Material properties such as pressure, tension, conductivity and elasticity arise due to the complex interactions of atoms and electrons.  Interaction forces such as friction also have atomistic origins.  Our textbooks may mention these ideas in advanced topic boxes, but what do you say when a student wants to know more?  In this talk, I will give a brief overview of the field of condensed matter physics.  I will describe how condensed matter physics is present not only in our physics curriculum, but in daily life in technologies such as semiconductors, fiber optics, light-emitting diodes (LED’s), and liquid crystals.  The talk is intended for anyone who teaches introductory physics, from college physics to secondary science teachers -- both high school and middle school.

Young students are often enamored by the promise of exotic fundamental discoveries in the field of high-energy particle physics. Unfortunately, it is less often that I meet a young student who sees condensed matter physics in the same light. To help inspire more students to pursue condensed matter, I’ll start by illustrating how both fields (condensed matter and high-energy) are at the frontier of fundamental understanding. There is a fruitful exchange of theoretical concepts and theoretical techniques between the two fields. Then, I'll highlight a few condensed matter experimental systems, from my lab, and from colleagues at other universities. The common theme will be exotic phases of matter that arise when strongly interacting electrons dance with each other: in carbon nanotubes, in graphene, and at the interface between semiconductors and superconductors. This talk is intended for anyone who teaches introductory physics, from high school to college.