WIN Celebrates Zhao Pan's 2026 Ig Nobel Physics Prize
Research that started with a splash and ended with international recognition
The Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) is delighted to congratulate WIN member Zhao Pan and his collaborators on receiving the 2026 Ig Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded last week in Zurich, Switzerland, for their research into a surprisingly universal problem: splash-back in urinals.
Presented annually by the Annals of Improbable Research, the Ig Nobel Prizes celebrate studies that "first make people laugh, then make them think." This year's Physics Prize recognized the team's "theoretical and experimental attempts to design a splash-free urinal," proving that even everyday annoyances can inspire award-winning science. 
The research, led by Zhao Pan at the University of Waterloo, combined fluid physics, engineering design, and a healthy dose of curiosity to better understand how liquid droplets behave when they strike different surfaces. The team's goal was simple: reduce splash-back and make public washrooms cleaner, more hygienic, and easier to maintain. 
To tackle the challenge, the researchers designed and tested a range of urinal geometries, including a shell-inspired design called the Nautilus, which significantly reduced splash formation while remaining practical to clean and maintain. The work was published in PNAS Nexus in 2025 and demonstrates how fundamental research in fluid dynamics can lead to real-world improvements in everyday spaces.
Read the research paper: https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/4/pgaf087/8098745
The award ceremony in Zurich brought together researchers from around the world whose work ranges from delightfully quirky to unexpectedly useful. According to CBC's coverage, members of the Waterloo team attended in bright yellow raincoats, embracing the playful spirit of the Ig Nobels while highlighting the serious science behind the project. 
As the researchers noted, cleaner and more inviting public washrooms can have meaningful societal benefits. Sometimes impactful innovation comes not from asking grand questions, but from taking a closer look at everyday experiences that most people simply accept.
Read CBC's story on the award: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/2026-ig-nobels-9.7331408
At WIN, we celebrate research that pushes boundaries, challenges assumptions, and occasionally makes us laugh along the way. Zhao Pan's work is a wonderful reminder that curiosity-driven science can lead to discoveries that are both memorable and meaningful.
Congratulations to Zhao Pan, his students, and collaborators on this unique and well-deserved international honour!
Have a congratulatory message for the team? We'd love to hear it. Visit WIN's LinkedIn post and leave a like, comment, or kudos for Zhao Pan and the research team as we celebrate this remarkable achievement together.
Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN)