Skip to content
Outreach

Physics and Astronomy Outreach

Astronomy Outreach Programs

Information on public astronomy observing programs, astronomy presentations, resources for educators, and special public programs is availabe on the Space Science Outreach Page.

Cool Things in the Sky

November 19 Partial Eclipse Information

Other astronomy programs, appropriate for all audiences, are:

  • Exploring the Solar System
  • Missions to Mars
  • Return to The Moon
  • Building and Launching Model Rockets
  • Star Parties

Contact Paul Lewis (gplewis@utk.edu) for more information on astronomy outreach.


Physics Outreach Programs

Physics faculty and instructors give presentations to local schools, and our Society of Physics Students has a strong outreach mission, as evidenced through their physics demos at Market Square in downtown Knoxville, their work with the MUSE Knoxville, and the annual Pumpkin Drop at Halloween.


West High School & L&N STEM Academy

The West High School & L&N STEM Physics Academy program is dedicated to create communication between UT Physics faculty and high school teachers and students. As part of the program, interested UT physics faculty members will present lectures in school classrooms. This will create a great opportunity for high school students to interact with physicists and to learn more about their research, and STEM fields in general. We hope that this program will motivate enough interest in students to join the UT undergraduate physics program.

Fall 2021 Schedule
West High School

Year 2 IB:

  1. Friday, November 5
    Anthony Mezzacappa
    Einstein’s Relativity: Shattering our Everyday Notions of Time
  2. Wednesday, November 17
    Thomas Papenbrock
    Quantum Physics in our Everyday Life

Year 1 IB:

  1. Monday, November 22
    Max Lavrentovich
    The Second Law of Thermodynamics
  2. Tuesday, November 30
    Soren Sorensen
    What is everything made of?
L&N STEM Academy Physics Lectures
  1. AP Physics C, Monday, November 1
    Anthony Mezzacappa
    Einstein’s Relativity: Shattering our Everyday Notions of Time
  2. Honors Physics, Wednesday, November 10
    Soren Sorensen
    What is Everything Made of?
  3. AP Physics 1, Monday November 15
    Anthony Mezzacappa
    Einstein’s Relativity: Shattering our Everyday Notions of Time
L&N STEM Academy Astronomy Lectures
  1. Section 1 – Wednesday, November 10
    Anthony Mezzacappa
    Research on the Origin of the Elements, in your own Back Yard
  2. Section 2 – Wednesday, November 24
    Anthony Mezzacappa
    Research on the Origin of the Elements, in your own Back Yard

Speakers & Topics
Speaker Title
Cristian Batista The Strange World of Quantum Physics: the Dual Particle and Wave Nature of Matter
Kate Grzywacz-Jones The Periodic Table’s Cosmic Origin
Tova Holmes TBA
Yuri Kamyshkov Matter and Antimatter
Max Lavrentovich The Second Law of Thermodynamics
Larry Lee TBA
Jian Liu Everyday Quantum Physics: from Spin to Magnetic Applications
Anthony Mezzacappa Einstein’s Relativity: Shattering our Everyday Notions of Time
Thomas Papenbrock Quantum Physics in our Everyday Life
George Siopsis Quantum Information—the Light Edition
Soren Sorensen What is Everything Made of?

Previous Lectures

Spring 2021

  • April 8: Professor Soren Sorensen—What is Everything Made of?
  • April 16: Professor Anthony Mezzacappa—Einstein’s Relativity: Shattering our Everyday Notions of Time
  • April 22: Professor Kate Grzywacz-Jones—The Periodic Table’s Cosmic Origin Story

Spring 2019

  • February 5: Professor Anthony Mezzacappa—Special Relativity
  • February 6: Professor Anthony Mezzacappa—General Relativity
  • February 26: Assistant Professor Maxim Lavrentovich

Spring 2018

  • February 1: Kranti Gunthoti—Static Electricity

Fall 2017

  • October 5: Assistant Professor Sowjanya Gollapinni—Particle Physics
  • October 5: Kranti Gunthoti—Electromagnetism
  • November 16: Professor Yuri Kamyshkov—Matter/Antimatter
  • November 17: Professor Anthony Mezzacappa —Special Relativity

Spring 2017

  • May 11: Professor Anthony Mezzacappa—Special Relativity

Fall 2016

  • November 2: Professor Anthony Mezzacappa, Assistant Professor Sowjanya Gollapinni, and Kranti Gunthoti—Physics and Society.
  • December 12: Assistant Professor Sowjanya Gollapinni—Neutrinos

The flagship campus of the University of Tennessee System and partner in the Tennessee Transfer Pathway.