Fredrick I. Olness

Professor & Chair, Department of Physics

 "The demonstrations were wonderfully choreographed and established visual images with many of the fundamental interactions in physics," said Shalini Nair, [WISE] club president and electrical engineering major. "These demonstrations will provide a basis for understanding that the girls can call upon throughout their years in school."

Excerpt from SMU Daily Campus:  Friday, March 30, 2001, "SMU brings science to kids" by Reed M. Johnson

Physics Circus Photos Here

Public Lectures & Demonstrations:

• Physics Circus: Lecture w/ Audience Participation
  An interactive lecture as an excuse to show off my favorite demonstrations.
  Audience Level: This presentation has been adapted for all grade levels (K-12+), as well as advanced audiences.
  A rough outline of this presentation in PDF or HTML
   

• Music and Physics: Lecture & Demonstration
  An interactive lecture to illustrate the close relation between physics and music using physics demonstrations and (real live) musical instruments.
  Audience Level: This presentation has been adapted for all grade levels (K-12+), as well as advanced audiences.
  A rough outline of this presentation in PDF or HTML
   

• Probability Circus: Lecture & Demonstration
  An interactive lecture to illustrate some strange facts about probability, chance, and coincidence.
  Audience Level: This presentation has been adapted for grade levels (7-12+), as well as advanced audiences.
  A rough outline of this presentation in PDF or HTML
   

• From Imagination to Discovery: Quest for the fundamental structure of nature
  What are the fundamental building blocks of nature, and what holds them together? How can we learn about them if they are too small to see? What is still left undiscovered? What is the Higgs boson, and why is it so interesting. When will we have the answers to these questions?
  Audience Level: Grade levels (4-12+), as well as advanced audiences.
   

• The Group Theory of Rubik's Cube: An application of mathematics
  Mathematical symmetry as applied to Rubik's cube, and other physical examples. Finite groups, similarity transformations, commutator groups, parity, the Rubik's group, orbits.
  Audience Level: Advanced high school, & College.
   

• Preparing for a Science Fair: A Judge's Perspective
  Topics include: Review of the scientific method; Learning from an incorrect hypothesis; Data taking and recording; Analysis and presentation; A graph is worth 1000 words.
  Audience Level: Grade levels (4-12+).  Limited availability during my term as Dallas Science Fair Director.