April 2010 Volume 19, No. 4 TM www.aps.org/publications/apsnews Task Force Blasts Teacher APS NEWS Preparation Efforts A Publication of the American Physical Society • www.aps.org/publications/apsnews Page 6

Report Presents Strategies for Panel Prepares to Weigh APS Members’ Nuclear Arsenal Downsizing Input on Climate Change Commentary Preventing the spread of nuclear report’s conclusions. Late in February, APS mem- once the March 19 deadline has ity and tone.” In response to this weapons while reducing and secur- Davis says that although there bers received an email message passed. charge, an ad hoc subcommit- ing the country’s nuclear stockpile are no major technical obstacles to from President , so- The series of events leading to tee of POPA, chaired by Duncan is achievable but likely to take the reduction of nuclear weapons, liciting their input on the issue of this situation began at the Coun- Moore, produced a commentary time, according to a new APS re- climate change. Members were cil meeting last May, when a mo- of several paragraphs on the state- port. The study, titled “Technical asked for input on a proposed tion was introduced by Councilor ment. That commentary has now Steps to Support Nuclear Downsiz- commentary to be added to the Robert Austin to substantially gone to the full APS membership ing,” was conducted by the Panel APS climate change statement, change the 2007 statement. The for their input. on Public Affairs to organize steps which was originally passed by motion was tabled, and then-Pres- In order to submit a comment, the could take to re- Council in November of 2007. ident Cherry Murray appointed an APS member must click on duce nuclear threats worldwide. As APS News goes to press, the an ad hoc committee, chaired by the URL provided in the email. The report was, in part, prompt- comment period is still open, and , to advise her. The link is unique to the indi- ed by the upcoming Non-Prolifer- a subcommittee of the Panel on The Kleppner committee recom- vidual member, and insures that ation Treaty Review Conference. Public Affairs (POPA) are getting mended sending the statement to he or she can submit a comment Every five years, signatories to ready to analyze member input POPA to address issues of “clar- PANEL continued on page 7 the nuclear nonproliferation treaty meet to discuss ways to work to- ward the treaty’s goals of reducing Closing In on Dark Matter and High-Energy Cosmic Rays nuclear weapons around the world. The vacuum of outer space data from NASA’s Fermi Gam- protons collide with interstellar In addition, President Obama has is not quite as empty as one ma-ray Space Telescope, he has gases, they create short-lived pi- diplomatic and political issues, as stated that nuclear weapons re- ons that then decay into gamma well as secrecy concerns, are the might believe. Exotic particles been able to pinpoint supernovas duction is a goal of his adminis- rays. Funk says that the sources biggest impediments to the global fly through the interstellar void, as the likely cause of this inter- tration and is negotiating with the of cosmic rays would thus pro- reduction of nuclear weapons. continually bombarding Earth stellar radiation. Russians to set up a new bilateral duce large amounts of gamma “One of the dangers is always to from all directions. at The term “” is a weapons agreement to replace the rays. As the paths gamma rays project your own beliefs and per- the “April” Meeting presented misnomer, as the radiation de- Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, travel are unaffected by magnet- ceptions onto other countries,” Da- the latest discoveries made here tected on Earth is from high en- which expired in December 2009. ic fields, the sources of cosmic vis said, adding that it was impor- on Earth about these astronomi- ergy protons traveling though “I think the administration in- rays can be inferred by looking tant to incorporate “the attitudes of cal sojourners. space, not electromagnetic radia- tends investment and action on for signature emit- countries that don’t currently have Cosmic Rays tion. Because these “rays” are in all those grounds, and what we’ve ters in space. Using the Fermi nuclear weapons but might want High energy protons careen fact charged particles, interstel- done is said ‘here’s a way to do Telescope, the team found such them” into any non-proliferation through the cosmos as so-called lar magnetic fields deflect them, this,’” said Jay Davis, a lead study strong gamma rays emanating framework. cosmic rays. Though first iden- making it difficult to pin down from supernova remnants, in- participant and founder of the De- The report breaks down the tified early in the 20th century, their origins. Funk says that the cluding Cassiopeia A, W51C fense Threat Reduction Agency overall aim of nuclear weapons re- their origins have largely re- key to finding their source lies in and W44. and former U.N. weapons inspec- duction into three main goals: veri- mained a mystery. Now, Stefan cosmic gamma rays. “Shock waves of these giant tor in Iraq. Davis, who is president fying the dismantling of nuclear Funk from the Kavli Institute for The force from exploding stellar explosions in our galaxy of the Hertz Foundation, added that weapons, maintaining the coun- Particle Astrophysics and Cos- supernovas accelerates protons are cosmic accelerators way he hopes that it also prompts more try’s capability and expertise, and mology thinks he might have to velocities near the speed of in-depth study by individuals with ensuring the peaceful use of fissile discovered their source. Using light. When these high-energy RAYS continued on page 4 access to classified information, materials. The study establishes after officials in the administra- tion get a chance to examine the DOWNSIZING continued on page 7 Prize and Award Recipients at APS "April" Meeting Visa Problem Keeps Iranian from Attending March Meeting

By Michael Lucibella the US embassy in Bern where he Visa complications prevented a was asked if he had ever been ar- renowned Iranian physicist from rested. He responded that he never attending this year’s March Meet- had been, “Not even in Iran.” He ing in an apparent case of mistaken was then told that he had a US ar- identity. Though these kinds of rest record from 1983, despite the identity mix-ups are rare, long visa fact that he was in Iran for all of processing times are normal for that year and at that time the Ira- physicists traveling to the United nian government banned travel to States. the United States. He was told he Farhad Ardalan, a string theorist would not be allowed in the United at Sharif University of Technol- States and was asked to relinquish ogy in Iran who helped establish his green card. Ardalan refused to its first doctoral program, was de- turn it over and left the consulate. nied a travel visa by the United In a follow-up communication States consulate in Switzerland in he had with the embassy, he was January. Though the error was ul- told that State Department found Photo by James Tkatch timately corrected and his visa was a record of deportation proceed- cleared six days before the meet- ings against him in 1962; however At the "April" Meeting in February, APS President Curtis Callan presented certificates to many of the 2010 APS Prize and Award recipients. The recipients (including one from the American Institute of ) posed with President Callan ing, the logistics to get the embassy he has no recollection of any visa after the ceremonial session. Seated (l to r): Moishe Pripstein, Gustav-Adolf Voss (AIP), Ronald K. Thornton, Priscilla to stamp his passport in time made problems while he was an under- Laws, Calem R. Hoffman, Stephen G. Brush, Claus Rolfs. Standing (l to r): Gerald S. Guralnik, Abdul Nayyar, T. W. it unfeasible for him to attend. graduate at Columbia. B. Kibble, Joseph Birman, Carl R. Hagen, Herman Winick, Herman B. White, David Sokoloff, Eugene W. Beier, John The first sign of trouble came Peoples, Jr., Curtis G. Callan, Tingjun Yang, Steven C. Pieper, Robert B. Wiringa, Frans Pretorius, Robert Brout, Pervez when he applied for his J-1 visa at VISA continued on page 5 Hoodbhoy, François Englert. 2 • April 2010 APS NEWS

Members This Month in Physics History in the Media April 12, 1912: Victor Hess’s balloon flight during total “Physicists tend to be super from the presidency of the univer- eclipse to measure cosmic rays critical of strong conclusions, but sity, WBUR.org, March 1, 2010. Today we take it for granted that Earth’s atmo- off with height, and then began to rise rapidly. At the data on global warming now sphere is constantly bombarded by high-energy a height of several miles, the ionization was sev- indicate the conclusions are not “It would be better if DOE just cosmic rays originating far outside our solar sys- eral times greater than that at Earth’s surface. Hess nearly strong enough.” took this back.” tem. But such was not always the case. It was a concluded that “a radiation of very high penetrating Leon Lederman, Fermilab, Arjun Makhijani, Institute for 29-year-old Austrian physicist named Victor Hess power enters our atmosphere from above.” The Christian Science Monitor, Energy and Environmental Re- who officially “discovered” cosmic rays, and went Another clinching piece of evidence came dur- March 11, 2010. search, on drums of depleted ura- on to devote an illustrious scientific career to study- ing Hess’s ascent on April 12, 1912, during a near- nium waste slated to be transferred ing the effects of radiation on the human body. total eclipse of the sun. Since the ionization did not “The surprise was that we from South Carolina to Utah, The Born in Austria in June 1883, Hess was the son decrease during the eclipse, Hess concluded that couldn’t find unpredictable peo- Salt Lake Tribune, March 3, 2010. of the chief forester for the estate of Prince Oet- the source of the radiation could not be the sun it- ple…We are all boring.” tingen-Wallerstein. He attended the University of self; it had to be coming from further out in space. Albert-Lάszló Barabási, North- “Wherever there is a battle over Graz in 1901 and earned his PhD at 23. Hess ini- Hess’s findings were confirmed in 1925 by Robert eastern University, describing his evolution now there is a second- tially planned to study optics under famed physicist Millikan, who dubbed the mysterious radiation work studying the patterns of peo- ary battle to diminish other hot- Paul Drude, the man who gave physics the symbol “cosmic rays.” Hess shared the 1936 ple’s movements using their cell button issues like Big Bang and, c for the speed of light. Tragi- in Physics for this