The Research Commons is a division of the UMD Libraries that offers training and support for a variety of tasks related to research and learning, including citations, mapping, and data organization.

One of their most valuable offerings for students is their Common Quandaries workshops. These one-time classes, currently offered online, teach the basics of many tasks and software needed for research but that often aren't covered in traditional departmental coursework. Workshops are offered every semester, and the offerings for spring have begun to be posted.

Workshops available this semester so far include using LaTEX and writing literature reviews. Also, slides and teaching materials from past workshops are archived online, so you can explore topics on your own time.

Check them out at https://www.lib.umd.edu/rc/common-quandaries

Welcome to the fall semester at UMD Physics!

We are planning many exciting outreach events coming up this year, and we hope you’ll join us!

On Saturday October 12 as part of the Maryland STEM Festival, we’ll host Fly With Physics, a special event in the spirit of Physics is Phun with demonstrations and hands-on activities about flight, rocketry, and motion in the air.

Also in October, the UMD Society of Physics Students will present their annual fundraiser event Spooky Science on October 27!

 And there are two events coming up in December! On December 7, our popular Physics Discovery Days: Quantum Kids returns! This is a program for upper elementary students exploring the ideas of quantum mechanics. And on December 13 and 14, we will present Physics is Phun: The Physics of Fantastic Worlds, looking at science through the lens of popular science fiction and fantasy.

 There’s more still to come! In February, Physics Discovery Day returns with Nanoscience on February 8, and Physics is Phun will be back in March!

 And importantly, don’t forget to come see us at Maryland Day on April 25 for lots of exciting demonstrations and presentations at Physics and around the whole campus.

 Watch for details on these events coming soon on our Outreach Page, and sign up for our mailing list. Also, watch for announcements on the mailing list and on our Twitter feed.

Welcome to the fall 2023 semester at UMD Physics! We’re looking forward to an exciting semester!

If you have any questions about finding the right demonstrations or other resources for your class, access to the order form, or anything else we can help with, be sure to call or email.

Please remember to order your demonstrations before the cutoff deadline for the order form system: For morning classes, before 1PM the previous working day; for afternoon classes, before 4AM the day of the class. Where possible, we appreciate having the orders at least one full working day ahead, to ensure plenty of time to make sure everything is ready for you. Some demonstrations may require more notice if they use particularly complex apparatus or materials that require special handling.

We have many events coming up this year; our first Physics is Phun show will be the weekend of September 22nd, and don't forget about the weekly Physics Colloquium beginning September 5th!

 See you soon!

Welcome to the Spring 2020 semester! We're looking forward to assisting you with your physics class demonstration needs this year.

You can learn about demonstrations through the demonstration index here on our website; both the demonstrations and the order forms can be found in the Demonstration Services menu. Be sure also to check out some of our new and revised demonstrations, here in the blog and on the demo pages.

The order form has been updated this year! Please remember to order your demonstrations before the cutoff deadline for the order form system: For morning classes, before 1PM the previous working day; for afternoon classes, before 4AM the day of the class. We are happy to meet with you to plan and review demonstrations; call or email us to set up a time to meet.

We have some exciting outreach programs coming up this season! In February, we'll be presenting a Physics is Phun program, The Physics of Fantastic Worlds; and a Discovery Day program, Quantum Kids. More programs will follow later in the spring, culminating with Maryland Day, which this year will include both our famous liquid nitrogen ice cream and another Physics is Phun presentation.

We would love to have more faculty, staff, and students involved in demo-related outreach activities. If you have an idea or want to participate in spring outreach or summer programs, please let us know.