December 2018 • Vol. 27, No. 11

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Gallery of Fluid Motion Video Winners APS.ORG/APSNEWS Page 5

Plan S Tries to Flip the Open Access Switch APS Membership Unit Profile: By Leah Poffenberger that the plan goes “too far” and is or the final version, accepted by the The Division of Biological Physics In September, Science Europe, “too risky” (go.aps.org/2UacdUa). journal, that includes any changes an association of funders, According to the letter organizers, made after peer-review (the By Abigail Dove announced the formation of cOAli- the “views of researchers who will “Author’s Accepted Manuscript”) Approximately 2,000 mem- tion S and its Plan S (coalition-s. be directly affected by Plan S do in an OA repository under a bers strong, the APS Division of org), a 10-point program aimed at not seem to have been solicited Creative Commons CC BY license. Biological Physics (DBIO) sup- expediting a global transition away during its creation.” However, this option is not com- ports all of the ways physical from subscription-based scientific The original Plan S did not monly available for articles pub- science can help understand bio- publishing. allow publishing in so-called lished under a subscription model logical systems—from nanoscale Spearheaded by Robert- “hybrid” journals—subscrip- (including those published in APS biological proteins all the way up Jan Smits, the Open Access tion journals that offer an option journals) and it remains to be seen to organisms and their behavior. (OA) Envoy of the European to have individual papers pub- how publishers respond. Research within DBIO encom- Commission, the initiative would lished OA upon payment of an For now, Plan S is largely con- passes not only what physics can require grantees to publish exclu- article processing charge (APC). sidered aspirational and is limited elucidate in biology, but also what sively in journals that make all of In response to ongoing comment to a subset of funding agencies in biology can reveal about physics: their articles OA immediately upon and criticism, cOAlition S issued Europe, but journal publishers are After millions of years of evolu- Jennifer Ross publication. The requirement for more detailed implementation already assessing likely impact of tion, biological systems are rich “What has allowed us to thrive is full OA publishing would go into guidelines on November 27 (go. its aims. with processes that showcase, for that we’re very open to new fields effect in 2020. To date, thirteen aps.org/2QB2QxG). “Many people who heard about example, mechanics, geometry, that are part of biophysics, and European funding agencies have The new guidelines allow this plan may have been perturbed, and quantum physics in interest- we’re not too controlling about expressed various levels of support cOAlition S–funded papers to but those of us in publishing, and ing and unexpected ways. precisely what ‘biophysics’ or for Plan S. be published in hybrid journals especially open access publishing, Current DBIO chair Jennifer ‘biological physics’ means,” Ross Amid favorable response to the that commit by the end of 2021 have seen increasing pressure from Ross, associate professor of explains. proposal by some OA advocates, to transform to full OA by 2023. funders to move away from the physics at the University of Consistent with this open there is a growing backlash among In addition, authors may comply hybrid open access model for some Massachusetts, Amherst, and an approach, DBIO is a notably inter- researchers to the Plan S require- with Plan S by immediately mak- time,” says Matthew Salter, APS APS Fellow, says the division is a disciplinary division, and one that ments. More than 1,400 scientists ing available the final published Publisher. “The announcement of natural home for self-proclaimed draws many non-physicists into have signed an open letter stating version (the “Version of Record”) PLAN S continued on page 7 “big tent physicists” like herself. DBIO continued on page 6

International News Physicists in Lebanon: Passion and Talent Striving to Overcome Adversity By Alaina G. Levine Applied Physics with Fundamental Foundations Growing up in Lebanon, engi- students. More than 10 years later, neer and materials scientist Hussein Sabra notes that the numbers have By Stephen Forrest pound annual growth rate in sub- Zbib would challenge other young- remained fairly constant, with some We are very pleased to cel- missions of about 25%. In 2017, the sters to a game of stick ball and changes. There are more graduate ebrate the fifth anniversary of the journal published 430 top-quality algebra. If you solve for X, you win programs in physics, more physics launch of Physical Review Applied research papers; both submissions the game. The harder the problem, disciplines being taught, and more (PRApplied)—and what an exciting and publications have grown sub- the more joy he and his classmates research. “Some people outside of five years it has been! PRApplied stantially in 2018. felt. “This excitement about the sci- Lebanon might not think there is is a groundbreaking member of the Rapid growth is only one of ences and mathematics has always physics here,” says Sabra. “What prestigious Physical Review family several indicators of our success. been there,” says Zbib, a profes- has changed is that the human of journals: It is the first (and only) PRApplied boasts a 2017 Impact work in a broad range of applied sor in the School of Mechanical capacity has increased a lot. We journal published by APS focusing Factor of 4.782, which is substan- sciences. In this sense, PRApplied and Materials Engineering at are producing more PhD students.” entirely on applied physics—phys- tially higher than that of well-estab- has the same values of quality, Washington State University in There is also more collaboration ics that has the prospect of leading lished journals covering these same excellence, and timeliness that are Pullman. “The country has always with institutions beyond Lebanese to practical applications, founded fields. We believe that the journal’s well-known as the hallmark of the been engaged in science.” borders, which have led to fruitful on fundamental physical principles. success is based on several factors. Physical Review family of jour- In a nation of only six million innovations and advancements in Applied physics is an excep- First and foremost is that nals, which has been celebrating people, there are over 30 universi- knowledge. tionally broad and interdisciplin- PRApplied fills the needs of the its 125th anniversary throughout ties but only a handful of physicists For the small but committed ary field and the label is generally applied physics communities for this year. and less than five physics depart- group of physicists who reside in used to describe work bridging the a premier publication venue that Our vision for PRApplied ments that offer degrees in the Lebanon, their dedication to the gap between a fundamental physics serves our diverse discipline. As extends far beyond the conven- subject. In an October 2006 APS field is paralleled by their strength discovery and its use for a practical one example of our taking proactive tional metrics of impact factor and News article, Bassem Sabra, APS in adversity. “Doing physics or sci- purpose. In short, applied physics is steps to broaden the scope, we have journal growth. The success of member and physics professor at ence in Lebanon requires a lot of an essential link between the physi- reached out to the community by any scientific publication should Notre Dame University-Louaize grit,” explains Sabra. “You have cal sciences and applications. publishing focused Review Articles be measured by its actual impact: in Beirut, wrote that there were to want it ... Research is difficult To serve such a broad set of on topical areas of special inter- its ability to make a tangible differ- about 500 physicists in the country, authors and readers, the scope of est, covering such broadly ranging ence in the way we think. Impact is including 100 professors and 400 LEBANON continued on page 7 PRApplied is equally expansive, subjects as thin perfect absorbers also defined when a work becomes in ways that are only exceeded by [1], invisibility and cloaking [2], a jumping-off point for subsequent Physical Review Letters, Physical spintronics [3], self-assembly of advances that ultimately bring a Review X, and Reviews of Modern a strain-engineered flexible layer new understanding or serves an Physics, our partners in the quest [4], and organic light-emitting application that positively impacts to bring applied physics to a broad diodes [5]. quality of life. cross-section of the physics com- We pride ourselves in providing Although impact requires a munity. Given its scope, it is not a publication that never compro- subtler assessment than easily surprising that PRApplied is also mises on the quality of its con- calculated quantitative metrics, a the fastest growing journal in the tent while having a clear focus on Physical Review family, at a com- presenting the most exceptional PRApplied continued on page 6 2 • December 2018