discovery, phone logs, AOL News, February increasingly, climate change. It is cally, Drude committed sui- along with Carl D. Anderson, 18, 2010. all about casting doubt on the ve- cide weeks before Hess was who discovered the . racity of science–to say it is just due to arrive. There is an interesting “Arbitrarily closing the case one view of the world, just another The young Victor wound twist to Hess’s Nobel story. In on a Friday afternoon should not story, no better or more valid than up accepting a position at the February 2010, Italian physi- mean the end of this investiga- fundamentalism.” University of Vienna instead, cist Alessandro de Angelis of tion,” Lawrence Krauss, Arizona studying under Franz Exner, the University of Udine pub- Rush Holt, House of Repre- State University, The New York an early pioneer in the study lished a paper on the arXiv, sentatives, on the FBI ending its Times, March 4, 2010. of radiation. Under Exner’s claiming that Hess should not investigation of the 2001 anthrax tutelage, Hess began studying be solely credited with the attacks, , “By accelerating the gold (gold radioactivity and atmospheric discovery of cosmic rays. De February 19, 2010. was selected because it is very electricity. It was during his Angelis pointed out that an- heavy) at extremely high speeds, work as an assistant at the In- other scientist, Domenico Pa- “I think Hollywood’s attitude we were able to replicate the con- stitute for Radium Research cini, made the same discovery Victor Hess getting ready to measure cosmic will be, if we can make it more ditions right after the big bang… at the Austrian Academy of right around the same time. rays, Austria, 1912. realistic without spoiling the story At a temperature of about 2 trillion Sciences that Hess became in- Pacini didn’t use a balloon to and without it costing too much degrees, which is about 100,000 trigued by frequent reports of measure changing radiation more money, we will do it, but times hotter than the surface of electrical charges being detected inside electro- levels in the atmosphere. Instead, he went under- there are always those restraints,” the sun, we were able to produce scopes–no matter how well those containers were water, placing his instrument in a copper box and Sidney Perkowitz, Emory Uni- a new form of matter.” insulated. Most scientists at the time believed the sinking it in the Bay of Livorno. His results: the versity, on trying to get more accu- Carl Gagliardi, Texas A&M, source of the ionization to be terrestrial in nature– radiation measured was significantly less than at the rate science in Hollywood Movies, UPI, March 4, 2010. radioactivity from ground minerals–and postulated surface, so the Earth’s crust could not be the source CNN.com, February 22, 2010. that the ionization measured in the atmosphere of cosmic rays. “Deuterium is in sea water. The therefore would decrease the further one got from De Angelis offered the very first English trans- “There’s nothing better today,” oceans of the world contain sixty the ground. lation of Pacini’s paper on this experiment, and , Caltech, on vid- billion year’s worth of deuterium. Prior experiments with electroscopes gave rough pointed out that Hess and Pacini knew of each oth- eos from the 1950s he still uses to Tritium comes from lithium, lithi- estimates of ionization levels in the atmosphere, er’s work. So why do we remember Hess, and not teach students fluid dynamics,The um salts are in sea water.” but those results seemed to indicate that the levels Pacini? Chalk it up to an unfortunate twist of fate. Atlantic, February 23, 2010. Steven Cowley, Culham Centre might actually increase beyond a certain altitude. Pacini passed away in 1934 and the Nobel Prize For Fusion Energy, BBCNews. For instance, in 1910, Theodore Wulf measured cannot be awarded posthumously. So Hess alone “I was hiking up at Lake Ta- com, March 5, 2010. ionization at both the bottom and top of the Eiffel was honored for cosmic rays. hoe in California and noticing the Tower in Paris, and found that there was far more Two years after Hess received the Nobel Prize, shapes of trees, and wondering, “I saw a marvelous BBC pro- ionization at 300 feet (the top) than one would ex- the Nazis invaded Austria and Hess was abruptly ‘Why do they have a given shape duction of ‘Copenhagen,’ with re- pect if this effect were solely attributable to ground dismissed from his post as professor of physics at over another?" ally great actors who clearly didn’t radiation. Other scientists mounted their instru- the University of Graz, in part because his wife was Jeffrey Grossman, MIT, de- understand physics…I doubt it ments on balloons to record ionization at higher Jewish, and in part because he had been a scien- scribing the inspiration for his was noticeable to anyone but a levels, but their results were inconclusive due to tific representative in the independent government new folded design for solar cells, physicist, but there were one or instrumentation defects. of Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg. Warned by MSNBC.com, February 25, 2010. two places where I said, ‘Ouch!’” Speculating that perhaps the main source of a sympathetic Gestapo officer that he and his wife , University of the ionization could be in the sky rather than the would be sent to a concentration camp if they stayed “By the time you get to 10 California Santa Barbara, on por- ground, Hess tackled the problem first by designing in Austria, the couple fled to Switzerland. years, I’ve always felt it’s time traying physicist Werner Heisen- instruments that could withstand the temperature Hess immigrated to the US to become a profes- to move on, do something else, berg in a UCSB production of the and pressure changes at higher altitudes. He also sor at Fordham University. He participated in the do something fresh…The univer- play, Times, March determined that ground radiation would no longer first tests for radioactive fallout less than a year sity’s in great shape, the board of 5, 2010. produce ionization at 500 meters. after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, trustees are very stable, the financ- Hess then mounted his instrumentation on a many conducted from the 87th floor of the Empire es are in pretty good shape.” “I’m used to standing in front balloon and made ten separate ascents over the State Building in . The following Jack Wilson, University of of an audience but I’m telling my course of three years (1911-1913), measuring ion- year found Hess in the bowels of Manhattan, mea- Massachusetts, on stepping down MEMBERS continued on page 6 ization levels. He found that initially ionization fell HESS continued on page 6

Series II, Vol. 19, No. 4 and, if possible, include a mailing label from a recent is- General Councillors ADVISORS April 2010 sue. Requests from subscribers for missing issues will be Robert Austin, Elizabeth Beise*, Marcela Carena*, honored without charge only if received within 6 months Marta Dark McNeese, Katherine Freese, Nergis Maval- Representatives from Other Societies APS NEWS © 2010 The American Physical Society of the issue’s actual date of publication. Periodical Post- vala, Warren Mori, Jorge Pullin Fred Dylla, AIP; David M. Cook, AAPT age Paid at College Park, MD and at additional mailing International Councillor International Advisors Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS News, Belita Koiler Membership Department, American Physical Society, Louis Felipe Rodriguez Jorge, Mexican Physical Society Editor•...... Alan Chodos One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Chair, Nominating Committee Robert Mann, Canadian Association of Physicists Staff Science Writer ...... Michael Lucibella Angela Olinto Art Director and Special Publications Manager...... Kerry G. Johnson APS COUNCIL 2010 Staff Representatives Design and Production...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Alan Chodos, Associate Executive Officer; Amy Flatten Proofreader...... Edward Lee President Robert Socolow Director of International Affairs; Ted Hodapp, Director Curtis G. Callan, Jr.*, Princeton University Division, Forum and Section Councillors of Education and Diversity; Michael Lubell, Director APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X yearly, Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publi- Neil Cornish (Astrophysics), P. Julienne (Atomic, Public Affairs; Dan Kulp, Editorial Director; Christine monthly, except the August/September issue, by the cation delivered by Periodical Mail. 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Murray*, Bruce Barrett (4 Corners Section) APS NEWS April 2010 • 3 Art Enhances Physics Learning Education C orner By Calla Cofield A column on educational programs and publications A good metaphor can go a long way, especially when it comes to New Faculty Workshop explaining science. But of course, all metaphors eventually fall apart. APS, the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), and Rather than view this as a dis- the American Astronomical Society will sponsor the seventeenth advantage, Felice Frankel sees Workshop for New Faculty in Physics and Astronomy from June 28- July 1, 2010, at the American Center for Physics in College Park, it as an opportunity. Frankel is a Maryland. More than 1,200 newly hired physics and astronomy faculty science photographer and holds have participated in this series of workshops since the initial offering concurrent positions at the Wyss in 1996. The discussion format and small breakout groups of the Institute and Systems Biology at Workshop permit the participants to exchange ideas with one another Harvard Medical School and at and with leading innovators in physics and astronomy education. MIT. She is currently the principal investigator for a program called For more information see www.aapt.org/Events/newfaculty.cfm. New “Picturing to Learn,” which asks faculty should be nominated online by their Department Chair at www. undergraduate students of phys- Frankel discussed in her talk at sue 8, Pages 545-548). Members aapt.org/conferences/secure/newfaculty_nomination.cfm as soon as possible and no later than April 15. ics, chemistry and biology to draw the APS April Meeting in Wash- of the audience nodded and voiced or illustrate the concepts they are ington DC that these workshops agreement that the second image LaserFest Kits Available learning as if they were explaining can help scientists when they are sent the message much better than the science to a high school stu- writing articles or books for the the first. As part of LaserFest, APS has developed a laser-based unit for high dent. This often requires the