│ COMPASS Workshop │ APS Members Win │ Goldwater Scholars in │ Back Page: Fighting 02 on Mentoring 03 Franklin Medal 04 Physics and Astronomy 08 Science Denial
June 2019 • Vol. 28, No. 6 aps.org/apsnews
A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY APS Members Honored for Outstanding Science Second Group of PhysTEC Fellows Policy Advocacy Chosen BY TAWANDA W. JOHNSON BY THOMAS HONE
very year, APS honors a select with congressional staffers and crucial. We need to help our politi- he Physics Teacher Education group of members with the executive branch officials on the cians (and the public) understand Coalition (PhysTEC) has E 5 Sigma Physicist Award for topics of scientific mobility and the great benefit fundamental and T selected its second cohort performing outstanding advocacy education policy. applied science brings to society, of PhysTEC Fellows. Teams from that is crucial to maintaining the Regarding the importance and our nation.” five different institutions were rec- strength of the U.S. scientific enter- of science policy, Falcone said, Justin Powell, a graduate ognized as Fellows and will receive prise. And throughout 2018, the “science policy, like other issues teaching assistant at the University support to build and enhance awardees partnered with the APS that the government deals with, of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Shua high school physics teacher edu- Office of Government Affairs (OGA) are generally much more complex Sanchez, a PhD candidate at the cation programs. The PhysTEC to write op-eds and participate in than most of us first imagine, so University of Washington, both Fellows come from Bridgewater meetings that helped advance the we need to provide the relevant authored key op-eds that were State University (BSU), Clemson improve their programs, recogni- Society’s policy goals. data to help decision making.” part of a nationwide campaign by University, Colgate University, The tion from APS and AAPT to help “It is terrific that APS can recog- 2017 APS President Laura the APS OGA concerning student University of Texas Rio Grande build institutional support, con- nize individual efforts to advocate Greene, who also led numerous loans. The effort successfully killed Valley (UTRGV), and the University nections with national leaders in for science, but of course such work meetings with congressional a federal legislative proposal that of Washington Bothell. Each of physics teacher education, and is done in strong collaboration staffers and executive branch offi- would have eliminated loan provi- these institutions showcased a advice on external resources to with OGA, as well as other APS cials, said she was “speechless” sions that are crucial to physics strong desire to grow and improve support physics teacher prepara- members and leadership, so the when she received the award and undergraduates and graduate their physics education programs tion activities. Fellows will also recognition is shared praise for mentioned that “it was really the students. and provided compelling plans receive travel support to attend teamwork,” said APS Physics Policy complementary skills of Roger and “I am honored to be recognized to do so. the national PhysTEC conference Committee Chair Roger Falcone, a me, working with the APS OGA, by APS,” Powell said. “There is an The PhysTEC project will in 2020 and 2021 and will par- physics professor at the University that set the standard.” ever-growing need for scientists support the implementation of ticipate in video conferences to of California in Berkeley and 2018 Greene, who is a physics pro- to be a part of the conversation planned activities at these insti- exchange ideas and updates with APS President. fessor at Florida State University in policy decisions. If we don’t tutions as part of a larger effort the entire cohort. Falcone received the 5 Sigma and chief scientist at the National advocate for policies that help to combat a shortage of quali- Physicist Award for his work with High Magnetic Field Laboratory, fied physics teachers. PhysTEC OGA in leading dozens of meetings added, “Science policy advocacy is ADVOCACY CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 will offer tools and strategies to FELLOWS CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
APRIL MEETING Better Biological Imaging with Nuclear Physics
BY LEAH POFFENBERGER TM
hysics has long been a con- tributor to medical imaging, 2019 GENERAL ELECTION P dating back to the dis- covery and use of x-rays in 1895. And thanks to nuclear medicine, physics continues to play a role in VOTING OPENS JUNE 17th improving how we are able to see inside the human body. Paul Lecoq (CERN) and Andrew For Vice President Weisenberger (Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Laboratory) Frances Hellman Meg Urry presented new ideas for detec- University of California, Yale University Berkeley tors in medical imaging at the 2019 APS April Meeting, as part of the first session sponsored by the APS Topical Group on Medical Physics (GMED). Lecoq proposed For General Councilor a method of increasing positron emission tomography (PET) scan Robert McKeown Kathy Prestridge sensitivity by improving timing Jefferson Laboratory; Los Alamos National College of William Laboratory resolution, and Weisenberger dis- and Mary cussed a number of projects at Jefferson Lab exploring new uses for radioisotopic imaging. Imaging with radioactive For International Councilor nuclear isotopes is a valuable diagnostics technique, often used Ursula Keller Sheila Rowan Single-photon emission CT scans of an awake mouse in motion: (clockwise to detect cancer and investigate ETH Zurich University of from top left) static image, conventional CT scan, smeared image of mouse in Glasgow organ function. These isotopes, motion, and motion-corrected image. IMAGE: JEFFERSON LAB radioactive versions of compounds involved in metabolic processes, interest. PET scans measure gamma collide and annihilate electrons in are injected into the body and con- ray photons that are produced when tissue. Because the compounds are centrate in tumors or organs of positrons emitted by the isotope chosen to bind to specific biomol- For Chair-Elect, Nominating Committee ecules, the bright 3D gamma ray images indicate biological activity. Bill Halperin Maria Spiropulu Lecoq is on a quest to further Northwestern California Institute University of Technology improve PET scanners as part of a team at CERN developing tech- nology that would increase scan sensitivity by a factor of 200. A
Voting ends July 31, 2019 go.aps.org/generalelection BIOIMAGING CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 Revised 06/10/19 2 • June 2019
COMPASS Points to Effective Mentoring Practices THIS MONTH IN BY LEAH POFFENBERGER Physics History rom April 25 to 27, physics to consider industry options when and chemistry faculty came guiding students towards future F together for a workshop careers. Physics education researcher aimed at improving career men- and Rutgers University professor June 15, 2013: Death of Kenneth Wilson toring for students in the physical Geraldine Cochran presented on sciences. APS, the American culturally-aware mentoring to hase transitions can be found in almost Chemical Society (ACS), and the address equity and inclusion within every aspect of our daily lives, perhaps Research Corporation for Science the physical sciences. P something as simple as ice melting or Advancement (RCSA)’s Cottrell Other speakers and the par- water boiling. But physicists had long puzzled Scholars Collaborative joined ticipating Cottrell Scholars at the over how to calculate the behavior of a system forces for the event, hosted at the COMPASS workshop (sites.trinity. at the critical point in detail until a man named American Center for Physics (ACP) edu/compass/2019-workshop) Kenneth Geddes Wilson created a powerful in College Park, Maryland. challenged attendees to research general theory that could do just that. The Career and Occupational the current professional develop- Born on June 8, 1936, Wilson was the son of a Mentoring for the Professional ment opportunities available to prominent Harvard University chemist, E. Bright Advancement of Science Students their students and create a plan to Wilson. His mother Emily had studied physics (COMPASS) Faculty Workshop improve these programs at their before her marriage. A precocious child, especially paired up 30 early to mid-career respective universities. in mathematics, the young Wilson used to compute faculty members from institutions APS and ACS provided logistics cube roots while waiting for the school bus. He around the country. In 10 sessions support to the conference by finding was bored by his high school classes and skipped over three days attendees received expert speakers, while APS hosted several grades, entering Harvard College at 16. guidance on career mentoring, pro- the workshop at ACP and funding He majored in math, became a collegiate track Kenneth Geddes Wilson moting professional development, came from RCSA. The workshop and field athlete, and worked at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution during the summers. and changing departmental culture was an effort organized by the He received the 1982 Nobel Prize in physics for this Legend has it that he proved one of Freeman at their respective institutions. Cottrell Scholar Collaborative, a work, with the deceptively simple citation, “for Dyson’s conjectures while waiting around for a Crystal Bailey, APS Head of program instituted by RCSA for his theory for critical phenomena in connection computer to finish processing. Career Programs, spoke at the first early career faculty members in with phase transitions.” Wilson attended Caltech for his graduate session about the importance of chemistry, physics, and astronomy He applied a similar approach to his