Diane Jammula Is on a Mission to Make Physics Accessible to All

Rutgers University | On a recent afternoon, Diane Jammula stood at the front of a large lecture hall packed with 150 students, wearing a humorous grin. It was Valentine’s Day, and she was about to toss a nugget to her General Physics II class.

“Here’s a special Valentine’s Day physics problem for you: Are you attracted to or repelled by the person next to you?” she asked. A wave of delight passed over the room, culminating in laughter, raised hands and more than a few jokes made in response. After the noise subsided, Jammula continued.

“Everyone has mass, right? We all have a gravitational field around us—you know that. And gravity is an attractive force. So, who among you are attracted to the person next to you?”

Everyone in the class raised their hand. It was vintage Jammula.