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Physics Students Complete Annual Road Tour

May 29, 2018

The Angelo State University Society of Physics Students’ (SPS) Peer Pressure Team recently completed its 13th annual “Physics Road Tour” after spending six days performing educational physics demonstrations at elementary and high schools in Central and South Texas.

SPS Peer Pressure Team group photo from the 2018 Physics Road Tour SPS Peer Pressure Team group photo from the 2018 Physics Road Tour The team trekked more than 1,100 miles from May 14-19 to deliver its entertaining physics program to hundreds of students, teachers, administrators and parents at public schools in Menard, Laredo and McAllen.

The trip culminated with a recreational stop at South Padre Island as a fun farewell to the graduating seniors. 

SPS executive officer Deyton Riddle of San Angelo said, “The trip allowed us to provide some interesting and interactive physics demonstrations involving pressure, optics, thermodynamics, material science, mechanics and electrodynamics, as well as provide insight to college life to potential future ASU Rams, and see parts of this beautiful state that many of us had not seen before.” 

Society of Physics Students Logo In addition to Riddle, this year’s Physics Road Tour participants were Derik Bullard, SPS president; Llexi Rodgers, SPS webmaster; Alyssa Davenport-Herbst, SPS secretary; and SPS members Chelsea Green, Jack Odum, Johnathan Carter and Luis Romo-Villa. They were accompanied by Dr. Trey Holik, assistant professor of physics and SPS faculty advisor. 

The Physics Road Tour program is a public service designed by Angelo State SPS members to generate enthusiasm for the study of science and spur interested students toward paths that lead to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The SPS Peer Pressure Team presents a variety of physics demonstrations focused on educating students about scientific principles, while at the same time generating excitement and providing an informal and entertaining venue for them to enjoy. 

Several videos and photo galleries of the 2018 Physics Road Tour can be found on the SPS Facebook page

Angelo State’s SPS chapter has received an Outstanding Chapter Award, the highest honor bestowed by the national SPS, for 16 consecutive years. In the spring of 2007, the SPS Physics Road Tour program received a Marsh White Award from the national SPS and a corresponding grant to help pay for demonstration materials. It also received Blake Lilly Awards from the national SPS in 2007 and 2009 for outstanding physics outreach. The program was also recognized with a 2010 LaserFest Outreach Award and corresponding $7,500 grant by the American Physical Society.