work on the studies, opting to switch his focus from math being an effective career mentor. She to promote innovation in teaching relatively new discipline of quantum field theory, to physics because of its connection to the real emphasized the need for mentors at a university level. which was plagued by mathematical infinities at world. His father recommended he approach the time. His new technique resolved those issues. either Richard Feynman or Murray Gell-Mann His ideas were also crucial to the development of as a thesis advisor, and Gell-Mann’s work with quantum chromodynamics, notably his inven- Francis Low in 1951 on a mathematical tool tion of lattice gauge theory, imaging space as known as the renormalization group appealed to an interconnected lattice of bars, in which every Wilson. He completed his PhD in 1961 and was a intersection represents a point in spacetime. postdoc at Harvard and at CERN before he joined According to Paul Ginsparg, who was mentored the faculty of Cornell University in 1963, where by Wilson at Cornell, Wilson was far ahead of his he remained for most of his physics career. (His physics colleagues when it came to computing brother David, a molecular biologist, was also a and networks, largely out of frustration. “After Cornell faculty member.) inventing lattice gauge theory in 1974, he found he His wife, Alison—whom he met while folk didn’t have adequate computing power to solve the dancing—once observed that Wilson was “the theory numerically, so he wanted easy ways to use most lacking in small talk of anyone I ever met.” large numbers of parallel processors,” Ginsparg He wanted his words to count. His early publica- wrote in a memoir. Wilson was involved with the tions were also sparse, because of the difficult building of five national scientific supercomputing nature of the problems he chose to wrestle with. centers by the National Science Foundation. In He wanted to develop tools that could be applied 1985, Cornell named him as director for its new broadly to entire classes of problems. “My very Center for Theory and Simulation in Science and strong desire to work in quantum field theory Engineering (now known as the Cornell Theory did not seem likely to lead to quick publications,” Center). he wrote in his Nobel autobiography. “But I had Late in his career, he and Alison moved to Ohio already found out that I seemed to be able to get Physics and chemistry faculty met at the American Center for Physics to attend State University, where she had been hired to run jobs even if I didn’t publish anything so I did not a COMPASS workshop on mentoring. its supercomputer center. (Wilson joked that he was worry about publish or perish.” the “spousal hire.”) There, he turned his efforts Wilson’s experience with the renormalization toward improving education. He was an early group as a graduate student ended up having champion of the “active involvement” approach a profound influence on his work with phase to K-12 science and math education, focusing on transitions and critical points. The variation science by inquiry. “If you want to have an impact of the fundamental properties of particles and on science literacy, you need to rivet your attention forces depended on the scale over which they on the 46 million students in our public schools, were measured, and Wilson realized that this not on graduate students in our universities,” scaling was also crucial for phase transitions. he once said. “And you need to understand the He showed that it was possible to divide the challenges confronting K-12 teachers.” Wilson News and commentary about research from problem up into many smaller, simpler pieces, the APS journals making it possible to describe was happening at the critical point of a system one scale at a time. WILSON CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 Sign up for Alerts: physics.aps.org TM
Series II, Vol. 28, No. 6 June 2019 APS COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES 2019 General Councilors Materials Physics), Baha Balantekin* (Division of © 2019 American Physical Society Bonnie Fleming, Andrea J. Liu*, Nuclear Physics), Elizabeth Simmons (Division of President Vivian F. Incera*, Robin L. B. Selinger Particles and Fields), Stuart Henderson (Division David J. Gross*, Kavli Institute for Theoretical of Physics of Beams), Amitava Bhattacharjee (Di- Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara International Councilors vision of Plasma Physics), Murugappan Muthu- Editor...... David Voss Johanna Stachel, Marta Losada*, kumar (Division of Polymer Physics), Charles H. Staff Science Writer...... Leah Poffenberger President-Elect Ahmadou Wagué*, Enge Wang Bennett (Division of Quantum Information), Noah Philip H. Bucksbaum*, Stanford University and Finkelstein (Forum on Education), Julia Gon- Contributing Correspondent ...... Alaina G. Levine SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Chair, Nominating Committee ski (Forum on Graduate Student Affairs), Virginia Design and Production...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik Larry D. Gladney, Yale University Trimble (Forum on the History of Physics), John Vice President Rumble, Jr.*(Forum on Industrial and Applied Sylvester J. Gates*, Brown Theoretical Physics Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Physics), Emanuela Barzi (Forum on International APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD Center, Brown University James D. Wells, University of Michigan Physics), Pushpa Bhat* (Forum on Physics and So- monthly, except for a combined August-Sep- 20740-3844, Email: [email protected]. ciety), Philip R. Johnson (Mid-Atlantic Section), tember issue, 11 times per year, by the Ameri- Past President Editor in Chief Nora Berrah (New England Section) can Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Col- Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership Roger W. Falcone*, University of California, Michael Thoennessen, Michigan State University lege Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It publication delivered by Periodical Mail Postage Berkeley (on leave) Senior Management Team contains news of the Society and of its Divisions, Paid at College Park, MD and at additional mail- Margaret Bandera, Chief Financial Officer; Mark Topical Groups, Sections, and Forums; advance ing offices. Chief Executive Officer Division, Forum, and Section Councilors Doyle, Chief Information Officer; Kate P. Kirby, information on meetings of the Society; and re- Kate P. Kirby, Harvard Smithsonian (retired) Michael Coleman Miller Division of Astrophys- Chief Executive Officer;Matthew M. Salter, ports to the Society by its committees and task For address changes, please send both the old ( ics), David Schultz (Division of Atomic, Molecular, Publisher; Francis Slakey, Chief Government forces, as well as opinions. and new addresses, and, if possible, include a Speaker of the Council and Optical Physics), William Bialek (Division of Affairs Officer; James W. Taylor, Deputy mailing label from a recent issue. Changes can be John Rumble, Jr.*, R&R Data Services Biological Physics), Robert Continetti (Division of Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer; Letters to the editor are welcomed from the emailed to [email protected]. Postmaster: Chemical Physics), John Bradley Marston* (Di- Michael Thoennessen, Editor in Chief membership. Letters must be signed and should Send address changes to APS News, Membership Treasurer vision of Condensed Matter Physics), Giulia Galli include an address and daytime telephone num- Department, American Physical Society, One James Hollenhorst* Agilent Technologies (Division of Computational Physics), Howard Stone * Voting Members of the APS Board of Directors ber. APS reserves the right to select and to edit Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. , (Division of Fluid Dynamics), Beverly Berger* (Di- for length and clarity. All correspondence re- Corporate Secretary vision of Gravitational Physics), John Fourkas (Di- garding APS News should be directed to: Editor, Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Jeanette Russo, American Physical Society vision of Laser Science), Samuel Bader (Division of June 2019 • 3
John Hopfield and Eli Yablonovitch APRIL MEETING Named Benjamin Franklin Medalists What Next for Gravitational Wave Detection? BY SOPHIA CHEN BY DAVID VOSS
t a ceremony on April 11, ince the day humans first former APS President John directly detected a gravi- J. Hopfield (Princeton S tational wave—September A 14, 2015—Nobel Prizes have been University) and APS Fellow Eli Yablonovitch (University of doled out, the Laser Interferometer California Berkeley) were honored Gravitational-Wave Observatory as 2019 Benjamin Franklin Medal (LIGO) researchers have upgraded awardees. Awarded by The Franklin their detectors twice, and they’ve Institute, the Benjamin Franklin confirmed ten more detections. Medal seeks to recognize excellence The first generation of post- in science and technology. detection physicists has also arrived. Hopfield, professor of molecular “I joined LIGO right after the first biology at Princeton, began his discovery,” says Maya Fishbach, a scientific career as a physicist, John J. Hopfield fourth-year graduate student from obtaining his bachelor’s degree at the University of Chicago, who Swarthmore in 1954 and his PhD presented her research at the APS in solid-state physics at Cornell April Meeting in Denver this year. She remembers another Future facilities will include KAGRA (Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector) University in 1958. He joined Bell in Japan, designed to be the first underground gravitational wave landmark moment—the first Labs after completing his doctoral observatory. IMAGE: ICRR UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO work, and while there, his atten- signals