Physics Chanteuse will perform at Lab this week

Contact: Steve Sandoval, steves@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9206

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., March 26, 2001 -- Science and entertainment are a perfect mix in Lynda Williams' world of physics and pop culture. She is the Physics Chanteuse, a cabaret-style performer who produces a musical act that aims to educate and entertain the public about the inner workings of the world.

She will perform at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, at the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Bradbury Science Museum in a free public performance. Earlier that day, she is the keynote speaker and entertainer for teenage girls attending the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference at the J. Robert Oppenheimer Study Center in the Jemez/Cochiti room at 2:30 p.m. At 11:30 a.m. this Thursday, she will also appear for the Women's Diversity Working Group at the Study Center in the Jemez/Cochiti rooms; this free event is also open to the public.

Williams invented the Physics Chanteuse while a graduate student of physics in 1996, writing and performing the "Cosmic Cabaret: the Proto Show" at an experimental theater in San Francisco.
She had no desire to pursue math and science at the secondary level after performing poorly in high school. Instead, she wanted to be an entertainer. After a failed summer in Hollywood, she enrolled in a community college, dedicating herself to becoming a straight A student.

"I took a philosophy class from an awesome teacher who turned me on to logic and metaphysics," said Williams. She became enthralled by the great metaphysical question of philosophy and consumed everything she could find on the subject. She came to the conclusion that serious study of metaphysics requires a solid background in math and physics. The next semester she changed her major to physics and mathematics "and never looked back."

"I'm not a genius, but I work very, very hard. I did well but not without a lot of pain and suffering," Williams said. "I had to make up for all the missed learning I lost in high school. I taught myself algebra and trigonometry over the summer and figured out how I learned math. It was always a struggle but the pay off was huge. When you finally understand something, it's beautiful."

Williams has a master's of science in physics from San Francisco State University and a bachelor's of arts in mathematics from California State University, Sacramento.

The museum is located at 15th Street and Central Avenue in downtown Los Alamos, Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Hours will be extended for Williams' performance.

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