INSIDE March 2002 Prizes and Volume 11, No. 3 Awards NEWS Insert A Publication of The American Physical Society http://www.aps.org/apsnews

Physicists Descend on the “Indy City” Don’t Lose Your Marbles for 2002 APS March Meeting first-class hotels, as well May 2001] There will also be nu- as many new restau- merous sessions on topics in applied rants in all price ranges. physics, such as complex “small Concentrating as world” networks, the future of in- usual on condensed formation technology, science matter and materials policy, international cooperation, physics, this year’s array climate change mitigation, and sci- of technical sessions will ence education. A sampling of include such topics as session highlights is below. The com- Approximately 5,000 physicists superconductors, proteins, conju- plete program epitome and will descend on Indianapolis this gated polymers, nanoclusters, abstracts can be found online at

month for the annual APS March semiconductors, multiferroics and http:\\www.aps.org, under meetings. Photo courtesy of Ed Lee/APS Meeting, the largest conference magnetoresistive oxides, among oth- Here Charles De Leone, Ray Conser, and Melissa Hamilton are engineering an sponsored by the Society. The APS ers. There will also be five sessions “Smart Paint” and Cellular aluminum foil boat to hold as many marbles as possible. They performed this last visited the city for its April and more than 70 papers devoted Sensors activity as part of the APS-sponsored Lead-Scientist Institute, held in Washing- meeting in 1996, and since then to the latest research results on mag- Revolutionary advances in ton, DC from January 5 through January 9 of this year. This institute brought Indianapolis has undergone a sig- nesium diboride, a newly discovered microfabrication and bioengineering together 47 scientists and teachers to learn the basics of systemic science educa- nificant revitalization campaign superconductor treated at length at are beginning to undercut some tion reform in grades K-8. It was the final event in the eight-year run of the that has resulted in a vibrant down- last year’s March meeting in a mam- long- standing scientific assumptions Teacher Scientist Alliance project, funded by the Campaign for Physics and town, including an expanded moth all night session dubbed about constructing and program- directed by Ted Schultz. See APS News, November 2001; http://www.aps.org/ apsnews/1101/110112.html convention center, several new, “Woodstock II.” [See APS NEWS, See MARCH MEETING on page 3 Australian David Harris is Lower Funding Shocks Education Advocates New Media Relations Head by Richard M. Todaro The decision by House and Sen- program. Like its more generalized progress in math and science edu- As part of its continued effort ate conferees last December to predecessor, the Eisenhower Pro- cation may be jeopardized. “I’m to communicate physics research fund a newly-established program fessional Development program, very worried that the $12.5 mil- to the general public, the APS has to improve the quality of math and the new Math and Science Part- lion in this year’s appropriations appointed David Harris to be the science education in elementary nerships program is the main will put an end to the strides we new Head of Media Relations. and secondary schools at just 5% vehicle by which the federal De- have made in the past decade in The media relations position of the amount spent last year by partment of Education provides the area of teacher improvement,” was first created on the recom- Congress for such improvements money – either directly to nation- said Fred Stein, APS director of mendation of the APS Task Force has been greeted with surprised wide pilot programs or through education and outreach. on Informing the Public in 1999. disappointment from math and grants to individual state pro- In addition, advocates were dis- Randy Atkins, now at the National science education advocates. But grams – to improve the quality of appointed because the amount Academy of Engineering, held the the head of one of the advocacy math and science education. Such appropriated accounted for less position from 1999 to 2001. Photo courtesy of Alan Chodos/APS groups said he plans to work with improvements are made chiefly than 3% of the $450 million au- Harris began his career as a a coalition of business, profes- through teacher training programs thorized for math and science physicist before “crossing over to the dark side” of journalism and sional, and education groups for that are designed to improve the education improvements under media relations. He earned his BSc with first class honors and the full funding of the new program in knowledge and skills of teachers the provisions of the Elementary University Medal (summa cum laude) in theoretical physics from the the years to come. in math and science. and Secondary Education Act Australian National University in 1994. After completing a graduate On December 18, 2001, House Advocates of such improve- (ESEA). diploma in scientific communication (ANU), he went on to graduate and Senate members of the appro- ments were surprised and “It was certainly not what we studies in theory of Bose-Einstein condensation and quantum infor- priations committee overseeing disappointed by the amount the wanted or hoped we might get,” mation theory at the University of Queensland. fiscal year 2002 funding for the conferees approved because it was said Jack Hehn, director of educa- Since 1997, Harris has presented a weekly science radio program Departments of Labor, Health and just 5% of the $250 million spent tion for the American Institute of for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation including a popular ques- Human Services, and Education by Congress in fiscal year 2001 for Physics. tion and answer component in which listeners would attempt to stump appropriated $12.5 million for the such improvements. They ex- J. Patrick White is the execu- See MEDIA RELATIONS on page 7 Math and Science Partnerships pressed concern that recent tive director of the Triangle Coalition for Science and Tech- HEPAP Presents Final Long Range nology Education (TCSTE), a HHighlights Washington DC-based non-profit HH organization that supports math, Planning Report to DOE, NSF science, and technology educa- by Richard M. Todaro tion at the kindergarten through 4 12th grade levels. “I was disap- The advisory panel on high en- ment released on the day of the con- as a roadmap that prioritizes what pointed that it wasn’t funded at a ergy physics presented its long ference. the panel feels are the most im- higher level, but I was glad to see range planning report to the fed- The High Energy Physics Advi- portant projects for the that there was strong support for professional development,” he eral government on January 28th sory Panel (HEPAP) presented to international high energy physics Zero Gravity at a conference in Washington, DC the US Department of Energy community. Fun with Schroedinger’s Cat said, referring to the $2.85 bil- The report urged that the US (DOE) and the National Science Fred Gilman, chair of HEPAP lion authorized by the conferees should host the next-generation Foundation (NSF) the plans for a and a physicist at Carnegie for a component of ESEA called electron-positron linear collider variety of large and small scale Mellon, said that high energy the Teacher Quality Grant pro- that many in the particle physics projects in the area of high energy physics research is at the brink 8 gram. This program is designed community view as the linchpin to physics research envisioned over of an “extraordinary” period of The Back to improve teacher quality in the next 20 years of high energy the next 20 years. Written by the discovery that will answer some Page: John many different areas, including Marburger on potentially in math and science physics research. The two leading HEPAP Subpanel on Long Range of the most fundamental and Science and particle physics groups within the Planning for US High Energy Phys- profound questions about the the War on education, through an assort- APS echoed this sentiment in a state- ics, the report is designed to serve See LONG-RANGE on page 7 Terrorism See EDUCATION, on page 3 2 March 2002 NEWS

This Month in Physics History Circa March 1935: Schroedinger’s Paradoxical Cat “The earth is not a great clock. ✶✶✶ It’s a good clock, but atomic stan- “I had become head of physics Austrian born theoretical spectra; in addition, he indulged dards are much better.” at 35, and the thought of 20 more nide is released and the cat will physicist Erwin Schroedinger in physiological studies of colour. — Len Cutler, Agilent Technologies, years was not appealing. I asked the live. The radioactive atom obeys made profound contributions His great discovery, Schroedinger’s New York Times, January 17, 2002 vice-chancellor if I could switch my the rules of quantum mechan- to quantum theory with the for- wave equation, was made during ✶✶✶ research to improving teaching and ics, and since its state is mulation of the wave equation the first half of 1926, as a result of “. . . literally bolted to the side of learning in universities and he indeterminate until measured by that bears his name. But ironi- his dissatisfaction with the quan- the telescope, so when the tele- agreed. It kept me young. I’d always an outside observer, opening the cally, his most famous work is tum condition in the Bohr’s theory scope moves, the laser goes with been interested in teaching and re- box and observing the atom in- a 1935 thought experiment of the atom and his belief that you. You create your own reference search. In the 1960s I belonged to side instantly determines the that has piqued the interest of atomic spectra should really be de- star.” a physics group who were writing status of the cat. The belea- philosophers and appalled cat termined by some kind of —Deanna Pennington, Lawrence quite a lot about teaching. I had guered feline is neither alive nor lovers ever since: the paradox eigenvalue problem. For this work Livermore National Laboratory, on certainly reflected on how ortho- dead until the radioactive atom of Schroedinger’s cat. how adaptive optics can improve dox methods did not work.” is measured by an observer. So Schroedinger was born in imaging, Los Angeles Times, January —Lewis Elton, University College during the period before the lid 1887 in Vienna, Austria, the son 28, 2002 London, The Times Education is open, the cat exists in two su- ✶✶✶ of the owner of a small linoleum perposed states: both dead and Supplement, January 4, 2002 Collection. on “The Cardassians are aliens in factory. He was schooled at home alive. until he was 10, at which time he Star Trek whose ambition is to take “People hear ‘nuclear’ and While the thought experiment entered the Akademisches Gym- over the world as quickly as pos- ‘power’ and they think ‘fission’. is impossible to carry out for a nasium, quickly demonstrating sible, i.e., accelerated expansion. That’s not what we are doing — we number of reasons – including superior proficiency in physics The new Cardassian term to us are not splitting uranium.” the fact that the quantum prop- and mathematics. A former looks alien and generates acceler- —James P. Blanchard, University of erties of a system tend to wash

classmate recalls that the young Sim Francis Archives, Visual Segre ilio ated expansion.” Wisconsin, on making micro- and out in an object made of many Schroedinger comprehended —Katherine Freese, University of nano- nuclear batteries, New York atoms and molecules, such as a material presented during class Michigan, explaining how the uni- Times, January 10, 2002 cat – the basic underlying prin- so well that immediately follow- ciples were finally experimentally verse is expanding, Dallas Morning ✶✶✶ Em AIP courtesy on, ing the lecture, he was able to go News, January 28, 2002 “With all my respect to Evgeny- demonstrated just a few years to the blackboard and begin solv- ✶✶✶ san, our ceramics is better and we ago. In 1996, four researchers ing problems with playful facility. “We might even be able to see got 8.79% of the weight reduction. at the National Institute of Stan-