from a neutron star merger tion turned to biology. In the 1970s in August 2017—when she was “still he worked on error correction in a baby grad student.” This event was exciting, but also really exhausting 23, the detectors had already reg- genetics, and in the 1980s began the first in which electromagnetic to work with so many people,” says istered 13 more candidate signals. researching neural networks and observations from radio wave- Fishbach. “I feel like I’ve aged so They are currently confirming the storage of memory in the brain. lengths to gamma rays all came much.” signals and preparing for more Hopfield served as President of together to herald the new era of LIGO, working with its European detections in a year-long observing APS in 2006. multi-messenger astronomy. Now, counterpart, Virgo, has kept up run. His medal citation reads “For researchers can observe electro- the pace of detection, analysis, The confirmed detections so Eli Yablonovitc applying concepts of theoretical magnetic and gravitational waves and scientific debate. The col- far: 10 gravitational waves from physics to provide new insights on in tandem to study astrophysical laboration turned on their three binary black hole mergers and one important biological questions in a Yablonovitch has also co-founded events in richer detail than ever gravitational wave observatories gravitational wave from a binary variety of areas, including neurosci- a number of companies in optical before [see Physics 10, 114 (2017)]. for a third observing run on April neutron star merger. The candidate ence and genetics, with significant technology and was named an APS Coordinating largely online, 1. Prior to this, they’d improved the signals include 10 possible black hole impact on machine learning, an fellow in 1990. the thousand-person collaboration sensitivity of their detectors—one mergers, two neutron star mergers, area of computer science.” His medal citation reads “For sprinted to publish around a dozen in Livingston, Louisiana, one in Yablonovitch, professor of elec- widely-used scientific improve- papers in the month following the Hanford, Washington, and one near trical engineering at Berkeley, is ments to radio- and light-based neutron star merger. “It’s really Pisa, Italy—by 40 percent. By May LIGO CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 widely known for his work in optics technologies in wireless com- and lasers. He obtained his Bachelor munications and solar energy of Science from McGill University applications.” The latest awards were in Montreal in 1967 and his PhD MARCH MEETING at Harvard in 1972. While at Bell announced in December 2018 by The Laboratories in the 1970s, he was Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Cell-sized Robots Start to Explore the Microscopic World which began awarding the Franklin a pioneer in the field of photonic BY LEAH POFFENBERGER crystals—structured materials Medal in 1915, renamed the Benjamin Franklin Medal in 1998. that exhibit photonic bandgaps. obots have been created scope slide—is the equivalent of In addition, he has made a number to explore the remote and a person walking 10 kilometers. of key contributions in solar cell For more on the awards, visit fi.edu/ harsh environments of the Future versions will harbor silicon and semiconductor laser research. awards. R deep sea and the surface of Mars. sensors for projects like mapping Now, Marc Miskin and his col- the brain or delivering drugs inside leagues at Cornell have developed the body. WILSON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 tiny robots that can explore new Fortunately, manufacturing each environments closer to home, robot doesn’t require a microscopic died on Jun 15, 2013, just one week indispensable wisdom. Few ideas including the human body, at the assembly line: Using nanofabrica- after turning 77, from complications have changed physics so much.” fundamental scale of biology—the tion techniques, the components for associated with lymphoma. Further Reading: cell. the robots are etched onto a 4-inch “Wilson’s great legacy is that we Cardy, John. (8 August 2013). "The These cell-sized robots at their silicon wafer. One wafer can yield now regard nearly every quantum Legacy of Ken Wilson". Journal of largest are the width of a human up to a million individual robots. field theory as an effective field Statistical Mechanics: Theory and hair but come equipped with an “They cost less than a cent each, Experiment. 2013: P10002. theory,” Caltech physicist John arsenal of microelectronics for so unlike a macroscopic robot, Preskill wrote when news broke Kadanoff, Leo P. (29 Jun 2013). "Kenneth moving around and sensing their these robots are disposable,” says Geddes Wilson, 1936-2013, An of Wilson’s passing. “We don’t environment—and each one costs Miskin. “They’re like medicine or demand or expect that the theory Appreciation". Journal of Statistical Robots no bigger than a biological Mechanics: Theory and Experiment. less than a cent. Miskin, now an like microorganisms. You can throw will continue working at arbitrarily cell are taking baby steps. IMAGE: 2013: P10016 associate professor at the University any individual robot away. And most short distances. At some stage it MARC MISKIN Wilson, K. (1971) “Renormalization of Pennsylvania, presented results importantly, all of this functionality will break down and be replaced Group and Critical Phenomena. of his post-doctoral research is not at some arbitrary length by a more fundamental descrip- II: Phase-Space Cell Analysis of involving the creation of these scale, but at the fundamental size tiny robots inside the body is still tion. More than anyone else, we Critical Behavior, “ Physical Review tiny tools at the 2019 APS March of biology, the size of the cell.” a challenge, since the robots are have Ken Wilson to thank for this B 4(9): 3184. Meeting in Boston. Thanks to their small size and powered by light. If the robots are “There’s this alien, bizarre tough constitutions, these robots more than a millimeter deep in universe that we know exists in are incredibly robust, allowing tissue, they lose their power source. drops of water and blood and all them to be injected into new and As a result, Miskin and his col- over, but we can’t participate in sometimes corrosive environ- leagues are working on alternative it—we have to just watch it,” said ments—including the body. Miskin methods of powering the robots, Miskin. “What I love about this is currently working on providing such as magnetic fields. research is that we are building these robots with ways to sense These robots could have other things can now go into that world, their environment, like voltmeters uses outside of biology too: Miskin is explore, perform tasks, move things and thermometers, and ways for the also interested in seeing how these around, and you can do this with robots to report back information robots could be used in conjunc- precision that is accorded to you about their world. tion with chemistry and material by robotics.” “One of the applications we growth. Another of his colleagues Miskin’s microbots incorporate like most is neural recording and is working on ways to use these photovoltaics for power and can recording what’s going on inside tiny robots to scrub out poisons move around thanks to nanometer- the body,” said Miskin. “Let’s say from lithum ion batteries to extend thick legs built into the body that you want to measure what's going battery life. activate in response to laser light. on with someone’s spinal cord—you “The big advantage here is if The legs are small in comparison don’t want to be poking around in they’re manufacturable and they’re to the size of the robotic body, there. It might be nicer to inject cheap, they’re like a chemical,” said but the bots can scoot an impres- robots in your body and have them Miskin. “And then you can start to sive distance: The longest recorded crawl over to that location.” treat them that way and really push excursion—the length of a micro- Figuring out how to control these the edge of the envelope.” 4 • June 2019 LETTERS FYI: SCIENCE POLICY NEWS FROM AIP Members may submit letters to [email protected]. APS reserves the right to select letters and edit for length and clarity. Congress Bolstering Its Access to S&T Expertise BY JONATHAN BEHRENS
Harassment in Physics ongress has faced increasing House Democrats that the further pressure, from inside and step of restoring OTA is warranted. Blatant sexism in any profes- long career as a national laboratory C out, to improve its ability Whether the Republican-controlled sional area does expose an unhappy scientist, I personally saw many to act on matters in which science Senate will support the proposal deficiency in the human condi- contrary and very constructive and technology (S&T) play a critical remains to be seen. tion. Although scientists are mere examples. Hopefully, subsequent role. To meet the demand, the House GAO expanding S&T assessment mortals, we in the APS should expect articles will expose the more Appropriations Committee recently team a higher ethical standard from our positive interactions that current advanced legislation that would Following the dissolution of OTA, members. I can only hope that the and future female scientists had provide $6 million to reestablish GAO became a newly important is a high priority for the agency. small statistical sample presented with their mentors. the Office of Technology Assessment source of S&T advice to Congress Acknowledging the options before in the April 2019 Back Page feature (OTA), a research group that and has undertaken technology Congress at a recent budget hearing, is an aberration and not the norm. Robert G. Lanier provided S&T advice to Congress assessments in addition to its usual he remarked, “I know there’s been As a PhD student and through a Danville, California