Oxford schools, Ole Miss partner to spark student interest in physics

Oxford schools are trying to make physics feel close to home by connecting students with the University of Mississippi and the scientists who work there. The April 28 effort pointed Lafayette County children toward a field that can lead to jobs in research, engineering, medicine and technology, while giving local families a clearer line from classroom lessons to a university just up the road.

The University of Mississippi Department of Physics and Astronomy says its outreach work already reaches schools and nonprofits in North Mississippi and nearby areas. Its scientists can bring simple talks and hands-on demonstrations for young children, or step up to more advanced presentations on current physics research. The department says educators can invite speakers to cover questions such as gravity, medical ultrasounds and what physicists do for a living, which ties abstract science to work students can actually picture.

That broader pipeline matters in Oxford because the university is not just asking students to like science. It says it offers a “nurturing and challenging environment” and aims to train “young future scientists.” Ole Miss also operates the Center for Mathematics and Science Education, which says it works to improve mathematics and science education in Mississippi by connecting university and K-12 communities. The center offers FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics, a mobile planetarium, field trips to the University of Mississippi campus and academic competitions, along with workshops and multi-day institutes for teachers.

Oxford educators are already part of that ecosystem. On April 22, the Oxford School District said Della Davidson Elementary librarian Amanda Bennett, Bramlett Elementary computer science teacher Kerri Greene and Della Davidson Elementary ELA interventionist Kerri Case were part of the LEARN Science Initiative, or Library Efforts to Advance Reading and Nutrition Science. LEARN Science uses hands-on lessons in Mississippi public libraries for kindergarten through second-grade students. Greene also spoke at the National Science Teaching Association conference about curriculum development, underscoring that Oxford teachers are helping shape the science conversation, not just receiving it.

The partnership lands at a time when Ole Miss is also expanding its physical STEM footprint. The Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation opened in November 2024 with four floors of laboratories, lecture halls and offices devoted to STEM-related work. For Lafayette County, the combined message is clear: physics is not an isolated subject, but part of a local route from early reading and library lessons to campus outreach, teacher support and future careers that can keep Mississippi students connected to Mississippi jobs.