He graduated in 1906 and en- Sim Francis by Photo Hawking radiation with the naked Our programme of research has dards and Technology (NIST) in tered the University of Vienna, eye” already shown much better effi- Boulder, CO, carried out the where he studied theoretical he shared with Dirac the Nobel —Fulvio Melia, University of Ari- ciency.” “Schroedinger’s Cat” test using physics. He was awarded his Prize in 1933. zona, on constructing a desktop —Takashi Nakamura, Tokyo Insti- not a live feline, but a positively doctorate in 1910 with a disser- In was early in 1935 that model of a black hole, Nature Sci- tute of Technology, on his claims to charged ion (i.e., a “cation”) of tation on the conduction of Schroedinger began to develop the ence Update, January 24, 2002 verify the Podkletnov effect, New beryllium. electricity on the surface of in- concepts underlying his famous fe- ✶✶✶ Scientist, January 12, 2002 The group confined a “These are phenomenal tem- ✶✶✶ sulators in moist air. line paradox, with the first of a charged beryllium atom into a After a brief stint of voluntary three-part essay published in the peratures, yet they are being “Where are all these zillions of tiny electromagnetic cage, then military service, Schroedinger was spring. It contained a pivotal achieved only one metre from the states hiding in a black hole ? It is cooled it with a laser to its low- appointed to an assistantship at thought experiment to illustrate wall of the device.” quite literally incomprehensible.” est energy state so that its Vienna in experimental physics, one of the predominant contradic- —Edward Doyle, UCLA, on reduc- —Emil Mottola, Los Alamos Na- position and spin could be de- where he worked on radioactiv- tions between quantum theory and ing turbulence in super-heated tional Laboratory, on why termined to a very high degree ity, proving the statistical nature our experiences in reality: put a plasmas inside a tokomak, The Irish gravastars make more sense than of accuracy. The workers then of radioactive decay. He later cited cat inside a box, add a container Times, January 24, 2002 black holes, New Scientist, January stimulated the atom with a laser his experimental work as an in- of poison gas, which is activated ✶✶✶ 19, 2002 such that it now had a 50% prob- “Africa has an enormous reser- ✶✶✶ valuable asset to his theoretical by the decay of a radioactive atom, ability of being in a “spin up” state work. His academic career was and close the box. Schroedinger voir of brains, and physics always “The uranium deal is the only in its initial position, and an equal interrupted briefly by the out- used the analogy to demonstrate needs bright, excited people. With thing that stands between anarchy probability of being in a “spin break of World War I, but he the limitations of quantum me- the right encouragement anyone and stability in the Russian nuclear down” state in a position about made substantial contributions to chanics: quantum particles such as can participate in physical science, weapon complex.” 80 nm away. In effect, the atom color theory and published his atoms can be in two or more dif- and you need one bright genera- —Thomas L. Neff, MIT, on the sale was in two different places, as first results on quantum theory ferent quantum states at the same tion to change the state of science of Russian enriched uranium to the well as two different spin states, in 1917. time, but surely, he argued, a clas- on the continent.’’ US, Los Angeles Times, quoted in at the same time — the atomic Schroedinger then became sical object made of a large number —David Gross, UC Santa Barbara, The Moscow Times, January 21, equivalent of having a cat both chair of theoretical physics at the of atoms, such as a cat, should not Cape Argus News, January 31, 2002 2002 living and dead. The clinching ✶✶✶ ✶✶✶ University of Zurich, which is be in two different states. evidence was their observation where he made his most impor- The radioactive atom has a 50% “They’re a three-dimensional “It didn’t explain everything. But of an interference pattern, a tell- tant contributions. His papers at probability of decaying within one phenomenon and the tissue of you don’t expect that on the first tale sign that a single beryllium that time dealt with specific hour, and if this occurs, the vial of chicken cells is essentially two-di- try.” atom produced two distinct wave heats of solids, with problems of cyanide will be broken and the cat mensional,” —Mark Shegelski, University of functions that interfered with thermodynamics, and of atomic will be killed; if not, then no cya- — Mark L. Spano, Naval Northern British Columbia, on at- each other. Surface Warfare Center, on tempts to understand the motion of modeling electrical human heart stones in the sport of curling, Salt irregularities, Toronto Star, Lake City Tribune, January 24, 2002. February 1, 2002 See IN THE MEDIA on page 4

Series II, Vol. 11, No. 3 One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, Past-President Bunny C. Clark (Nuclear), Sally Dawson, Peter Meyers March 2002 [email protected]. George H. Trilling*, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Particles & Fields), Stephen Holmes (Physics of NEWS ©2002 The American Physical Society For Nonmembers—Circulation and Fulfillment Beams), Richard Hazeltine (Plasma), Kannan Division, American Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 General Councillors Jagannathan, (New England), Joe Hamilton (Southeast Huntington Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. Jonathan A. Bagger, Philip Bucksbaum*, L. Craig Davis, Stuart Section) Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Allow at least 6 weeks advance notice. For address Freedman*, Frances Houle, Leon Lederman*, Gerald Mahan, changes, please send both the old and new addresses, Margaret Murnane*, Cherry Ann Murray, Philip Phillips*, ADVISORS Editor ...... Alan Chodos and, if possible, include a mailing label from a recent Jin-Joo Song, James Trefil Representatives from Other Societies Associate Editor ...... Jennifer Ouellette issue. Requests from subscribers for missing issues will Special Publications Manager ...... Elizabeth Buchan-Higgins be honored without charge only if received within 6 International Councillor Christopher J. Chiaverina, AAPT; Marc Brodsky, AIP months of the issue’s actual date of publication. Periodical T. Maurice Rice Design and Production ...... Stephanie Jankowski International Advisors Forefronts Editor ...... Neville Connell Postage Paid at College Park, MD and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS News, Chair, Nominating Committee Michael Thewalt, Canadian Association of Physicists, Proofreaders ...... Ken Cole, Edward Lee and Sue Otwell Membership Department, American Physical Society, Susan Nan Coppersmith Gerardo C. Puente, Mexican Physical Society APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X News should be directed to: Editor, APS News, One One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. yearly, monthly, except the August/September issue, Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20749-3844, E-mail: Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Staff Representatives by the American Physical Society, One Physics [email protected]. APS COUNCIL 2002 James C. H. Tsang Alan Chodos, Associate Executive Officer; Irving Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209- President Lerch, Director of International Affairs; Fredrick 3200. It contains news of the Society and of its Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership William F. Brinkman*, Bell Labs-Lucent Technologies (retired) Division, Forum and Section Councillors Stein, Director of Education and Outreach; Robert Divisions, Topical Groups, Sections and Forums; publication delivered by Periodical Mail. Members President-Elect Harold Metcalf (Atomic, Molecular & Optical), Robert L. Park, Director, Public Information; Michael Lubell, advance information on meetings of the Society; residing abroad may receive airfreight delivery for a fee Myriam P. Sarachik*, City College of New York - CUNY Eisenberg (Biological), Sylvia Ceyer (Chemical), E. Dan Director, Public Affairs; Stanley Brown, Editorial and reports to the Society by its committees and of $15. Nonmembers: Subscription rates are: domestic Vice-President Dahlberg*, Allen Goldman* (Condensed Matter Physics), Director; Charles Muller, Director, Journal task forces, as well as opinions. $105; Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and Helen Quinn*, Stanford University (SLAC) Steven White (Computational), Jerry Gollub* (Fluid Operations; Robert Kelly, Director of Journal Caribbean $105; Air Freight Europe, Asia, Africa and Executive Officer Dynamics), Peter Zimmerman (Forum on Education), Gloria Information Systems; Michael Stephens, Controller Letters to the editor are welcomed from the Oceania $120. Judy R. Franz*, University of Alabama, Huntsville (on leave) Lubkin (Forum on History of Physics), Stuart Wolf (Forum and Assistant Treasurer membership. Letters must be signed and should Treasurer on Industrial and Applied Physics), James Vary (Forum on Administrator for Governing Committees include an address and daytime telephone number. Subscription orders, renewals and address changes Thomas McIlrath*, University of Maryland (emeritus) International Physics), Ed Gerjuoy (Forum on Physics and Ken Cole The APS reserves the right to select and to edit for should be addressed as follows: For APS Members— Editor-in-Chief Society), Timothy P. Lodge, (Polymer Physics), W. Carl length or clarity. All correspondence regarding APS Membership Department, American Physical Society, Martin Blume*, Brookhaven National Laboratory (emeritus) Lineberger (Laser Science), G. Slade Cargill, III (Materials), * Members of the APS Executive Board NEWS March 2002 3

APS Goes Global with Two International Conferences The APS is continuing its tradi- (ICMP) will be held April 8-10 in the conference will help establish the support of a favorable interna- ence topic in orderto work around tion of fostering international Havana, Cuba, one of several work- a robust international support net- tional climate as well as national and US embargo policies, and a second exchanges between physicists by shops and symposia organized as work that will help boost the international networking.” similar conference on physics edu- helping to put together two upcom- part of the Cuban Physical Society’s systemic change needed and re- According to APS Director of In- cation is planned for 2003. ing conferences this spring. The ninth annual symposium. duce the sense of isolation often ternational Scientific Affairs Irving The ICMP conference’s techni- first International Conference on The IUPAP conference will felt by individual women physicists. Lerch, the ICMP conference is the cal program will feature sessions on Women in Physics (IUPAP) is spon- bring together physicists — mostly, “We expect the conference to latest in a series of APS efforts to nuclear medicine as well as therapy. sored by the International Union but not exclusively, women — to increase the awareness of the need expand interaction with the physics The latter will cover such topics as of Pure and Applied Physics review data on women in physics, for more women in physics, to im- community in Cuba, despite strict new developments in radiation on- (IUPAP), and will be held March 7- discuss barriers, share success sto- prove the understanding of the US embargos on travel to the coun- cology, advances in applied 9 at UNESCO’s headquarters in ries, suggest ways to improve problem through a comparative try. [The Society has hosted radiology, and advances in applied Paris, France. It is intended to ex- participation globally, and help de- analysis of the causes, and to iden- representatives of the Cuban Physi- radiobiology. In addition, there will plore the severe under velop appropriate strategies to tify possible corrective measures cal Society at past meetings,] be four sessions on special focus representation of women in phys- improve the status of women in that will be effective in different Contrary to what some may believe, topics, including teaching and edu- ics in Europe and elsewhere in the physics in their home countries. regions of the world,” says Judy Cuba has a thriving scientific com- cation of medical physicists, world and to develop strategies and Teams of at least three people from Franz, APS Executive Officer and munity, with about 200 PhD radiological protection of patients, actions to increase their participa- each of 65 countries will be par- Associate Secretary-General of physicists, many working in univer- laser physics and biomedical phys- tion. And an International ticipating, with a total of about 300 IUPAP. “Existing and future local sity research environments. Medical ics, and future directions of medical Conference on Medical Physics attendees expected. It is hoped that initiatives will gain strength from physics was chosen as the confer- physics.