Argonne National Laboratory This Month in Physics History Named APS Historic Site By Amanda Babcock this honor on behalf of a highly The most recent APS Historic esteemed former Argonne scientist. December 1925: Manne Siegbahn Wins Nobel Prize Site recognizes the second woman Dr. Mayer was an amazing contrib- in Physics for X-ray Spectroscopy to receive a Nobel Prize in Physics. utor to the profession,” said John In a ceremony on November 2, Arrington, interim director of the -ray spectroscopy encompasses many differ- APS President Roger Falcone pre- Physics Division at Argonne. Xent techniques for characterizing materials sented the APS Historic Site plaque Goeppert Mayer joined Argonne on the basis of the high-energy photons the atoms to Argonne National Laboratory, in 1946, and the results of her work absorb and emit. Among the Nobel laureates who where Maria Goeppert Mayer car- were published in The Physical worked with x-rays, a Swedish physicist named ried out her research in nuclear Review in June 1949. She shared Karl Manne Georg Siegbahn stands out for his wikimedia commons physics. the Nobel prize in 1963 with precision measurements of the electronic structure The citation on the plaque reads: Hans Jensen, who independently of atoms. While working at Argonne came up with the same result, and The saga begins in 1895 with the serendipitous National Laboratory in the late Eugene Wigner for unrelated work. discovery of x-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen during 1940s, Maria Goeppert Mayer “Maria Goeppert Mayer, only his experiments with cathode ray tubes. He was developed the “shell” model of the second woman to receive the awarded the very first Nobel Prize in Physics in the atomic nucleus that is the basis Nobel Prize in Physics, made 1901 for this work. X-rays were understood to be for our modern understanding of extraordinary contributions to part of the electromagnetic spectrum, but scientists nuclear structure. She determined nuclear physics, including the initially struggled to demonstrate characteristics that there are certain “magic num- co-discovery of the shell model. like refraction, polarization, diffraction, or inter- bers” of nucleons that constitute The APS Historic Sites Initiative ference common to light. Nonetheless, a physicist complete shells with maximum is delighted to honor her and the named Charles Barkla successfully used x-rays binding energy at different energy many accomplishments of the of various “hardness” (the degree of penetration, levels, analogous to the stability of site where she worked, Argonne which is inversely related to the wavelength) to National Laboratory,” said Paul full shells of orbital electrons. verify the atomic weight of chemical elements. Karl Manne Siegbahn “We are delighted to receive SITE continued on page 3 He was inspired by the earlier work of Niels Bohr and Janne Rydberg (among others) on the connec- that relied on reflection instead of diffraction. The tion between an element’s emission spectra and its father and son then used the instrument to deter- place in the periodic table. mine the structure of several different crystals— Barkla’s work established the principles govern- which won them the 1915 Nobel Prize. ing the transmission of x-rays through matter and The stage was set for Siegbahn to make his how so-called secondary x-rays were produced. mark. Born on December 3, 1886, Siegbahn was Specifically, the penetrative power of the x-rays the son of a railway stationmaster in the town of increased along with the atomic weight as Barkla Orebro, roughly 100 miles west of Stockholm. Following an obligatory stint in the military, he Argonne National Laboratory worked his way through the periodic table. When the atomic weight became sufficiently high, he earned his PhD from the University of Lund, with observed a new, softer kind of radiation that, in a thesis on the measurement of magnetic fields, and turn, became harder as the atomic weights con- remained there as a faculty member until 1923. tinued to increase. He termed these emissions K Siegbahn initially used the same kind of spec- and L radiation, and they formed the basis for trometer as Moseley when he started this line distinguishing different elements from each other. of research in 1914 but then made significant Henry Moseley conducted further studies of the improvements when he built his own versions x-ray spectra of elements, and derived a simple of the instruments. He made even more accurate mathematical law by which an element’s atomic measurements of the x-ray wavelengths produced number—a better metric to distinguish between by different atomic elements and quickly realized elements than atomic weight—was related to the there were more components to the spectral lines wavelengths of the x-ray spectra. Moseley was Moseley had observed. As a result, Siegbahn was The APS Historic Site plaque presented to Argonne National Labo- killed on the battlefield during World War I and able to provide a near-complete description of ratory. L-R: Paul Halpern (Chair of APS Historic Sites Committee), thus was ineligible for the Nobel Prize, but his the electron shell, among other accomplishments. Paul Kearns (Argonne Director), Roger Falcone (APS President), Siegbahn and his pupils subsequently came up with and Kawtar Hafidi (Associate Laboratory Director). work drew renewed attention to Barkla’s research. Barkla won the 1917 Nobel Prize in Physics for an apparatus for analyzing an unknown substance his discovery of the characteristic x-rays of many to determine all the elements it contained, using a elements. pair of two-hour x-ray exposures. Among the earliest experiments splitting x-rays Siegbahn was awarded the 1924 Nobel Prize into a full spectrum of wavelengths were those in Physics “for his discoveries and research in the performed by Max von Laue, who photographed field of x-ray spectroscopy,” but he received the x-rays as they passed through a set of crystals that prize the following year. The Nobel committee had acted as a diffraction grating. This garnered yet rejected all 23 of the original nominations in 1924, another Nobel Prize in 1914. William Lawrence declining to award the prize that year. So the prize Early registration ends Bragg worked out a much simpler theory of x-ray was still open when Siegbahn won the following January 14. diffraction than Laue’s to determine crystal struc- year. Max von Laue was among the colleagues who ture. Based on that theory, his father, William nominated him, stressing in a November 1924 let- REGISTER NOW Henry Bragg, built a bona fide x-ray spectrometer APS.ORG/MARCH SIEGBAHN continued on page 3

Series II, Vol. 27, No. 11 December 2018 APS COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES 2018 General Councilors ternational Physics), Pushpa Bhat* (Forum on Physics © 2018 American Physical Society Gail McLaughlin*, Bonnie Fleming, Andrea Liu*, and Society), Beverly Berger* (Gravitational Physics), President Vivian Incera Nicholas Bigelow* (Laser Science), Samuel Bader Roger W. Falcone*, University of California, Berkeley/ (Materials), Akif “Baha” Balantekin (Nuclear Phys- Editor...... David Voss International Councilors ics), Elizabeth Simmons (Particles & Fields), Thomas President-Elect Eliezer Rabinovici, Johanna Stachel, Marta Losada*, Roser (Physics of Beams), Cary Forest (Plasma Phys- Staff Science Writer...... Leah Poffenberger David J. Gross*, Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics, Ahmadou Wagué ics), Murugappan Muthukumar (Polymer Physics), Contributing Correspondent ...... Alaina G. Levine University of California, Santa Barbara Philip Johnson (Mid-Atlantic Section), Carlos Wexler Chair, Nominating Committee (Prairie Section), Charles Bennett (Quantum Informa- Design and Production...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik Vice President David Meyerhofer, Los Alamos National Laboratory tion) Philip H. Bucksbaum*, Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Senior Management Team Michael Marder, University of Texas, Austin Margaret Bandera, Chief Financial Officer; APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published monthly, Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publica- Past President Mark Doyle, Chief Information Officer; Kate P. Kirby, except for a combined August-September issue, 11 times tion delivered by Periodical Mail Postage Paid at Col- Laura H. Greene*, National High Magnetic Field Editor in Chief Chief Executive Officer; Matthew M. Salter, Publisher; per year, by the American Physical Society, One Physics lege Park, MD and at additional mailing offices. Laboratory and Florida State University Michael Thoennessen, Michigan State University (on Francis Slakey, Chief Government Affairs Officer; Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. leave) James W. Taylor, Deputy Executive Officer and Chief It contains news of the Society and of its Divisions, Topi- For address changes, please send both the old and new Chief Executive Officer Operating Officer; Michael Thoennessen, Editor in cal Groups, Sections, and Forums; advance information addresses, and, if possible, include a mailing label from Kate P. Kirby, Harvard Smithsonian (retired) Division, Forum, and Section Councilors Chief on meetings of the Society; and reports to the Society a recent issue. Changes can be emailed to membership@ Michael Coleman Miller (Astrophysics), Timothy by its committees and task forces, as well as opinions. aps.org. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS Speaker of the Council Gay* (Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics), William * Voting Members of the APS Board of Directors News, Membership Department, American Physical Timothy Gay*, University of Nebraska Bialek (Biological Physics), Robert Continetti (Chemi- Letters to the editor are welcomed from the member- Society, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740- cal Physics), John Bradley Marston* (Condensed Mat- ship. Letters must be signed and should include an ad- 3844. Treasurer ter Physics), Giulia Galli (Computational Physics), dress and daytime telephone number. APS reserves the James Hollenhorst*, Agilent Technologies Ann Karagozian (Fluid Dynamics), Noah Finkelstein right to select and to edit for length and clarity. All cor- (Forum on Education), Julia Gonski, (Forum on Grad- respondence regarding APS News should be directed to: Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Corporate Secretary uate Student Affairs), Virginia Trimble (Forum on His- Editor, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, Ken Cole, APS tory of Physics), John Rumble* (Forum on Industrial MD 20740-3844, Email: [email protected]. and Applied Physics), Emanuela Barzi (Forum on In- December 2018 • 3

