Demonstrating to young minds the possibilities of physics

With exotic science equipment in tow, University of Pennsylvania physics professor Larry Gladney gave Philadelphia high school students an eye-popping demonstration of the interactions among sound, light, and energy, but the key message was: "Don't give up."

"The only thing that succeeds is persistence," said Gladney, who conducted experiments before 120 students Wednesday at the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts as part of program sponsored by HistoryMakers, a Chicago-based entity that aims to record, preserve, and share the life stories of African Americans.

Gladney showed the students a microphone and told them that a black man, James West, a graduate of Temple University, did the research that resulted in the miniaturization of microphones.

"Every cellphone contains his work," Gladney said, adding that they too could make contributions to science.

"Physics is the science of the world," Gladney said while enthralling his audience with demonstrations that used all manner of equipment, including PVC pipe, tuning forks, and a Van de Graaff generator to illustrate concepts of physics.

He said physics was not offered at his high school in East St. Louis, Ill., but that he explored the field as an undergraduate at Northwestern University.

He said his first lesson in physics at Northwestern also came with a lesson in persistence.

Gladney said that as a freshman, "I wanted a job that was science-related."

So he applied for one in the physics department, and was the last of 13 applicants. The instructor he interviewed with told him, "I'll call you."

Gladney said he thought his chances of getting the job were not good. Nevertheless, he went back to see the instructor, and got the job on the spot.

The instructor told him, "I hire the first person to come back."

"Be persistent," Gladney told the students. "It's only the ability to keep coming back that allows you to achieve goals."

Gladney then dazzled the students with experiments, using tuning forks to demonstrate how energy is transferred.

"What we see, hear, or touch is about the transfer of energy," he said.

He then used the Van de Graaff generator, which can accumulate an electrical charge on a metal ball, to demonstrate the use of static electricity.

"Right now you're at 80,000 volts and you're not shocked," he told a student who volunteered to touch the generator.

Jasmine McNeal, a sophomore vocal-music major, said she enjoyed taking part in the experiments.

"I wish my science class was like this," Jasmine said. "After seeing this, I think I would like to learn more about physics."

Senior Moira Laramee, a visual-arts major, said the presentation was enlightening.

"I'm planning on majoring in biology," Moira said. "This was a nice sort of change."

Joanne Beavers, CAPA principal, said Gladney's visit shows "there are some amazing things happening our schools, and I want to highlight that."

HistoryMakers' "Back to School" project brings 400 black leaders to schools in 61 cities and 30 states for a single day each fall to try to inspire students to commit to excellence and completing their education. Former Mayor W. Wilson Goode spoke at Benjamin Franklin High School as part of the program, and WDAS-FM personality Dyana Williams visited Girls High.

Goode said he enjoys speaking to students to inspire them and discourage them from illegal activity, and "to present an example of what they can accomplish."

"If I can go from a sharecropping farm and become mayor of the fourth-largest city," he said, "there is nothing they can't do."