use public, as well as journal articles “We know how powerful visu- school physics classes. APS will provide kits to teachers wishing to of a metaphor or the simplification or papers for their peers. Sepa- alizations are,” Frankel said at the teach this unit. The kits include a lesson plan that guides students of the concept. What Frankel says rate rules apply to each instance; April Meeting. “The public swal- through an exploration of the properties of laser light, an online laser is most helpful about the illustra- Frankel says she would never edit lows them up! But we also know simulation created by the PhET project, and a few applications of tions is not seeing the students anything out of a photograph for how wrong they can be.” lasers. The kits were developed with National Science Foundation and Department of Energy funding. If you provide professional illustrate the concepts correctly, a journal, but she might do so in Frankel is aware that, as she development for high school physics teachers and would like to order but finding the concepts they miss a book for the general public if states in reference to the Picturing laser kits, please write to Ed Lee at [email protected]. or get wrong. This allows profes- it made the subject of the photo- to Learn program, metaphors fall sors to pinpoint the concepts the graph more visible or for a journal apart. An illustration of a scien- APS will also run a High School Physics Teachers Day at the Division students have missed, and prepare cover design. However, scientists tific concept, or a color corrected of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP) meeting for the their lectures accordingly. can still find ways to improve the photo can leave a false or incom- first time this May in Houston. The program will include hands-on “You can talk about what the photographs and other figures plete impression on the audience, workshops on diffraction and laser light, and a video on the LIGO student has drawn and what the so while Frankel strongly encour- gravitational wave detector. metaphor is, but you can also talk ages scientists to include more im- about where the metaphor falls ALPhA to Offer “Laboratory Immersions” ages with their work, she also em- apart,” says Frankel. “And I think phasizes the need to educate the During the summer of 2010, the Advanced Lab Physics Association that also leads to a much deeper public on how those images are (ALPhA) will be inaugurating their “Laboratory Immersions.” Last discussion about the concepts and created and what they mean. She year’s APS/AAPT-sponsored Topical Conference on Advanced a deeper understanding.” says the fact that she explains how Laboratories highlighted the need for training opportunities which So far, Frankel and the Pictur- she generated her images, and any would broaden the expertise of advanced laboratory instructors. ing to Learn program have collect- treatment she’s done to them, is ALPhA’s Laboratory Immersions offer an opportunity to spend three ed over 4,000 student drawings what distinguishes her from a tra- full days, with expert colleagues on hand, learning the details of a showing things like bumper cars ditional artist or photographer. single experiment well enough to teach it with confidence. The 2010 Immersions are: June 1718, Dickinson College, PA; July 17, Reed to illustrate Brownian motion. The Despite the challenge presented College, OR; Aug. 2–4, Buffalo State College, NY; Aug. 11–13, program is funded by the National by translating science through im- Caltech, CA. For details, including topics and registration, please visit Science Foundation, and the stu- agery, Frankel says the feedback www.advlab.org. dent drawings will be made avail- Self-organized from the scientific community has able online sometime in March. they use for journal publications. been positive, and scientists real- National Lab Day Physics students aren’t the only Frankel uses the example of two ize that a good image can be worth ones Frankel thinks could use vi- photographs she took of self- a thousand words. The Obama administration has initiated efforts by science and sual communication lesson. She organizing colloids that arrange More information can be found mathematics societies to encourage members to reach out to K-12 also leads Image and Meaning themselves in neat rows. The first at www.picturingtolearn.org and- teachers and their students. One result of this is called “National Lab Day,” which has a website to help connect science professionals workshops, which offer scientists, photo shows the colloids alone, www.imageandmeaning.org. Fe- with teachers who are looking to work with local scientists to expose writers and communicators con- while a second photo show them lice C. Frankel is coauthor with students to real-world applications, to excite them to think about sultation and training in creating next to non-self organizing col- George M. Whiteside for No Small careers, and to bring needed resources to their classrooms. Visit better, more meaningful images to loids (the image appears in Ad- Matter, Science on the Nanoscale www.nationallabday.org to view projects in your area or nationally accompany their publications. vanced Materials, Volume 14 Is- (Harvard University Press, 2009). where you can contribute.

An Activity-Based Physics Chautauqua Short Course New Experiments to Probe the Intensity Frontier Priscilla Laws, David Sokoloff, Ronald Thornton, and Maxine Willis By Calla Cofield originally intended to search for but will extend the baseline dis- are offering a 3 day Chautauqua Workshop at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA from June 19-21, 2010. This hands-on course is designed In 2009, high energy particle proton decay. Eventually, physi- tance to 810 kilometers. MINOS for those interested in creating an active learning environment in their physics grabbed the world’s atten- cists hope that studying currently uses a steel-scintillated detector consisting of planes of introductory physics courses using research-based curricula and tion as the Large Hadron Collider oscillations will reveal the mecha- tools. Participants will be introduced to strategies they can adapt for magnetized steel and plastic scin- smashed through the previous re- nisms behind the universal matter- each component of their intro course: lecture, lab, problem solving, tillators, while NOvA will use a cord for energetic particle colli- asymmetry. If equal analytic mathematical modeling and video analysis. Graduate credit 15,000 ton liquid scintillator. sions, and the next few years hold amounts of matter and antimatter is available. For more information and to register, visit http://uoregon. Early plans and discussions promise for great new discover- were created after the big bang, edu/~sokoloff/chaut1.htm are on the table for an even longer ies. While it may not be grabbing they should have annihilated each neutrino experiment that would Federal Funding for STEM Education headlines, the intensity frontier is other; and yet, we see that enough send the Fermilab beam over 1300 heating up as well, with the start matter survived to form stars, kilometers to the Deep Under- The Obama Administration’s 2011 budget requests include increases up of T2K in Japan, construction planets and people. T2K began for STEM education, a major priority of the President. At the ground Science and underway for the NOvA project, operations in early 2009 and in Department of Education, the Administration proposed to reorganize February 2010 announced that its Lab, DUSEL, in South Dakota. and rename the Math Science Partnership (MSP) program to become and plans for Project X gaining That project–tentatively called the detectors observed their first neu- Effective Teaching and Learning: STEM (which stands for Science, momentum. Long Baseline Neutrino Experi- trino event at Super-K. Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Funding would increase From the J-PARC facility in ment–could be greatly enhanced In the US, another long base- 66% to $300M, and support professional development for STEM Tokai, to the Super Kamiokande if Fermilab gets the green light teachers, implementation of high-quality curricula, and creation of line neutrino experiment, the detector in Kamioka, the T2K (To- for a proposed high-intensity pro- systems for linking student data with instructional supports. Main Injector Neutrino Oscilla- kai to Kamioka) experiment sends ton accelerator complex, currently a beam of 295 kilome- tion Search, MINOS, continues to called Project X. At the National Science Foundation, education programs within run strong as construction began Education and Human Resources (EHR) directorate were requested ters east to west across Japan. The Project X would build on Fer- to increase 2.2% to $892M. The 2.2% increase for EHR is considerably T2K detectors are now part of the last year on it successor, NOvA milab’s current accelerator infra- lower than proposed increases to the rest of the NSF, where the 50,000 tons of water and 11,200 (NuMI Off axis νe Appearance). structure, and provide beam for a research directorates received increases of 8.2% to just over $6 photomultiplier tubes that make NOvA will occupy a new facil- variety of physics projects, includ- billion. Big winners in EHR include Graduate Research Fellowships, up the Super-K water Cherenkov ity not far from the Soudan Mine ing an increase in the intensity of which the administration is trying to triple in number by 2013, and detector. Super-K is used primar- and the site of MINOS. The new the beam to NOvA, and experi- funding for the Human Resources Development Division (up 7.6% ily to study neutrino oscillations, facility will continue to utilize ments to explore rare decays of to $103M). although this type of detector was Fermilab’s NUMI neutrino beam, PROBE continued on page 5 4 • April 2010 APS NEWS Letters Climate Change, Obesity and the Need for Modesty The doctor has the patient’s diseases. But the patient knows one expects the doctor to be fully medical history, including weight the difference between statistical scientific. The doctor has a respon- and heart data (blood pressure and correlations and prediction of a sibility to speak forcefully even if Entrepreneurial Centers Can Help electrocardiogram), showing an particular case. There is no proof strict scientific standards are im- undesirable trend. If the doctor that the patient’s particular case possible to meet. What about the to Resurrect US Industry is careful, the heart data have to of obesity will adversely affect physicist? The analogy suggests be somewhat discounted because the patient’s life span, or, even