Physics Force wins University of Minnesota’s Societal Impact Award

The award honors projects and programs that demonstrate outstanding academically-driven community service and outreach

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (04/02/2025) — The Physics Force has received the 2025 Societal Impact Award from the University of Minnesota Office for Public Engagement. The award recognizes projects or programs for exemplary community-engaged service and outreach.

The Physics Force is a successful and entertaining outreach group of the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering composed of high school teachers and University of Minnesota professors. Through spectacular demonstrations, the Physics Force highlights that physics is fun, interesting and understandable.

“Physics Force is not only a model for effective science outreach but also a beacon of how universities can engage meaningfully with their communities,” said Mostafa Kaveh, Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and former Dean of the College of Science and Engineering. “Their work exemplifies the transformative power of education and the pivotal role it plays in shaping a brighter, more informed future.”

During their 40-year history, the Physics Force has captivated more than a half million Minnesotans. The group performs at local schools and on campus each year. The group has also performed at Disney’s Epcot Center, on PBS’s Newton’s Apple, and locally at various venues, including the Minnesota State Fair. The Physics Force is one of University of Minnesota's most enduring public engagement initiatives.

“Physics Force is about showing that physics is not hard or boring, but instead it is fun and exciting,” said Shaul Hanany, Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy. “Our team’s success stems from the passion we bring to the stage—a passion to inspire a love for science in children and families.”

The Physics Force launched their first shows in 1985, when a University of Minnesota physics demonstration specialist, Phil Johnson, wanted to make physics accessible to everyone. The group explained physics concepts using everyday language and demonstrated principles through spectacular experiments. 

Over the years, the group grew its outreach by going directly into schools and by bringing thousands of school children in the metro area to the Twin Cities campus for shows.

In 2017, the group expanded to Rochester's Mayo Civic Center to offer shows to rural Minnesota communities. Through all the programs combined, Physics Force reaches more than 30,000 people annually, making it one of the largest STEM outreach programs in the nation. 

Physics Force will be honored at an awards luncheon with other Public Engagement Award winners on April 29, 2025.

The Physics Force is supported by the School of Physics and Astronomy, the College of Science and Engineering, the University of Minnesota's Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), the Mayo Foundation, and 3M.

Read more about the Public Engagement Awards on The Office for Public Engagement’s website.