Wright Lab hosts international exchange for outreach development
Chladni plates developed for the YPO “make-and-take”. Image courtesy of Caitlin Hansen.
Verania Echaid Navarro, a Ph.D. student in Physics Education from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) in Mexico City visited Yale Physics and the Wright Lab Relativistic Heavy Ion Group (RHIG) from February 2 to 26 for outreach development. During her visit, which was sponsored by IPN, Echaid Navarro developed activities for two upcoming Yale Physics outreach events: Yale Physics Olympics (YPO, on March 28), and GSI (on April 18).
Echaid Navarro’s work focuses on science communication and innovative approaches to physics education, particularly exploring how storytelling can help connect advanced scientific research, such as particle physics, with students and broader audiences.
Echaid Navarro explained, “the main objective of my visit was to collaborate on the scientific outreach programs GSI and YPO, where I proposed and designed hands-on physics experiments tailored to the goals of each program, along with additional ideas and content intended to further strengthen both events. These activities were designed to engage students through interactive and inquiry-based exploration of scientific concepts.”
Echaid Navarro continued, “Yale has developed outstanding initiatives in science outreach and educational engagement, and I was especially inspired by the work being done through programs such as GSI and YPO. Because of the impact and quality of these initiatives, I felt strongly motivated to reach out and explore opportunities to contribute and learn from the work being done here.”
Echaid Navarro worked closely with the Yale Physics instructional support and outreach team—Caitlin Hansen, Paul Noel, and Rona Ramos—to develop the projects.
Hansen said, “Verania was a pleasure to work with. She helped us with two projects: the YPO teacher ‘make-and-take’ and the spring 2026 GSI curriculum.”
The make-and-take will be a hands-on project for teachers and coaches who come to the YPO as chaperones for the competing students. Echaid Navarro and the physics instructional team developed and made test Chladni plates out of PVC pipe, large balloons, sugar, and a mini speaker. The Chladni plate can be used to visualize sound waves and demonstrate resonance.
Hansen explained, “Instead of just sitting around waiting, the teachers and coaches get to dive into something fun and useful. The best part is that they leave with something concrete they can actually bring back to their own classrooms.”
She continued, “It’s a great way to make sure YPO isn’t just a one-day experience for the students competing, but something that continues to have an impact when teachers share what they created with even more students.”
For the GSI event, Echaid Navarro helped build a new hands-on piece where students will make their own kaleidoscopes to explore mirrors and reflection.
Hansen said, “It’s a fun, tangible way to connect the physics to something they can actually build independently. We’re hoping it’s the kind of project middle schoolers will be excited to show off to their friends and families, so the learning doesn’t stop when the event ends.”
Echaid Navarro said, “My experience at Yale significantly broadened my perspective on how scientific research can be connected with education and society. The collaborative atmosphere at Yale is a wonderful example of how scientific collaboration can also reflect the human side of research, where openness, generosity, and shared curiosity play an essential role. That was truly my favorite part of the visit.”
Echaid Navarro continued, “The visit also reinforced my interest in continuing an academic path, and I am now considering pursuing a postdoctoral position in the future.”