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Home , Harvey Fletcher, Orel (spacecraft), Richard Garwin, Sabra (comics), Sidney Drell, Wen Ho Lee

August/September 2006 Volume 15, No. 8 www.aps.org/apsnews Highlights APS NEWS Letters from the Middle East Page 5 A Publication of the American Physical Society

APS Awards 27 Minority Scholarships for 2006-2007 Getting a Kick out of The APS Committee on and in part by popular science and math more intellectually Minorities has selected 27 students books, especially works by Stephen stimulating, as well as offering for the 2006-2007 Scholarship for Hawking and . better career options. Minority Undergraduate Physics Berrizbeitia, originally from Minority scholar Amanda Majors. Venezuela, is now beginning her McCoy plans to use her knowledge Each new scholarship is for of sophomore year at the University of physics in a medical career. $2,000 and may be renewed once of Texas at Austin as a double major McCoy, who is from Pittsburgh and at a level of $3,000. This year the in physics and math. Her father, a is starting her junior year at committee selected 13 new schol- math professor, encouraged her Harvard, also says her high school ars and 14 renewals. The scholar- early interest in math. But after tak- physics teacher really sparked her ship may be used for tuition, room ing a physics course in high school, interest in the subject, though she and board, and educational mate- she found that physics had more had always enjoyed math and rials. Each minority scholar is real-life applications. “I thought science. “My high school physics paired with a mentor at his or her physics was a wonderful example teacher was great. It just kind of university. Physics departments of what you need all this math for,” clicked,” she said. that host a minority scholar each she said. McCoy’s goal is to become a receive $500. Berrizbeitia is planning to par- doctor, possibly with a specialty New minority scholar Ana ticipate in undergraduate research in radiology or radiation Berrizbeitia is intrigued by the pos- soon, and after completing her oncology, because those fields are sibility of a theory of everything. undergraduate education, she hopes closely related to physics. This “The idea of trying to combine the to pursue a PhD and ultimately summer, she is engaged in laws of gravity with quantum become a professor, since she likes interdisciplinary research as part physics, that they’re trying to find teaching as well as research. She of the Bioengineering and an equation that describes the uni- also enjoys painting, singing, the- Bioinformatics Summer Institute verse in a nutshell, I just thought it ater, and playing soccer. She con- at the University of Pittsburgh, was fascinating,” she said. Her love sidered art as a career, and has where she is developing of physics was inspired in part by thought about getting a minor in computer simulations to explore her high school physics teacher, theater, but says she finds physics APS Awards continued on page 7 Photo credit: Adrienne Klein On June 17 and 18, the Science & the Arts program at the Graduate Student Member Survey Fosters Two-way Communication Center of the City University of New York sponsored an unusual Student members of APS, both Among undergraduates, 29% heard essential or important by 80% of outreach event: they brought science-related booths to a commercial street graduate and undergraduate, have about APS through the Society of undergrads and 77% of graduate stu- fair. Physics was demonstrated amidst vendors of sweaters, made their opinions about APS Physics Students. dents. Other highly-rated benefits corndogs, kielbasa and crafts. Pictured here: Jake Levine learns the heard through a recent survey. The most common reasons for included: one free online journal for physics of fight under the guidance of APS's Jennifer Ouellette, as Jessica Clark, APS Head of Public Outreach, looks on. The survey also provided a way for joining were “wanted to present student members (rated essential or the Membership Department to paper at APS meeting” (42%), “view important by 66% of undergrads and communicate with student APS as my professional organiza- 56% of graduate students); career Outreach Project Seeks APS members, who are often unfamiliar tion” (38%), “professor recommend- website (rated essential or impor- with all the benefits APS offers. ed I join” (39%), and Physics Today tant by 65% of undergraduates and Member Volunteers The survey asked how students (34%). (Respondents could choose 62% of graduate students); reduced first learned about APS, and why more than one reason for joining.) meeting registration fees at APS As it prepares PhysicsQuest APS first produced they chose to join. Many students Undergraduates were much less like- meetings (77% of graduate students 2006, an activity for use in PhysicsQuest: The Search for (40%) first learned about APS ly than graduate students to have