if The pitiful state of US indus- dividuals would establish new they are taken only in office vis- it does, there is no proof that the two things. (1) It is important to trial research has been addressed companies, under the corporate its, with unknown distortion from quality of life remaining will be acknowledge that physical science by Philip Wyatt in the December umbrella and with some initial daily life. adversely affected. Similar objec- cannot provide perfect guidelines, 2009 APS News. This was fol- corporate investment. The physicist has the earth’s tions apply if we tell the world’s and that scientists will seek a con- lowed by substantial response in Those innovative individuals CO and climate history, with population to reduce CO emis- sensus about likely truth and still the February 2010 Issue by Ginz- 2 2 must also invest their own person- similar or worse need for caution. sions. disagree with each other about the burg, Ouellet, Mendis and Myers. al money, assets and time, because The one thing the doctor knows The doctor’s confidence in sta- details. Just as people should ask But a realistic practical path to personal commitment is the key to for sure is that the patient’s current tistical correlations is much im- their doctor (rather than their pas- resurrection and sustained main- probable success. In addition to weight is higher than in past years. proved by theory. Current medical tor, mayor, or astrologer) for ad- tenance is lacking. initial investment, the parent com- The one thing the physicist knows science offers plausible scientific vice about health, so they should Most successful industries pany would provide support in ap- for certain is that atmospheric CO reasons why obesity harms health. 2 ask physical scientists for advice have been founded by technical/ propriate ways such as facilities, is higher now than in the last 100 Current physical science offers scientific/idea people. But control equipment, etc. These new opera- years. The doctor thinks, but can- plausible reasons why anthropo- about the earth’s climate. They of these companies has eventu- should not expect greater cer- tions would eventually evolve into not prove, that the heart is show- genic CO2 increases global tem- ally evolved to “managerial” and separate free-standing operations, ing worrisome symptoms, which perature. tainty from physical science than “money” people with minimal probably with additional external will improve with loss of weight. There are imperfections in this from medical science. (2) When relevant industrial knowledge and investment, and finally self-sup- The physicist thinks, but cannot analogy. They tend to favor the speaking forcefully, it should be deficient innovative skills. The re- prove, that global temperatures doctor and disfavor the physicist. porting sales income. done with at least as much mod- sult is that these companies have have risen and that the trend will For a start, the patient is paying The attempt to insert innova- esty as we expect from our doctor, “crashed” with limited lifetimes be reduced by lowering CO emis- the doctor for advice. This can tive ideas into existing corporate 2 because we have at least as much of ~50-100 years. To generate and sions. motivate belief. The doctor’s heart divisions has failed miserably, sustain companies with much lon- Why does the doctor tell the pa- data, although imperfect, are hard- reason for modesty. ger lifetimes, new strategies are because these divisions have the tient to lose weight? There are ex- er to disqualify than data on mean needed. same inflexible attitude as the cellent statistical correlations be- global temperature. In the end, the Philip B. Allen Industrial companies should parent company. Thus the need tween obesity and life-shortening doctor’s job is important, and no Stony Brook, NY have internal “Entrepreneurial for Entrepreneurial Centers in ad- Centers” to continuously generate dition to Research Centers. The APS Could Use Division of Global Climate and sustain profitable new growth. view that we only need more re- They would be deliberately sepa- search is not realistic. Since 1966, APS has become acknowledge that physics is a However, if and when the rate, but partially fueled by in- a federation of Divisions. There scientific discipline with limited Council decides to create a Divi- novations from their companion Chuck Gallo is no Division that has scien- scope, and not a source of spe- sion on Global Climate, it would Industrial Research Centers. In- Lake Elmo, MN tific jurisdiction over global cli- cial knowledge on every topic then, in due course, have a body mate, and therefore APS Council of public concern. If it aspires of expertise on which to base re- has no jurisdiction either. APS to enjoy public respect, it must RAYS continued from page 1 should have a clearly stated pol- recognize the importance of re- sponsible policy statements. beyond LHC energies.” Funk to detect some of the subtle in- icy with respect to the scope of straint on matters beyond its ken. said, “We can’t distinguish [the teractions these WIMPs have its statements on issues of public At this time, global climate is a Lawrence Cranberg source] just from the gamma with normal matter. Similar to policy. Such a statement should case in point. Austin, TX ray detection; we have to look neutrinos, the theorized WIMPs at other data. But if you put all can pass through a tremendous the pieces together it seems that amount of ordinary matter we are looking at gamma rays without interacting with any of from accelerated protons.” it. However, once in a while a Dark Matter WIMP will impact the nucleus Gravitational observations of an atom, sending it recoiling of distant galaxies show that into other atoms. Sensitive de- By Michael Lucibella

Closeup of a ZIP detector in its mount. A detector of this kind, made of Si, was operated in the 1998 run. The photolitho- graphically-fabricated thin film on the surface is the sensor and represents a signifi- cant advance over the detectors By Michael Lucibella used in the 1999 run. Silicon and germanium ZIPs, weighing 100 g and 250 g respectively, will be used in future CDMS II runs at Stanford and in the Sou- dan mine. Image from CDMSII photo archive there is a tremendous amount tectors made of crystal germa- of mass in the universe un- nium the size of a hockey puck, accounted for. Analysis has buried deep in the mine are shown that this dark matter, so looking for signs of this subtle called because it doesn’t emit reaction. any detectable electromagnetic “Every once in a while radiation, is five times as abun- there’s an interaction,” said An- dant as ordinary matter. gela Reisetter from the Univer- Dark matter is theorized to sity of Minnesota and a mem- consist of Weakly Interacting ber of the dark matter search, Massive Particles, or WIMPs. “From a single nucleus recoil- Despite their abounding num- ing, all this stuff happens which bers, they have proven to be can be measured throughout the among the most difficult of detector.” © Michael Lucibella 2010 all the exotic particles zipping In early February, the group through the cosmos to isolate. announced that the detector However, physicists think they had registered two anomalous are getting close. signals. These readings were The Cryogenic Dark Mat- inconclusive as to whether the setter said at the “April” Meeting, She said also that the search was in place and calibrated, the search ter Search, with detectors lo- culprit was an elusive WIMP or “At two events, you just can’t say. continuing. The team was in the will run for about a year starting in cated deep in an old iron mine merely background. You can’t call it background, but process of installing more sensitive the fall, with new results expected in Soudan Minnesota, is set up “It’s simply a maybe,” Rei- you can’t call it a signal.” detectors in the mine. After they’re at the end of 2011 or early 2012. APS NEWS April 2010 • 5

VISA continued from page 1 Math Literacy is a Vehicle for Civil Rights Ardalan has traveled to the ternational affairs, “His visa delay United States many times before was unusual.” By Calla Cofield them freedom to rise above their tures are then arranged on a num- without incident. He entered Co- Over the last decade, national Deep in the rural farmland economic class, and to participate ber line, and students learn how to lumbia University in 1958 and security concerns by the federal of Mississippi, in the heat of the in the national and political discus- navigate along the line based on earned a PhD from Penn State in government have caused major African American Civil Rights sions that would change their lives. those familiar locations. The meth- 1970. He taught at Sharif Univer- holdups for nearly all types of visa Movement, driving a bus could be Over the next twenty years, na- od teaches important core concepts sity for several years but spent applications. Especially affected a dangerous thing. Robert P. Mo- tional literacy rates continued to like adding and subtracting nega- his sabbaticals at Yale and Stony are applications that go through a ses knew this as he got behind the rise, and yet underprivileged and tive numbers. Brook in 1974 and 1977 respec- visa mantis check, which aims to wheel of a vehicle carrying African impoverished minority groups re- The program goes beyond sim- tively. In 1993 he and his wife identify individuals that could il- American sharecroppers from their mained chained to the economic ply teaching the math concepts to received green cards to stay in legally transfer sensitive technol- rural homes to the nearest voting and social situations they were convincing the students that their the US where he resided until her ogy. Most requests from scientists stations. The long drives were of- born into. Watching his own chil- education is the key to reaching death in 2003. He said he never visiting the United States auto- ten interrupted by encounters with dren grow up in the developing in- their goals. One part of the project encountered any problems from matically go through this check, people who opposed civil equality. formation age, Moses recognized is to have teachers from the stu- the United States. adding to their visa’s processing More than once those encounters that the ability to read was no lon- dents’ own neighborhoods, and to He had time. turned violent. At one point Mo- ger enough to change the course of then encourage the students to go planned to at- As of March ses faced legal persecution for his these people’s lives. Mathematical into teaching careers there as well. tend a recep- 2009, it took efforts, though his actions were literacy was now