January 2000 the American Physical Society Volume 9, No
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A P S N E W S JANUARY 2000 THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY VOLUME 9, NO. 1 [Try the enhanced APS News-online: http://www.aps.org/apsnews] APSCelebrate News APS a Century 100 of years Physics APS Council Statement, State-Wide SNS Critical to US Science Health Poll Responds to Kansas Controversy States APS Council t its November meeting, the APS the sticking point. Forty-five percent said stimulated the population’s interest in he APS Council unanimously ACouncil approved a statement they believe God created human beings local school board elections. More than T endorsed a statement urging denouncing the recent decision by the much as they are today within the past half the respondents (52%) said they Congress to provide the necessary Kansas Board of Education to remove 10,000 years, while an almost equal num- would be more likely to vote in the next funding for timely completion of the references to evolution and the Big Bang ber (43%) said they believe humans board election because of the evolution national Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). from the state-wide science curriculum. evolved like other animals, but the pro- decision. Sixty-four percent of those who Councillors from all sectors of the APS The APS statement came on the heels cess was guided by God. disagreed with the board’s decision said agreed to its scientific necessity and of an October 1999 poll of Kansas If nothing else, the controversy ap- they would be more likely to vote in the “urgent national need” to meet the residents conducted by two local pears to have, at least temporarily, next election. growing needs in the US research newspapers, The Wichita Eagle and the community for more powerful neutron Kansas City Star. Conducted by the Star’s sources that are competitive with those marketing research department, the poll “The American Physical Society views with grave concern the recent Kansas in Europe and Japan. surveyed 604 respondents, with a margin State Board of Education decision to remove references to evolution and the Neutron scattering is a powerful and of error of plus or minus 4 percentage Big Bang from its State Education Standards and Assessments. The decision unique tool for elucidating the fundamen- points. to modify its previous draft of these standards is a giant step backward and tal structure of both physical and biological Roughly half of the respondents dis- should sound the alarm for every parent, teacher and student in the United matter. It is routinely used to unlock the agreed with the board’s decision, States. On the eve of the new millennium, at a time when our nation’s welfare secrets of superconductors, magnetic ma- compared to 32% who supported the increasingly depends on science and technology, it has never been more terials, advanced polymers, and other board, with the rest undecided or neu- important for all Americans to understand the basic ideas of modern science. materials of crucial interest to industry. It tral. Fifty-seven percent said they “Biological and physical evolution are central to the modern scientific is estimated that the SNS will attract 1000 thought students should be tested on conception of the Universe. There is overwhelming geological and physical to 2000 scientists and engineers each year evolution. About 80% of the respondents evidence that the Earth and Universe are billions of years old and have from universities, industries, government said they believe dinosaurs existed mil- developed substantially since their origins. Evolution is also a foundation upon laboratories, and other nations. lions of years ago, and 65% said they which virtually all modern biology rests. The SNS is being built at Oak Ridge Na- believe sea creatures developed into “This unfortunate decision will deprive many Kansas students of the tional Laboratory by a consortium of national land animals, based on the fossil record. opportunity to learn some of the central concepts of modern science.” laboratories including: Argonne, Berkeley, It is human evolution that seems to be Continued on page 4 Inside… Council Votes to Reduce its Size by NEWS To Advance and Diffuse the Knowledge Constitutional Amendment of Physics .................................................... 2 Consciousness-raising in the turbulent 1960s. o any observer at the November The drafting of changes to the APS Langer Outlines Challenges, Priorities TCouncil meeting in Seattle, it would Constitution and Bylaws needed to imple- for APS in Y2K ............................................. 