Marshall University Physics

08/01/2026

This summer Marshall University partnered with the National Youth Science Academy to bring middle schoolers on campus for summer camps. In the “Numbers Explosion: Exploring Physics and Math” camp, Dr. Sachiko McBride led the physics portion while the mathematics portion was led by Dr. Aleksandra Sobieska Snyder. Throughout the week, students explored physics through a variety of hands-on activities and challenges designed to make science fun and engaging. Campers learned about sound by creating musical instruments, investigated forces and impacts through egg drop challenges, built towers from index cards, designed roller coasters using craft sticks, constructed simple motors, created paper electronic circuit cards, and crafted two different types of kaleidoscopes. Through these interactive projects, students experienced how physics connects to the world around them while developing their creativity, problem-solving skills, and ability to work in a team. The week was filled with learning, discovery, and fun!

08/01/2026

07/30/2026

Recently during a Marshall University College of Science Pre-Med Camp, Dr. Sachiko McBride from the Department of Mathematics and Physics, led a waves and sound workshop for high school students. Through several hands-on demonstrations, students explored the basic physics of sound waves and how they travel. Participants discussed why each person has a unique voice and how changes in the vocal cords and vocal tract allow them to change our pitch and tone. The session also introduced how the human ear detects sound and converts vibrations into signals that the brain can interpret. By connecting physics concepts to speech and hearing, students gained a better understanding of how physics plays an important role in the human body.

07/07/2026

Marshall University’s annual Health Science and Technology Academy (HSTA) students had a fantastic experience at the Science Demo Show on July 6th. Participants got to ‘see’ sound with fire, walk on a non-Newtonian fluid, see Bernoulli’s principle in action, witness thunder and lightning in the classroom, launch see-through rockets in the dark, get blasted with smoke rings, and much more! The demo show was hosted by Drs. Sean and Sachiko McBride of the Mathematics and Physics Department within the College of Science with assistance provided by a National Science Foundation sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) student working with Dr. Sean McBride – Aliyah Ferry (Seattle University) and four students from MU’s award winning and nationally recognized Society of Physics Students – Niko Faulcon, Tyler Parsons, Diesel Bryant, and Riley Zornes. More information about HSTA is found here: https://www.marshall.edu/hsta/

06/29/2026

Recently, around 70 campers from the Marshall University Healthy Herd Youth Camp provided by the Recreation Center enjoyed a Physics Demo Show on June 16th! The demo show was hosted by Dr. Sachiko McBride from the Department of Mathematics and Physics with assistance provided by undergraduate physics major Riley Zornes, who is a member of MU’s award winning and nationally recognized Society of Physics Students. All the campers enjoyed seeing many science-packed demonstrations including seeing sound with fire, floating balloons in sulfur hexafluoride gas, ethanol powered bottle rockets, and much more.

06/17/2026

Recently Dr. Sachiko McBride, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Physics at Marshall University provided an on-campus Optics and Crafting Kaleidoscope workshop for the middle school students of the Heart of Appalachia Talent Search (HATS) Middle School Camp. Students learned characteristics of light and how mirror works, then crafted two different type of Kaleidoscopes. Fun was had by all!

06/09/2026

In total, over 90 kids, parents, family members, and accompanying members of the community participating in the Huntington Children’s Museum KidsFest had a fantastic experience at the Science Demo Shows on June 9th held in the Science Building on Marshall University’s Huntington campus. Participants got to ‘see’ sound with fire, walk on a non-Newtonian fluid, see Bernoulli’s principle in action, witness thunder and lightning in the classroom, launch see-through rockets in the dark, see smoke rings, and much more. The demo show was hosted by Drs. Sean and Sachiko McBride from the Department of Mathematics and Physics with assistance provided by a Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) student working with Dr. Sean McBride that is funded by the National Science Foundation (Aliyah Ferry – Seattle University, Washington) and Riley Zornes, Tyler Parsons, and Niko Faulcon, who are all members of MU’s award winning and nationally recognized Society of Physics Students. More information about the Huntington Children’s Museum is found here: https://hcmkids.org/

06/09/2026

Dr. Sachiko McBride had a wonderful time running several Portable Planetarium shows during the Huntington Children’s Museum KidFest on June 8th! It was a joy to see so many young children, along with their parents and grandparents, enjoying the shows. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made the event such a fun and memorable experience!

06/04/2026

Dr. Sachiko McBride, from the Department of Mathematics and Physics at Marshall University, recently visited WSAZ Studio 3 to share exciting physics demonstrations and help spread the word about the upcoming KidsFest hosted by the Huntington Children’s Museum! Join us on June 9 at Marshall University as Dr. Sachiko McBride and Dr. Sean McBride present fun science demo shows. Also, don’t miss the portable planetarium led by Dr. Sachiko McBride on June 8th!

Studio 3

05/18/2026

Dr. Sachiko McBride recently visited Guyandotte Elementary School with the portable planetarium to share the wonders of space with K–4th grade students!