the key. The Algebra Project holds that tion held at the on average protected by the U.S. Constitution. when students see teachers who March Meeting sixty days for Despite the difficult journey and come from their same geographic, for recently a visa to be the many obstacles that he faced, racial, and economic background, elected Fellows processed with Moses continued, literally and fig- this does more to convince them sponsored by a visa mantis uratively, to drive the bus. of what careers they have within the Forum on check, the last In the 1960’s Moses served as their reach, than when teachers International time concrete field director of the Student Non- come from outside the student’s Physics. There numbers were violent Coordinating Committee own area. are no US em- available on the (SNCC) and later the co-director “We started with the lessons bassies in Iran, program. Last of the Council of Federated Or- that we learned in getting the so while he was June, a request ganizations (COFO), an umbrella sharecroppers to demand their visiting CERN from 30 of the organization for major civil rights rights,” said Moses in his talk at in January he country’s lead- the APS April Meeting. “How do traveled to the Farhad Ardalan ing organizations groups in the south. Through his Photo by Benjamin Moynihan we get students to demand their US embassy in of US higher ed- efforts Moses became recognized Robert P. Moses as one of the most influential and education? The Algebra Project Bern to acquire his visa. ucation, science, and engineering, important leaders of the civil rights “I had experienced what it is working from the demand side “I think it’s a case of mistaken prompted the State Department movement. Over the past fifty meant for the sharecroppers in of this. We’re not talking about identity,” said John Clark, a physi- to incorporate new procedures to years he has continued with his the delta not to be able to read teachers and their practices. We’re cist at Washington University who streamline the process. Though work toward racial equality, but he and write. They were serfs in our talking about students and their was a sponsor of Ardalan’s visit no official figures are available, it has shifted his focus to education, industrial age,” said Moses in an culture.” to the US. He said that there is an does seem that wait times are now and it is through those efforts that interview. “That is the equivalent, The Algebra Project was in individual in Iran with the same on the decline. he is gaining the attention of the in this information and technology over 200 schools by the late 1990’s name who is the leader of a Kurd- Security safeguards imposed scientific community. age, of mathematical literacy.” and is now in ten states. Students ish guerilla movement. This has after the attacks of September Moses grew up in New York In 1982 Moses became a MacAr- from the Project’s earlier years are caused Ardalan travel delays from 11th initially caused wait times City in a small housing develop- thur Foundation Fellow, and used now old enough to come back and the Iranian government before, but to extend to an average of seven ment project. He earned a scholar- the Fellowship to start The Alge- teach or assist with teaching a new never prevented him from travel- months. Efforts by the State De- ship to Hamilton College, and at- bra Project. The program builds generation. In an interview after ing abroad. partment brought the average tended Harvard where he received algebra curriculum that is specific his talk Moses said that this will The Department of State did waits down to about 14 days in an M.A. in philosophy in 1957. to the location and the lives of the finally allow the Algebra Project not respond to submitted questions 2005, but increasing backlogs He settled into teaching math at students learning it. to begin evaluating the long-term before press time. caused wait times to lengthen a nearby high school, but was “I could not have done this if impact the program is having on Clark contacted Norman Neu- once again starting in late 2007. called home for family matters. I’d majored in math,” said Moses students. reiter, the director for the Center There is also a high degree of Upon returning to New York, Mo- in an interview at the 2010 APS Moses is currently serving as a for Science Technology and Se- inconsistency that comes with ses became involved in the civil April Meeting. “Majoring in phi- Frank H. T. Rhodes Class of 1956 curity Policy at AAAS, who in these wait times. Some applicants, rights movement that was heating losophy and under someone who Visiting Professor at Cornell Uni- turn brought the matter to David like Ardalan, encounter long un- up across the nation. He reached was both a math logician and a phi- versity. He has received honorary T. Donahue, Deputy Assistant expected delays, while others are his own boiling point in 1960 and losopher of math put me in touch doctorate degrees from more than Secretary for Visa Services in the processed quickly. The nation traveled to Atlanta to fight the tide with ideas which I was able to use ten institutions including Harvard State Department. Working to- of origin plays some role in visa of civil inequality. when I got into looking at the ac- University and Princeton Univer- gether they were able to sort out delays, as people from countries Of all the obstacles that Mo- tual learning of algebra.” sity. He continues to speak about the confusion with the consulate about which the State Depart- ses faced as he worked for Afri- One of those ideas is chang- current civil rights issues. He de- over Ardalan’s visa by March 9th. ment has security concerns are can American civil rights, none ing the questions that students ask livered a talk at the 2010 April However because of the logistics often subject to closer scrutiny. seemed as great or as powerful as when they try to solve problems. Meeting of the American Physical of physically getting his passport However the wait times that come illiteracy. In some states, illiteracy When learning the number line, as Society on the issue of whether stamped, Ardalan was unable to with this additional scrutiny are could directly stop African Ameri- opposed to asking “how many?” or not the US is ready to discuss rebook the needed flights to Bern also irregular, and it is difficult to cans from voting due to literacy students are taught to ask “which making quality education a consti- and the United States in time for predict precisely how long a wait tests that voters were required to way?” Algebra Project students tutional right. While he is taking the March Meeting. Instead he time will be. pass before casting their ballot from , New York, took action to spark discussion on this plans to come to the United States “The most important thing is to (although, many literate African a trip across the Brooklyn Bridge topic, he says the real battle will sometime in April. apply early,” said Flatten, adding Americans were also told that they and took pictures of their journey not be his to fight. Rather, that will “As to what the State Depart- that the APS website has informa- had failed the test). But Moses rec- (teachers from these schools say be for the next generation of civil ment should do in these cases, it is tion for physicists applying for ognized that education did more many of the students had never rights activists–the next group of not really for me to say,” said Ar- visas, what to do if there is a de- than allow citizens to vote. It gave crossed the bridge). Those pic- people to drive the bus. dalan, “However, my advice, for lay, and links to the State Depart- whatever it is worth, to our gov- ment’s consular office with up-to- PROBE continued from page 3 ernment agencies is to rely more date average wait times. and kaons. Project X Fer- DOE mission.” That formal sup- tent with the things that we learn on the judgment of the respective Flatten said also that she and milab Associate Director for Ac- port would come in the form of in the intensity frontier,” said scientific organizations, when it the APS have been working with celerators Stephen Holmes spoke a Critical Decision 0, which Hol- Duke University physicist and comes to security issues related to the State Department and other on the status of Project X at a press mes says he hopes the project will T2K collaboration member Chris the scientists.” agencies to help streamline the conference at the APS “April” achieve in the next year. Walter, who also spoke at the press Though what happened to Ar- visa process for visiting scientists. Meeting in Washington DC. The investment in the intensity conference. Walter explained in an dalan is unusual, setbacks and de- She and others from the scientific “Project X is currently in a frontier is not only for the study interview that many theories that lays at US embassies around the community met with the Assistant R&D phase. We have a fairly of rare decays and neutrinos, al- scientists at the LHC hope to test, world have become more com- Secretary of State for Consular advanced concept for the facil- though those studies present the such as Super Symmetry, can be mon in recent years. Over the last Affairs Janice L. Jacobs about the ity that is forming the basis for potential for major advances in confirmed through rare processes decade security concerns have issue. the R&D program,” said Holmes physics. In addition, high inten- that occur at lower energies, but dramatically increased the wait “Creating a system that balanc- in an email. “This concept would sity instruments will prove crucial only with very intense sources. times for scientists to receive vi- es scientific mobility and national provide capabilities beyond what in confirming and understand- “This will be our first step us- sas. Identity mix-ups are uncom- security has been the goal, but anyone else in the world has to- ing new phenomena uncovered ing these new high intensity ac- mon, but slow processing times has encountered the obvious chal- day and/or is planning for the fu- at high energy experiments, like celerators,” said Walter. “We hope are not. lenges,” Flatten said, “I believe ture… What needs to happen next those at the LHC. to make some exciting discoveries “His case was something be- the State Department is trying to is the formal recognition of the “The things that we learn in the and then continue on towards our yond just a simple delay,” said work with the science community need for this facility to support the energy frontier have to be consis- future ultimate goals.” Amy Flatten, APS director of in- to improve that.” 6 • April 2010 APS NEWS