MARCH MEETING, from page 1 EDUCATION, from page 1 ming computers. MEMS components silicon based quantum computing, emissions control and physics ap- of the existence of researchers like ment of professional develop- are becoming less expensive, such and whether our thoughts may one plied to oil and gas exploration. Michael Schreckenberg of Germany’s ment programs. that it may soon be possible to com- day control machines through corti- [Session L7, Wednesday, March 20] University of Duisberg, who special- TCSTE is comprised of about bine logic circuits, microsensors, cal prosthetics that could extract and izes in the physics of transport and 100 component organizations, actuators, and communications de- utilize motor and sensory commands. It’s a “Small World” After All traffic. Over the last decade, the in- and brings together businesses, vices integrated on the same chip to According to DARPA’s Alan Rudolph, Life is the most complex physical vestigation of the complex behavior professional societies, and edu- produce particles that could be mixed these commands have already been system in the universe, exhibiting an of traffic dynamics has become an cation groups. Among businesses with bulk materials, such as paints, shown to drive a peripheral device extraordinary diversity of form and active field of interdisciplinary re- are AT&T, Dow Chemical, gels and concrete. “Imagine coating in the control of a robotic arm. function over a broad range of size search, due in part to an influx of DuPont, Ford Motor, Texas In- bridges or buildings with smart paint [Session M2, Wednesday, March 20] scales, and yet many of its most experimental data from sensor mea- struments, and Verizon. The that can sense and report on traffic fundamental and complex surements, as well as improved organization is part of a much and wind loads and monitor struc- Sweet Smell of Success phenomena scale with size in a modeling techniques from statistical larger group, called the K-12 Sci- tural integrity of the bridge,” says Basic physics research has surprisingly simple fashion. physics. The detailed knowledge of ence, Mathematics, Engineering, MIT’s Gerald Sussman, one of the fea- yielded numerous breakthrough “Regardless of size, almost all life is traffic dynamics is not only of scien- and Technology (SMET) Educa- tured speakers in a session on the technologies that have revolution- sustained, and ultimately constrained, tific interest, it is necessary for tion Coalition, which has been the future of information technology. ized the modern world around the by fractal like hierarchical branching practical applications. With the help major player in the extensive ef- And thanks to the astounding globe and provided substantial eco- networks, optimized by the forces of online data from measurements forts that were carried out this progress in understanding the bio- nomic benefit in the process. of natural selection,” says Geoffrey of flows and speeds, it is possible to past year to boost funding for chemical mechanisms in individual Speakers at a Wednesday morning West of Los Alamos National construct a complete picture of the math and science education. cells, it may soon be possible to con- session will describe several ex- Laboratory, who will lead off a session actual traffic state with real time simu- struct digital logic circuits out of cells amples of such industrial success on complex real world networks with lations, according to Schreckenberg, that function as sensors and actua- stories. For example, the Global a description of his quantitative and a reliable traffic forecast should Improvements are tors as programmable delivery Positioning System (GPS) has given unified theory explaining the origin be possible, although the impact of made chiefly vehicles for pharmaceuticals and as rise to host of commercial con- of universal scaling. driver reaction on the forecast re- through teacher chemical factories for the assembly sumer applications that generate He will be joined by Luis Nunes mains unclear. training programs of nanoscale structures. billions of dollars each year, and is Amaral of Boston University, who [Session U7, Thursday, March 21] Paul Horn of IBM’s TJ Watson Re- changing the way we determine has studied the statistical proper- search Center, this year’s recipient of where we are, as well as revolution- ties of a variety of real world, so Putting a New Face on Physics “A large number of people in the APS George Pake Prize, will kick izing many fields of scientific called “small world” networks, in- Roman Czujko, director of the the science and math community, off the session with a discussion of research. Other speakers will dis- cluding the neural networks of C. American Institute of Physics’ Statisti- in particular the K-12 SMET Edu- the role of basic research in the in- cuss the economic impact of liquid Elegans, food webs for seven dis- cal Research Center, will give the latest cation Coalition, worked very hard formation technology industry. Other crystal displays, optical fibers for tinct environments, transportation data on education trends for African for a year to maintain or increase speakers will address the topics of telecommunications, automotive and technological networks, and Americans and Hispanic Americans the emphasis on preparing and numerous social networks. with bachelor’s and PhD degrees. supporting science and math [Session L5, Wednesday, March 20] Czujko will identify the physics de- teachers,” Hehn said. Special Events partments that produce the most such “We are disappointed by the That Darn Carbon degrees and describe the characteris- amount of money in the appro- Awards Program Climate change advocates extol tics that successful departments have priations bill, but we are SUNDAY, MARCH 17 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Management Problems of the Convention Center the virtues of developing alternative in common. He will be joined by encouraged by all the discussions Technical Person in a Leader- energy sources to ultimately replace Fernando Ponce of Arizona State Uni- through the year about science ship Role Welcome Reception fossil fuels. But Princeton University’s versity who will address the and math education and by our (Professional Development 6:15 pm - 7:30 pm Robert Socolaw believes that the glo- integration of hispanics in physics. interactions with the legislators Seminar) Convention Center bal energy system can continue to [Session D4, Monday, March 18] and their staff,” he continued, 8:00 am-1:00 pm Location: 500 Ballroom Location: TBA be dominated by fossil fuels through- emphasizing the work of Rep. out the 21st century without an Communicating with Congress Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Rep. Workshop on Survival Skills TUESDAY, MARCH 19 unacceptable rise in the concentra- Now more than ever, in an uncer- Rush Holt (D-NJ), the only two for Successful Women Panel Discussion with PR/PRL tion of atmospheric CO2. The key lies tain economy and domestic terrorist physicists in Congress. Both Physicists Editors threats, the scientific community 1:30 pm – 6:00 pm 2:00 pm-3:00 pm in capturing and storing a substan- Ehlers and Holt succeeded in get- Capital Ballroom III (Westin Location: TBA tial fraction of the CO2 by-product needs to make itself heard on such ting Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH), the Hotel) of burning fossil fuels, such as in geo- issues as federal funding, climate chair of the House appropriations MGM Award Winners Panel logical formations like deep saline change, and ballistic missile defense. subcommittee, to reiterate on the Career Workshop Discussion/Reception aquifiers. Other speakers include But many physicists have no idea how House floor language that urges 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm 3:30-4:30 pm (Reception 4:30- to get started. Introducing scientists Room 120 5:30 pm) John Stringer of EPRI, who will dis- states receiving money from the cuss carbon management in the to the whys and wherefores of the Teacher Quality program to uti- COM/CSWP Reception Cameral Room, Westin Hotel electric power industry, and Exxon American legislative process is the fo- lize these funds for math and 6:00 pm-8:00 pm Meet the Journal Editors of AIP Mobil’s Brian Flannery, who will ap- cus of a special panel discussion science education improvements. Congress I and II (Westin and APS proach the subject from the featuring Washington insiders who White said a major goal in the Hotel) 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm will present the best techniques for (Location to be announced) perspective of the oil industry. John upcoming year will be to get Turner of the National Renewable communicating with Congress and Math and Science Partnerships MONDAY, MARCH 18 Alumni Reunions Energy Laboratory will close the ses- the Executive Branch. Topics to be funding over the $100 million 5th Annual Run-for-Health 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm sion with a counterpoint discussion discussed include the differences be- mark because that is the level at 6:30 am-7:30 am Location: Westin Hotel of renewable energy technologies. tween the science and policy worlds, which the program transforms (runners assemble at 6:15am how decisions are made in the policy at Convention Center) [Session G7, Tuesday, March 19] from a direct federal one to a WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20 world, and the best way scientists can state-run grant one. “We are CSWP/FIAP Networking Students Lunch with the Trafficking in Complexity provide input for those decisions, as strongly supporting increasing Breakfast Experts Anyone who has ever experi- well as opportunities for the scien- that funding [because] in the 7:00 am-9:00 am 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm enced the frustration of being stuck tific community to participate in [conference report] language, State Room (Westin Hotel) Ballroom 500 in a traffic jam will be pleased to learn Congressional visits. See EDUCATION, on page 7 4 March 2002 NEWS LETTERS