Physicist Dives Deep By Katherine Kornei

Jim Bellingham’s first expedi- exchange for space at one end of tion to the Arctic took him, in his the MIT sailing pavilion dock to words, “a long way from doing launch Sea Squirt.) superconductivity on the second Sea Squirt paved the way for floor at MIT.” Bellingham, now the new vehicles capable of diving director of the Center for Marine deeper and for longer periods of Fundamental Physics Robotics at the Woods Hole time: Bellingham and his col- Innovation Oceanographic Institution, remem- leagues next produced Odyssey, a AWARD bers carrying a gun on that trip to vehicle rated to a depth of 6,000 RECIPIENTS northern Alaska to protect himself meters. In 1992, Bellingham and against polar bears. That expedition his colleagues took Odyssey to CONVENING started the PhD physicist-turned- Antarctica and tested the vehicle Jim Bellingham Lead Organizer: Alex Sushkov (Boston University) marine-roboticist on an adventur- and its underwater video cam- batteries could be easily swapped VISITING ous path. era—stuffed inside a scuba tank out, says Bellingham. Bellingham didn’t always have that had been cut in half and outfit- James Boy (Host, CERN) In 1999, Bellingham accepted Felix Kling (Visitor, University of California, Irvine) his eye on the ocean. He credits ted with an acrylic cover—in the a job as Director of Engineering his interest in marine science to Bellingshausen Sea, near Palmer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium VISITING a chance meeting with Harold Station, and in the Drake Passage. Research Institute (MBARI). Nicholas R. Hutzler (Host, California Institute of Eugene “Doc” Edgerton, a pro- The researchers photographed the Technology) There, he oversaw the develop- Jinjun Liu (Visitor, University of Louisville) fessor of electrical engineering at bottom of the ocean and captured ment of the Monterey Accelerated MIT. Edgerton was experiment- images of penguins streaking Research System, an array of sci- VISITING ing with underwater cameras in through the water. entific instruments on the seafloor Stephen L. Adler (Host, Institute for Advanced Study) Boston Harbor in the 1980s when Bellingham and his team built connected to the mainland by a Bellingham was a physics graduate on the success of that expedition Catalina Oana Curceanu (Visitor, Laboratori 52-kilometer-long cable. Nazionali di Frasciti - INFN, Frascati Italy) student at MIT. to design another vehicle, Odyssey After 15 years at MBARI, Edgerton invited Bellingham II, capable of diving under sea ice Bellingham returned to along on his boat one day, and and returning to a hole in the ice for Massachusetts to be the director Bellingham became hooked on the retrieval. The MIT Sea Grant AUV of the Center for Marine Robotics SIEGBAHN continued from page 2 idea of using instrumentation like Laboratory eventually produced six at the Woods Hole Oceanographic autonomous underwater vehicles Odyssey IIs, but Bellingham was Institution. He likens part of his ter to the committee how crucial a self-confidence needed for bold (AUVs) to explore an unseen part of eager to keep developing new vehi- current job to being an event orga- role Siegbahn played in measuring enterprises.” the world. “That led to me taking a cles. “Once you become successful, nizer. “I’m trying to build com- the wavelengths of the Roentgen Siegbahn retired in 1964. His class in sonar systems,” Bellingham everyone wants you to keep doing munities of ocean scientists,” spectrum so precisely. wife, Karin, passed away in 1972, says. When Bellingham finished exactly what you’ve been doing,” Bellingham says, “and foster ini- Siegbahn went on to have a and Siegbahn himself died six years his thesis in experimental physics, he says. “It becomes really hard to tiatives that are bigger than just long and illustrious career, join- later, aged 91. He was survived by he received several job offers in break loose.” one underwater vehicle or research ing the faculty of the University of two children, Bo Siegbahn and Kai low-temperature physics, including Bellingham found his next chal- project. I’m building a sense that Uppsala from 1923 to 1937, where Siegbahn. (Kai won the Nobel Prize he proved that x-rays refract when a coveted one at IBM. “Jobs were lenge in entrepreneurship—in 1997 we’re all pulling together.” in Physics in 1981, also for contri- they pass through a glass prism. In raining from heaven,” he says, “but he co-founded a private company, Bellingham left superconduc- butions to x-ray spectroscopy.) The 1937 he moved to the University I wanted to try something else.” Bluefin Robotics, to develop under- tivity behind long ago, but he’s standard length used to describe of Stockholm and also became the The ocean was calling. water vehicles. Nearly his entire proud to be a physicist. “Physics the wavelengths of x-rays bears his first director of the fledgling Nobel Bellingham soon accepted a team from MIT joined him, includ- gives you a foundation,” he says. name, and there is still a Manne Institute of Physics. “In his contacts position running the MIT Sea ing his secretary, which helped to Bellingham credits the physicist Siegbahn Laboratory at Stockholm with people Siegbahn was a man of University—two lasting reminders Grant AUV Laboratory. He and ease the transition into industry. mindset with helping him succeed few words, but what he said was of his seminal contributions. his team tested their first under- Bellingham worked hard to land as an entrepreneur and director of always to the point and his quiet water vehicle—the bright yellow, new clients, including those from large teams. “It’s often easier for manner was not to be taken as a Further Reading: roughly 80-pound Sea Squirt—in the oil and gas industry and the physicists to take a step back and sign of timidity,” his former pupil, Atterling, H. (1991) “Karl Manne Georg the nearby Charles River in early military. Bluefin Robotics’ flagship look at the bigger picture.” Siegbahn: 3 December 1886-24 Sep- Bengt Edlen, later recalled of his tember 1978,” Biographical Memoirs of 1989. (Bellingham once traded vehicle, the Bluefin 21, was a ver- The author is a freelance sci- mentor. “On the contrary, he pos- Fellows of the Royal Society 37: 428- a four-stroke outboard motor in satile platform whose payloads and ence writer in Portland, Oregon. sessed a large amount of contagious 444.

RENDERING: © 1978-2018 CERN SITE continued from page 2 Halpern, Chair of the APS Historic awareness of past scientific advances. APRIL MEETING 2019 Sites Committee, who also attended For more information and the ceremony. to nominate a 2019 site, visit The APS Historic Sites Initiative the Historic Sites Initiative page: recognizes important and interesting aps.org/programs/outreach/history/ events and locations in the history historicsites/ quarks cosmos of physics. These sites provide an The author is the Science engaging way to bring physics before Writing Intern at APS in College the general public and increase Park, MD.

QApril 13 - 16, 22019 Denver,C Colorado Read APSNEWS

Present Your Research online The APS April Meeting encapsulates the full range of physical scales including astrophysics, particle physics, nuclear physics, and gravitation. To experience the meeting is to explore research from the “Quarks to the Cosmos (Q2C),” which is the true essence of the meeting.

Deadline: January 7, 2019 aps.org/april #apsapril aps.org/apsnews Shown with Lauren Aycock (third from left) are members of the Illinois delegation; Sen. Tammy Duckworth (far left), Rep. Robin Kelly (2nd-IL), and Sen. Dick Durbin.