Teacher Preparation Conference Focuses on Diversity Task Force Calls Physics Teacher By Gabriel Popkin Preparation Massively Inadequate The sixth annual Physics Teacher Education Coalition By Gabriel Popkin tion and mentoring support for (PTEC) Conference took place in The national Task Force on new physics teachers, and pro- Washington, DC in mid-February, fessional development for phys- just prior to the APS “April” Meet- Teacher Education in Physics released a set of findings and ics teachers coming from other ing. The conference is the largest disciplines. gathering in the country dedicated recommendations on February 13 at the 2010 Physics Teacher The authors also drew a con- to physics teacher preparation, and nection between the state of US for the fourth straight year attract- Education Coalition (PTEC) Conference. The release, which physics teacher education and ed over 100 participants, many the country’s challenges in the of whom battled record-breaking summarizes more than two years of research on physics teacher science and engineering labor snow storms and travel difficulties market, stating that “An effec- to get to the event. preparation programs at Ameri- can universities, is the synopsis tive precollege physics educa- The theme of this year’s con- tion is indispensable in prepar- ference was “Diversity in Physics of a report the task force plans to publish later this year. ing U.S. students for global Education: Preparing Teachers for competition.” To address these the 21st Century.” In two panel Photo by Ken Cole The task force was joint- ly sponsored by the APS, the challenges, the authors wrote discussions on Friday that focused that “Physics departments, on issues in urban and minority- Joel Corbo and Angie Little of the University of California, Berkeley's Compass American Association of Phys- Project share a morning conversation at the PTEC Conference. schools of education, university serving schools, participants got ics Teachers, and the American number of highly visible national and math teachers they prepare. Institute of Physics, and is com- administrators, school systems, a chance to hear the perspectives state agencies, the federal gov- of young teachers in urban class- efforts in science and mathemat- Many attendees stated that they posed of physics and education ics teacher preparation. Marder, appreciated the networking oppor- faculty, university administra- ernment, as well as business and rooms as well as faculty mem- foundations, have indispensable bers at urban institutions. Another who co-directs the University of tunities with other members of the tors, and high school teachers Texas’s UTeach Program, led a teacher preparation community. who have been closely involved collaborative roles to play so that workshop led by Duane Merrell of every high school student has Brigham Young University tack- workshop on the UTeach replica- “It’s great to be around a group of in national physics education ef- tion effort, which supports thirteen people who care about the same forts. Its charge was to survey the opportunity to learn physics led the very different challenges with a qualified teacher.” of rural physics education. universities to develop programs things I do,” said Vera Margoniner the US physics teacher prepara- modeled after the one at Texas. of California State University, tion scene, identify best practic- Stamatis Vokos, professor Other conference sessions fo- of physics at Seattle Pacific cused on the persistent achieve- Following that, Joseph Heppert Sacramento, who was attending es for increasing the number of of the University of Kansas led her third PTEC Conference. qualified physics teachers, and University and the task force’s ment gap between richer and chair, said that while the situ- poorer students, as well as be- a workshop on UKanTeach, the “The fact that 80 percent of establish research, funding, and UTeach replication effort at his those who registered showed up policy priorities for improving ation is grim, there is potential tween underserved minority for improvement. “We hope that students and the rest of the US university. in spite of the extreme weather is the situation. Another highlight of the con- a testament to the dedication of The task force’s chief finding our report will serve as a wake- population. A panel of faculty and up call for universities, founda- teachers discussed the preparation ference was a workshop on the the PTEC community. Many of was that “Except for a handful of “Chemistry Teacher Education our presenters and attendees had isolated pockets of excellence, tions, and government agencies not just of teachers but of teacher around the country. The problem leaders who will address such in- Coalition,” which is a PTEC- flights canceled several times, and the national system of prepar- inspired effort by the Ameri- still managed to get to the con- ing physics teachers is largely is very serious, and any sig- equalities by becoming change nificant progress will require a agents in the educational system. can Chemical Society to engage ference,” said Monica Plisch, the inefficient, mostly incoherent, chemistry departments in teacher Assistant Director of Education and massively unprepared to focused and coordinated effort Michael Marder, a physics pro- from all corners.” fessor at the University of Texas education. As in years past, the at APS and the conference’s lead deal with the current and future Association of Public and Land- organizer. needs of the nation’s students.” The task force plans to dis- in Austin, presented data on the tribute its full report to every achievement gap in Texas, a state grant Universities also had a PTEC is a coalition of 180 The authors identified a number strong presence. The group or- universities, colleges, and na- of areas in which they felt im- physics department and educa- that often sets national standards tion school in the country. More in education. A group of graduate ganized a reception for confer- tional labs. It is part of the Phys- provement was needed, includ- ence attendees whose institutions TEC project, which is run by APS ing collaboration between phys- information about the task force and undergraduate students from as well as a copy of the synop- the UC Berkeley, discussed the are members of the Science and and the American Association of ics and education departments, Mathematics Teacher Imperative, Physics Teachers, with National physics-specific pedagogical sis is available at www.ptec.org/ Compass Project, which aims to taskforce . increase diversity in the physical a group of public research uni- Science Foundation support. More preparation of teachers, induc- sciences. versities that have committed to information is available at www. The conference also featured a increasing the number of science PTEC.org. MEMBERS continued from page 2 story and it’s my physics. It’s quite Associated Press, March 10, 2010. different getting inside of some- one else.” “There is some advantage to Alan Heeger, University of encouraging people to think about California Santa Barbara, on por- the energy that a car or a home or traying physicist in a a power plant involves…Whether UCSB production of “Copenha- it’s called the Rosenfeld or not gen,” Los Angeles Times, March doesn’t matter to me. I would 5, 2010. never call it that myself–that’s im- “We enter this process with no preconceived conclusions,” modest.” Robbert Dijkgraaf, Univer- Arthur Rosenfeld, California If It’s Broken, Fix It siteit van Amsterdam, after being Energy Commission, on a unit of by Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs named chair of a review board for power savings being named af- the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel ter him, San Jose Mercury News, Dys·func·tional [dis-´fəŋ(k)- insulated from public opinion ances. Their decision served our on Climate Change reports, The March 11, 2010. shə-nəl]–adjective : (1) relating and feel empowered to take the nation well for more than two badly; (2) not performing as ex- long view. They wanted sena- centuries. But it is in danger of HESS continued from page 2 pected; (3) affected by disease or tors–who weren’t even directly lapsing into irrelevance. suring the radioactivity of granite ent levels, and because the effects impairment. Three definitions: elected until passage of the Sev- President Obama ran on a in the 190th Street subway station were often cumulative, taking as take your pick. Each one of them enteenth Amendment in 1913–to platform of bipartisanship and near Fort Tryon. along as 50 years to fully present. suits today’s United States Sen- act as a brake on pell-mell leg- change, which is fine if both Along with William T. McNiff, He strongly opposed nuclear test- ate. islative gambits House members political parties buy into the Hess developed “an integrating ing, claiming, “We know too little It is not what the founding might pursue to achieve electoral concepts and if governing struc- gamma ray method” for detecting about radioactivity at this time to fathers had in mind when they success every two years. They tures can facilitate the goals. It’s minute traces of radium in the hu- state definitely that testing under- struck the “Connecticut Com- wanted the Senate to be a speed a prescription for failure when man body, thereby making it pos- ground or above the atmosphere promise” at the 1787 Constitu- bump. They never envisioned it members of Congress dig in sible to determine if someone was will have no effect on the human tional Convention, establishing would become a roadblock. their ideological heels and focus suffering from radium poisoning body.” the Senate as an upper chamber The 1787 Convention also re- on posturing for the next two- before it became critical. Hess died on December 17, with equal representation from jected the British system of par- year election cycle rather than Even after retiring from Ford- 1964, but his legacy lives on. In each state and six-year terms, liamentary government in which achieving substantive legislative ham, Hess continued to do re- 2004, an observatory opened in so that its members could act as the majority party’s leader is the results. It’s a prescription for search. He was keenly interested the deserts of Namibia to detect a check on the dangers of un- prime minister. Instead, led by failure when the Senate cannot in creating a more accurate scale gamma rays from cosmic sources. bridled democracy the founders James Madison, the Convention act unless 60 percent of its mem- of how much radioactivity the It was named the High Energy expected from the nascent “peo- adopted a presidential system bers agree it should. human body could tolerate–a dif- Stereoscopic System (HESS) tele- ple’s” House of Representatives. with an independent executive Blame Obama for overreach- ficult thing to determine, since scope, in homage to the man who They wanted senators to be and a system of checks and bal- FIX IT continued on page 7 individuals could tolerate differ- discovered cosmic rays. APS NEWS April 2010 • 7