before it was defunded in 1995. audits of federal S&T programs. a debate in the past about whether Meanwhile, the Government Earlier this year, GAO created to reinstate OTA or provide more Accountability Office (GAO) is cur- a new Science, Technology resources to GAO. I’m here to assure rently increasing its S&T analysis Assessment, and Analytics (STAA) you that we’re prepared, if you capabilities in response to separate team that consolidated its S&T- decide to go that way, to handle legislation enacted last year. The author of “Yes, Sexual “In pursuing a career in physics, related activities, and last month those additional responsibilities.” That legislation also asked the Harassment Still Drives Women you are deluding yourself.” Pretty it released a plan for expanding OTA advocates seek Congressional Research Service Out of Physics” (APS News, May heavy stuff! the unit. GAO intends to increase ‘anticipatory’ advice (CRS) to commission a study of 2019) presents a convincing case But not sexist. I am male, always the STAA staff from 49 to 70 by Congress established OTA in 1974 other ways Congress could augment that the pervasiveness and inap- have been—and a white male, at this October and have up to 140 to serve as a source of nonpartisan its advice channels, including by propriateness of harassment of that. The prof just didn’t like me. I employees in subsequent years, S&T expertise. The office had about reestablishing OTA. women is a blight on our profes- completed his class, but chose for a depending on the level of demand 150 staff and an annual budget of While the CRS study has not yet sion, and needs to be addressed thesis advisor a different professor from Congress. been released, the new legislation more seriously. Of the three types who saw promise in me. Years later, The head of GAO, Gene Dodaro, reflects the conviction of some of this unwelcome behavior cited in I received from the APS the Tom has said expanding the STAA team S&T CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 the study, the first—“sexist gender W. Bonner Prize for “outstanding harassment,” including disparaging experimental research in nuclear remarks such as, “Women cannot physics.” So there is likely a component do physics”—was mentioned by Signal Boost is a monthly email video newsletter alerting APS of that 91.3% that has naught to do 91.3% of women reporting some members to policy issues and identifying opportunities to get with sexism. If you are a woman form of sexual harassment. involved. Past issues are available at go.aps.org/2nr298D. Join experiencing such treatment, This being the largest com- Our Mailing List: visit the sign-up page at go.aps.org/2nqGtJP. consider that possibility. In any plaint by far, compels me to give case, don’t let it derail your plans. an example that may subject that If you know in your bones that 91.3% figure to reconsideration. physics is your destiny, make it so. When I was graduate student, my male nuclear physics professor in Michael Moe Goldwater Foundation Names its 2019 Scholars the privacy of his office said to me, Rancho Santa Fe, California BY PHOEBE SHARP
he Goldwater Scholarship was established in 1986 to T honor the late Senator Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), who served the Thank you for publishing sort of behavior happens at the United States for 56 years in the the April 2019 Back Page article APS meetings I attend; and I hope military and the Senate. Since “Impressions from the DNP Fall that raising the awareness of these 1989, the Goldwater Foundation Meeting.” I know APS could be issues will result in improvements has awarded 8,628 scholarships concerned about publishing these over the long term. So again, thank to promising college sophomores sorts of negative reports, but I think you for the courage to publish this. and juniors for a grand total of the benefit of articles like this is $68 million invested in these indi- quite substantial. I’m not a member Eric Weeks viduals’ futures. Haley Bowden Jonathan Lu Chris Moore Atlanta, Georgia of DNP but I can easily imagine this To be a Goldwater Scholar, a student must be ranked among the Since high school, Bowden has when preparing the application. best and brightest future scientists. known physics was her passion. Reactions from those not in physics All are ambitious and determined, Participating in the Science can be beneficial as well, since the and their research is expected to Olympiad for K-12 students, she technical aspects of the application have a lasting impact in the sci- enjoyed the physics portion of the need to be understood by those entific community. competitions so much she would in other fields. She had a better This year, 496 scholarships were study the subject even after the understanding of how to improve given to college students nominated event. her application in the second try, by 443 academic institutions in Given her background, Bowden and it paid off. all fields. Most of these students had no trouble completing the Nick Alward-Saxon is a staff are majoring in natural science, research portion of the Goldwater member at UCSB who helps students together with 74 engineering application. Involved in research for applying to national awards and majors and 62 mathematics and most of her summers, she partici- coordinates their nominations. computer science majors. This year, pated in Eureka, a program at the “Haley’s application stood out both the Foundation chose 84 awardees Center for Science and Engineering in that her project PI had given in physics and astronomy. Partnership at the University of her significant independence as a Receiving a Goldwater California, Santa Barbara. She member of the research team and Scholarship shows these students’ went on to UC LEADS, a network that she had thrived in that context commitment to research and for students that offered men- and achieved results,” he said. leadership in their fields. The toring from UC professors as well Alward-Saxon added that three scholarship application requires as paid summer research experi- important points of a Goldwater excellent written communication ences. From there, Bowden landed application are independence skills, many hours of effort, and in Guruswamy’s group. in research, development and diverse scientific research expe- Bowden credits her support use of problem-solving skills in riences. Three of the individuals network for her success. Her mom, a addressing challenges, and an awarded this prestigious scholar- woman in STEM herself, encouraged ability to think creatively and ship are featured below. her to “embrace math and science.” investigate alternative approaches. Haley Bowden Her professors and department Bowden looks forward to Haley Bowden, a junior at the pushed her to explore a variety of conducting research on galaxy University of California-Santa physics topics. formation in her doctoral work Barbara (UCSB), learned about the This is not the first year Bowden and continuing on to academia. Goldwater Scholarship through the applied to the Goldwater, however. encouragement of her academic Her most important advice was to advisor, Sathya Guruswamy. ask professors to provide feedback SCHOLARS CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 June 2019 • 5
APRIL MEETING SCHOLARS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
RMP Celebrates 90th Anniversary Jonathan Lu For the Goldwater application, becoming a leader within his SPS Jonathan Lu, a sophomore- Acree said the Foundation wants “to chapter. at Plenary Session equivalent at the University of North see that the person is a team player For networking, Moore credits Texas (UNT), has no shortage of and can contribute to society,” two the Lunchbox Seminars sponsored n April 16, three dis- research experience. Starting at characteristics which Lu possesses. by SPS for exposing him to cutting tinguished researchers the age of 13, Lu began developing Lu struggled with condensing his edge research in the physics com- spoke at a plenary session O his research skills, and he now aspirations into the word limit set munity. This seminar series hosts a marking the 90th anniversary of contributes to three different labs by the application, but it helped wide range of colloquium speakers the founding of the APS journal all centered around biophysics and him more concisely explain his from all fields of physics. In these Reviews of Modern Physics (RMP). The material science. goal. Acree recommends getting a settings, students are able to com- session was chaired by RMP Lead Lu says he is driven by three wide variety of research experience municate directly with leading Editor Randall Kamien (University goals: expanding his intellect, when applying to the Goldwater scientists, Moore said. He noted of Pennsylvania) and covered making practical contributions Scholarship. that it’s also a great opportunity advances in laser-based particle to human life and health, and Lu hopes to get a PhD in bio- for practicing his elevator pitch, accelerators, the search for dark exploring his passions. With those physics with a concentration in a useful tool when working to matter, and the astrophysics of aims in mind, Lu hopes to advance materials science. “support the intersection of science black holes. the science that supports medicine. and policy.” Wim Leemans (DESY) discussed Wim Leemans Chris Moore One of his research projects Drive was the third key to progress in building a new gen- Chris Moore, a physics and was developing materials to repair Moore’s success. Physics majors eration of particle accelerators in astronomy major at the University broken bones in the lab of Nahendra have to be highly motivated, and which electrons surf on plasma of Washington (UW), comes to Dahotre. An important goal was to receiving a Goldwater Scholarship waves created by intense lasers. the Goldwater