Physics outreach as teaching and service-learning experience for students

We will present the results of an innovative program at Texas A&M University that aims to add hands-on, teamwork, and outreach components to the learning and research experiences of undergraduate and graduate students. In this program, undergraduates taking introductory physics classes work throughout the school year in small teams led by physics graduate students on design and fabrication of exciting physics demonstration experiments: from a giant Galilean cannon to liquid sand pool, Texas-sized Tesla coil, superconducting train, and supersonic gun. Student teams demonstrate their experiments at high-profile outreach events such as the Texas A&M Physics & Engineering Festival, Physics Shows, Just Add Science, and Game Day Physics. They film their experiments in 2-3 min video clips posted at realphysicslive.com. The demonstrations are also used in regular physics classes at Texas A&M.