ANNOUNCEMENTS

M. Hildred Blewett PTEC Topical Workshop: Reviews of Pedagogical Content Knowledge Modern Physics: Recently Posted Scholarship Reviews and Colloquia for Women Physicists his scholarship has been established to Searches for enable women to return to physics research supersymmetry at high- T energy colliders careers after having had to interrupt those Jonathan L. Feng, Jean- careers for family reasons. The scholarship François Grivaz and consists of an award Jane Nachtman of up to $45,000. The is at a cross- applicant must currently roads. In the past three decades the (SM) has be a legal resident of been successful in describing the US or Canada. She all known elementary particles must be currently in and their interactions. Ahead of us is the CERN Large Hadron Canada or the US and Rutgers University, Collider offering great possibili- must have an affiliation New Brunswick, NJ ties to search for and study new with a research-active phenomena, in the mass range April 19-20, 2010 from 100 GeV to several TeV. educational institution or This article reviews the current national lab. She must Rutgers University, in cooperation with the state of experimental searches have completed work toward a PhD. Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PTEC), for supersymmetry, the most invites you to attend a workshop that will widely studied extension of the change how you think about preparing phys- SM. Beyond the Higgs Applications are due June 4, 2010. ics teachers. This two-day topical workshop that has yet to be discovered, Announcement of the award is expected will highlight the unique Pedagogical Content there are strong motivations to be made by , 2010. Knowledge (PCK)-based curriculum developed for supersymmetry, including at Rutgers. the need to explain dark matter Details and on-line application can be and the desire for unification of found at http://www.aps.org/programs/ For more information, please see all fundamental forces. women/scholarships/blewett/index.cfm www.ptec.org/conferences/PCK2010 http://rmp.aps.org Contact: [email protected] FIX IT continued from page 6 DOWNSIZING continued from page 1 ing if you want. Blame him for year. spend every non-working hour steps for the US to take to accom- furbish its nuclear infrastructure promoting too much big govern- Members of Congress know raising money for the next elec- plish each goal. and refocus the National Nuclear ment if that’s your judgment. full well that “continuing resolu- tion. Finding time to establish It recommends that the United Security Administration so it can Blame him for lack of engage- tions” hurt many programs that friendships across the aisle is States declassify the number of more efficiently maintain a scaled- ment and leadership if you see depend on federal funds, sci- as important as arguing on the nuclear weapons in its arsenal, back arsenal, the report says. it that way. But don’t blame ence among them, but election floor. establish sites to test verification “The good news is we can do it. him for what has become a de exigencies always trump pru- True, the Supreme Court has technologies, and fund the devel- The bad news is it will take a long facto parliamentary system in dent policies. And with Demo- struck down most campaign fi- opment of “nuclear archeology” time. But, if Congress follows the which political parties refuse to cratic control of both houses of nancing laws on First Amend- to examine a suspected site’s past report’s recommendations, down- collaborate for fear of electoral Congress possibly vulnerable to ment grounds. But bushels of nuclear use. So far, the report has sizing the nuclear arsenal can be retribution from their staunchly a Republican takeover, the 2010 campaign money are spent on been well received, with the De- done safely and securely,” said ideological bases. Don’t blame election looms larger than most. partment of Energy setting up a Davis, announcing the report at TV advertising. And there is him for a Congress in which the And the larger it looms, the more nothing to stop Congress from center near the old Nevada testing the annual meeting of the Ameri- House of Representatives looks likely the legislative engine will sites to research possible verifica- can Association for the Advance- mandating that TV stations make more like the House of Com- seize up. free political advertising time tion technologies. ment of Science. mons and the Senate, the House That the system is broken available in return for receiving The report also emphasizes To make sure that nuclear fis- of Lords, each with a governing there is no doubt. The public the importance of preserving the sile materials are used peacefully, their licenses. Congress can also party and a loyal opposition. knows it, and members of Con- country’s capability and exper- the report recommends that the force cable operators to provide At least in the British system, gress know it. But fixing it is tise while decreasing the number government invest in programs free time in return for keeping new elections are held when a not so easy. Still here are a few of weapons. Those that remain to detect secret nuclear facilities, their unregulated monopoly sta- government loses a parliamen- ideas–in brief. need to be maintained properly, so share information among nuclear tus. tary vote of confidence. Here, First, make congressional that in the unlikely event they are industries, and prioritize non-pro- Finally, the Senate could re- we’re stuck with senatorial grid- districts more competitive by needed, they function correctly. liferation at the Nuclear Regula- lock until the public decides to letting the nonpartisan com- turn to the days when a filibuster Additionally, the US should re- tory Commission. throw out all the incumbents–or missions decide on redistricting was more than a threat to debate. It used to mean that senators ac- PANEL continued from page 1 at least a third of them every two rather than politicians in state tually had to be on the floor de- only once. The member input will ation, or possibly reject it outright. years. And that outcome is pretty legislatures and state houses bating. And it used to mean that be reviewed and analyzed by the unlikely. who focus on creating safe dis- The Board and Council will not, all senators had to be available POPA subcommittee. It will not This year, the wheels of gov- tricts. Then candidates will have however, indulge in further word- for quorum calls at any time of be publicly available. ernment could become com- to appeal to voters of all political smithing of the document that day or night. But of course, if At press time, 5723 members pletely mired in the ooze of par- persuasions, not just their bases. POPA produces. senators had to do that now, they had viewed the proposed adden- tisanship, once the Democrats Second, take money out of The procedure that is being ad- couldn’t be out raising campaign dum, and 1690 comments had pass health care legislation using campaigning. One big difference cash at morning and evening been submitted. Once the Moore opted marks the first time that the the arcane senatorial reconcilia- between the Congress of today fundraisers. Whoever shortened subcommittee has reviewed them opinions of the full membership tion procedure. And if the Senate and the Congress of fifty years 1 Timothy 6:10 to, “Money is the all, it will, if necessary, revise the have been systematically solicited does become bog bound, most ago is that members of the two spending bills once again will be parties today don’t have time root of all evil,” had it right, at commentary, and bring the revised with regard to an APS statement. on hold until the next calendar for after-work socializing. They least in the political arena. version to POPA for consideration. If the process is successful, it may It is intended that all this will be serve as a model, going forward, accomplished in time to submit a for how APS statements are to be final version to the APS Executive crafted, modified, and passed. Board and Council, which meet Visit us on the web at on April 17 and 18. The Board and Results of POPA’s delibera- http://www.aps.org/publications/ Council will either accept POPA’s tions and of Council's actions will recommended commentary, return be reported in the next issue of apsnews it to POPA for further consider- APS News. 8 • April 2010 APS NEWS The Back Page

n the history of the United States there are Or consider a person spotting the plaque at Ievents that have become part of the folklore Caltech. On reading the plaque, that individual of the nation. They bind us together as a people, will be reminded that the material world is made they remind us where we have come from, and The APS Register of Historic Sites up of individual particles, that in addition to or- they inspire us to think beyond our immediate By John S. Rigden dinary particles there are anti-particles, and that concerns. Here is a personal example. One day, anti-particles make up antimatter; at the same walking along Vanderbilt Avenue toward 44th time, they will be informed, perhaps for the first Street in mid-town Manhattan, I saw a plaque on time, that there are particles called cosmic par- the wall of the Yale Club. I went over to see what ticles which, as the name implies, come to Earth the plaque was about. It informed me that “At the from outer space, and that some of these particles British Artillery Park near this site Nathan Hale…was executed are anti-particles. Questions undoubtedly will assert themselves: on the morning of September 22, 1776. His last words were, ‘I What are cosmic particles? Where do they come from? What is only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.’” the positron? And who knows, later, in response to these ques- I stood there caught up with that message. I do not remember tions, the individual may well type antimatter or positron into what was going on in my mind when that plaque interrupted my Google to see what he or she can learn. thoughts, but I do know that for some minutes after continuing I believe that physicists underestimate the public’s inter- on my way, I was thinking about Nathan Hale, the Revolution- est in fundamental physics; that is, physics that tells them how ary War, and the forefathers of the United States. The plaque had