and 41% of undergrads), and scien- middle school science classrooms Albert Einstein’s Hidden Treasure through a professor or advisor rec- joined in order to present a paper at tific and technology books discount this fall, the APS Public as part of the World Year of ommendation. Others (17%) heard an APS meeting. (59% of undergraduates and 53% Outreach Department is asking Physics 2005. Nearly 10,000 about APS through a friend or peer, Student members also rated the of graduate students). APS members to get involved in classes received PhysicsQuest and 14% discovered APS through importance of various member The survey was emailed to helping to promote the project in activity kits in 2005. Feedback attendance at an APS meeting. benefits. Physics Today was rated student members in the fall of 2005. their local areas. indicated that this activity met a 4057 students responded, a response “Not only do we want to need within the middle school rate of 53%. This was the first increase the number of science community for fun and "A New World View" Hits the Road APS membership survey that classrooms participating in accessible physics material, so focused specifically on student PhysicsQuest, but we want to APS decided to continue this pro- members. Future surveys will foster a locally active community gram with PhysicsQuest 2006: seek the views of other aspects of –one that impacts the Benjamin Franklin’s Secret of APS membership. A survey of science education in their Message. industial physicists is in . local areas,” explains Jessica Clark, PhysicsQuest is a story-based Member Survey continued on page 7 head of public outreach for APS. learning adventure that consists of a free kit that is sent to registered 6th to 9th grade physical science Blewett Scholarship Helps Mother teachers. The kit includes teacher guides, student guides, and all of the of Two Return to Full-time Research materials that students need to com- plete four experiments. Elizabeth Freeland has been family reasons. The scholarship The story revolves around a selected by the APS Committee was endowed by a bequest from central character and each experi- on the Status of Women in Photo credit: Kendra Rand (left); Gail Rand (right). M. Hildred Blewett, a particle ment gives students a clue they Physics to receive the M. Hildred In 2005, the APS commissioned a work of art, entitled "A New World accelerator who died need to solve an overarching Blewett scholarship for 2006. View", to commemorate the World Year of Physics. The work is now in 2004. mystery. PhysicsQuest 2006 cele- The purpose of the scholar- making a tour of science museums around the country. Its first stop Freeland is the second recip- brates Ben Franklin’s 300th birth- ship is to enable early-career is at the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, which ient of the scholarship. She is day year. Students will perform women to return to physics is where 18-month old Chloe Rand got a chance to feel the glass not only returning to physics experiments inspired by Franklin’s panels (thanks to mom Gail) and take a tour on her own motorized research after having had to research after a career break, but work with lenses, electrostatics, vehicle. The complete artwork is described on the web at interrupt their careers for Blewett continued on page 3 and heat transfer while trying to www.physicsmatters.org . Outreach Project continued on page 5 2 August/September 2006 APS NEWS

This Month in Physics History Members in the Media August, 1913: Robert Millikan Reports His Oil Drop Results

“The universe is a time machine or anybody in responsibility who Robert Millikan’s famous oil –the farther away you look, the far- would take an untested new weapon drop experiment, reported in ther back you see in time." that is different from the ones in our August 1913, elegantly meas- –Ed Stone, Caltech, Pasadena stockpile and rely on it without ured the fundamental unit of elec- Star-News, June 12, 2006 resuming testing." tric charge. The experiment, a –, Stanford great improvement over previ- “Think about holding a rope University, Los Angeles Times, June ous attempts to measure the taut. If you pluck it, you can see the 13, 2006 charge of an , has been vibration going down the rope.” called one of the most beautiful –Ellen Brown, explaining how "The best monument in my in physics history, but is also the sounds are produced at different opinion as a would be to source of allegations of scientif- frequencies, The Free-Lance Star build a new facility that would ic misconduct on Millikan’s part. (Fredricksburg, VA), June 16, 2006 allow groundbreaking new science. Robert Millikan was born in With respect to whatever new facil- 1868 and grew up in rural Iowa, Diagram of Millikan's apparatus, from his Physical Review paper “The Chinese are so smart they ity goes in here, the first thing you the second son of a minister. knock your socks off. The impres- do on a tour is