Patrick Whippey and Peter Frank - 40 years as an outreach team
Patrick Whippey (right) and Peter Frank (left).
On Thursday, May 5, 2016, several hundred eager students filled Social Sciences 2050 for a day of Lets Talk Science Challenge.
Opening the day was a liquid nitrogen demonstration by Prof. Emeritus Patrick Whippey and staff member Peter Frank.
It was a smashing performance by Patrick, with Peter keeping the show running as smoothly as clockwork.
"A bit more nitrogen, if you will, Peter", Patrick would softly say.
"We'll do the thermocouple demonstration next", would suggest Peter quietly, all the while with balloons exploding and soccer balls violently smashing against the wall.
This is the typical banter between two people who have just marked their 40th year of doing outreach demonstrations together.
Patrick recalls that his involvement in outreach started in 1970, when, as a new faculty member in Physics and Astronomy, a young Geophysics colleague Charlie Carmichael suggested that they try some outreach.
Patrick continues to organize and run the London and District Science and Technology Fair (now known as the Thames Valley District Science and Engineering Fair), as well as the Science Olympics, which attracts almost 1000 students for a day long event at Western each spring.
Peter began doing outreach demonstrations with Patrick in 1976.
Congratulations to both!
