Recent research at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, in collaboration with the University of Bath, has shown that whether a droplet of liquid sticks or bounces depends on its speed and size, rather than solely on how water-repellent the surface is. Understanding the physics that govern microdroplet behaviour can help improve processes that affect our daily lives, from diseases to crop spray and from inkjet printing to pollution.

AIP is pleased to announce Smitha Vishveshwara as the winner of the 2025 Andrew Gemant Award. Vishveshwara was chosen “for [her] years of creatively blending science teaching, theater, and art in ways that inspire and communicate the principles and elegance of physics through artistic expression.” The Gemant Award recognizes the accomplishments of a person who has made significant contributions to the cultural, artistic, or humanistic dimension of physics.