4 • December 2018

What Works in Physics Teaching? By Leah Poffenberger sivity, implementing effective The APS Office of Government Affairs In October, APS received a learning assessment, introducing $10 million grant for the Inclusive research-based pedagogical prac- 2017 APS Congressional Fellow Reflects on Impactful Experience Graduate Education Network, in tices into physics classrooms, or By Tawanda W. Johnson preparing for program review, the collaboration with other scientific EP3 Guide will synthesize the Lauren Aycock’s scientific societies including the American research and collective experience background served her well as the Chemical Society and the American of the physics community and help 2017 APS Congressional Fellow Geophysical Union (see APS News, make that up-to-date know-how in Illinois Senator Dick Durbin’s October 2018). Now another APS readily available as part of the tool- office. collaboration, this time with the kit of every physics department in As a researcher, Aycock earned American Association of Physics the US.” her PhD from Cornell University Teachers (AAPT), aimed at The effort to create the EP3 in physics and is an experimental improving undergraduate physics Guide originated in 2016 with the physicist who studied excitations education has received substantial Best Practices in Undergraduate in quantum matter. support from the National Science Physics Programs Task Force that As a member of Durbin’s Foundation. began developing a self-assessment energy and environment team, she “Physics programs are all guide for undergraduate physics worked on policy issues pertaining required to undergo external review programs under the oversight of to scientific research, the national — often because of requirements the APS Committee on Education. laboratories, energy, and the US of their school’s accreditation. The EP3 Guide will include both Environmental Protection Agency. APS would like to use this pro- metrics for physics departments to “I am most proud of drafting a cess to improve student learning,” evaluate themselves and a set of letter Senator Durbin sent to the Shown with Lauren Aycock (third from left) are members of the Illinois del- said Theodore Hodapp, Director effective practices based on the lat- Environmental Protection Agency, of Project Development at APS. requesting the agency require mon- egation; Sen. Tammy Duckworth (far left), Rep. Robin Kelly (2nd-IL), and est education research. This guide Sen. Dick Durbin. “We’re creating a guide to be a aims to address specific challenges itors at facilities that are contribu- place to shop for ideas on how to within physics as a whole that may tors to manganese air pollution,” experience,” said Aycock. Affairs, “We’re delighted that improve the health of a program or not be considered by individual, recalled Aycock. Jasmine Hunt, a senior policy Lauren Aycock’s scientific skills solve common problems.” independent departments, such as Manganese, a neurotoxin, had advisor in Durbin’s office who also were put to excellent use in work The Effective Practices for diversity issues and under-produc- been detected at harmful levels served as Aycock’s mentor, com- that advanced issues benefiting the Physics Programs (EP3) project tion of qualified physics teachers. at various facilities in southeast mended her work. scientific enterprise.” (go.aps.org/2FTBZJ1) has secured “We believe this project has the Chicago. Residents and busi- “Lauren was a terrific Fellow Another key highlight of a 5-year $2.2 million grant from potential to transform how phys- nesses asked Durbin’s office to who worked to forward Senator Aycock’s congressional fellow- NSF to produce a guide of effec- ics departments engage students advocate for the monitors. After Durbin’s environmental agenda, ship: raising awareness of climate tive educational practices for use in their education,” said Michael receiving the letter, sent by Durbin, especially in Southeast Chicago. change and supporting policies to by physics departments across the Jackson, EP3 Project Co-Chair and Senator Tammy Duckworth, and Lauren’s efforts and work helped mitigate its impact. country. The resulting EP3 Guide Dean of the College of Science Representative Robin Kelly, all of the people of Illinois address press- “I was the policy lead on climate will collect experiences from the and Technology at Millersville whom represent either all or parts ing issues and helped encourage change. I drafted talking points for broader physics community to University. “The EP3 guide will of Illinois, the EPA required instal- increased funding for scientific a climate change speech-a-thon enrich undergraduate education assist departments in the ongoing lation of the monitors. research,” said Hunt. on the Senate floor, organized by with proven methods of education review and improvement of their “I felt proud that I was able Added Francis Slakey, Chief Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of and assessment. individual programs within the con- to help amplify the voices of the Government Affairs Officer in “The purpose of the EP3 Project text, and constraints, of their local local community. It was a powerful the APS Office of Government FELLOW continued on page 6 and the Guide it is creating is to environment. This guide will gather gather research-based knowledge, Signal Boost is a monthly email video newsletter alerting practices from a range of resources Office of tools, and information in one place and national reports, deemed effec- Public Affairs APS members to policy issues and identifying opportuni- ties to get involved. Past issues are available at go.aps. and in an easily accessible format tive by the disciplinary commu- org/2nr298D. To receive Signal Boost and learn more about to assist department chairs and nity and informed through current grassroots activities, contact Greg Mack at [email protected]. other program leaders to meet chal- research, into one location so that lenges physics departments face,” department chairpersons and other Join Our Mailing List: visit the sign-up page at go.aps.org/2nqGtJP. said David Craig, EP3 Project program leaders can readily iden- Co-Chair and Physics Professor at tify initiatives they would like to Le Moyne College in New York pursue along with strategies for FYI: Science Policy News From AIP and at Oregon State University. their implementation.” “Whether the task is increasing the For more information see The 2018 Midterm Elections: Outlook for Science Policy number of physics majors, improv- the EP3 website at go.aps. ing departmental climate and inclu- org/2FTBZJ1 By William Thomas states she would like not only to Although the results of the US address climate change, but also midterm election are now mostly “restore the credibility of the Science Committee as a place known, their implications for where science is respected and rec- science policy will only unfold Work on ognized as a crucial input to good with time. Some of the most TM policymaking.” immediate changes will occur in ing legislation. In recent years, Capitol Hill Climate change is apt to be the committees of the House of most of the science policy bills a significant focus beyond the Representatives, where on January that have made headway in both Science Committee as well. It and for a Year 3 the Democrats will take power the House and Senate have been two other committees are already for the first time in eight years. bipartisan ones. During the cur- Apply for the APS 2019-2020 planning two days of hearings on The predominant forum for sci- rent Congress, major bills setting Congressional Science Fellowship the subject in early 2019. Current ence policy debate and legislation policy for NASA, the Department House Minority Leader Nancy Fellows serve one year on the staff of a senator, in the House is the Committee on of Energy Office of Science, and Pelosi (D-CA) has also sug- representative or congressional committee beginning weather forecasting research have Science, Space, and Technology. gested reinstating a special com- September 2019. Learn about the legislative process and lend been signed into law. In addition, scientific and technical expertise to public policy issues. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) mittee on climate change that the legislation to establish a National is expected to become commit- Republicans disbanded in 2011, Qualifications: Quantum Initiative currently has tee chair, having served as its top though not all Democrats believe • Ph.D. or equivalent in physics or a closely related field significant momentum. Democrat since 2010. She has such a move is necessary. • A strong interest in science and technology policy A point of particular interest is already identified a number of Meanwhile, nearly half the what the implications will be of • Some experience in applying scientific knowledge toward specific priorities for the coming 45 Republicans in the Climate the defeat of Representative John the solution of societal problems Congress such as engaging under- Solutions Caucus, including co- Culberson (R-TX). An influential • Must be an APS member represented groups and blue-collar chair Representative Carlos Curbelo appropriations subcommittee chair, workers in STEM fields, guarding (R-FL), are departing due to retire- Culberson has marshalled signifi- science from “political attacks,” and ments and election defeats. Although cant budget increases for NASA, Deadline: January 15, 2019 challenging “misguided or harmful” the caucus has taken few concrete including funding for two pro- go.aps.org/apscsf actions by the Trump administration. actions since its establishment in posed missions to Jupiter’s moon Over the past several years, 2016, by admitting members only Europa, where he hopes signs of the Science Committee has often in bipartisan pairs it has spotlighted life might be discovered. Even in been embroiled in controversy, the existence of interparty interest in the minority, Culberson might have particularly on occasions when its a subject that has been a persistent advocated forcefully for his pri- Republican leadership used it as source of partisan conflict. orities. In his absence, the second a platform for challenging main- Below the radar, there will likely stream climate science. Johnson be some continuity in advanc- OUTLOOK continued on page 7 December 2018 • 5 First Recipients of the Irwin Oppenheim Award Dramatic Drops and Fascinating Flows: the 2018 Gallery of Fluid Motion Jordan M. Horowitz (University of Michigan) and Todd R. Gingrich By Leah Poffenberger video and poster submissions that (Northwestern University) have The Division of Fluid Dynamics will be published in Physical Review been chosen as recipients of the meeting celebrates the interface of Fluids in 2019. The video winners first Irwin Oppenheim award for science and art through the Gallery of the 2018 Milton van Dyke Award best paper by early career scien- of Fluid Motion, a yearly showcase and the APS/DFD Gallery of Fluid tists published in Physical Review of visually stunning fluids research. Motion Award listed here, along E. The award citation reads A panel of judges assessed this with the poster winners, can be “For the article, ‘Proof of the year’s entries, selecting the top viewed at gfm.aps.org. finite-time thermodynamic uncer- tainty relation for steady-state 2018 Milton van Dyke Award Video Winners currents,’ published in Phys. Rev. E 96, 020103(R) (2017), which demonstrated significance, rigor, Jordan M. Horowitz Todd R. Gingrich and broad impact in the general dynamics.” For more information other APS honors, visit aps.org/ area of non-equilibrium thermo- on the Oppenheim Award and programs/honors.