the world works. The physics department at the Washington done an important job: it reminded me that people sacrificed to University in St. Louis sponsors a series of lectures on four establish the United States and that I am the beneficiary of that consecutive Saturdays in both the fall and spring terms. These sacrifice. lectures, organized by Professor Michael Friedlander, go back In 1966, the National Historic Preservation Act established many years. Every Saturday, a large auditorium fills with 200- the National Register to honor sites of historical significance and some people. From 10:00 to 11:00 am the audience listens; after place a plaque at the site. The American Physical Society has 11:00, the people ask questions and the questions go on until the initiated a similar program that has the potential of doing for the speaker says, “Enough.” The people are fascinated. When Fried- public what the Nathan Hale plaque did for me. In January 2004, lander circulates a questionnaire to find out what people want to the APS Historic Sites initiative was established on an ad hoc hear about, they often say fundamental physics or physics that basis, a committee was named, and site selection began. Bronze tells us how the world works. In other words, they want to hear plaques were ordered, appropriate citations inscribed on them, about basic physics–of course, without all the equations. Re- and soon plaques were being mounted at the honored sites. At the presentation ceremony in honor of Joseph Henry, John Rig- cent examples of topics requested by members of the audience den looks on as the Head of the Albany Academy, Caroline B. Ma- On November 16, 2008, it all became official: the APS son, signs the APS Ledger of Historic Sites. are the laws of thermodynamics, radioactivity, Bell’s Theorem, Council made the Historic Sites Committee (HSC) a standing Schrödinger’s cat, and Olbers’ paradox. committee of the APS. Five individuals were appointed to the At Case Western Reserve, Lawrence Krauss organized an As a science, physics is fortunate. Basic physics responds to firstad hoc HSC: Gordon Baym (University of Illinois), Sidney outstanding event. The plaque ceremony was embedded in a some of the big questions people have asked throughout history: Drell (SLAC), (MIT), Gerald Holton (Har- program of well-known speakers and a panel discussion. The What is time? What is space? How big is space? What are the vard), and John Rigden (Washington University in St. Louis). program was held in Severance Hall, home of the Cleveland building blocks of the material world? Are these building blocks Members of the second HSC are: Katherine Gebbie (NIST), Symphony. Physics was put on display before an audience of unique to Earth? What is light? Where is Earth in the universe? Holton, David Jackson (LBNL), (University some 1,500 people. (At the other extreme, one plaque was pre- How did it all begin? When did the universe begin? These ques- of Texas at Austin) and Rigden. Members after January 1, 2010 sented before an audience of two–both physicists!) tions make physics promotable; these questions and more like will be Benjamin Bederson (NYU), Gebbie, Jackson, Weinberg, Another audience that witnessed the presentation of the APS them, provide physicists with a welcome mat into the minds of and Spencer Weart (AIP). plaque was noteworthy: this audience, all high school students, the general public. When the HSC began its work, we recognized that there filled a large auditorium. When Joseph Henry discovered self- Many times I heard I.I. Rabi say, “Science exists at the plea- were sites where new frontiers of physics were established and induction in 1832, he was a high school teacher at The Albany sure of the larger public.” Rabi’s remark has meaning at differ- thus had national and international significance. Often the events Academy. For eleven months of the year, Henry’s laboratory was ent levels. On the crass level there is money: if elected officials at such sites occurred deeper in the past. These sites were obvi- a classroom. He could do his research only during the month of –a vital part of the larger public–do not provide the budgetary ous candidates for selection. We also recognized that there were August. He was right on the edge of his discovery in 1831 when, support required to advance physical research, then the future sites where important contributions to physics were made, but once again, he had to interrupt his research and transform his of ground-breaking science is problematical. The abandoned which had a more local significance. The committee decided to laboratory back into a classroom. SSC is a cogent example. On a deeper level, there are the val- start with “obvious” sites. Seventeen sites have been selected. Each plaque contains a brief citation that identifies what hap- ues of science. If, for example, the larger public does not value Those selected in the first round are pened at the site. Following are three illustrative citations: knowledge based on experimental evidence, evidence that can Washington University in St. Louis: , For Holmdel Township/Bell Labs be replicated anywhere in the world, then the results of science Compton Effect With this large horn antenna, Arno Penzias and Robert Wil- will frequently be challenged by those with strongly-held beliefs Franklin Institute: Benjamin Franklin son discovered the cosmic background radiation in 1964. This that, unfortunately, often touch the emotions in such a way that Yale University: Willard Gibbs, Thermodynamics unexpected discovery, the first evidence that the universe began they trump hard scientific evidence. Case Western Reserve University: Michelson-Morley with the Big Bang, ushered in experimental cosmology. Historic The public has ample reason to find pleasure in the hu- Experiment Physics Site, Register of Historic Sites American Physical So- man achievement that brings understanding to our world–the The Johns Hopkins University: Henry Rowland, Diffrac- ciety world that all people everywhere call home. This pleasure, tion Grating For the California Institute of Technology however, must be cultivated and nurtured. All existing op- In the second round Near this site, in August 1932, photo- portunities to bring physics into the attention of the public The Albany Academy: Joseph Henry, Self Induction graphed the track of a cosmic-ray particle in his . must be exploited and new opportunities to inform the public Bell Labs: Bardeen, Brattain, and Shockley, Transistor He identified this particle as the positron–the first known anti- about how physicists understand the natural world should be : I.I. Rabi, Magnetic Resonance particle. Historic Physics Site, Register of Historic Sites Ameri- developed. Harvard University: Jefferson Laboratory can Physical Society The APS Historic Sites Program is a wonderful way, for : Robert A. Millikan, Oil Drop Ex- And finally, for the University of Illinois physics and physicists, to connect with the general public. periment In this building, the home of the University of Illinois Phys- The subject of physics connects with the public through MIT: The Radiation Laboratory ics Department from 1909 to 1959, , , the plaques themselves. Physicists could connect with the In the third round and J. Robert Schrieffer created the “BCS” Theory of Supercon- public by using the sites selected by the HSC as points of University of California, Berkeley: E.O. Lawrence, The ductivity, a great achievement of theoretical physics, in 1956-57. departure for talks designed for a general audience. On the Cyclotron Historic Physics Site, Register of Historic Sites American Physi- one hand, physicists could second guess the HSC and chal- : Birthplace of Physical Review cal Society lenge its selections. Some physicists would like to do this. University of Illinois: BCS Theory People are curious, and many individuals who see a plaque On the other hand, physicists could explain to members of In the fourth round mounted on a building will want to learn what it says. If plaques their community why the HSC selected particular sites. Why McGill University: Ernest Rutherford and F. Soddy, Ra- with citations like those above are located where pedestrians– were Rowland’s diffraction gratings, which were coveted by dioactivity pedestrians other than physicists!–can see them, they are like- researchers all over the world, worthy of recognition? Almost Caltech: Carl Anderson, The Positron ly to wander over to learn what the plaque is all about. While everyone knows the name Benjamin Franklin, but how many Holmdel and Bell Labs: A. Penzias and R. Wilson, CMB reading the words on the APS plaques, these individuals will be people know that Franklin did some outstanding science? In a ceremony at these sites, a bronze plaque is presented by reminded that, over the years, physicists have opened the cup- In the history of physics there are ample examples of ex- the APS President or President–Elect to a top-level administra- boards of Nature and have learned the mysteries that Nature perimental and theoretical discoveries that have expanded tor at the site, and the event is recorded in the APS Ledger of offers. People reading the plaque near the horn antenna will the conceptual domain of physics, triggered the explorations Historic Sites. The ceremony itself is an opportunity for the site remember that the universe started with the Big Bang and that of new and challenging frontiers, and changed in fundamen- being recognized to put physics on display and to connect with evidence for this is the cosmic microwave background radiation tal ways our understanding of the natural world. Experience both the campus and local communities. Sadly, however, this discovered with the big horn they are standing near. The horn’s demonstrates that this makes physics interesting to the pub- opportunity has often been ignored. Although we do not need to large size will impress many viewers, and they might wonder lic–the same public on which physics depends. Let us take showcase physics to other physicists, unfortunately it is physi- whether something big, is required to discover something big, advantage of this fortunate circumstance. cists who typically make up the audiences at the plaque-presen- such as the radiation that fills the whole universe. Whatever they John S. Rigden served from 2004 to 2009 as the founding tation ceremonies. There was one notable exception. think, the experience will stick with them for some time. Chair of the APS Historic Sites Committee.

APS News welcomes and encourages letters and submissions from its members responding to these and other issues. Responses may be sent to: [email protected]