Good Marketing and Self-Delusion Won’t Do A wide variety of articles dis- “successfully” teaching introduc- cussing the relationship between tory Astronomy courses. This The Story of Schroedinger’s Cat (An Epic Poem) the physics community and soci- instructor has received many Editor’s NoteNote: The following paradoxical verse was created by syndicated columnist Cecil Adams [“The ety appear to have similar awards for teaching excellence, and Straight Dope”®] in response to a query from a reader... also written in verse. Reprinted with permission. problems, and the recent article has “high” or “good” student evalu- by Bo Hammer which is summa- ations. Out of over a thousand rized in APS News by this quote: students, not one has gone on to Dear Cecil: Is half a cat breathing and half a cat croaked. “Our challenges are reduced to a take more advanced courses. And To some this may seem a ridiculous split, marketing problem.” is another ex- the instructor is convinced (from his Cecil, you’re my final hope But quantum mechanics must answer, “Tough @#&! ample of this trend. personal experience) that very little Of finding out the true Straight Dope We may not know much, but one thing’s fo’ sho’: The problem is in dealing with true insight was given to students, For I have been reading of Schroedinger’s cat There’s things in the cosmos that we cannot know. facts and perceptions. The percep- and the lasting impact the course But none of my cats are at all like that. Shine light on electrons—you’ll cause them to swerve. tion I have is that countless had on students was nil. Even “great” This unusual animal (so it is said) The act of observing disturbs the observed— thousands of undergraduates take teachers seem to fail routinely. Is simultaneously live and dead! Which ruins your test. But then if there’s no testing a wide variety of courses taught by I believe that many poorly pre- What I don’t understand is just why he To see if a particle’s moving or resting physics faculty. Nearly all of them pared students are forced to take Can’t be one or other, unquestionably. Why try to conjecture? Pure useless endeavor! (to two significant figures, 100%) courses that are poorly taught. This My future now hangs in between eigenstates. We know probability—certainty, never.’ leave the course with a very bad has gone on for decades, and as the In one I’m enlightened, the other I ain’t. The effect of this notion? I very much fear attitude towards the physics com- population of Undergraduates ex- If you understand, Cecil, then show me the way ‘Twill make doubtful all things that were formerly munity. This perception I have is pands, the problem gets worse. More And rescue my psyche from quantum decay. clear. based upon the facts I’ve reviewed and more people, who eventually But if this queer thing has perplexed even you, Till soon the cat doctors will say in reports, concerning course evaluations and vote or run Human Resource Depart- Then I will and won’t see you in Schroedinger’s zoo. “We’ve just flipped a coin and we’ve learned he’s a course enrollment patterns. It is ments or become president of the —Randy F., Chicago corpse.”’ very easy for the community of country, endure this situation, and So saith Herr Erwin. Quoth Albert, “You’re nuts. physics instructors to say that un- blame the “system” in general, and Dear Randy: God doesn’t play dice with the universe, putz. dergraduates aren’t prepared, or the physics community specifically. I’ll prove it!” he said, and the Lord knows he tried— aren’t willing to work, or that bet- This learned disgust with the physics Schroedinger, Erwin! Professor of physics! In vain—until fin’ly he more or less died. ter marketing must be done. It is community is long lasting. I think the Wrote daring equations! Confounded his critics! Win spoke at the funeral: “Listen, dear friends, rather more difficult to critically situation requires more than good (Not bad, eh? Don’t worry. This part of the verse Sweet Al was my buddy. I must make amends. examine your teaching perfor- marketing and self-delusion. The Starts off pretty good, but it gets a lot worse.) Though he doubted my theory, I’ll say of this saint: Win saw that the theory that Newton’d invented Ten-to-one he’s in heaven—but five bucks says he ain’t.” mance and improve it. facts need to be understood first. By Einstein’s discov’ries had been badly dented. —CECIL ADAMS I recently talked with a tenured Russell Youmans What now? wailed his colleagues. Said Erwin, “Don’t professor with a long history of Alexandria, Virginia panic, “Copyright 1984 Chicago Reader, Inc. Reprinted by permission. ‘The Straight Dope by Cecil Adams’ is a registered trademark of Upon Reflection, Spin is not Reversed No grease monkey I, but a quantum mechanic. Consider electrons. Now, these teeny articles the Chicago Reader, Inc. – www.straightdope.com” I enjoyed reading your article on The parity operation corresponds Are sometimes like waves, and then the fall of parity conservation in the to changing the sign of all three sometimes like particles. December 2001 issue of APS (cartesian) space coordinates. Rep- If that’s not confusing, the nuclear dance To Kill a Cat NEWS. However, I must point out resenting space inversion graphically Of electrons and suchlike is governed by that both the Figure inserted at the by simple reflection in a mirror (or chance! lower left of the article and its cap- plane) can, according to the physical No sweat, though—my theory permits us to tion contain a rather fundamental situation and to where one places the judge error, namely, that the direction of mirror, be misleading. By placing the Where some of ‘em is and the rest of ‘em spin is reversed by the parity op- mirror perpendicular to the beta de- was.” eration. This is not correct. The cay axis, instead of parallel to it (as in Not everyone bought this. It threatened to nuclear (or electron) spin, as any the Figure), one would see that the wreck other angular momentum, is a par- axial spin vector is indeed conserved, The comforting linkage of cause and effect. ity-even, time-odd axial vector. It is whereas the linear momentum vec- E’en Einstein had doubts, and so not reversed by the parity opera- tor of the emitted particle is inverted. Schroedinger tried tion. What actually is reversed is Georges H. Wagniere To tell him what quantum mechanics the linear momentum vector of the Zurich, Switzerland implied. emitted beta particle. Said Win to Al, “Brother, suppose we’ve a cat, Extremist Left-Wing Views Corrected And inside a tube we have put that cat at— The statistical distribution of primary custody of the children. Along with a solitaire deck and some Fritos, women, Hispanics, and African Perhaps you, the staff and man- A bottle of Night Train, a couple mosquitoes Americans in physics seems to be a agement of APS News, should (Or something else rhyming) and, oh, if you topic reported on in most issues of re-examine your peculiar, left-wing got ‘em, Schroedinger’s famous quantum paradox has inspired not just APS News. Are your readers sup- extremist point of view. One vial prussic acid, one decaying ottom Or atom—whatever—but when it emits, physicists, but artists, writers, and musicians — there’s even an posed to assume that this “issue” is Jonathan K. Mines a cappella vocal band in Texas that calls itself “Schroedinger’s either a problem or has some rel- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania A trigger device blasts the vial into bits Which snuffs our poor kitty. The odds of Cat” — not to mention a plethora of online “experiments” using evance as anything other than trivia? random number generators, wherein the user can find out for this crime Is this issue analogous to the More on Plurals himself whether the “cat” is “alive” “or dead” by clicking on the Are 50 to 50 per hour each time. dearth of whites in the National Arne Reitan (November 2001 is- appropriate icon to “run” the experiment. One of the best is the The cylinder’s sealed. The hour’s passed Basketball Association and profes- sue) says that the plural of kelvin is “Schroedinger’s Cat Massacre Page,” created by those cheeky away. Is sional boxing? Or is it analogous to kelvin, not kelvins. He mistakenly Brits at Oxford University. The creators claim that Schroedinger’s Our pussy still purring—or pushing up the lack of Jews in law enforce- thinks that the international system theory was more than a mere mental exercise to demonstrate daisies? ment, the ranks of pop, rock, and/ of units implies an international lan- the non-intuitive nature of quantum mechanics. It was also a Now, you’d say the cat either lives or it don’t or rap musicians, and throughout guage with its own grammar. Physics macabre plan to kill a lot of cats, thus supplying the (fictional) But quantum mechanics is stubborn and professional sports? Perhaps it is is international, but the words in family furrier’s shop with handy fresh pelts. To play, see http:// won’t. related to the quotas that used to which it is expressed belong to a lan- users.ox.ac.uk/~jsw/Schroedinger.hmtl. Statistically speaking, the cat (goes the joke), exist at some American universities guage, English, Norwegian, which limited the number of Jews Hindustani, or whatever, and must (including American citizens) who follow the grammar and usage of that were permitted to enroll. language. Agreed, papers in PR and MEDIA, from page 2 Is it related to the fact that not PRL do not always do so, say some “If you compare what the thing “The priority is to get everyone one of the world’s top paid fashion purists. Anyway, in English I write one “They’ve been thinking about looks like and all the numbers, all dancing and celebrate life through models is male? Or the fact that kelvin or 273 kelvins, but in German this a long time. And so, the ques- the numbers match up. To be as dance.” there are more sources of aid from I write ein Kelvin or 273 Kelvin. Note tion is when did they start in earnest careful as possible, it’s either a Scud —Doug Jensen, Fermilab, on the the federal government for female incidentally the capitalizing of nouns to learn how to make a nuclear ex- or someone’s replica of a Scud.” Silk and Thistle Scottish Country entrepreneurs than for male entre- in German! In English, it is 230 volts, plosive?” —David Wright, Union of Con- Dance group, which used to meet preneurs? Does it have something 10 amperes, 55 kilometres, 28 teslas, –David Albright, Institute for Sci- cerned Scientists, on what kind of at Fermilab before increased secu- to do with the fact that most US ...need I go on? ence and International Security, on missiles the Army was planning to test rity in the wake of September 11, high school dropouts are male? Or B.S.Chandrasekhar whether al Qaeda is making nuclear in Alaska, Anchorage Daily News, Chicago Daily Herald, January 24, the fact that in divorce proceed- Groebenzell, Germany weapons, CNN, January 24, 2002. January 24, 2002 2002 ings, fathers are very rarely granted ✶✶✶ ✶✶✶ ✶✶✶ NEWS March 2002 5 The Con-Artist Physics of “Ocean’s Eleven”

Before most moviegoers walk “We have on occasion interfered into the hit comedy “Ocean’s with the sensitive electronics in cam- Eleven,” starring George Clooney eras and computers located in the How Scientists Can Help With K-12 Education and Julia Roberts, they don’t realize same laboratory space,” he says, but that the Las Vegas con-artist caper “to my knowledge we have never by Diandra Leslie-Pelecky contains some physics in its plot. In caused a problem with any electron- the film, eleven con artists employ a ics or electrical system outside the learning.) The teacher of this class Did you know that only 10% of “Project Fulcrum”, which links sci- physics device, called “the pinch,” – accelerator building itself.” interviewed parents of the students Americans can explain what a mol- ence, math and engineering graduate to help them rob a vault containing Instead, the Z mainly produces x and found that one parent was un- ecule is? Fewer than 50% know students with an elementary or rays, which have a der the impression that the visitors that the Earth takes a year to circle middle school for an entire year. [See variety of scientific were the scientists’ wives. If I had the Sun, and only 75% realize that http://www.physics.unl.edu.] uses. The Z pinch executed this project by myself, I the Earth goes around the Sun and I mention this explicitly to em- gets its name from would not even have thought to ask not vice-versa. [The entire ques- phasize that the only way to bring the fact that an ini- the students whether they believed tionnaire from which these data are about long-term change is to in- tial burst of that their visitors were scientists. taken can be found at http:// volve scientists, teachers and electricity creates a Many collaborations are short www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind00, See teacher educators as equal part- magnetic field that especially figure 8-4.] The physics ners. Collaborations are not always circuited