3 appear obvious why a motion to amend the ment the Task Force recommendations An interview with incoming APS President James Langer on the year ahead for the Society. APS Constitution to reduce the size of the were carried out by the Committee on APS Honors Two Undergrads with Council passed overwhelmingly. Sixty-three Constitution and Bylaws, chaired in 1999 1999 Apker Awards ..................................... 4 people gathered around a hollow rectangle, by Stephan Baker (Rice University). The Students from Williams College and the which was so large that it was difficult to see relevant sections of the sections with the University of Rochester recognized for research accomplishments. from one side to the other. “We strongly proposed changes can be found online APS Council Approves Revised “What believe that the most important action that at http://www.aps.org/apsnews/0100/ Is Science?” Statement ............................. 4 can be taken to make the APS Council Stephen Baker (left) and Stephen Holt. proposal.html, and are presented for Revised definition of science and the rules of scientific exchange. more effective is to reduce its size to the Council who presented the draft comment by the APS membership at Solar Eruptions, Pollution Reduction point that its members feel that they can recommendations to Council. The Task Force, large. To become effective the Consti- Featured at DPP Meeting ........................... 5 be seen, that their views can be heard, chaired by Ernest Henley (University of tutional amendments must be voted on Highlights from the November DPP meeting. and that their presence can make a real Washington) recommended that the number by the APS membership, while the MEETING BRIEFS ....................................... 5 Division of Nuclear Physics in Asilomar, CA, and difference,” said Stephen Holt (NASA/ of voting members be reduced from 51 to amendments to the Bylaws require a Gaseous Electronics Conference in Norfolk, VA. GSFC), the member of the APS Task Force 39 and the number at the Council table from second Council vote. APS Council Approves New Journal on the Structure and Responsibilities of the approximately 65 to 42. Continued on page 7 Pricing Model .............................................. 6 New multi-tiered pricing scheme to be introduced for APS journals. APS and AIP Jointly Launch Virtual The Physics of Football Journals ....................................................... 6 Two new online “virtual” journals in A former tackle for the California Insti- biological physics and nanoscale science. illions of viewers nationwide had APS Leads Effort for Teacher Preparation ... 6 Mthe opportunity in November to tute of Technology, Gay has been using APS, AAPT and AIP spearhead a major effort learn what college football fans in college football to illustrate the laws of to improve K-12 science teaching. Nebraska have been hearing all season physics via a series of 45-second video- DEPARTMENTS about the physics of football, thanks to a taped lessons presented on the two giant ZERO GRAVITY ........................................... 4 special news report on the ABC network HuskerVision screens at UNL’s Memorial Quantum Baseball featuring Timothy Gay, a professor of Stadium. For example, an imperfect pass ANNOUNCEMENTS .................................... 7 physics at the University of Nebraska, (i.e., wobbly, as opposed to a perfect spi- Now Appearing in RMP; Call for Council and Lincoln (UNL). The segment aired ral) will have insufficient force to overcome Committee Position Nominations; Deadlines. th THE BACK PAGE ......................................... 8 November 15 on ABC World News air resistance, resulting in a dragging ef- Is there unconscious discrimination against Tonight with Peter Jennings. “Football is fect, while a punt needs sufficient trajectory women in physics? a manifestation of physics and it’s to attain the proper projectile motion. Hel- something people can relate to,” says mets serve to distribute the force of a blow Open Letter to APS Gay, who loves the strategy and tactics of and lessen the impact to the players’ heads, Members on Openness of the game as much as his chosen career. while the combined energy expended by Photo by Randy Atkins Scientific Exchange from “It’s physics in action. My main hope is an offensive line could lift an entire pickup ABC News Correspondent Bob Jamieson Jerry Friedman ................ 5 that somehow I’ll turn some kid onto truck about 10 yards into the air. reports from the site of what may be the physics or science in general.” Continued on page 3 world's largest physics class. APS News January 2000 To Advance & Diffuse the Knowledge of Physics 100 Years of the American Physical Society Excerpts from an exhibit displayed at the APS Centennial Meeting. Curator: Sara Schechner, Gnomon Research Exhibit Director: Barrett Ripin Consciousness Raising With contributions by Harry Lustig, R. Mark Wilson, and others. A D F Physics Today Physics Henriette From left: C AIP Niels Bohr