Physics and Astronomy teaches about nature's rhythms in 2019 Public Demonstration Show

Sunday, April 14, 2019

University of Iowa Physics Public Demonstration Show
Students David Bernstein, Cole Dorman, Zachary Luppen, Daniel Reinart, Cory Rude,
and James Rowden blow them away at Public Demonstration Show

Each spring Dale Stille, Instructional Research Specialist in the University of Iowa Department of Physics and Astronomy, coordinates the department's highly anticipated and free Public Demonstration Show, with the help of student volunteers and Professors Vincent Rodgers and Greg Howes. The 2019 show was March 15. Much time and preparation and after hours work goes into the event. It is held in Lecture Room 1 of Van Allen Hall, which seats 304 and is filled to standing room only.

This year's show explored nature's rhythms, showcasing quantum clocks, waves, frequency, sound and audience waves, acoustic levitation, signatures of gravitational sound waves using sound and a vortex cannon, and much more. There were hands-on displays in the lobby for kids before and after the show, and Stille drew for raffle prizes for the kids during the show.

Keep your eyes peeled for next year's show!

The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers about 70 majors across the humanities; fine, performing and literary arts; natural and mathematical sciences; social and behavioral sciences; and communication disciplines. About 15,000 undergraduate and nearly 2,000 graduate students study each year in the college’s 37 departments, led by faculty at the forefront of teaching and research in their disciplines. The college teaches all Iowa undergraduates through the college's general education program, CLAS CORE. About 80 percent of all Iowa undergraduates begin their academic journey in CLAS. The college confers about 60 percent of the university's bachelor's degrees each academic year.