Fun outreach in Optics: Physics League

Abstract

The outreach activities related to Optics and Photonics carried out by the non-profit association Physics League are presented. Physics League is located at the Science Faculty of the University of Valladolid, and is formed by young scientists and bachelor students. The key features of the activity carried out by the association are: 1) the interaction of the public with the experiments, in contrast with mere demonstration; 2) the setting of the experiments in a universe or story, real or fictional, which the public might feel identified with or attracted to; and 3) the use of uncommon staging such as theatrical plays or escape rooms. The great impact of its activities, with almost 20,000 participants in just five years, and the positive feedback obtained make the results from the small-scale outreach carried out by the association useful to motivate future scientists and to bring science (especially Physics) closer to society.