Education & Outreach
Science is one of the great human activities of our time. It teaches us about nature’s inner workings, it introduces concepts that underpin our latest technologies, and, perhaps most importantly, the pursuit of new scientific knowledge provides striking examples of the power of quantitative reasoning and experimental discovery.
Yodh and his group are committed to science education at all levels. Instructional activities range from ‘conventional’ undergraduate and graduate teaching in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at PENN to more integrated and intense scientific experiences ‘in the lab’. The latter approach stimulates and trains tomorrow’s outstanding scientists and engineers, drawing post-doctoral, graduate, undergraduate and even high school students from all over the world. <<list of affiliated people >>
Yodh and his group are also regular participants in various education outreach efforts including: the Penn Summer Science Academy (PSSA) in Physics & Astronomy, an intensive one month non-credit program for academically talented high school juniors and seniors who are considering a career in science; the LRSM sponsored enrichment course for High School Science Teachers from the Philadelphia School District; the NSF-sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs at the LRSM; The Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer Series (2000-2002).
Recent outreach efforts and general lectures include:
“Why Light Matters”
October 27, 2015
In collaboration with The Franklin Institute & PI-Philly, Professional Italians Philadelphia, on the occasion of the 2015-International Year of Light.
Overview @ 11:00 minute mark
Introductions @ 12:45 minute mark
Arjun Yodh, “Imaging “Physiology” Inside the Human Body with Light” from 13:30-36:00 minute mark
Squishy Physics 2014
The Exciting Science of Chocolate
March 22, 2014
Arjun Yodh & WIlliam Yosses
The 3rd Annual Squishy Physics focuses on the exciting science of chocolate! Almost everyone loves the silky smooth taste of chocolate melting on their tongue. You might be surprised that a great deal of science is required to produce your favorite chocolate treat. If you have ever cooked with chocolate, you may have even observed that it can solidify into something very different from the starting ingredient. Would you be shocked to learn that chocolate has six different solid phases?
watch the video
Britton Chance Memorial Symposium
Britton Chance: His Life, Times, & Legacy
June 3, 2011
Fisher Translational Research Center
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
LRSM Science Café Program
Imaging Inside the Human Body with Light
Stoney’s British Pub
3007 Concord Pike
Wilmington DE
25 April 2011
organized by the The Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter
Hands-On Research in Complex Systems School
Random Walks, Diffusion, & Einstein
Order and Disorder in Soft Materials
Universidade Federal do ABC
Santo André, Sao Paulo, Brasil
27 July – 6 August 2009
organized by the Hands-On Research in Complex Systems School
Diffuse Optics: Fundamentals & Tissue Applications
CLXXIII International School of Physics “Enrico Fermi” on
“Nano optics and atomics: transport of light and matter waves”
organized by the Italian Physics Society (SIF)
Lake Como, Varenna, Italy
23rd June to 3rd July 2009.
Melting in Temperature Sensitive Colloidal Suspensions
Langmuir Lecture
American Chemical Society, 232nd National Meeting & Exposition
September 10 – 14, 2006
San Francisco, CA USA
Exploring Einstein and Brownian Motion
A video conference interactive lecture event for high schools sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic GigaPoP in Philadelphia for Internet2 (MAGPI).
- Passaic Valley High School
- Phoenixville High School
- Harriton High School
- Methacton High School
- Susquehanna Township High School
Entropic Forces
An undergraduate level lecture on entropy effects in solutions (Physics 295).
Imaging & Spectroscopy with Diffuse Light (Biomedical Optics)
A n undergraduate level lecture on optical diagnostics of deep tissues, (Physics 295, BMB 620).
Optics for Soft Condensed Matter Physics,
lectures presented at the International Winter School on Applications of Modern Optics to Condensed Matter Sciences
Beijing, China (January 5-9, 2006).