Scholarship with a keep the patient in mind by short- was a national recognition of The technology has the potential diverse background. For nine years ening healing times or reducing Moore’s effort. He started in cos- for accelerating particles along prior to college, Moore served as a pain. Lu’s ability to zoom out of the mology but moved to condensed tens of centimeters to energies U.S. Navy SEAL. Rising through the immediate research task at hand matter physics and now studies that would require conventional ranks to become an instructor, he to see the bigger picture explains the dynamics of nitrogen vacancy accelerators that are hundreds of knew he wanted to study science his success when moving between centers in diamond. Moore is going meters long. after his service, and physics was research projects. the perfect fit. to an REU (Research Experiences Elena Aprile (Columbia William Acree, a chemistry pro- Serving in the Navy gave Moore for Undergraduates) program at University) reviewed the status fessor at UNT, has worked with Lu a head-start in many of the skills MIT this summer. of experimental searches for dark on simulating reactions between that physics departments want their When considering his next steps matter in underground laborato- organic solutes and finding safer students to graduate with: leader- after the Navy, he knew he wanted ries. Although there have been no Elena Aprile solvents for industry. Acree said he ship, networking, and ambition. to “continue having a positive confirmed signs of dark matter was impressed with Lu’s research “Leadership is difficult to foster, impact.” Moore plans to get a PhD to date, the highest sensitivities experience. Having published three and something you have to learn,” in condensed matter physics. to date have been achieved with papers and with others in the works, he said. Coming to UW with well- direct detection schemes based Lu can, “go from one project to developed leadership skills naturally The author is the Education and on interactions in large volumes another pretty quickly,” without led him to the Society of Physics Diversity Programs Coordinator at of liquid xenon. losing sight of his other projects. Students (SPS), and eventually to APS. Andrea Ghez (UCLA) talked about the center of the Milky Way, which is known to contain a supermassive black hole thanks to more than a decade of observations with high resolution ground-based telescopes.
BIOIMAGING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Videos of all three presentations are available on the APS YouTube chan- nel: youtube.com/apsphysics. Andrea Ghez more sensitive scan produces a technologies in order to speed up which is important in studies better image, but also improves this process. [CERN] decided to set wherein anesthesia may impact the practicality and applications up a challenge, the so-called 10 the results. of the PET scan; greater sensitivity picosecond challenge,” said Lecoq. “We came up with a method in means a patient can be subjected “The idea is to have the maximum which you can track the motion to a lower dose of radiation, which number of people working in this of the mouse, and then use that allows more frequent, more com- field, in order to speed up this devel- information to computationally prehensive, or much gentler scans. opment and to eventually reach reconstruct what the uptake dis- “PET is the imaging modality this very ambitious target of 10 tribution [of a radioisotope] looks that has the highest sensitivity, picoseconds…Our idea is to make like,” said Weisenberger. however there are a number of possible the impossible.” This computational movement medical challenges that we have Weisenberger, a leader of the correction is also being used in a to face which require further nuclear research group at Jefferson hand-held gamma ray camera so increasing the PET sensitivity,” Lab, shared new ways radioiso- that surgeons can identify specific said Lecoq at a press conference at topic imaging can be harnessed. locations of tumors or diseased the meeting. “There is more and Researchers at Jefferson Lab have lymph nodes. This device is cur- more need for the ability to track a created new ways to use PET and rently undergoing clinical trials smaller number of cells, especially SPECT (single photo emission and should prevent unnecessary in the study of stem cells, and most computed tomography) for imaging removal of healthy portions of the Fundamental Physics importantly to allow a reduction of plants, unanesthetized animals, lymphatic system. the dose in PET scans, which opens and tumors during surgery and “In breast cancer surgery, the PET scans to new categories of improving mammography. Innovation surgeons are interested in which patients including pregnant women, “We take a radioisotope and lymph glands are involved in the AWARDS children, and even fetuses.” it’s attached to a molecule that tumor that’s in the breast—the To reach this improved sensi- has some feature or some function whole lymphatic system is your tivity involves improving the timing within the body, which is the bio- LECTURESHIP AWARDS second circulatory system,” said Supports visits that enable seminars and resolution—the PET scan equivalent logical function of interest—these Weisenberger. “In the past they exchanges of ideas to increasing the shutter speed on a tiny molecules can be injected in used to remove all the glands that camera, leading to crisper images. vivo into biological systems such are near [the tumor], but that was VISITOR AWARDS When a photon pair is emitted as people, animals, plants or certainly overkill. By using a radio- Supports extended visits between researchers during a scan, each traveling in microbes,” said Weisenberger. “It’s to learn, develop, and share techniques or isotope, they’re actually able to scientific approaches opposite directions, they reach the very similar to what biologists have figure out where it actually will be detectors at roughly the same time, been doing for years with looking absorbed into the lymph nodes.” CONVENING AWARDS but the tiny differences in their at features on a cell…we’re using Supports scientific meetings to generate or times of flight hold information radioisotopes like a stain to make Weisenberger’s group has also build on ideas within the community about where they were emitted. visible features in the body that worked on developing a compact camera for breast imaging that can Learn more: Current state of the art PET scans we're interested in following.” go.aps.org/apsmoore have time-of-flight (TOF) resolu- In collaboration with Duke provide a detailed scan of even very tions around 200 picoseconds, but University, Weisenberger’s group dense breast tissue using a new type Lecoq is part of an ambitious effort at Jefferson Lab has developed a of collimator made up of tungsten to achieve a 10 picosecond TOFPET plant imaging technique they call plates that slide to provide precise scanner. Creating new metamate- PhytoPET that uses a radioisotope of direction of gamma rays. rials to act as improved scintillators carbon dioxide to visualize photo- “Just doing basic nuclear physics Read online in a PET scan would be a big step synthesis in a live plant. They have research creates an environment in towards reaching this goal. also worked with Johns Hopkins which we can then look for other aps.org/apsnews “We believe that this 10 pico- University to develop a method applications and discoveries that second target will be achievable of imaging unanesthetized live are uses just outside of nuclear because of a number of emerging animals in motion with SPECT, physics,” said Weisenberger. 6 • June 2019
ADVOCACY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 support the next generation of science students and researchers, then we can’t expect our fields to grow and flourish. Organizations like APS are instrumental in pro- viding a platform for scientists to be heard.” “I am proud that I was able to work with other physicists to encourage our government to make smart investments in graduate education,” Sanchez said. “The scientific advancements made by Roger Falcone Laura Greene Justin Powell Shua Sanchez Don Q. Lamb academic research is dependent on a government that values science and scientists, and it’s important that we get out of our labs once in a while to meet with our represen- tatives and make positive change in society.” Don Q. Lamb, professor emeritus in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago, wrote about the impor- tance of making the F-1 visa “dual intent,” enabling international students to simultaneously study Sarit Dhar Kristan Corwin Julia Phillips Eliot Kapit Ivan Deutsch and apply for citizenship in the United States. of science and technology research a co-author of an op-ed outlining the office of Senator Cory Gardner surprise. I never expected that the “I was surprised and honored to meet the demands of the socio- recommendations in the report, (R-CO) to ensure that key language small part I played in working with to receive the award. Receiving economic and security needs of our “Neutrons for the Nation,” a study was included in the National the American Physical Society to it means a great deal because country’s future.” by the APS Panel on Public Affairs. Quantum Initiative Act (NQI), which get the National Quantum Initiative addressing important issues that Kristan Corwin, former physics In addition, she participated in key was signed into law by President ‘right’ would be directly recog- involve science is something I care professor at Kansas State University, meetings to promote the report. Trump last year. nized. I was doing what I thought deeply about. Members of APS and was elated to be honored for her “I was so surprised and honored,” “I’m very honored to receive was necessary to ensure that the the APS Office of Government advocacy