by the assumptions sci- © 2001 Warner Bros. compresses or entists have about teachers (and community usually treats these sta- easy. The disparity of cultures and the riches of three casinos. Set off in “pinches” a gas of charged particles vice-versa). Scientists who have vis- tistics as a sad curiosity; however, vocabulary and the stereotypes we the middle of Las Vegas, the pinch along the vertical direction, denoted ited K-12 classrooms sometimes they represent a significant threat hold about each other can get in detonates an intense “electromag- by scientists as the “z” direction. Cre- complain that collaborating with to our future. One need only look netic pulse” that blacks out the city’s ating a bunch of hot, moving charged teachers is impossible because the to one’s elected representatives, power grid for a few moments. particles generates a rainbow spec- teachers ‘don’t know any science’, college presidents and CEOs to re- Collaborations are not As it turns out, some physics trum of intense x-rays, but a feeble ‘aren’t smart enough to learn sci- alize that important decisions labs really do have devices called EMP. always easy. The ence’ or ‘don’t want to teach impacting science often are made “pinches”-the movie’s website touts In the end, nuclear weapons are science’. The vast majority of teach- by people who don’t understand disparity of cultures and the reality of the concept—but can probably the only existing devices ers want to teach science and want science. Even those with the re- they really produce such impres- that could really create electromag- vocabulary and the to teach it well; however, many of sources to judge questions on their sive effects? “I enjoyed the movie netic pulses with a blackout punch. them need assistance in under- scientific merit must justify their stereotypes we hold and the ‘pinch’ was an amusing twist EMPs from a nuclear blast would standing content, using equipment decisions to an increasingly sci- but had little to do with science,” contain intense electric and magnetic about each other can and relating science to everyday ence-illiterate public. If we don’t says Jeff Quintenz, a physicist at fields. These fields would generate in life. Although scientists can assist address the general lack of science get in the way of Sandia National Laboratories in power cables, overwhelming electri- with these missing elements, we knowledge by the public, we are New Mexico. Quintenz should cal currents which would trip circuit accomplishing anything. need educators’ expertise in how jeopardizing our own future. know-he works on a real-life pinch breakers and temporarily shut down to deal with kids, parents, school One of the most effective ap- device. A 100-foot 20-foot tall cyl- a city’s power grid. But this byproduct district, state and federal rules and proaches for improving public inder-shaped machine, Sandia’s of a nuclear blast would be the least the way of accomplishing anything. requirements, and the politics of K- science literacy is to team with K- “Z-pinch” is the world’s most pow- of a city’s worries. Even the social conventions and 12 education. Neither group can 12 schools, teachers, and the erful electrical generator. What’s more, perhaps even the styles of communication familiar to accomplish this task alone. people who educate K-12 teachers. “I can confirm the Sandia Z-pinch filmmakers themselves did not real- one group can be alienating to an- Before setting foot in a class- Less than 30% of high-school stu- is the inspiration for the movie’s gim- ize that their pinch pulls off the other group. It is important to find room, scientists must understand dents take physics and, out of the mick,” says Neal Singer, a science ultimate swindle. As portrayed in the collaborators you trust and whose the constraints under which teach- 1.2 million first-year college stu- writer in the Sandia media commu- movie, the pinch apparently violates work you respect. ers teach. Teachers have very little dents, only about 320,000 (27%) nications group. A year or two ago, the most fundamental principle of For example, there is an assump- latitude in the topics they teach due take an introductory physics Singer spent several hours talking to physics, the conservation of energy, tion that placing scientists from to the adoption of National and course. If we wait until students the prop people from the movie which says that energy can be con- underrepresented groups in the State Science Education Standards. reach college classrooms, we’ve al- about the Z pinch, which creates verted from one form to another, but classroom will change student ste- Debating whether the standards ready lost nearly three quarters of lightning-like tangles of startling color never created out of thin air. Any van- reotypes. We analyzed interactions are right or wrong is a moot point: our potential audience. The one for a few billionths of a second as it sized electricity source, not just a between physics graduate students they are in place and teachers are experience common to most people fires-making it a very colorful, if bulky, pinch, says Quintenz, is just too small working on electric circuit and accountable for meeting them. The is that virtually all of them pass piece of work. “We discussed Z’s pos- to store the energy required to pro- magnetism units with fourth grad- emphasis on standards is so high through the 5th grade. Creating sibilities as a plot mechanism,” says duce a blackout-generating EMP. ers. Our volunteer students, most that teachers’ raises (and sometimes science-literate (and science-inter- Singer. “I explained it might be hard Still, with many other films flout- of whom were female, introduced jobs) can be strongly impacted by ested) students also broadens the to move the Z machine to the top of ing reality much more blatantly, it themselves as scientists, showed their students’ performance on pool from which to draw physics a stationwagon and fire it off in mid- would be unfair to hold “Ocean’s videos of their research labs, and standardized tests. majors, which in turn creates fu- Vegas; that didn’t stop them, Eleven” to a tougher standard. And described their research to the stu- Ignoring science is not an op- ture scientific and technical obviously.” although the movie’s fictional pinch dents. The graduate students tion for teachers. The stake are even employees and graduate students. Sandia researchers have still more is far different from Sandia’s Z-pinch, worked with the fourth graders two higher because content, (students The traditional involvement of news: even their colossal Z-pinch It didn’t detract from my enjoyment scientists in the classroom is the hours a week over eight weeks must be able to distinguish between doesn’t generate a very strong elec- of the movie,” Quintenz says. building and analyzing series and reflection and refraction) and pro- demo visit, in which scientists wow tromagnetic pulse. The pinch is “a parallel circuits, and exploring the cess standards, (students must be —Ben Stein, Inside Science News students with liquid nitrogen and poor EMP source,” says Quintenz. beds of nails. These activities are properties of magnets. We all were able to design and execute an ex- Service great for stimulating kids’ interest impressed by how much and how periment, and communicate the in science; however, we need stu- quickly the students learned, and results) must be satisfied. Their stu- dents who are not only interested especially by how they were able dents must not only be able to state and enthusiastic, but who also have to suggest new experiments based that like poles repel, but must also the knowledge and skills necessary on their observations. be able to design an experiment that for understanding science. Once- About halfway through the tests the assertion and graph the a-semester visits from scientists project, Gayle pulled me aside to results. These goals are consistent addressing random topics is not update me on the results of her stu- with what physicists would like to enough. We must have more sus- dent interviews. She said, “You see: students with good problem- tained involvement, which means know, the kids don’t believe you’re solving skills, a decent base of establishing long-term collabora- scientists.” The female graduate knowledge on which to build, and tions between scientists, teachers, students didn’t fit the fourth grad- a desire to learn science. school districts and Colleges of ers’ stereotypes of scientists, as I think that physicists can be most Education. expected. What I didn’t expect was useful in teaching problem-solving My experience collaborating with that, instead of rejecting their ex- skills and building enthusiasm for Gayle Buck (a University of Nebraska isting stereotypes, the students science. One of ur Project Fulcrum Teachers’ College faculty member) concluded that the graduate stu- fellows – a geoscientist – accompa- and Suzanne Kirby (a 4th grade dents must not be scientists. (Sadly, nied a group of fourth graders on a teacher with Lincoln Public Schools) student stereotypes included not field trip to a restored prairie. She has been a good lesson for me in the just that scientists wear lab coats, brought her field notebook and took benefits and potential pitfalls of sci- but also that ‘real’ scientists notes. The students were fascinated entists’ involvement in K-12 wouldn’t be able to communicate by how carefully she observed, and education. Our collaboration re- with kids, and wouldn’t be inter- how she recorded all of her observa- sulted in our current NSF-funded ested in whether the students were See SPOTLIGHT on page 6 6 March 2002 NEWS

Plastic Electronics : Going Where Silicon Can’t Follow? By Hendrik Schön, John Rogers, and Zhenan Bao Editor’s note: This is the second of charge transport and in charge car- charge carriers, but careful syn- electronics’. So far, various compa- two articles on advances in electronics. riers that find it more difficult to thetic, organic chemistry and nies have demonstrated the The first, by P. M. Solomon on the future move from one molecule to another. molecular engineering successfully integration of a few thousand tran- of CMOS technology, appeared in the Nevertheless, at room temperature, demonstrated n-type transistor ma- sistors. In one prototypical February issue. mobilities in the range of 1-5 cm2/ terials of similar performance. More application of OTFTs, electronic pa- Essentially all of today’s micro- Vs are observed. These are slightly recent studies of devices made of per (see Figure 2), plastic electronics electronic devices are made from higher than in amorphous silicon but high quality single crystals revealed are used to drive an electrophoretic inorganic materials such as silicon. significantly lower than in poly- and that unintentional dopants and de- display. This was first demonstrated Why would one even think of us- single-crystalline silicon where mo- fects were mainly responsible for through a collaboration of Bell ing organic molecules or polymers, bilities reach several hundred cm2/ limiting OTFTs to one type of charge Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, plastic-like materials renowned for Vs. Hence, organic electronics will carrier and today several molecular and E Ink and has now been repro- their excellent mechanical proper- never be able to compete with sili- materials have been shown to be duced by other companies. High ties, such as strength and flexibility, con CMOS (complementary metal capable of p- as well as n channel voltages