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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department of Physics
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Physics Van: Statistics and History

We've been asked a number of times for statistics regarding the numbers of shows we've done, etc. So we decided to put it all up here at once. For more information, you can contact the Physics Van Coordinator at: PhysVan@illinois.edu.

The Physics Van was created in the Spring of 1994 by Professor Mats Selen (a.k.a. "The Whys Guy"), together with a small group of University of Illinois students. Originally, most shows were done in Loomis Lab for (relatively) small groups of elementary and middle school students from Champaign-Urbana schools. Since then, our program has become almost entirely student organized and run. The majority of our shows are now done in elementary school gymnasiums. And we can now travel to schools as far as an hour's drive from Champaign-Urbana on a regular basis. We have also been part of special events around Illinois, in Wisconsin, and even as far as Colorado.

Some of the numbers that went into these statistics were estimated, so these figures may not be quite perfect.

All Together

Number of Shows:
844
Number of Kids:
122,182
Number of Adults:
17,207
Total Number of Smiles:
139,389
2022(as of today)
Number of Shows:
3
Number of Kids:
302
Number of Adults:
16
Total Number of Smiles:
318
2021
Number of Shows:
1
Number of Kids:
60
Number of Adults:
3
Total Number of Smiles:
63
2020
Number of Shows:
1
Number of Kids:
20
Number of Adults:
15
Total Number of Smiles:
35
2019
Number of Shows:
32
Number of Kids:
3,735
Number of Adults:
932
Total Number of Smiles:
4,667
2018
Number of Shows:
37
Number of Kids:
6,027
Number of Adults:
682
Total Number of Smiles:
6,709
2017
Number of Shows:
28
Number of Kids:
2,484
Number of Adults:
413
Total Number of Smiles:
2,897
2016
Number of Shows:
26
Number of Kids:
3,320
Number of Adults:
516
Total Number of Smiles:
3,836
2015
Number of Shows:
26
Number of Kids:
1,937
Number of Adults:
470
Total Number of Smiles:
2,407
2014
Number of Shows:
14
Number of Kids:
1,700
Number of Adults:
101
Total Number of Smiles:
1,801
2013
Number of Shows:
25
Number of Kids:
2,017
Number of Adults:
632
Total Number of Smiles:
2,649
2012
Number of Shows:
33
Number of Kids:
4,185
Number of Adults:
493
Total Number of Smiles:
4,678
2011
Number of Shows:
16
Number of Kids:
2,677
Number of Adults:
42
Total Number of Smiles:
2,719
2010
Number of Shows:
29
Number of Kids:
2,863
Number of Adults:
863
Total Number of Smiles:
3,726
2009
Number of Shows:
33
Number of Kids:
5,363
Number of Adults:
1,656
Total Number of Smiles:
7,019
2008
Number of Shows:
40
Number of Kids:
5,427
Number of Adults:
1,062
Total Number of Smiles:
6,489
2007
Number of Shows:
30
Number of Kids:
2,597
Number of Adults:
718
Total Number of Smiles:
3,315
2006
Number of Shows:
26
Number of Kids:
11,310
Number of Adults:
2,295
Total Number of Smiles:
13,605
2005
Number of Shows:
23
Number of Kids:
4,938
Number of Adults:
442
Total Number of Smiles:
5,380
2004
Number of Shows:
19
Number of Kids:
4,952
Number of Adults:
266
Total Number of Smiles:
5,218
2003
Number of Shows:
44
Number of Kids:
9,362
Number of Adults:
938
Total Number of Smiles:
10,300
2002
Number of Shows:
73
Number of Kids:
10,408
Number of Adults:
1,160
Total Number of Smiles:
11,568
2001
Number of Shows:
75
Number of Kids:
10,231
Number of Adults:
1,595
Total Number of Smiles:
11,826
2000
Number of Shows:
45
Number of Kids:
5,868
Number of Adults:
1,052
Total Number of Smiles:
6,920
1999
Number of Shows:
22
Number of Kids:
4,105
Number of Adults:
235
Total Number of Smiles:
4,340
1998
Number of Shows:
28
Number of Kids:
4,463
Number of Adults:
233
Total Number of Smiles:
4,696
1997 (We are missing some data from 1997, so these numbers may be incomplete.)
Number of Shows:
44
Number of Kids:
5,150
Number of Adults:
58
Total Number of Smiles:
5,208
1996
Number of Shows:
17
Number of Kids:
2,110
Number of Adults:
74
Total Number of Smiles:
2,184
1995
Number of Shows:
29
Number of Kids:
2,811
Number of Adults:
123
Total Number of Smiles:
2,934
1994
Number of Shows:
25
Number of Kids:
1,760
Number of Adults:
122
Total Number of Smiles:
1,882

You can find out more about some individual shows by looking at our Pictures pages. We also have videotapes of a few selected shows. Unfortunately, some of our older records are fairly sketchy, but you are still welcome to contact us if you have other questions.