Toast with Jam and Quantum Mechanics The shaky life of a water drop in an Premixed-flame oscillations in nar- APS member Chad Orzel is I’m getting photos of people’s cats anise oil-rich environment (V0054): row channels (V0018): Propagation a professor of physics at Union and kids on other continents. And A visually stunning phenomena of premixed flames react to thermo- arises when anise oil, ethanol, and acoustic oscillations. College in Schenectady, New York. those photos you take with a digital water mix together. But he is also a blogger for Forbes camera—the principle at work there magazine, a sought-after lecturer, is photoelectric interactions. And it Dripping down the rivulet (V0070): At certain angles and flow rates, and author of four popular books all ends up tying back to quantum viscous liquids produce both rivu- on science. In two of his previous physics. My goal is to take really lets and drops. books, Orzel shared his excitement concrete things that you experience about quantum physics and relativ- in the morning perhaps, and then ity through “conversations” with use that as a jumping off point. his dog Emmy. APS News spoke APS News: How did you with Orzel about his latest book, decide which topics to pick for Breakfast with Einstein, a tour each chapter? through the physics of everyday It was a mix of stuff. I did a things. The interview, available blog post around the same time 2018 APS/DFD Gallery of Fluid Motion Award in full online, has been edited for about the Sun, so there is a chap- Winners length and clarity. ter about how the Sun relies on all APS News: Your previous of the fundamental interactions. books used this device of explain- And quantum tunneling. Say you stuff that didn’t make it into the ing physics to your dog. How did throw two protons at each other book because it's just a ridiculously you approach this book? at the temperature that you have complicated process. But magne- I didn’t want to do the talking in the core of the sun. That’s not tism always gets science writers dog thing again. The sad reason is nearly enough energy to get them in trouble. she died a couple of years ago, but close enough for fusion, but there’s APS News: Some scientists I also don’t want to get typecast and a tiny chance that a tunneling reac- say they don’t get credit for the how much more can I wring out of tion can occur and allow fusion to science communication that they talking to the dog? In communicat- happen. The sun wouldn’t work do, that the whole reward system Hoverdrops: Flying Fizzy Fluids The surfactant-free persistence of (v0097): On a hydrophobic surface, surface bubbles in a volatile liquid ing physics there’s a big emphasis without quantum physics. I moved in academia and other places is CO2-filled soda water levitates until (V0057): Volatile liquids such as iso- on things that are extremely exotic, from that to talking about smoke still geared toward how many the gas dissipates. propyl alcohol have a surprising abili- right? There are lots of books about detectors. People aren’t aware that papers you publish. Do you fight ty to sustain bubbles, thanks to a cool- what’s going on near the event commercial smoke detectors gener- against that? ing effect and thermocapillary flow. horizon of a black hole or what’s ally have a tiny bit of americium in I don’t have a great read on going on inside the Large Hadron there, that the alpha decay of that is how things are perceived. There Collider. And it leaves people with part of a sensor that picks up certain are internal merit systems and I this impression that fundamental kinds of fires. If you open it up, you don’t know how highly that part physics, quantum physics, particle see the little radioactive sticker. It of the institution regards the books physics are things that only matter works because an alpha particle is that I published because I also pub- in these really extreme environ- tunneling out of the nucleus. lish papers and scientific review ments that have nothing to do with APS News: The explanations articles. When I sold the first book, everyday life. that you have are non-mathemat- I had some really weird conversa- This is to some extent self- ical in many cases and are nice tions with people: “I have a con- inflicted. For those us who write concrete explanations for a par- tract to write a book.” “Oh really? Nitrogen swirl: creating rotating Birth of microbubbles in turbulent popular books, that’s the attention- ticular phenomenon. You must What university press is it with?” polygons in a boiling liquid (V0032): breaking waves (V0027): Ocean Liquid nitrogen, when stirred at a waves and ship wakes produce grabbing stuff and we sort of gravi- have had to make tough decisions “Um, Scribner? It’s an imprint of boil, displays rotating pentagons, long-lasting microbubbles as simu- tate to that. But it also distances about how much detail to put in. Simon and Schuster.” “Oh, where squares or triangles. lated here. the subject and allows the reader In one chapter I talk about how would I get a copy of that?” “Your to turn it off. I realized, and it liter- chemistry comes from the Pauli local bookstore?” I checked—it’s ally occurred to me while toasting exclusion principle and, in any- on the shelf at the local big box. bread, that if you look at the heat- thing biological, you have these I mean, it never is black and ing element in a toaster oven or organic molecules. Their structures white, but you’re not getting an electric stove, it glows red and trace back to the electron shells, actively dissuaded from doing it. I explaining why hot things glow a which are filled the way they are don’t know if selling a book that’s particular color is what kicked off because of Pauli exclusion. It going to end up in Barnes and quantum physics. That’s the black becomes really difficult to avoid Noble carries the same weight as body radiation problem and you falling down a giant rabbit hole of getting a contract for a book that’s can’t solve it without quantizing the organic chemistry stuff that I don't going to be bought by 100 uni- energy. And then I started trying to know very well. So, I tried to keep versity libraries and nobody else. think of other aspects of ordinary the detail in that kind of thing to a The quantum book [How to Teach everyday life where quantum things minimum. Quantum Physics to your Dog] has show up. There are certainly places where done really, really well over the So, what do I do in the morning? I’ve probably simplified too much years. It didn’t explode publication- I go check the internet and see what for people who work on that side wise, but it has sold steadily since happened. You can’t have the inter- of physics or chemistry. But that’s it came out. And that’s almost 10 net without fiber optics; you need not the purpose of the book—it’s years ago. lasers to make that work. Lasers are not a textbook. For example, writ- Breakfast with Einstein something you wouldn’t conceive ing about permanent magnets was by Chad Orzel, published by of without quantum physics. And really hard. And that chapter is the BenBella Books, is available what am I getting on the Internet? one where I had to learn the most December 2018. 6 • December 2018