and rather low currents are rather than for being exceptional – oxide – semiconductor) technol- activity. This could be useful for the needed to switch the electronic ink electrical conductors? However, ogy in terms of speed. So you development of complementary pixels, requirements that nicely some of them, so-called ‘conjugated’ probably will not expect a computer logic circuits, similar to CMOS tech- match the characteristics of the or- Figure 1 : Schematic of an organic thin materials can be made into semi- made of plastic chips any time soon nology in silicon devices. The ganic transistors. That the display is film transistor (OTFT). conductors or full conductors of in your near-by computer store. morphology of the organic semicon- also only several millimeters thick electricity. The Nobel Prize in While silicon chips have superior ductor film also has an important and bendable reveals the unique ca- Chemistry 2000 has honored these switching speeds and durability, plas- sible. Such low-cost applications rep- impact on the overall device perfor- developments. Recently, even su- tic chips might have the edge on one resent a formidable challenge for mance, mainly by limiting the charge perconductivity has been observed crucial point: the price. This derives single crystal, polycrystalline, or even carrier mobility. However, by opti- in a conjugated polymer demon- from their ease of handling. They do low-temperature amorphous silicon mizing deposition techniques and strating that a full spectrum of not require high vacuum equipment. technology. Consequently, organic making use of alignment layers and electrical properties, from insulat- They can be deposited at room electronics might be able to go where the self-organizing properties of ing to superconducting, can now temperature from solution, giving silicon can’t follow, molecular solids, mobilities in the be achieved with plastics, even hope for low-cost, lightweight, rug- The workhorse of plastic elec- range of 0.1 - 1 cm2/Vs have been though previously this was thought ged, flexible electronics: plastic electronics. tronics is the so-called organic thin obtained in various materials. This film transistor (OTFT) (see Figure 1), is already in the right ballpark for which is very similar to the metal the targeted applications but more That the display is also only several millimeters oxide semiconductor field-effect progress might be expected from thick and bendable reveals the unique capabilities transistor-based (MOSFET) silicon advances in materials processing or of plastic electronics. technology. The nominally undoped synthesis of new molecularly engi- organic semiconductor film is insu- neered materials. lating. A negative voltage on the gate Besides the performance of the Figure 2 : Electronic Paper, an example to be possible only with inorganic Organic semiconductors should electrode attracts electrons to its semiconductor materials, the right of a potential application for flexible, or- materials. Investigations of high- therefore tap a new market, involv- surface and positive charge carriers choice of the gate insulator can also ganic electronics. Organic thin film quality organic single crystals of ing applications that demand little (holes) to the interface between the play a crucial role for OTFT per- transistors (a) are prepared on a flexible these carbon-based materials also from the speed of the circuits, but semiconductor and insulator to formance. Both inorganic and backplane (b) of an electrophoretic dis- allowed for the observation of the require that they can be produced in form an ‘accumulation layer’. If a organic materials have been used. play. They allow switching of the pixels Fractional Quantum Hall effect, a large quantities over large areas and voltage is applied across the source Organic-based insulators, such as of the paper-like display (c). phenomenon till then restricted at a low price. Organic, carbon-based and drain electrodes, a current will spin-on glass or polyimides, are es- only to the purest inorganic semi- materials combine their good semi- flow between them. In this way a pecially attractive because they are pabilities of plastic electronics. With conductors such as Si or GaAs. conducting properties with small voltage change at the gate elec- compatible with solution process- continued progress in materials en- Besides the many similarities mechanical properties that permit trode can result in a large current ing on flexible, plastic substrates gineering, processing, and ultra-low there are significant differences be- flexible, lightweight, and distributed change between the source and and their use has led to the demon- cost fabrication techniques, com- tween these organic and electronic and optoelectronic appli- drain. Consequently, OTFTs can stration of all-organic transistors. mercial products may become conventional inorganic materials. cations ranging from low-end data switch and amplify electrical signals In order to define the critical possible and an evaluation of the full Weak van der Waals rather than storage, electronic tags and labels as needed for logic operations. device dimension of the OTFT, potential of plastic electronics covalent bonds dominate the inter- (‘electronic barcodes’) to smart cards, Most of the early organic mate- the channel length or distance would evolve. action between the molecules displays, and toys. Even wearable or rials allowed only for p-channel between the source and drain The molecular nature of these resulting in narrow energy bands for disposable computing might be pos- devices, where holes are the major electrodes, several low-cost pat- carbon-based materials offers an terning techniques can be used. intriguing final opportunity - mo- SPOTLIGHT, from page 5 Some examples are screen-print- lecular electronics in which logic ing, photochemical patterning, circuits are based on single mol- tions. They knew scientists did ex- tance of this issue demands that we science classes cannot replace what microcontact printing, and inkjet ecules or on a single layer of periments, but they didn’t associate make a serious effort to overcome students will learn and experience printing. These printing tech- molecules! Recent results on car- documenting observations, record- past history, turf battles and culture interacting with scientists in the niques are much less bon nanotube and self-assembled ing data or communicating results differences so that we can produc- classroom. [Editor’s note: APS is spear- sophisticated, and therefore monolayer-based devices show with ‘science’. They didn’t realize that tively collaborate with teacher heading the PhysTEC program, much less expensive, than the that transistor action and voltage science might be done anywhere ex- designed to enhance physics teacher optical lithography used in sili- gain can be achieved in single mo- cept in a lab. The fourth graders Students learn that preparation. See APS News, Novem- con technology. Though the lecular devices with channel started recording observations in science is not a body of ber 2001, http://www.aps.org/apsnews/ pattern resolution achieved is lengths as short as 1 or 2 nm. At these dimensions, the speed of the their own ‘science notebooks’ and facts, but a way of 1101/110102.html] not as high as with the photoli- students who thought that their love Although improving K-12 sci- thography employed in transistors and number of them per of writing precluded science as ca- thinking. ence education is a critical issue, fabricating standard CMOS sili- unit area might permit Moore’s Law reer learned that this is not we must recognize that not every- con devices, channel lengths of to extend beyond its limits for sili- necessarily so. These unplanned les- educators. We cannot treat K-12 sci- one is interested in or has the skills 5 mm and even less have been con CMOS technology. Of course, sons emphasize the value of having ence education as someone else’s to work with K-12 students, teach- achieved on plastic substrates. many issues must be addressed scientists in the classroom: there is problem; however, it is not our re- ers and teacher educators. It is As most of these techniques al- before this dream might become a no replacement for students experi- sponsibility alone. I am explicitly not important that - just as in research low reel-to-reel processing, high reality. Nevertheless, the future for encing real-time problem solving. suggesting that physicists should - you invest your time in doing throughput is possible in produc- carbon-based electronics appears Students learn that science is not a teach future teachers how to teach those things about which you are tion. But their versatility also very bright indeed! body of facts, but a way of thinking. physics. Our responsibility is to en- passionate, and that you believe allows for rapid prototyping and Hendrik Schön is a Member of Tech- If our effectiveness increases sure that they know enough about you can make an impact doing. In the possibility of customized nical Staff in the Nanotechnology when we reach students early in their physics and scientific thinking that the end, it isn’t nearly as important flexible, electronic circuits. Research Department of Bell Labora- education, we must also ensure that teachers can learn new material on what you do as it is that you do While transistor performance tories, the research arm of Lucent future teachers are equipped with their own and can troubleshoot ex- something. sufficient for the envisioned appli- Technologies. John Rogers is Depart- the skills they need to teach science periments that aren’t working. Diandra Leslie-Pelecky is an assis- cations can be achieved using these ment Director of the Nanotechnology before they enter a classroom. In Remember that we spend a career tant professor of physics at the low-cost processing and patterning Research Department. Zhenan Bao is most states, working with future developing and honing problem- University of Nebraska and a former techniques, logic circuits based on a Distinguished Member of Technical teachers requires collaboration with solving skills. The skills a teacher can chair of the APS Committee on Ca- individual OTFTs must be prepared Staff in the Materials Research Depart- the education college. The impor- develop taking a limited number of reers and Professional Development. in order to commercialize ‘plastic ment. NEWS March 2002 7

