Division of Soft Matter Physics Plans Family Event for 2024 March Meeting in Minneapolis
The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation announced its sponsorship of American Physical Society's Squishy Science Sunday family event planned for March 2024. The free event will feature an afternoon of hands-on activities, science demonstrations, short talks, and opportunities to meet and talk to physicists one-on-one, which complements the Foundation's goal of engaging kids in STEM activities that encourage curiosity and enable exploration of science in interactive ways.
Squishy Science Sunday will take place on March 3, 2024, from 11am to 3pm Central at the Minneapolis Convention Center, coinciding with the APS 2024 March Meeting in which more than 12,000 physicists are expected to attend. The event aims to engage the general public of all ages, where they can learn more about statistical physics, biophysics, polymers, and soft matter. Five APS units worked together to develop Squishy Science Sunday to showcase frontiers of physics and inspire young students to pursue STEM studies and careers; they include the Division of Soft Matter Physics (DSOFT), Topical Group on Statistical and Non-linear Physics (GSNP), Division of Polymer Physics (DPOLY), Division of Biological Physics (DBIO), and the Forum of Outreach and Engaging the Public (FOEP).
"This sponsorship will provide funding for administrative and support efforts to produce Squishy Science Sunday, an event that aligns with the Foundation's aim of 'supporting young scientists today for tomorrow's breakthrough discoveries'," shared Dr. Anne Hultgren, Executive Director of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. "We're grateful to Dr. Rae Robertson-Anderson, Secretary and Treasurer for DSOFT and part of the organizing committee for the event, for bringing this exciting opportunity to us and for doing the important work of creating new educational programs that introduce kids to the wonders of science. We're proud to partner with the American Physical Society in this worthwhile endeavor."
