Engaging the Community: Putting on a Physics Show

Since 2007 the Foothill College Physics Department has hosted The Physics Show, a demo show for the public.  Now entering our 20th cycle, we have entertained and educated over a quarter of a million guests.  A key component of our formula is we charge admission for our weekend (public-facing) shows which funds field trips for local Title 1 ("free lunch") schools.  We provide transportation and a program-branded t-shirt to these students, and far more importantly, expose them to both physics and college.  From building much of the demonstration equipment to joining us on stage, our students are an integral part of our success. 

In this workshop we will discuss the history and development of our program, how the moving parts work together, and will provide advice and guidance on how any physics department can create a successful outreach program like ours.  For more details, please see our article from The Physics Teacher: https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0266558

This workshop is free of charge and held virtually using Zoom.

Facilitators:

• Frank Cascarano (Foothill College, CA)
• David Marasco (Foothill College, CA)