ANNOUNCEMENTS LONG-RANGE, from page 1 nature and origins of the Uni- ing for particle physics. At verse. These range from the present, public funding in the FULBRIGHT AWARDS existence of unseen dimensions form of US Government grants Visit and the nature of dark matter totals between $750 million and The following Fulbright awards are viewed as among the most pres- APS News and dark energy — which are $780 million per year with the tigious appointments in the Fulbright Program. Lecturing is usually believed to comprise fully 96% lion’s share – about $700 million in English. Candidates must be US citizens and have a prominent Online of the mass of the universe and – coming from the DOE and the record of scholarly accomplishment. Consult CIES Web site http:// www.cies.org/cies/us_scholars/DisChairs/ for information about ap- hold the key to its ultimate fate remainder coming from the NSF. plication procedure and current updates. To apply, send a letter of http://www.aps.org/apsnews/ — to the existence of the Higgs Under the timetable envi- interest (up to 3 pages), c.v. (up to 8 pages) and a sample syllabus particle, which is believed to give sioned by the report, the electron (up to 4 pages) to Daria Teutonico, Fulbright Distinguished Chairs particles their mass. positron linear collider would be- Program; Council for International Exchange of Scholars; 3007 Tilden 2001 APS Fellowship The APS Divisions of Par- come operational around 2012, Street, NW; Ste. 5-L; Washington, DC 20008-3009 (phone 202/686- Nomination Deadlines April ticles and Fields (DPF) and of about six years after the LHC, (a 6245). Materials must arrive on or before the May 1 deadline. the Physics of Beams (DPB) proton proton circular collider 1, 2002 both issued statements sup- now under construction at CERN CANADA: FULBRIGHT-SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY CHAIR IN DIVISIONS porting and praising the HEPAP in Switzerland), is scheduled to AIRBORNE REMOTE SENSING: Atomic, Molecular, Optical report. The DPF statement also go on line. The LHC will have en- Grantee will conduct research in area of specialization and conduct Biological Physics urged that the US host the lin- ergies on the order of 14 Tera occasional graduate seminars. Specialization includes airborne re- Laser Science mote sensing research in an applied environmental context. Open ear collider. The report electron volts, seven times more to junior or senior faculty. Center for Scientific Computing, Simon Nuclear Physics estimates building the linear powerful than the Fermilab Fraser University. Four to nine months. www.sfu.ca Particles & Fields collider in the US would cost Tevatron, currently the world’s Plasma Physics between $5 billion and $7 bil- highest energy accelerator. ITALY: NAPLES CHAIR IN PHYSICS: FORUMS lion, with one third of the One change between the Grantee will offer one course in signal analysis techniques for gravi- Physics & Society financing coming from inter- original draft report released last tational wave detection and conduct tutorials for students. Opportu- History of Physics national contributions and October and the final report re- nities for collaborative research are available. University of Naples, International Physics between $1 billion and $2 bil- leased on January 28th involves Federico II. Three months, starting October 2003, March 2004 or lion coming from the existing a small project called BTeV, ALL TOPICAL GROUPS May 2004. www.unina.it US particle physics program. which is designed to probe for “We support the construction new quark physics at the electro APS Washington Office Proposed Amendment to APS Bylaws of a high energy, high luminos- weak scale by studying “flavor Regarding Committee Chair Appointments by the Summer Internship ity, electron positron linear changing processes” and prob- collider as the next major inter- ing for CP violations. With a total APS President-Elect Applications national particle physics price tag of $250 million and de- initiative,” said DPF spokesman layed funding, the draft said “we First Vote APPROVED by the Council are now being November 18, 2001 accepted for Chris Quigg. “Although an inter- regret that we cannot recom- the 2002 Sum- national linear collider mend funding BTeV as a line item mer Internship. The APS Constitution and Bylaws Committee has discussed and laboratory will be an essential at this time.” The final report in- The opening is recommended an amendment to the APS Bylaws that would change component of the US research stead states that the BTeV for a ten-week summer intern- the responsibility of appointing the chair of various standing Bylaws program wherever it is built, we project, whose total cost esti- ship during the period of June feel that the US should offer to mate was cut to $165 million, committees from the President to the President-Elect. The purpose of 3 to August 30, 2002 (specific host it. It would complement the “cannot be funded with the scope the amendment is to allow the incoming President to appoint the dates negotiable). incoming committee chairs. In practice, this is what has been done Large Hadron Collider (LHC) be- and timetable originally envi- for several years. Approval of this amendment will bring the bylaws More information about the ing constructed in Europe to sioned.” It said revised plans into conformance with current practice. position can be found at http:/ exploit the scientific opportuni- “should be brought to P5 for The APS Council voted to approve this amendment on its first /www.aps.org/public_affairs/ ties ahead of us.” evaluation this year.” vote at the November 18, 2001 Council meeting. intern-summer.shtml DPB Executive Committee Joel Butler of Fermilab, one of member Ron Davidson ap- the lead scientists on the BTeV plauded the strong endorsement project, welcomed the new lan- 2002-2003 APS Member Directory by the Subpanel of a vigorous guage and praised the new P5 long-term accelerator R&D pro- process for evaluating “mid size” The 2002-2003 APS Member Directory will be printed in late March 2002. To receive one copy gram. “If the panel’s vision comes projects during a time that will, of either the paper or cd-rom directory, you must contact the Membership Department, 301- 209-3280 or [email protected], no later than March 22, 2002. You may also make your to fruition, it will result in the he said, be dominated by huge selection at http://www.aps.org/memb/2002dir.html. Please note: No directory will be mailed most advanced accelerator facil- projects. “It is expected that P5 unless you notify APS of your choice by March 22, 2002. ity ever built,” he said. “We will observe and monitor the remain strongly committed to the progress of each proposal as it tradition of active partnership in moves through the laboratory MEDIA RELATIONS, from page 1 the development of major accel- and agency reviews (and) will from page 1 erator based initiatives.” provide advice on how to fit the him with queries about the scien- was stranded for several days until “One of the greatest impediments Among the highlights of the best mid size projects into the tific world. He also provided he could get a flight back home,” to communication between physi- report is for the creation of a new constraints of the overall pro- reports for Radio Australia, an said Alan Chodos, APS Associate cists and journalists is lack of time. planning mechanism for estab- gram,” he said. “P5 is expected to internationally broadcast station. Executive Officer. “We were afraid Journalists often don’t have the time lishing research priorities in be a mechanism for helping mid Having written extensively that after that experience he might to learn all the background to a story particle physics in the form of a size projects, which are so impor- online, Harris has been employed just decide to stay in Australia. and physicists often don’t have time panel. The Particle Physics tant to the diversity, vitality, and as About, Inc.’s physics specialist We’re delighted that he accepted to walk a journalist through a new Project Prioritization Panel – progress of high energy physics, since 2000. He still maintains one our offer, because, with his back- result. A key function of media rela- dubbed the “P5” – would assess find a way to proceed in an era of the most-visited physics sites on ground and his skills he’s the perfect tions is to ensure that sufficient and prioritize proposed experi- dominated by the construction the web at physics.about.com. person for the job.” accurate information is communi- ments and other research of very large new facilities, such When a commercial television Harris’s focus at the APS will be cated in an appropriate manner initiatives to ensure the highest as the LHC.” network was planning a children’s to foster physics coverage in na- without the process getting bogged scientific return on public fund- science program, Harris was called tional and international media, down in unnecessary details.” on to research, write and co-pro- extending the usual reach of phys- In some cases, communication EDUCATION, from page 3 duce the 65-episode series Y?, now ics stories. He will also contribute difficulties arise from the very dif- in its fourth series. Recently, he has to APS education, outreach and ferent ways in which physicists and there is a catch,” White said. “At ees said the meeting was a been working as a journalist and policy activities. journalists work. Having been in $100 million, they become state- strategizing session on where to public information officer for the “There is great public interest in both situations, Harris is in a good funding. We want funding for go from here, and a consensus University of Queensland identify- physics research despite its spe- position to ensure that everybody fiscal year 2003 at a minimum emerged on a two-pronged ap- ing, reporting on and pitching cialty nature and, as physicists, we involved in the development of a level to trigger state level pro- proach. The first part would science stories for the Australian need to be open to new possibili- story gets the assistance they need grams... Anything under $100 involve an “uphill battle” of get- and international media. ties for communicating our work in the manner best suited to them. million is administered by the De- ting increased appropriations in He has been an elected member to new audiences,” said Harris. He Harris will work closely with the partment of Education.” a climate of renewed budget defi- of the national committee of Aus- has already had some success in AIP Media and Government Rela- State-level programs typically cits. The second part involves tralian Science Communicators, the convincing publications that have tions team to engineer broad and reach far more people than “educating” the rank-and-file professional science communica- no regular science content to in- effective coverage of all types of small, federally-run pilot pro- members of the participating or- tion body, and was Director of the clude physics-related stories. physics and physical science stories. grams. ganizations that $2.85 billion in inaugural Australian Science Writ- Harris sees his work as that of an APS members seeking help or As part of its commitment to generic Teacher Quality money is ers Festival. intermediary who can make commu- advice in dealing with the media can the issue, the K-12 SMET Educa- already out there and available “David came for an interview at nication between physicists and the contact Harris at 301-209-3238, or tion Coalition met in Washington for professional development in APS just before September 11, and media simpler and more efficient. at [email protected]. on January 15. One of the attend- math and science education. 8 March 2002 NEWS THE BACK PAGE The Role of Science in the National War on Terrorism by John Marburger