roles as a participant in said Phillips. “I do things because the award! I was happy to help the NQI would best benefit all of the Affairs make a great team in advo- the APS Congressional Visits Day I think they are important, and the APS work with Senator Gardner's physics community. I know that cating for policies the APS thinks and author of an op-ed on the link recognition is an unexpected but office (which was very receptive there are many others who have are important.” between science and the workforce. much-appreciated bonus.” and helpful) to ensure that the been tireless in their efforts and to Scientists have an important role “I very much enjoyed my visit to As for why Phillips believes National Quantum Initiative Act whom we owe a debt of gratitude.” to play in advocating on science Capitol Hill with fellow physicists to advocacy is important, she said: was properly structured to best Science policy is important, policy issues, explained Lamb. explain the importance of certain “Neal Lane, President Clinton’s fund quantum technology research he added, because “as we all see, “The challenges involving key issues to the offices of both my science advisor, spoke frequently without cutting support for other science is becoming increasingly science that the U.S. and the senators and my congressman at and eloquently about the need areas,” said Kapit. politicized. Only scientists can world face seem greater than ever. the time. The conversations were for all of us to be ‘citizen scien- He added, “I think science provide the necessary perspective Scientists have a special under- both challenging and stimulating, tists.’ By that, he meant that we policy advocacy is vital, because, to policymakers to ensure that key standing of these challenges. I feel and I would encourage others to all need to engage with the public almost definitionally, new research goals of discovery and innovation we, therefore, have a responsi- participate in Capitol Hill visits,” and policymakers in constructive is strange and complex, and its are carried out in a way that benefits all of society.” bility to share our knowledge and she said. “Afterward, I prepared an ways – both talking about our work purpose and importance are gen- Francis Slakey, APS chief gov- our judgment about policies and op-ed on the importance of edu- and its importance, and really lis- erally not at all obvious to people ernment affairs officer, said the address them with the public and cating new scientists from a young tening to hear the questions and without advanced degrees or award recipients were excellent key decision makers.” age, and I very much appreciate concerns of those who come from training. So, if we as physicists partners with APS OGA in advo- Sarit Dhar, associate professor the help and support I was given different backgrounds. Neal’s call don’t make the effort to explain in cating for key science policy issues. of physics at Auburn University, by my colleagues at Kansas State to action really resonated with me, plain English what we’re doing and “The 5 Sigma Physicist awardees also wrote an op-ed on the F-1 University and APS in navigating and I have long tried to engage with why it’s interesting and valuable, are representative of the best in visa issue. that process.” policymakers and the public to then we can’t expect anyone to science, and we are thankful that “I am extremely delighted and Corwin added, “I have recently explain what my colleagues and I care, much less want to support they volunteered their time and honored,” he said about receiving become a federal employee, with less do, and why they should care about our work.” expertise to advance science policy the 5 Sigma Physicist Award. opportunity for advocacy. However, it. Engaging with non-scientists is Ivan Deutsch, a physics and goals. We congratulate them on On the importance of science I encourage APS members to contact a great opportunity to think about astronomy professor at the a job well done and look forward policy advocacy, he said, “I believe their elected representatives and what we all do in a new way and to University of New Mexico, also to working with them and many having formal pathways for take advantage of the opportunities share the beauty, excitement and played a role in ensuring that the other APS members in the future,” dialogue between the scientific for advocacy available to them.” impact of our work.” language in the NQI was appropriate said Slakey. community and policymakers is Julia Phillips, retired vice presi- Eliot Kapit, associate professor by meeting with staffers in the crucially important for prioritizing dent and chief technology officer at at the Colorado School of Mines, office of Senator Tom Udall (D-NM). The author is APS Senior Press resource allocation and directions Sandia National Laboratories, was met with the science staffer from “Honestly, it was an amazing Secretary.
S&T CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 PhysTEC $22 million when it was defunded in picked up the mantle and recently opments and their public policy 1995 as part of the new Republican partnered with Rep. Mark Takano implications that was formerly e es or roposa s majority’s broad spending cuts. At (D-CA) to build support. provided by OTA. While the GAO has its height, OTA released around 50 In an op-ed on May 1, Takano increased its technology assessment reports annually on a variety of and freshman Rep. Sean Casten activities attempting to fill that gap, topics, such as the effectiveness (D-IL) laid out a new case for OTA, the structure and culture of GAO ro ng n ng o e p p s s of energy research programs, the arguing that neither GAO nor CRS somewhat constrain its ability to ea er prep progra s r e. feasibility of President Reagan’s could fill OTA’s shoes. “In the eco- replicate OTA.” missile defense initiative, and policy system of congressional support options for addressing climate agencies CRS summarizes, GAO change. evaluates, and the OTA anticipates,” The author is a Science Policy Analyst Deadline: September 27 The latest efforts in the House to they wrote. with FYI. revive OTA build on two decades of Budget documentation released p s e .org/r p attempts. In the 2000s, Rep. Rush by the House Appropriations FYI has been a trusted source of Holt (D-NJ), a physicist who now Committee echoes the sentiment science policy and funding news heads the American Association for that OTA would play a unique role. since 1989, and is read by members the Advancement of Science, was It states, “Congress does not have of Congress and their staff, federal a leading advocate for restoring adequate resources available for agency heads, journalists, and US the office. Since then, Rep. Bill the in-depth, high level analysis scientific leaders. Sign up for free Foster (D-IL), another physicist, has of fast-breaking technology devel- FYI emails at aip.org/fyi. June 2019 • 7
FELLOWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 LIGO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
BSU has a legacy of being a support from their university, Parks and one neutron star merging with accompany black hole mergers, exist. Consequently, it is unclear teacher’s college, which has helped and Gardner will create materials a black hole. The researchers have which are the most commonly how a stellar black hole might them to become the largest producer to publicize certification opportu- moved away from their previous detected gravitational wave signals. become supermassive. of teachers in Massachusetts, nities to students in physics and mode of secrecy. They now imme- At the April meeting, Fishbach pre- The data can also reveal more graduating over 400 students astronomy and work closely with diately release public alerts when sented a method to calculate the about the life and death of stars. that enter the teaching profes- NYS Department of Education to they pick up interesting signals, Hubble constant without optical “I have a colleague who likes to sion each year. Most recently, the streamline course requirements which guides their collaborators at data, with the intent of applying refer to this as black hole pale- undergraduate science programs for these certifications. conventional telescopes to look for this method to black hole mergers. ontology,” says Berry. “Just how were revised due to receiving the UTRGV is a PhysTEC member potential accompanying electro- In this method, they identify a paleontologists try to figure out NSF STEP grant, which seeks to and a Hispanic-serving institution magnetic signals. The community volume of space where the signal how dinosaurs lived by looking at increase the number of students whose mission statement expresses has split in two directions: those came from and calculate the Hubble their bones, we’re trying to figure receiving degrees in STEM fields. the goal of creating an environment who work on detection, and those constant from all the galaxies in out how massive stars lived by PhysTEC Fellows Jeff Williams, of student success and community who sift through the data for new that volume of space. This method looking at their remnants, black Allison Daubert, Tom King, and engagement by creating an inno- astrophysics, says Fishbach. isn’t as precise as using an optical holes and neutron stars.” Steve Krajeski want to couple this vative and accessible educational Working in the second camp, counterpart, but could be used as Gravitational waves from black initiative with PhysTEC to increase environment. PhysTEC Fellows Fishbach uses gravitational wave a backup plan for calculating the hole mergers can reveal a lot about interest in STEM education and in Liang Zeng and Nicolas Pereyra will data to study cosmology. Among Hubble constant, says Fishbach. the objects involved. Theoretically, physics teaching education at BSU look to harness the ideals of this the biggest mysteries