give homage to the Millikan attended Oberlin air, and an electric field, which the February and April 1912, he took sion you get when you go over history of the site. You talk about College, earned his PhD from experimenter can adjust. The exper- data on many more oil drops than there is that is going to take the Nobel Prizes, the discovery of , and then imenter could watch the drops he reported in the paper. This is over the world soon." the anti-, and so on, that hap- spent a year in Germany before through a specially designed tele- troubling, since the August 1913 –Andrew Strominger, Harvard pened on this site. I think that's a taking a position at the University scope, and time how fast a drop paper explicitly states at one point, University, on China’s rapid much more fitting monument than of Chicago. falls or rises. After repeatedly tim- “It is to be remarked, too, that improvement in science, The New an old, decaying, hazardous struc- By about 1906, Millikan had ing the rise and fall of a drop, this is not a selected group of York Times, June 20, 2006 ture." become a successful educator Millikan could calculate the charge drops, but represents all the drops –Benedict Feinberg, Lawrence and textbook writer, but he knew on the drop. experimented upon during 60 “Quantum mechanics is like Berkeley National Lab, on whether that he hadn’t done any research In 1910 Millikan published the consecutive days.” However, at poetry. The poem is right there, for to preserve the building that housed of real scientific significance, and first results from these experiments, another point in the paper he everyone to see, but it has many dif- Berkeley lab’s Bevatron, as a his- was eager to make his mark as a which clearly showed that charges writes that the 58 drops reported ferent interpretations.” toric monument, or build a new researcher. on the drops were all integer mul- are those “upon which a com- –Daniel Sheehan, University of scientific facility, San Francisco J.J. Thomson had discovered tiples of a fundamental unit of plete series of observations were San Diego, San Diego Union- Chronicle, June 29, 2006 the electron in 1897 and had charge. But after the publication of made.” Furthermore, the margins Tribune, June 22, 2006 measured its charge-to-mass those results, Viennese physicist of his notebook contain notes “If those guys aren’t more nerv- ratio. The next step was to deter- Felix Ehrenhaft claimed to have such as, “beauty publish” or "It has really gotten quite outra- ous than I am, they’ve become mine the electron’s charge sepa- conducted a similar experiment, “something wrong.” geous. These new questions that jaded and should resign their posi- rately. Thomson and others tried measuring a much smaller value Did Millikan deliberately dis- were raised are just one more exam- tions.” to measure the fundamental elec- for the elementary charge. regard data that didn’t fit the ple of many, in which people are –Douglas Osheroff, Stanford, tric charge using clouds of Ehrenhaft claimed this supported results he wanted? Perhaps scrambling to find the slightest lit- on NASA managers’ decision to charged water droplets by observ- the idea of the existence of “sub- because he was under pressure tle reason to question important launch the on July 4, ing how fast they fell under the .” from a rival and eager to make his scientific results, and then blow it Associated Press, July 4, 2006 influence of gravity and an elec- Ehrenhaft’s challenge prompted mark as a scientist, Millikan mis- way out of proportion." tric field. The method did give a Millikan to improve on his exper- represented his data. Some have –Neal Lane, Rice University, on "It was such a great question to crude estimate of the electron’s iment and collect more data to prove called this a clear case of scien- recent disputes over climate sci- ask that the sort of result you could charge. he was right. He published the new, tific fraud. However, other sci- ence research, Houston Chronicle, get if you could do this was so Millikan saw this opportuni- more accurate results in August entists and historians have looked June 23, 2006 huge. I thought, 'Why wasn't every- ty to make a significant contribu- 1913 in the Physical Review. He closely at his notebooks, and con- body doing this?'" tion by improving upon these stated that the new results had only cluded that Millikan was striv- “If there is a supernova in our –Saul Perlmutter, Lawrence measurements. He realized that a 0.2% uncertainty, a great improve- ing for accuracy by reporting only vicinity during the next couple of Berkeley National Lab, on skepti- trying to determine the charge ment of over his previous results. his most reliable data, not trying months, our chances of detecting cism he initially faced when begin- on individual droplets might work Millikan’s reported value for the to deliberately mislead others. and measuring the resulting grav- ning his search for supernovas