Saturday Physics Series

The Saturday Physics Series consists of five to seven scheduled talks oriented toward adults and high school students. Lectures occur on specific Saturdays afternoons throughout the school year, typically in Duane G1B30. Unless otherwise noted, lectures begin at 2:30 p.m., and usually last about one hour. Material is aimed at the level of high school juniors and seniors. The series is free, open to the public, and no reservations are required. Simply show up and enjoy the show! 

To join our mailing list, please contact Veronica Lingo.

Saturday Physics Lecture Series YouTube Channel 

Fall 2025

Saturday October 4 — "The Strongest Glue in the Universe"

  • Presented by: Professor Ed Kinney
  • 2:30 p.m.
  • Abstract: The tiny particles that comprise almost all the mass in our bodies as well as the stars and planets are held together by a force so strong that it is nearly impossible to break away from it. It’s so strong that if you try to break the glue bond, you’ll create anti-matter particles!
    Many people are surprised to learn that our mass is not just the sum of the mass of the particles we’re made up of but also the energy held in these glue forces. It is challenging to study these glue forces in the laboratory and observe their effects on the tiny particles known as quarks that the glue forces act on. In this talk we’ll learn about the basics of the glue force and how it holds matter and anti-matter together insides us and how physicists attempt to understand and study it.
     

**Canceled** Saturday, November 8

Saturday December 6 — "Clocks and navigation through the ages"

  • Presented by: John Kitching, National Institute of Standards and Technology
  • 2:30 p.m.
  • Abstract: From planting crops to making trains run efficiently, clocks have been an important tool throughout most of human history. Atomic clocks, based on quantum-mechanically-defined transitions in atoms, are currently the most accurate realizations of the second and underlie important technologies such as the global positioning system (GPS) and high-speed communications. This lecture will describe how atomic clocks work and their history, with a focus on compact clocks and the applications in which they are used.

Getting to Campus

The University provides a Campus Map.

For more information please contact Veronica Lingo.