DBIO continued from page 1 PRApplied continued from page 1 the APS community. Members cells’ remarkable capacity for relentless focus on seminal results that the journal will continue to [4] Z. Chen et al., Mechanical are affiliated with a broad range self-organization. Microtubules and lasting value by our outstand- live up to its ambitions of being self-assembly of a strain- of academic departments—includ- both provide mechanical structure ing professional staff and Editorial the “go-to” journal for all of the engineered flexible layer: ing biochemistry, engineering, to support the shape of cells, and Board has been key to PRApplied’s applied physics community. Wrinkling, rolling, and twist- neuroscience, mathematics, and comprise tracks coupled with motor success. We have every intention References ing, Phys. Rev. Applied 5, medicine, in addition to physics proteins that facilitate intracellular during the years ahead to main- [1] Y. Ra’di, C. R. Simovski, and 017001 (2016). and biophysics. As DBIO member transport. Understanding funda- tain that clear focus on excellence S. A. Tretyakov, Thin perfect [5] T. D. Schmidt et al., Emitter Moumita Das, associate professor mental properties of this system and impact. With this winning for- absorbers for electromag- orientation as a key param- of physics at the Rochester Institute is a question that draws upon soft, mula, we are assured of attracting netic waves: Theory, design, eter in organic light-emitting of Technology, put it, “Nature active, and biological condensed the best papers in applied physics, and realizations, Phys. Rev. diodes, Phys. Rev. Applied 8, doesn’t care about boundaries. If matter physics. It also has implica- of continuing our robust growth, Applied 3, 037001 (2015). 037001 (2017). you want to solve some of the out- tions for disease, as breakdown in and of growing the reputation of standing problems in nature, you the microtubule network underlies PRApplied among scientists and [2] R. Fleury, F. Monticone, and Stephen Forrest is the Peter A. can’t do it with just your knowl- a host of cancers, brain abnormali- engineers the world over. A. Alù, Invisibility and cloak- Franken Distinguished University edge of chemistry or biology or ties, and neuromuscular diseases. We thank all of our readers, ing: Origins, present, and Professor, and the Paul G. physics—you have to step across Das’ research examines the authors and referees who give gen- future perspectives, Phys. Rev. Goebel Professor in Electrical these disciplines and collaborate underlying principles and mecha- erously of their time and effort, for Applied 4, 037001 (2015). Engineering, Materials Science with other people.” nisms that lead to the toughness of the support they have shown for [3] A. Hoffmann and S. D. Bader, and Engineering, and Physics at DBIO’s broad lens on biologi- articular cartilage—a millimeters- PRApplied in its first five years. Opportunities at the frontiers the University of Michigan. He has cal physics has been a key fea- thick material that, remarkably, We look forward to the future with of spintronics, Phys. Rev. been Editor of PRApplied since ture of the division’s culture since routinely bears up to 10 times enthusiasm, confident in knowing Applied 4, 047001 (2015). August 2017. its founding in 1973. Princeton one’s body weight over 100-200 University professor and APS million loading cycles, all without FELLOW continued from page 4 Fellow Shirley Chan was a gradu- fracturing. A better understanding Rhode Island. These talking points of the research taking place at those duced the legislation.” ate student at the time and recol- of this exceptionally tough biologi- incorporated recent news stories laboratories. Additionally, Aycock put her lected that DBIO was established cal material could help inform the about the impact of climate change “I really didn’t get exposed to analytic skills to good use. “essentially out of frustration” by development of materials for tissue in Illinois and around the world,” the DOE national laboratories until “I performed a detailed pol- physicists whose forward-think- engineering, tissue repair, and even said Aycock. I participated in this fellowship. icy analysis of Senators Lisa ing ideas about applying physics soft robotics. Aycock’s experience also I’ve learned so much about high Murkowski and Cory Booker’s approaches to biomolecules weren’t Other open questions in biologi- involved supporting local national energy physics from visiting many (D-NJ) Nuclear Leadership Act to widely embraced by the scientific cal physics, always hot topics at laboratories. of the national laboratories,” she support advanced nuclear reactor communities in either physics or DBIO’s sessions at APS Meetings, “One of Senator Durbin’s high- said, adding that she toured nine research and encourage domestic biology at the time. include the mechanics of how brain est priorities was consistent, steady national labs, including SLAC and civilian investment in research and An early pioneer in studying the tissue buckles to form wrinkles, the growth in funding for scientific Fermilab. “On Capitol Hill, I was development of advanced nuclear spectra, structure, and dynamics of biomechanics of immune response, research,” said Aycock. “Two of not a cold atom physicist. I was a power. I made recommendations proteins and nucleic acids, Chan and the quantum biology of pho- the Department of Energy (DOE)’s physicist, and more broadly, a sci- for improving the bill and recom- remembers the 1970s as an interest- tosynthesis. “Science is not stag- Office of Science national labs— entist. Colleagues looked to me to mended that Senator Durbin co- ing era in physics, with many well- nant,” noted Ross, “DBIO has been Argonne National Lab and Fermi provide broad insight into science, sponsor it.” established nuclear and solid-state able to thrive by encouraging new National Accelerator Laboratory— not solely my research expertise Aycock said making sure the physicists shifting their interest and different aspects of biological are in Illinois. I enjoyed working developed in graduate school.” public understands the importance toward biological systems—par- physics.” with both the labs to move forward Aycock also had an opportu- of science is a crucial lesson she ticularly the puzzle of how to com- DBIO has also left its mark at on mutual policy goals.” nity to advocate for funding for learned during her fellowship. prehensively model the function of the highest levels of biomedical She continued, “I coordinated the NIST. “As the physics community, we proteins and enzymes. research. Lobbying from DBIO bipartisan sign-on letters with “It was important to me that need to make sure that we are com- Her advisors, Hans Frauenfelder researchers led the National Cancer Senator Mike Rounds’ office Senator Durbin had a big view municating the importance of our and Peter Debrunner, were two of Institute to establish a network of [in South Dakota] in support of of the science ecosystem,” said research,” she said. the earliest examples. Their labo- 12 Physical Sciences Oncology Fermilab’s Long Baseline Neutrino Aycock, explaining that the sena- Scientific research has led to ratory at the University of Illinois Centers in 2009. These have since Facility/Deep Underground tor stepped in to write a letter in the development of myriad innova- Urbana-Champaign studied the led to breakthrough insights into Neutrino Experiment during the support of funding for NIST after tions, including the Internet, MRI, ligand effects of heme proteins the role of biomechanics in cancer crafting of the president’s budget noticing that the agency had not and Doppler radar—all inventions in different oxidation states, by metastasis and a valuable rise in sta- request and congressional appro- received the same support as other that have changed the lives of enriching the heme’s iron with tistical- and mechanics-based think- priations process.” scientific agencies. Americans. And for that reason, a radioactive isotope to make it ing in many NCI-funded studies. Aycock added, “I coordinated Aycock also played a role in scientists should communicate the detectable with Mössbauer spec- The division’s spirit of inclu- letters with Senator Tammy making sure that three scien- benefits of their work, explained troscopy. Later, the focus shifted sivity applies to its scientists as Duckworth’s office to sup- tists, who helped NASA’s ear- Aycock. to the dynamics of heme protein’s well as its science: DBIO features port Argonne’s upgrade of the lier research programs, gain “We have so much to share binding to oxygen and carbon some of the highest participation Advanced Photon Source and real recognition. about the value of science,” monoxide. Chan was among the from women and under-repre- growth in funding for the DOE “I recommended that Senator she said. graduate students tasked with sented minorities in the APS com- Office of Science.” Durbin co-sponsor the Hidden Furthermore, she said, “all poli- developing flash photolysis meth- munity. Placing this proportion at As a graduate student working at Figures Congressional Gold Medal tics is local.” ods to approach this topic, and well over 20 percent, Ross noted the Joint Quantum Institute, a part- Award Act to award Congressional “We should make sure that our other pioneers applied magnetic “We’re a diverse and welcoming nership of the National Institute of Gold Medals to Katherine Johnson, congressional representatives know fields to study the quantum spin division of APS, and that’s very Standards and Technology (NIST) Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, about the cool research that we are dynamics of biomolecules, ulti- visible.” A distinct point of pride and the University of Maryland, and Dr. Christine Darden in rec- conducting,” she said. mately leading to the development for DBIO is that this diversity goes Aycock was familiar with research ognition of their contributions The author is the APS Press of magnetic resonance imaging. beyond mere membership: The taking place at US national labo- to NASA’s success during the Secretary. Chan recounted that the division works actively to ensure ratories. But after she began her space race. Senators Chris Coons Congressional Science Frauenfelder laboratory, and that women and underrepresented congressional fellowship, she said (D-DE), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Fellowship applications are being others pursuing similar lines of minorities—as well as early-career she learned more about the depth and Kamala Harris (D-CA) intro- accepted at go.aps.org/apscsf. physics-based experimentation on researchers—are well-represented biological systems, had difficulty in working group sessions and busi- publishing this work in the avail- ness meetings, as speakers at APS able biochemical and biophysical Meetings, and in division leader- journals in those years, and were ship. As it stands currently, DBIO’s met with skepticism when pre- 12-person Executive Committee Join the nation’s REGISTER NOW largest meeting dedicated to the senting about these topics at the boasts a 50/50 split between men • Special Workshop: education of future physics teachers Biophysical Society Meetings. and women. “At DBIO you’ll ‘Get the Facts Out’ Without a niche in any exist- see the difference. Not only how toolkit for recruiting ing academic society, a group of many women and underrepresented 2019 teachers senior APS members decided to minorities are present, but how • Study Results: form a new division to cultivate many are speaking up,” said Das. Building Thriving PhysTEC Physics Teacher this new subfield of physics, and Overall, DBIO stands out as one Education Programs the Division of Biological Physics of APS’ most lively and commu- Conference • Networking with leaders was born. nity-driven divisions, with plenty in physics teacher Nearly 50 years later, what ques- to offer members in terms of sup- March 2-3 education tions is DBIO now tackling? The port, inclusivity, and encourage- Boston, MA And more! research of Ross and Das provides ment. More information on the an interesting cross-section. division can be found here: aps. The research carried out in the org/units/dbp/ Ross lab explores the microtubule The author is a freelance writer phystec.org cytoskeleton and how it facilitates in Helsinki, Finland. December 2018 • 7