to better than measuring charge on elementary charge, 1.592 x 10-19 For instance, he rejected drops itational waves are good. The first measure the deceleration of the whole clouds of water. In 1909 he coulombs, is slightly lower than that were too big, and thus fell too step towards gravitational wave universe’s expansion, Contra Costa began the experiments, but soon the currently accepted value of quickly to be measured accurate- astronomy has been taken." Times, July 3, 2006 found that droplets of water evap- 1.602 x 10-19 C, probably because ly with his equipment, or too –Karsten Danzmann, University orated too quickly for accurate Millikan used an incorrect value small, which meant they would of Hanover, on GEO 600, a gravi- "For a few hours [tonight], a lot measurement. He asked his grad- for the viscosity of air. have been overly influenced by tational wave detector in Europe, of people will stop worrying about uate student, , to It appeared that it was a beauti- Brownian motion. Some drops BBC news online, June 26, 2006 their troubles while watching the figure out how to do the experi- ful experiment that had determined don’t have complete data sets, show, which is not a bad thing," ment using some substance that quite precisely the fundamental unit indicating they were aborted dur- "We've spent 400 years since the –Robert Adair, Yale University, evaporated more slowly. of electric charge, and clearly and ing the run. invention of the telescope looking at on the Home Run Derby held in Fletcher quickly found that he convincingly established that “sub- It’s difficult to know today a small portion of what exists." Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Post- could use droplets of oil, pro- electrons” did not exist. Millikan whether Millikan intended to –Fred Raab, LIGO, Los Angeles Gazette, July 10, 2006 duced with a simple perfume won the 1923 Nobel Prize for the misrepresent his results, though Times, June 10, 2006 atomizer. The oil droplets are work, as well as for his determina- some have examined "I don't think anyone knows how injected into an air-filled cham- tion of the value of Plank’s constant Millikan’s data and calculated that “If anybody thinks we are going long this will take. . . We have a ber and pick up charge from the in 1916. even if he had included all the drops to be designing new warheads and vision, but not milestones." ionized air. The drops then fall or But later inspection of Millikan’s in his analysis, his measurement not doing testing, I don't know what –, Microsoft, rise under the combined influ- lab notebooks by historians and sci- for the elementary charge would they are smoking. I don't know of on quantum computing, the Star- ence of gravity, viscosity of the entists has revealed that between not have changed much at all. a general, an admiral, a president Ledger (Newark, NJ) July 12, 2006

Series II, Vol. 15, No.8 Department, American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Treasurer Physics and Society), J. H. Eberly (Laser Science), Leonard Feldman (Materials), Akif Balantekin (Nuclear), August/September 2006 College Park, MD 20740-3844, [email protected]. Thomas McIlrath*, University of Maryland (emeritus) Editor-in-Chief John Jaros* (Particles & Fields), Ronald Ruth (Physics APS NEWS ©2006 The American Physical Society For Nonmembers–Circulation and Fulfillment Division, Martin Blume*, Brookhaven National Laboratory of Beams), James Drake* (Plasma), Scott Milner (Polymer American Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 Huntington (emeritus) Physics), Gianfranco Vidali, (New York Section), Paul Wolf Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. Allow at least 6 Past-President ( Section) Editor ...... Alan Chodos weeks advance notice. For address changes, please send both Marvin L. Cohen*, , Berkeley Associate Editor ...... Jennifer Ouellette the old and new addresses, and, if possible, include a mail- General Councillors ADVISORS Staff Writer ...... Ernie Tretkoff ing label from a recent issue. Requests from subscribers for Christina Back, Janet Conrad, Wendell Hill, Evelyn Hu*, Representatives from Other Societies Special Publications Manager ...... Kerry G. Johnson missing issues will be honored without charge only if received Ann Orel, Arthur Ramirez, Richart Slusher, Laura Smoliar* Kenneth Heller, AAPT; Marc Brodsky, AIP Design and Production ...... Amera Jones within 6 months of the issue’s actual date of publication. International Councillor International Advisors Forefronts Editor ...... Craig Davis Periodical Postage Paid at College Park, MD and at addition- Albrecht Wagner María Esther Ortiz, Mexican Physical Society Proofreader ...... Edward Lee al mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS Chair, Nominating Committee Louis Marchildon, Canadian Association of Physicists APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X the right to select and to edit for length or