is the value Researchers are also using gravi- all you need to know to fully char- by exploring new avenues of col- mission by enhancing the adver- of the Hubble constant, a number tational waves to better understand acterize a black hole are its mass, laboration between departments tisement of physics teaching as a that describes the rate at which the black holes. LIGO’s detectors are angular momentum, and electric and the use of learning assistants career among physics majors and universe is expanding. Cosmologists sensitive to stellar mass black charge. And because physical black as peer tutors for their introductory by collaborating with the University have calculated the Hubble constant holes up to 100 times the mass holes are all neutrally charged, physics courses. Learning Center Director to imple- using two independent methods, but of the sun—and quite efficient at really all researchers need to A key mission of Clemson ment a learning assistant program. the answers disagree by about four finding them, too, compared to find out are its mass and angular University is to engage its students The University of Washington standard deviations. One method, X-ray telescope efforts since the momentum. in teaching and public service. Bothell is known for its student using localized measurements of 1970s. If you count both black holes The gravitational wave signal is PhysTEC Fellows Sean Brittain experience grounded in hands-on supernovae, has delivered Hubble in each merger, “we’re now at the particularly helpful in elucidating and Chad Sosolik look to use this learning, close relationships with constant values around 74.03±1.42 point where we’ve discovered as the black holes’ mass, as well as commitment and the strength of faculty as teachers and mentors, kilometers per second per mega- many [stellar mass black holes] with its angular momentum (although Clemson being a flagship institution and personalized support from parsec, while the other method, gravitational waves as we have with with less certainty). Researchers in the state with a stable, growing staff who are dedicated to student based on cosmic microwave back- X-rays,” says Christopher Berry of determine the black holes’ mass number of physics majors to further success. PhysTEC Fellows Rachel ground observations, delivers values Northwestern University. and angular momentum by fitting align the Department of Physics and Scherr, Carrie Tzou, Paola Rodriguez of around 67.4±0.5. Studying stellar-mass black the gravitational wave to model Astronomy with teacher education. Hidalgo, and Joy Shapiro Key hope The LIGO collaboration re-cal- holes could help them understand waveforms. They will do this by implementing to leverage these ideals into creating culated the Hubble constant from larger black holes, including the LIGO and Virgo are hoping for a learning assistant program. These an atmosphere of sustainability the binary neutron star merger data behemoth recently imaged by the a Japan-based detector, called learning assistants will be used for physics teacher education. To [Nature 551, 85 (2017)]. Using data Event Horizon Telescope, M87, KAGRA, to join the network before to facilitate small group discus- accomplish this, they will collabo- from just that one event, they were which is 6.5 billion times the mass the third observing run ends. LIGO sion, guide work in lab sections and rate with the university in designing able to calculate the Hubble constant of the sun (see box below). “One of is also planning to build another facilitate group discussion during a course on teaching physics to to about 15 percent precision. In the biggest questions in astrophysics observatory in India, to turn online lectures. In addition, Brittain and meet discipline-specific pedagogy 2018, Fishbach and two colleagues right now is, where do supermassive in the mid-2020s. Further ahead, Sosolik will continue to look for requirements; assist it in obtaining estimated they can calculate the black holes come from?” says Berry. the European Space Agency plans ways to utilize Clemson’s existing state approval of a teacher certi- Hubble constant to a precision of One hypothesis is that they form to launch the Laser Interferometer connections with neighboring South fication program; and work with approximately two percent within from small black holes merging Space Antenna (LISA) in 2034, Carolina school districts. other departments to ensure that five years and approximately one together. But astronomers have only which should detect gravitational In recent years, the Department state competency requirements percent within a decade [Nature observed either black holes five to waves of low frequencies that are of Physics and Astronomy at Colgate are being met. 562, 545 (2018)]. At that precision, fifty times the mass of the sun, or undetectable on Earth due to noise. University has experienced strong More about PhysTEC and its gravitational waves could offer supermassive black holes, which are “I’m definitely excited for the era growth, nearly doubling the average special initiatives, including the a third independent method for hundreds of thousands to billions where we have hundreds of [detec- number of graduates. PhysTEC PhysTEC Fellows program, is avail- resolving the conflicting values. of times more massive than the tions],” says Fishbach. “We’ll be Fellows Beth Parks and Meg Gardner able online at phystec.org. LIGO needed an optical counter- sun. “We’ve not seen anything in able to do so much science.” look to use this growth to produce part to the gravitational wave signal between,” says Berry. It’s unclear physics teachers in the state of New to calculate the Hubble constant. why these intermediate-scale black The author is a freelance science York, where it is projected that The author is Senior Program However, optical events do not holes are so rare, or if they even writer based in Tucson, Arizona. by 2022 there will be an overall Coordinator in the APS Department shortage of 10,000 teachers. With of Education and Diversity. First Black Hole Image: In A Nutshell Now open for BY SOPHIA CHEN submissions
n April 10, 2019, the vector points into the page at an PHYSICAL Event Horizon Telescope angle of 17 degrees, counterclock- O collaboration (eventhori- wise. That is, the black hole rotates zontelescope.org) released the in the clockwise direction. The REVIEW first direct image of a black hole. researchers infer its orientation The picture spread across online from the position of a jet that and print media, even making it appears in X-ray images of the RESEARCH to the front page of The New York area and from models they have Times. At the APS April Meeting built and tested. in Denver, two members of the Notable features: The light A new open access journal in the Physical Review family collaboration, Shep Doeleman comes from gas, predominantly (Harvard University) and Avery hydrogen, which orbits the black Portrait of a black hole. IMAGE: EHT Broderick (University of Waterloo), hole and emits radio waves. The used two different astrophysical sat down with APS News to explain bright ring of light is the so-called models to fill in the missing pixels. their iconic photograph. The fol- photon orbit, where gravity is They compared the three different lowing is a summary of the key so strong that it bends light in Welcoming the Full Spectrum of Research images and found that they agreed facts and figures. closed paths around the black hole. to a high statistical threshold. Physical Review Research is a multidisciplinary, international Date Recorded: April 2017 Researchers refer to the boundary Ultimately, this image is a com- journal covering all research topics of interest to the physics Location: The center of the between the ring of light and the posite of the three efforts. community. The open access publishing model supports galaxy Messier 87 in the constel- interior darkness the black hole’s the aim of the journal—to broadly disseminate high-quality lation Virgo shadow. “It’s the telltale signa- Why does it look like a donut? research from all of physics, the physical sciences and Distance: 55 million light years ture of the event horizon,” says The gas is actually evenly dis- interdisciplinary areas to a global audience. Our goal is to from Earth Doeleman. tributed around the black hole. But initiate conversations across traditional boundaries, invite Mass: 6.5 billion solar masses Image Processing: The raw its emitted light is distorted from potential new collaborations, and enable future discoveries. Number of Observing Facilities: telescope data is missing parts gravitational lensing effects. One Eight observatories on four of the image and requires image predominant effect is so-called continents reconstruction to fill in the gaps. relativistic beaming, or Doppler Sign Up for Alerts journals.aps.org/prresearch Number of People Involved: The researchers reconstructed the boosting, which causes light 200+ image in three parallel efforts, moving toward Earth to appear Wavelength: 1.3 millimeters says Broderick. One team filled brighter and makes the donut (230 GHz) in the missing parts with math- brighter on one side. Orientation: The image shows ematical algorithms, for example, Published by the American Physical Society @PhysRevResearch the black hole almost directly that assume the image comes from The author is a freelance writer in face-on: its angular momentum point sources. The two other teams Tucson, Arizona. 8 • June 2019 THE BACK PAGE
The Workshop and the World BY ROBERT P. CREASE
