Tackling science

University physics professor James Gates has found a way to bridge the gap between athletics and science.

Partnering with NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation, Gates tackled the physics behind football in Science of NFL Football, a 10-part video series that launched last September. NSF spokesperson Bobbie Mixon said the Science of Sports project — which incorporated Science of NFL Football and won a Sports Emmy this year — aimed to present math and science as more approachable subjects by explaining their roles in popular sports. Because the series garnered such success, NBC plans to use Gates' expertise in a similar video series, which will be announced in the next few months.

"We were hoping to cash in on the wild popularity of the NFL to draw people to the math and physical sciences that underlie throwing or kicking a football," Mixon said. "The project is our attempt to use those things in the media people care about to teach science."

In the football series Gates explains key physical properties that come into play during a football game, such as how speed and direction combine to create a perfect arch — or parabola — when a kicker punts the ball. He said he hopes that by relating science to entertainment, viewers can better understand and embrace the presence of science in daily life.

"Science doesn't have a great reputation in society, but the reality is science is around us every day," Gates said. "We're always trying to do science that's not over people's heads, but science where people's heads are at."

Gates, who helped review episode scripts and was filmed on the campus giving scientific explanations to football-related questions, also discussed the role of Newton's Third Law of Motion — "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction" — in the game. He said loud smacks that accompany successful tackles indicate that players have strong momentum — a combination of mass and velocity — when they collide.

The video series featured professors from other universities across the country, and the NSF recommended Gates' know-how to NBC.

"NBC Learn selected Dr. Gates as an expert on Science of NFL Football because he's a gifted scientist with a talent for explaining complex ideas in a way that students can relate to and understand," NBC Learn senior producer Mark Miano said. "His background as a theoretical physicist is perfect for a series about sports — he's able to break down the simple act of kicking, throwing or catching a football to help students realize the science behind every part of it."

Although Gates was unsure whether students would take interest in the series, he hoped they would understand that science is inescapable — even when they're watching ESPN.

"Science doesn't just come out of the air," Gates said. "Hopefully, we can help students figure out why it's important and [we] might even show why it could be fun."

An NBC film crew came to the campus in September to feature Gates for the next series, and Gates said he would be open to working with NBC and the NSF on future projects.

NBC and NSF representatives declined to comment on the details of the upcoming series.

saravia@umdbk.com