clarity. All corre- News, Membership Department, American Physical Society, Thomas Rosenbaum yearly, monthly, except the August/September issue, by spondence regarding APS News should be directed to: Editor, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Staff Representatives the American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740- Ernest Moniz Alan Chodos, Associate Executive Officer; Amy Flatten College Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It 3844, E-mail: [email protected]. APS COUNCIL 2006 Division, Forum and Section Councillors Director of International Affairs; Ted Hodapp, Director contains news of the Society and of its Divisions, President Charles Dermer (Astrophysics), Kate Kirby* (Atomic, of Education and Outreach; Michael Lubell, Director, Topical Groups, Sections and Forums; advance Subscriptions:APS News is an on-membership publication John J. Hopfield*, Molecular & Optical Physics) Robert Eisenberg (Biological), Public Affairs; Stanley Brown, Editorial Director; Charles information on meetings of the Society; and reports to delivered by Periodical Mail. Members residing abroad may President-Elect Charles S. Parmenter (Chemical), Moses H. Chan Muller, Director, Journal Operations; Michael Stephens, the Society by its committees and task forces, as well receive airfreight delivery for a fee of $15. Nonmembers: Leo P. Kadanoff*, (Condensed Matter Physics), Richard M. Martin Controller and Assistant Treasurer as opinions. Subscription rates are available at http://librarians.aps.org/ Vice-President (Computational), Harry Swinney* (), Peter institutional.html. *, Zimmerman (Forum on Education), Roger Stuewer (Forum Administrator for Governance Committees Letters to the editor are welcomed from the member- Executive Officer on History of Physics), Patricia Mooney* (Forum on Ken Cole ship. Letters must be signed and should include an Subscription orders, renewals and address changes should Judy R. Franz*, University of Alabama, Huntsville Industrial and Applied Physics), David Ernst (Forum on * Members of the APS Executive Board address and daytime telephone number. The APS reserves be addressed as follows: For APS Members–Membership (on leave) International Physics), Philip “Bo” Hammer* (Forum on APS NEWS August/September 2006 3

High School Teachers Conduct Gravity-Defying Experiments Anybody Seen my Comb? In May six teams of high school Mattern’s students helped develop ing students then returned to their teachers conducted experiments in the idea of accelerating a ball out schools to share what they’ve zero gravity aboard NASA’s of a tube, using a video camera to learned by giving presentations “Weightless Wonder” (or “Vomit record how far and how fast the about their experiments and devel- Comet,” although NASA doesn’t ball moved. They also performed oping activities for use in their really endorse that moniker). the same experiment on the ground schools and communities. The teachers had been selected for comparison. Mattern said he as part of a World Year of Physics had found it eye-opening to actu- 2005 project, in which APS and ally witness how fast things happen All Aboard the AAPT invited high school physics in microgravity. “I was surprised in "Vomit Comet" teachers and their students to come zero-g how quickly everything up with experiments that they could went. It was amazing how quickly Vinaya Sathyasheelappa, do in zero gravity. Sixteen teams the ball accelerated out of there,” APS World Year of Physics submitted applications, and six he said. Project Coordinator, joined the were chosen to fly. The winning The team from Beaumont High teachers aboard NASA’s teams were announced at the AAPT School, a girls’ school in Ohio, Weightless Wonder. Here’s his meeting in January of 2005. made glycerol bridges–drops of description of being in Zero-G: The six teams were: Beaumont glycerol suspended between two Photo credit: Vinaya Sathyasheelappa The day began early. Our High School, University posts–of various lengths and daily morning briefing consist- Teacher Lori DiLisi of Beaumont High School in University Heights, Heights, Ohio; Circle High widths, and measured their stabil- Ohio flies through the air with the greatest of ease in the weightless ed of some housekeeping items, School,Towonda, Kansas; ity under microgravity. The girls environment aboard NASA's reduced gravity C-9 airplane. flight conditions, scheduling, Columbus High School, Columbus, and their teachers, along with men- etc. Following that, we had our Georgia; Glenbrook North High tor Greg DiLisi of John Carroll medical briefing. A NASA School, Northbrook, Illinois; University, came up with the exper- BLEWETT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 flight surgeon, who accompa- Greendale High School, Greendale, iment after conducting a literature nies each flight, issued all the Wisconsin; Roosevelt High School, search to find interesting topics to has switched