LEBANON continued from page 1 in itself, but here you have other fessor of physics at the California barriers, such as a lack of adequate Institute of Technology. 2019 APS OUTREACH MINI GRANTS funding.” “The infrastructure is a chal- And there are other challenges. lenge—the power grid, internet NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Lebanese physicists describe an access, internet speed, all of this. electrical grid that goes out in the It’s a real problem and it holds back APS is awarding several grants to encourage middle of an experiment; when not just research but the economy new outreach activities to engage the general it will turn back on is anyone’s as a whole,” says Helou. “It is public with physics and inform them about guess. Telecoms has its troubles remarkable that any activity can the importance of physics in their daily lives. too. When Maher Dayeh of the be achieved in that environment but LEARN MORE Southwest Research Institute in people are resilient and keep going! DEADLINE: JANUARY 14, 2019 go.aps.org/minigrants San Antonio, Texas, participated I have a great admiration for the in an APS exchange program with physicists who have a go at it and other Lebanese physicists, he had they do make a difference in mak- PLAN S continued from page 1 to drive one hour back to Beirut ing connections to the international from his residence outside the city, community.” Plan S is bold, but not surprising.” Nature, and some commentators the limits being considered by the if he wanted fast internet. “You can Onward APS Editor in Chief Michael have estimated that under Plan S, authors of Plan S. The November Thoennessen adds that “APS has researchers would be banned from guidelines did not offer much call the company and they don’t Despite its challenges, this is long been a proponent of OA pub- publishing in about 85 percent of greater detail although Plan S sig- do anything,” he says. “The phone an exciting time for physics in lishing that is financially sustain- existing journals. natories have indicated that they lines need to be replaced—they’ve Lebanon. The Lebanese Academy able and does not compromise the “The restriction to publish only will commission studies of APC been saying this for five years.” of Sciences, known officially by high standards of quality and peer- in fully OA journals brings up levels and the academic publishing Physics professors at public its French name, the Académie des review of the APS journals,” refer- critical questions around author landscape to assess which disci- institutions are civil servants— Sciences du Liban (ASL), is an ring to a commitment in the official freedom and choice, and could plines require more OA publish- “they have to do research and independent and nonprofit institu- publish in order to get promoted,” APS statement on OA issued in have a profound effect on the way ing options. Subsequent initiatives tion founded by a decree from the notes Sabra. Teaching loads tend to 2009 (go.aps.org/2Ph81ya). Salter researchers collaborate across inter- to provide financial incentives to Lebanese Government in 2007. It be on the high side. And the pro- and Thoennessen wrote about the national boundaries” says Salter. create new OA journals or flip is modeled on the French Academy fessorships, no matter the type of impact of open access on the integ- These questions, as well as likely existing ones to OA are also being of Science. university, are highly competitive. rity of science earlier this year (See impacts on mission-driven scien- considered. “The ASL is an independent But because there are so few APS News, February 2018, go.aps. tific societies such as APS, were Given that many of the details of entity from the government,” positions for physics professors, org/2si7MwC). among those raised by Salter, the plan have not yet been released notes Zbib, “but acts as a catalyst pursuing a career is tough and as Currently, three of the 12 Thoennessen, and APS Chief and, so far, many large funders for science, scientists, and engi- a result, many physics students APS primary research journals— Government Affairs Officer Francis have not joined the coalition, Plan neers.” Indeed, Helou, who served go abroad to further their educa- Physical Review X, Physical Slakey, when they met with Smits S is still a moving target. With this as President of ASL from 2014 to tion and gain an advantage should Review Accelerators and Beams, in Washington DC at the beginning in mind, Salter counsels against a 2018, shares that much of the ASL’s they want to return to Lebanon. and Physical Review Physics of October. precipitate response and pledged strategic plan concerns increasing Physicist Amara El-Sayegh is cur- Education Research—are pub- Financial considerations are that APS would pursue a journal its visibility within the Lebanese rently pursuing an unpaid postdoc lished fully OA. The other APS also at the heart of Plan S. OA program focused on offering the federal government to provide at the American University of journals are published under the journals flip the traditional journal best publishing choices to authors scientific insight for national pro- Beirut (AUB) while serving as a hybrid model. model, placing the responsibility in the community. “As part of our grams. He and his ASL colleagues lecturer at this university and others Under the stringent require- of meeting publishing costs, such strategy to develop further the APS are facilitating targeted studies and nearby. “At AUB it’s very hard to ments imposed by Plan S, as editing and management of peer journals we have been actively con- study groups that look at how to get a job so I need a postdoc experi- researchers funded by cOAlition review, on article authors through sidering how to expand choice of deal with diverse issues of national ence abroad,” she says. “It’s very S members who choose to publish payment of APCs. These costs have fully OA publishing venues for concern, ranging from environ- competitive so people are required in the Physical Review journals traditionally been borne by library some time,” says Salter. “We want to do research abroad…It is a hard mental issues, such as toxic waste would currently only be allowed and institutional subscribers. all authors, including those who thing to do because there are not a removal and sustainable energy, to do so in three fully OA APS Another key aspect of Plan S prefer to publish OA, those who lot of opportunities for physicists. to public health, to education and titles. The original Plan S require- is the introduction of a maximum are mandated to do so, and those There is no encouraging environ- even tourism. ment to publish only in fully OA APC. According to Salter, although who collaborate with colleagues ment for research.” “The government has also journals puts most APS Journals, cOAlition S is yet to spell out the or co-authors wanting or needing “If you do research [in Lebanon] asked us for advice about setting including Physical Review Letters, level of the cap, APS already offers an OA publishing model, to find you do it for the love of it,” says up a planetarium in the country as off-limits, along with other presti- very competitive APCs and it is suitable options within the APS Dayeh. “If you are not excited a science tourism and an educa- gious journals such as Science and likely that these would fall within journals portfolio.” about knowing about the nature of tional tool,” says Helou. “All of matter, you can sit back and in most these are the kinds of issues the OUTLOOK continued from page 4 cases still have your job. Those country has to deal with it and Europa mission, a controversial increases across science programs, The author is a science policy we believe that we could provide who do research are really excited lander, could languish. The fate expires in October 2019. analyst with FYI at the American about it, and they want to find new technical insight.” Currently, ASL of the funding he has secured for Since budget sequestration was has approximately 30 members, Institute of Physics. solutions to problems and better NASA’s Planetary Science Division imposed in 2013, Congress has FYI has been a trusted source understand the universe. This tells all of whom are volunteering their also remains to be seen. always reached bipartisan agree- of science policy and funding you that if there were more fund- time and efforts towards these The fate of science funding as a ments to raise the caps and avert news since 1989, and is read by ing and infrastructure stability, they undertakings. whole is apt to hinge on high-level any further across-the-board budget would be able to do more!” In 2016, APS and the ASL, negotiations over what level statu- cuts. Republicans and Democrats members of Congress and their Interestingly, physics research is in a joint effort led by Zbib and tory budget caps should be set at. will doubtless work to reach another staff, federal agency heads, jour- done almost exclusively at univer- Helou, launched the US-Lebanon A two-year agreement reached in agreement next year, but no result nalists, and US scientific lead- sities, says Jihad Touma, professor Professorship/Lectureship February to raise the caps, which can be taken for granted in the pres- ers. Sign up for free FYI emails of physics at AUB. “There is to be Program, which supports scien- has enabled significant funding ent politically volatile climate. at aip.org/fyi sure hardly any research done by tists wishing to visit overseas to industry for industry; research is deliver a short course or a phys- and strengthen our connections to cists representing diverse physics much more scientific involvement conducted in universities but also ics lecture series at a university. this physics community.” fields and all parts of the world, outside Lebanon. I see a lot of stu- in the Lebanese National Council The first participants were Dayeh, The program is modeled after has undertaken an extensive out- dents from AUB go to the US, and for Scientific Research,” he notes. who conducted a series of lec- other successful APS international reach to all parts of the Society, as students from other Lebanese uni- “Applied physics research is con- tures on magnetic reconnection at endeavors with nations such as well as its international partners. versities going to French-speaking ducted with technological appli- AUB in October 2016, and Touma, Brazil and India. “We appreciate It gave its final report and recom- countries.” cations in mind, but the absence who presented the Dix Planetary the connections to some of the mendations to the APS Council of Lebanese physicists recognize of any related industrial sector in Science seminar at Caltech and a leaders in the region through the Representatives in November 2018. that they are in a unique position. the country makes for little or no lecture at the Galactic Center group Lebanese Academy of Sciences and Although Zbib left Lebanon “The country is filled with con- immediate convergence to the fore- at UCLA on topics in planetary and the chance to convey that APS is 40 years ago to study at Michigan tradictions,” says Touma. Despite seen applications.” galactic dynamics. interested in working and collabo- Technological University, he has challenges of infrastructure and And there’s war. “The lack “We decided to begin modestly, rating with that community,” says always stayed connected. He war, Lebanese physics students gar- of resources for scientists and because we all wanted a program Flatten. “APS wants to strengthen served on the APS Committee ner top positions in grad programs engineers has been a hindrance. that was of equal partnership, mean- its connections with the physics on International Scientific Affairs and postdocs around the world, Resources are wasted because of ing we each would provide one community in Lebanon and more and was one of the architects of and Lebanese physics researchers war,” says Zbib. “It’s not that the travel award each year,” says Amy broadly the Middle East.” the U.S.-Lebanon Professorship/ regularly achieve results on the cut- country doesn’t have resources, it’s Flatten, Director of International To increase APS service to Lectureship Program, which he ting edge of the discipline. “These that the resources are being used Affairs for APS. “We felt an equal its international members and views as an invaluable first step are reasonable expectations [in a somewhere else.” And that includes partnership was the most appropri- physicists worldwide, CEO Kate in advancing cross-national part- typical setting],” he adds. “What human resources: “With the war ate. Even with fewer awards, it will Kirby established the Task Force nerships. One especially relevant is unreasonable is that we are able things fell apart. The main people help to build a baseline of contacts on Expanding International issue: “There are more Lebanese to produce such excellence under I looked up to had left in the war,” with the Lebanese physics com- Engagement. The Task Force, scientists outside Lebanon than these conditions. I’m proud to be says George Helou, research pro- munity that we hope will expand composed of 13 senior physi- in Lebanon,” he notes. “There is associated with this bunch.” 8 • December 2018