But it’s real for us! trates in detail that science deniers are adopting the “ethics It’s real for us! of conviction” as opposed to the “ethics of responsibility.” Doesn’t matter what the muggles say, Another strategy is to tell parables. A parable, like an It’s real for us! Aesop’s fable, is a real or fictional story with a built-in, —Lauren Fairweather easily graspable lesson. Most people learn more easily through stories than data. Jaws and Enemy of the People, which expose the all-too-rational calculus of science denial, our hundred years ago, Francis Bacon had a terrific are good examples. We need twenty-first-century Aesops to idea. Let’s stop learning about nature accidentally. tell more dramatic stories of what happens when we wish Each country needs to establish laboratories for F away sharks. people to investigate nature systematically. The labs can Did you hear the one about the person who was convinced, collaborate, and countries can use the findings to govern not altogether wrongly, that the medical establishment was better. This will make human life, and the fortunes of the corrupt, and decided he was the only person who could fix countries, flourish. Inspired by this vision, various nations it? “Make America Healthy Again!” was his slogan. His began to train and support science, and have now built up campaign to be the next person in charge succeeded. His what is in effect a global scientific workshop. solution was to get rid of medical and lab tests, destroy What went wrong? In the past few years in particular, thermometers for taking temperature and stethoscopes more blatantly than ever, politicians and others are confident for detecting heartbeat. The people ended up worse off but they can ignore the findings of the workshop. happier, convinced they were in good hands. Lauren Fairweather’s song “It’s Real for Us” is about Yet another strategy is to prosecute science deniers. how a young person’s love for the magical world of Harry In 2015, US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island Potter helps her cope with a world she finds difficult and proposed that organizations bankrolling campaigns of alien. Substituting magic for what’s real sometimes helps climate science disinformation should be investigated for individuals pursue their desires and dreams. Turn this racketeering, a fraudulent activity that includes conspiracy upside down, however, and you get the current science denial to deceive the public about such things as risk. Such laws worldview of many politicians, though without Fairweather’s have been successfully used to prosecute tobacco companies self-conscious irony. Whether they actually believe in the “Why is this person comfortable?” IMAGE: DELICIA KAMINS for misleading the public about hazards. What’s the differ- magical world or are spinning things to get votes does not ence between endangering the public by hiding evidence matter; what matters is that their substitution of myths and that smoking is hazardous, and endangering the public by cherry-picked or fake facts works for them and their voters. decision-making be guided by facts rather than ideology concealing evidence of climate change? The crime is like Denouncing, conducting exposés, and doing epistemology or financial interest.” That’s reasonable and open-ended, shouting “Stay put! Everything’s OK!” in a burning store so have little effect. Denouncing science denial leaves intact because those who let gut instinct, ideology, class, or personal that people carry on shopping. Is this a dampening of free the social and political atmosphere that fosters it. Exposés interest determine how the world works do not act in the speech? Or is being misleading and deceptive about serious are ignorable and can be portrayed as tainted. Conducting public and national interest. hazards a crime? epistemology, proclaiming something like “Science works!” Another tactic is to show how science deniers betray the Such short-term tactics can discourage lazy and ideological and showering people with facts and data about how great very values they profess. Galileo was a master at this, citing thinking, curb the human appetite for fake assertions, and science is, preaches to the converted and comes off as aloof church authorities and doctrine in defense of his work. The entice citizens to look past private interests and to regain an and abstract. One has to start by understanding what makes point of the Bible, he said, is “to teach us how one goes to appreciation for the natural world. They increase damaging the social and political atmosphere in which science denial heaven, not how heaven goes!” consequences for magical thinking in an environment that takes place flourish, and what can be done about it. A modern-day Galileo on Fox News might say something like, “The Founding Fathers taught us how to create legisla- encourages it. These tactics will not eradicate science denial, tion, not to legislate Creation!” but doing all of them all the time may help discourage poli- Here’s an even more incendiary comparison: Science- ticians who practice it from getting elected. “Most people learn more easily through denying politicians are like the Islamic State militants who More long-term strategies are also needed to fight stories than data. Jaws and Enemy of the bulldoze archaeological treasures and smash statues. Both science denial. By far the most important one is to tell the believe that they are motivated by higher authority and story of how we got into this situation. The early promoters People, which expose the all-too-rational that mainstream culture threatens their beliefs, and want of science, including Bacon, Galileo, Descartes and others, calculus of science denial, are good to damage the means by which that mainstream culture also encountered science denial, and had to forge ways of countering it. Most instances of science denial are simply examples. We need twenty-first-century survives and flourishes. If anything, the ISIS militants are more honest, for they openly admit that their motive recycled versions of what they encountered, and we can Aesops to tell more dramatic stories of is faith and ideology while Washington’s cultural vandals learn much from how they responded. Furthermore, science denial arose because of the way our traditions developed. what happens when we wish away sharks.” do not. It’s disingenuous, prevents honest discussion of the issues, and falsely discredits and damages American We didn’t get in this position from out of nowhere, but only institutions. Is comparing science-denying politicians to thanks to how our traditions developed. Only by reviewing ISIS militants really over-the-top? When the North Carolina how the authority of the scientific workshop was promoted, Some of the features that make science work are that it state legislators forbade incorporating scientific findings defended, came under attack, and responded can we have is a collective enterprise, technical and abstract, fallible, into state policies by state law, it damaged the ability of the an idea of how to go forward today. affects nature, can be passed on without reflection, and has state’s officials to protect its coastline, its resources, and social consequences. But these features can also provide a its citizens; it prevented other officials from fulfilling their veneer of legitimacy to those who want to deny scientific duty to advise and protect innocent citizens against threats The author is chairman of the findings. That it’s a collective means it can potentially to life and property. At debates and press conferences, such Department of Philosophy at promote disguised interests and amount to a “hoax.” That politicians should be asked: “Explain the moral difference Stony Brook, and former chair it’s technical and abstract can invite reactions like “I am not between ISIS militants who attack cultural treasures and of the APS Forum for History a scientist.” That it’s fallible can appear to make it reason- politicians who attack the scientific process.” How they of Physics. He has written, able to say “The jury is still out.” That it affects nature can respond will reveal much about their values and integrity. translated, or edited over a prompt fears of producing Frankensteins. That its tools can Another tactic is to use comedy and ridicule. Comedians dozen books on history and be easily passed on invites taking them for granted. That have an ability to cut to the chase in a way that speaks truth philosophy of science. Crease is it has social consequences, sometimes threatening deeply to power, having a license to be inappropriate. A Doonesbury Co-Editor-in-Chief of Physics held beliefs, can make it seem to threaten human values. cartoon strip once featured an “honest” science denier in Perspective, and writes Fighting science denial is a bit like reducing crime, in that interviewed on a radio talk show. “I don’t oppose sound a monthly column, “Critical it requires both short-term tactics and long-term strategies, climate policy because it’s flawed,” he says. “I oppose it Point,” for Physics World magazine, on the philosophy the former inhibiting it without significantly changing the because I care much more about my short-term economic and history of science. His arti- world in which it happens, the latter trying to remove the interests than the future of the damn planet. Hello?” Humor cles and reviews have appeared conditions that foster it. contributes to what the American philosopher C. S. Peirce in the Atlantic Monthly, New One short-term tactic might be demanding that poli- called “the social impulse” that disrupts “tenacity,” or the York Times, Wall Street ticians make pro-science pledges, or explain why they urge to cling to select beliefs, by drawing listeners into a Journal, Newsday and elsewhere. This article is adapted from will not. Consider this: “I pledge to defend and maintain wider and wilder space in which the presence of more factors his most recent book, The Workshop and the World (W. W. the scientific infrastructure of the country, and to let my comes into play. In Max Weber’s terms, such humor illus- Norton and Company, 2019).
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