fields, from con- Though it has required her to team members a dose of anti- Seattle, Washington. research in zero gravity. They densed matter theory to particle learn a new field, Freeland is excit- nausea medication. (Most peo- Planning and preparing for the assembled their apparatus with physics. ed about her research in lattice ple, including the crew mem- flight was a long process, accord- computer and video equipment to The scholarship consists of a QCD, which attempts to simplify bers, take the meds. It just ing to Vinaya Sathyasheelappa, record what happened to the bridges one-year award of up to $45,000, strong force calculations by restrict- makes it easier.) Flyers briefed, APS World Year of Physics Project during the flights. “As the vomit which can be used for dependent ing quarks to a grid, or lattice, meds were taken, and then Coordinator. Each team was comet pulls out of the dive, some care, salary, travel, equipment, and instead of a continuous space. In finally, we were airborne. assigned a NASA mentor from bridges collapse and some don’t. tuition and fees. the past few years there has been Even though they had Johnson Space Center to help them We’re trying to figure out the size Freeland received her PhD in considerable progress in using lat- warned me that the experience with the mountains of paperwork where the bridges remain stable condensed matter physics in 1996 tice QCD to predict particle prop- was very unlike the sensation and to make sure that all aspects of and where they break apart,” said from Johns Hopkins University. erties, and Freeland says she’s of riding a roller coaster, I fully their experiment were flight ready. DiLisi. It was helpful that most of Her husband, also a physicist, excited to be part of that. Her cur- expected it to be very much The flights were originally the experiment was automated, received his PhD around the same rent research involves calculating like that. Boy, was I wrong...in scheduled for May 2005, but were because it is difficult to do many time. The couple then moved to quantities related to B meson a good way. The transitions postponed because the new plane tasks while floating, and even slight Brookhaven, where he had a post- decays. from 2-g to zero-g were very, NASA had been planning to use for head movements can make one feel doc position. Geographically lim- After this year, Freeland’s very smooth. One minute, the flight wasn’t ready. The flights sick, said DiLisi. After the experi- ited in her job search, Freeland youngest child will be in school, you’re plastered to the floor of were rescheduled for September, ment, the students set about analyz- was unable to find a suitable job. and she plans to look for a full-time the plane and the next minute but were then postponed again, this ing the data, and they plan to report She also wanted to take time off for position. But she says that even if you’re floating around in the time because of a fuel leak and a the results in a journal article. family. Her first child was born in she doesn’t find an ideal job right cabin. Luckily, I didn’t get sick. cargo door that wouldn’t seal prop- The other experiments were: a 1999. away, she will be able to continue (NASA says that only 20% of erly. free-floating robot that used a light The family then moved to the her research, which she believes flyers experience mild discom- Finally, after several months of sensor grid and student-generated Chicago area, where Freeland’s will be on a solid footing, thanks fort.) uncertainty, the flights took place software to control the robot’s ori- husband had a job at Argonne to the Blewett scholarship. Weightlessness is sort of like in May 2006. The teams spent ten entation; three separate experiments National Lab. She took a part-time Having gone through a career swimming. Except there is no days at the Johnson Space Center on magnetism in zero-g; a study position teaching physics at the break, Freeland has given consid- friction from the water, in Houston, first undergoing sev- of granular materials in an electric School of the Art Institute of erable thought to the issues although you do feel buoyant. eral days of flight training and safe- field; an investigation of how paints Chicago. involved. There are not a lot of You aren’t able to propel your- ty briefings before flying with their interact with themselves, each After having her second child in resources for people in career break self by flapping your arms or experiments. other, and different surfaces while 2002, Freeland wanted to get situations, she says, though the sit- legs. You need to push off The team from Circle High producing unique artwork in zero- involved with research. She sent uation is better in some other coun- something; otherwise, you'll School in Towonda, Kansas stud- g; and an experiment to measure the letters to a number of researchers tries. For instance, in the UK, there just float there. Somersaults ied the