Recently there have been mur- federal buildings limited the dam- Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. mured concerns in the scientific age to the Pentagon, portions of For several years the federal community about the Bush which had been remodeled with government has been concerned Administration’s level of interest in designs based upon these lessons. that such attacks might occur. For science, and the value it places on Our consciousness of the decades the Departments of De- federal investment in science and biowarfare work of troubled re- fense, Health and Human Services, technology to stimulate a flagging gimes elsewhere in the world had Energy and Agriculture have en- American economy in the wake of led to studies of biodefenses and gaged in anti-terrorism activities the tragic events of the September to exercises designed to teach us that have contributed to the pro- 11 terrorist attacks. where our greatest vulnerabilities tection of our Homeland and the I can assure you that this admin- lay before September 11. Many of creation of technologies which istration is determined not to let the means required for a war have benefitted our everyday se- terrorism deflect America from its against terrorism were already curity and existence. The attacks trajectory of world leadership in available to us, and only needed to of September 11 forced us to view science. Our nation’s prowess in be enlisted in a systematic way to all these preparations in a new mail and the establishment of science. Increased security mea- technology, especially information support the effort. This readiness light. How do we think systemati- sound standard operating proce- sures are, of course, helpful if they technology and instrumentation, is most visible in the technologies cally about this new kind of war? dures, I endorsed an advisory to actually decrease the chances that have opened extraordinary new now in play in the war beyond our When President Bush intro- the US Postal Service that the pro- unauthorized people will gain ac- vistas in science. It has made it pos- borders. But significant readiness duced the notion of a War Against cedures being used were able to cess to classified material, and they sible to visualize and manipulate of homeland technology is also Terrorism, my first thought was rid the mail of Bacillus contamina- do not adversely impact the mis- matter on the atomic scale, leading apparent, though not yet fully mo- how a map for such a war would tion. We continue to work with this sions of those implementing the to unprecedented understanding bilized. We are not starting “from differ from a conventional battle scientific team to refine the irra- measures. Security measures and control of the processes of life scratch” in the technology of home- map. Conventional wars are fought diation process and to explore implemented without adequate as well as of inanimate matter. Hav- land defense. We have much for territory, easily measured on a other available technologies to rid forethought can backfire if they do ing produced the means for great relevant technology, and the chal- chart with latitude and longitude, the mail of potential pathogens. not significantly improve security strides in science, and in accompa- lenge is to deploy it effectively. but the fronts in the war against An example where a systems and have a negative impact on sci- nying technologies for improved Prior to World War II, science terrorism cover multiple dimen- approach is needed is airline secu- ence and agency missions. We need health care, economic competitive- had reached a monumental turning sions. How can we detect an rity. Right now, our chief tool is the to identify systematically where ness, and quality of life, it would be point. Quantum physics had flung unprotected flank in this com- transmission X-ray. Other tech- additional security measures are foolish to turn aside now from the open the gates to a staggering vista plex territory? How do we measure nologies can significantly improve needed and develop thoughtful re- course of discovery while we en- of opportunity that was not to be progress? We need a taxonomy and our capabilities to detect weapons sponses sensitive to the importance gage the monster of terrorism — realized until after the war. Our un- a common language to assess of terror, develop these detection of activities they might impede. an evil force that denies the ben- derstanding of chemistry, of threats, avoid duplication, and fa- technologies for rapid deployment, Many people come from around efits of progress and the search for materials, of nuclear phenomena, of cilitate interagency cooperation and think carefully how to inte- the world to study in US under- truth. optical properties, of the processes and coordination. grate the ones adopted, as a graduate and graduate programs. Thus I expect that science in of life, began to expand at an explo- OSTP has executive and legisla- coherent package, into airline rou- Some come from the same coun- America and the world will forge sive rate. The wartime scientific tive mandates to coordinate tines. We must do this in such a tries that we believe generate ahead relatively unaffected by the effort labored urgently to apply this federal science and technology way that they not create unpleas- terrorists. It is important that inter- war against terrorism. I expect the new capability to applications of the activities, and is consequently in a ant delays and unaffordable national students continue to come President’s prior commitment to highest leverage for military opera- position to call on organizations, expenses, but do enhance both se- to the US to study and contribute increase funding for health related tions, such as radar and nuclear internal and external to the federal curity and passenger confidence. to our science and technology en- research to be realized. I expect the weapons. government, as we provide support Potential technologies range from terprise. They are a major factor in tremendous momentum in the in- Prior to the war on terrorism, the to the Office of Homeland Secu- dogs that can sniff out explosives our nation’s world scientific lead- formation sciences to roll forward. modern era of science had matured, rity, and other offices responsible to computer-based biometrics to ership. They also learn to I expect the technologies of mea- and a wealth of knowledge and tech- for aspects of the war on terror- resonant gamma ray imaging of appreciate the advantages of our surement and analysis — atomic nique now lies at hand. In nearly ism. We have been focusing our concealed explosives, and laser in- educational system and acquire scale microscopy and manipula- every area where technology can be energies on short-term issues such terrogation of trace compounds. skills that will enable them to con- tion, light sources, probes, applied to homeland defense, the as mail security, baggage screening, Fire was critical in the collapse tribute quality of life in their own detectors and analyzers — to con- basic knowledge exists, and the and civilian preparedness. But we of the World Trade Center build- countries. But we do need better tinue to win new ground on the need is for engineering to turn are also taking steps to identify ings and contributed to damage to ways of identifying the few that frontiers of complexity as well as known phenomena into devices, long-term S&T opportunities that the Pentagon buildings, but cur- come to enhance their effectiveness of scale. Science has its own intrin- and to embed the devices into prac- will help the US win the war against rent building design practice does as terrorists. We are currently grap- sic imperative and this nation will tical systems. The single greatest terrorism. not consider fire as a design re- pling with what new measures continue to pursue it. exception to this rule is in the re- So, how can science help? Sci- quirement. Current emergency should be introduced, both to iden- This administration is equally sponse to bioterrorism, where ence and engineering have critical response procedures could not tify terrorists before they receive determined to win the war against additional research is needed on the roles to play in the war on terror- adequately cope with the events in visas, and to identify potential ter- terrorism, and President Bush is mechanisms of diseases likely to be ism. We need improved tools with those buildings. Buildings today are rorists by their activities after they mobilizing all the talents and re- exploited by terrorists. which to prevent, detect, protect, not immune from chemical, biologi- come to the US sources of our immensely strong Some have spoken of the need and treat victims of chemical, bio- cal, and radiological threats. Efforts Finally, our nation today is a sci- society to that end. He is doing this for a “Manhattan Project” to sat- logical, radiological, nuclear, and are underway to protect military ence superpower. The scope of our through the conventional mecha- isfy the needs of homeland security. conventional terrorist attacks. Ad- buildings through DARPA’s “im- scientific activity, both basic and nisms of American government, and The analogy is wrong-headed. Clev- ditionally, we will need new and mune building” program, but there applied, is breathtaking and un- he is drawing upon much previous erness is needed less now than a improved tools to recover facilities are no standards and practices or matched. We are not, however, a work that prepared us for this national will to use what we have from those same types of attacks, civilian buildings. Prior to 9/11 the science monopoly, and we have struggle. It is too easy to criticize — to strengthen the infrastructure of should they ever occur. Many Corps of Engineers helped design much to learn from colleagues else- after the fact — a prosperous our daily lives, to bolster public cases call for a “systems approach,” several modifications to the Penta- where in the world. Science thrives peace-time nation for unprepared- health systems, to equip properly rather than simply perfection of a gon as part of a completed on open discourse. Measures that ness in the face of danger. A better our first responders, to use more single device. renovation. Analysis of past at- inhibit discourse will impede criterion for defensive health would effectively the information technol- In late October 2001, Director tacks, data from experimental progress. We cannot limit scientific be the speed with which a nation ogy, the detection technology, the Ridge asked that OSTP provide detonations and super computer interactions with other nations under attack can respond effec- biotechnology that we already pos- technical support for the treatment simulations led to structural hard- without paying a scientific price. tively. There is no question that the sess to render the way we live less of US mail potentially contami- ening innovations including a John Marburger is the newly ap- steps New York took after the first vulnerable to what the military nated by Bacillus anthracis. This led strong steel support matrix, a Kevlar pointed presidential science advisor world Trade Center attack in 1993 scholars call “asymmetric threats.” to an interagency technical team wrap to contain shrapnel-like frag- and head of the White House Office of saved numerous lives in the second We need to plan, and to carry out that, within days, began evaluating ments, and blast resistant windows. Science and Technology Policy. The attack eight years later, and expe- our plans. And that is one of the the irradiation facilities at Lima, That work saved many lives. above is adapted from his speech at a dited a response that limited the functions of the Office of Home- Ohio, and Bridgeport, New Jersey. Let me turn now to the more December 18, 2001, symposium on the scope of its evil consequences. Nor land Security, created by President By mid-November, with strong sci- delicate subject of how the war on war on terrorism sponsored by the is there doubt that lessons learned Bush in the aftermath of Septem- entific data on the use of electron terrorism, and the fear of terror- American Association for the Advance- from attacks on US embassies and ber 11, and headed by beam technology to irradiate the ism, may impact the conduct of ment of Science.

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