Biography

**Patrick Johnson**, who holds a PhD in physics from Washington University in St. Louis, fell in love with Star Wars and science at a very young age. Around three years old, he was heard saying, “When I grow up, I want to be a scientist with dirty hair.” A few years later, his father, Eric, showed the original Star Wars film to him. Being fascinated by the idea of a laser sword, Patrick immediately went on to watch the next two films, after which, he decided that he wanted to meet an Ewok.

As Patrick went through college at the University of Dayton, he began TAing for physics classes, but his favorite was a class for non-scientists. Through that class, Patrick found his love for science communication. It was also during this time that he began to explore different ways to connect physics to people’s lives.

These two loves came together for the first time when Patrick asked a question on an exam based off of Yoda using the Force. Star Wars references continued to show up in classes and eventually led to a series of videos on the physics of Star Wars for Georgetown University in DC, his current employer. This book represents the union of two of his biggest passions.