events. It's great fun and a wonderful experience to be a part of this!"

―Garv ChauhanPhD Candidate

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