Listening to the Skilled Technical Workforce By Christina Maranto and Mateo Munoz

n the heels of the announcement that LIGO pioneers OBarry Barish, Kip Thorne, and Rainer Weiss had been awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics for the direct obser- LIGO vation of gravitational waves, we, as AAAS Policy Fellows LIGO supporting the National Science Board (NSB) joined mem- bers of the NSB, the governing body of the National Science Foundation, on a visit to LIGO in Livingston, Louisiana to learn about the research, the facility, and the dedicated sci- entific workforce that made this groundbreaking discovery possible. After a captivating presentation on the events leading up to the historic detection, we accompanied the NSB on a facility tour. Alongside a bright undergraduate intern and a group of energetic postdoctoral researchers, our group met David Barker, the person who maintains LIGO’s impressive, two-story heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Barker is a skilled technician whose skillset and dedication are essential to the function of this technically complex facility. Like Barker, workers who use technical skills in their jobs but who do not have a four-year degree are part of the Behind the scenes at each of the LIGO interferometers there is a complex infrastructure of vacuum chambers, nation’s skilled technical workforce (STW). Although the optics, electronics, and data networks. All of it requires a skilled technical workforce to operate and maintain. Board was at LIGO to learn about “the science,” we also learned that without the technical workers who support the researchers and the technical operations of the facility, the Nobel-winning science would not be possible. While scien- By holding “listening sessions” with students, educators, candidates. HR policies that focus on credentials instead tific breakthroughs often conjure the stereotype of the lone industry, and government officials in multiple geographic of skills exacerbate worker shortages and block indi- genius toiling in the lab, the reality is that discoveries are the regions and industry sectors, the NSB hopes to understand vidual opportunities. product of a scientific team that includes workers at every the varied challenges the STW faces across the country. 4. Expense and Lack of Wrap-around Services: level, ranging from people with certificates, an apprentice- The NSB held its first listening session in Baton Rouge, ship credential, associate’s, bachelor’s, and graduate degrees. Community college students tend to be older (averaging Louisiana, in a region where the oil and gas industries fuel 28 years old) and have families and jobs. Additionally, Throughout America, skilled technical workers are an some 260,000 jobs. Like many community colleges, Baton increasingly important segment of the science, technol- many face socioeconomic hardships. For example, some Rouge Community College, which hosted the session, lack transportation to get to school or training programs. ogy, education, and mathematics (STEM) workforce. These is an essential education center for students entering the workers are in traditional “blue-collar” professions such as Childcare is also a significant issue, both in terms of skilled technical workforce. The NSB’s second listening cost and time. plumbing and welding, but also increasingly in informa- session took place at Macomb Community College (MCC) tion technology and health care fields. In 2015, the median in Warren, Michigan. MCC is in the heart of the rejuvenated 5. Gender Diversity: Technical fields are predominantly annual earnings for skilled technical workers in “science and automobile industry and home to the Center for Advanced male. Women may not be aware of these pathways in engineering” ($60,000) or “science and engineering-related” Automotive Technology (CAAT), a NSF-funded Advanced part because of the lack of female role models in techni- ($45,000) occupations were significantly higher than the Technological Education center. CAAT’s mission is to meet cal industries. median earnings in other occupations ($29,000) [1]. Skilled the expanding workforce needs of the automotive industry by This past June, NSB held a third listening session, meeting technical occupations not only offer solid middle-class sala- increasing the pool of skilled technical workers in advanced with students and faculty who were participating in NSF’s ries, but are also predicted to be among the fastest growing automotive technology including automated and connected Community College Innovation Challenge in Alexandria, over the next decade [2]. Despite these trends, employers vehicles, and vehicle electrification. Virginia. This two-stage competition uses STEM to find inno- consistently report that they have trouble filling these jobs. In total, over 50 participants from multiple sectors includ- vative solutions to real-world problems. The student finalists In November 2017, the NSB officially established its ing, academia, industry, non-profit, chambers of commerce, and their faculty mentors represented community colleges Task Force on the Skilled Technical Workforce to identify and state government participated in these sessions. They across the country and echoed many of the same themes that the opportunities and challenges facing students, incumbent shared their perceptions of the challenges facing the STW in came to light in Warren and Baton Rouge. In September, workers, businesses, educators, and others involved with the their communities. While some significant differences exist NSB members visited Florence-Darlington Technical College STW and recommend strategies to strengthen it. Building on between Baton Rouge and Warren, including socio-economic in Florence, South Carolina to learn more about the work- its 2015 report, Revisiting the STEM Workforce, the NSB has factors, we observed several common themes: force needs of the advanced manufacturing industry. promoted policies that support a STEM-capable US. work- 1. Stigma: Students and parents continue to believe that The individuals we’ve met in these listening sessions have force that includes individuals from all demographic groups, a four-year college degree is required for a lucrative, moved and inspired us—and the members of the NSB—with at all education levels, and in all geographical locales. In stable, and enjoyable career. One participant said that their personal stories of overcoming challenges, which are February 2018, the NSB published Our Nation’s Future “A lot of people don’t know that a four-year degree is numerous, varied, and complex. Promisingly, there appears Competitiveness Relies on Building a STEM-Capable US not the only way to an American Dream.” There tends to be an energy and willingness to work together to solve Workforce, a policy statement encouraging the coordination to be a view of the career landscape as a dichotomy these challenges. In the words of one of the listening session of policies and investments aimed at building and strengthen- between jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree and jobs participants, “Everyone can help. I don’t care who it is that ing on-ramps into skilled technical careers. that are “no skill.” High school guidance counselors pulls this off, I just want it to get done.” Strengthening the STW is also a priority for policy- can also perpetuate this view by promoting the benefits Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those makers, with efforts underway to expand post-secondary of a four-year degree while neglecting to highlight of the authors and do not in any way represent the views of opportunities for both young people and adults. Congress educational and career pathways in technical fields that and the Administration have renewed interest in strength- the American Association for the Advancement of Science do not require a four-year degree. And lastly, for some (AAAS), the National Science Board (NSB), the National ening the skilled technical workforce through apprentice- technical jobs in the manufacturing fields, people are ship, an age-old workplace learning program that requires Science Foundation (NSF), or any other entity of the US not aware that they are clean, bright, and highly techni- Government. a substantial investment by the employer. For example, cal workspaces. the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Christina Maranto is an AAAS Science and Technology introduced the “Innovations in Mentoring, Training, and 2. Skills Gap: Students often lack the appropriate skillset Policy Fellow hosted by the National Science Board Office. Apprenticeship Act,” which emphasizes engagement with to work in technical careers upon completion of high Mateo Munoz is an AAAS Science and Technology Policy industry partners willing to offer applied learning opportu- school and/or training in community college. For exam- Fellow hosted by the National Science Board Office. nities such as apprenticeships and internships [3]. In July ple, it is difficult to find qualified teachers who know References 2018, the Administration formed the President’s National and understand industry-specific technical skills and as a 1. National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators Council for the American Worker to develop a national result, the curriculum may be misaligned. Another factor 2018 (Alexandria, VA: National Science Board, 2018), ch. 3, strategy to ensure that America’s students and workers are is that declines in state funding led many public-school p. 84. prepared for 21st century jobs, which often require skilled systems to cut technical programs. 2. For more information on employment projections published by technical training [4]. 3. Human Resources (HR) Practices: Many companies the Bureau of Labor Statistics, see go.aps.org/2AKmduf. For its part, the NSB is contributing to these efforts by and government employers require a four-year degree 3. House bill HR5509: go.aps.org/2Q84yat getting outside Washington, DC, to hear from communities for work that could be done by well-trained skilled 4. President’s National Council for the American Worker: go.aps. that have a direct stake in the skilled technical workforce. technical workers, thereby excluding many qualified org/2Pbt45j

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