motion of objects in micro- tumble rate of a two pound pico- at Fermilab, looking for a project are more programs specifically tar- were a little bit difficult, but gravity. The simple experiment satellite. she could work on, and Andreas geted towards people in career only because you have to push took data that students will use to The flights were successful, and Kronfeld invited her to work with breaks, and the Institute of Physics off from the floor (or ceiling) understand some of the basic laws all groups got some good data to his lattice quantum chromodynam- has published a pamphlet that dis- of the plane. of physics, said Dan Mattern, take back for their students to ana- ics (QCD) research group. Though cusses how to plan and manage a We conducted 42 parabolas Circle High physics teacher. lyze. The teachers and participat- her previous work had been in con- career break. Here in the US, in all. The last two parabolas densed matter, Freeland was will- Freeland couldn’t even find a pam- simulate Lunar and Martian ing to switch fields in order to con- phlet for people in her situation. Chairs Around the Table gravity, which are a lot differ- tinue working in physics. “Since More publicity about the problems ent than zero-g. Lunar gravity there’s not a lot of information could help, she says. looks and feels like you’re hop- about what to do, I went with the Freeland has written an article ping on the ground and float- opportunities at hand,” she said. about career breaks for the Gazette, ing at the same time–just like But in order to do research, she the newsletter of the APS you remember from footage needed a grant, and she found Committee on the Status of Women you’ve seen of the lunar walks. that almost all grants required a in Physics. She advises others tak- Martian gravity feels like full-time affiliation–a problem ing a career break to stay in touch you’re very strong. People were Freeland says she had not anticipat- with the field as much as possible. doing push-ups with four peo- ed when she took a career break. Also if possible, before taking a ple standing on their backs. It didn’t matter what science she career break, Freeland suggests I can truly say that this was wanted to do, or whom she want- women consider doing a postdoc one of the most amazing–and ed to work with; without a full- if they haven’t already. “Basically, exciting–experiences of my time affiliation, she could not get the more established you can be life. Was I scared? Yes, a little a grant. before you take a break, the better Photo credit: Bernard Khoury bit. but more of being sick on One of the few programs she off you can be,” she advises. A group of physics department chairs enjoys a moment on the patio the flight. Would I do it again? was eligible for was an American Freeland was happy to find outside the American Center for Physics in College Park, MD.They were In a heartbeat. Hopefully, I Association of University Women out in 2004 that Hildred Blewett attending the biannual conference for department chairs, which took won’t have to wait until 2105! Fellowship, which Freeland had endowed this scholarship. place June 9-11 and was sponsored by APS and the American Association received in 2005. The AAUW fel- “I’m really glad she did it,” said More about Vinaya’s expe- of Physics Teachers. The conference featured a keynote address by lowship enabled her to do research Freeland. “To me it was signifi- rience and pictures can be Norman L. Augustine, retired Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin, while still teaching part time. This cant that a person, so dedicated found online in the Vomit who chaired the committee that produced the report "Rising Above the year, the Blewett scholarship will as a physics researcher, would Comet Blog: Gathering Storm", and included sessions on graduate education, ethics allow her to devote herself full leave her money specifically to www.physicscentral.com/freefall education, and diversity issues. time to research. this issue.” 4 August/September 2006 APS NEWS Letters Thinking Outside the Bomb-Box The interview with Admiral humanitarian approaches. President Richard Mies was highly illumi- Truman's addresses to us were very nating. The Admiral exposed us to persuasive. The world was not made Wen Ho Lee’s Settlement: What Happened and Why government-think on nuclear poli- safer for democracy by either WW Edward Gerjuoy tics. The thesis is based on the prem- I or WW II. Similarly using the US nuclear weapons secrets. ly was indicted. For example, on On June 2 of this year the news ise that the world is populated with bomb on large cities did save us, Although the investigation had March 6 and 9, 1999 The New York media reported that Wen Ho Lee, persons who behave rationally, have momentarily, but unfortunately focused on Lee almost from its Times published two front page the former Los Alamos National similar motivations and respond to brought about the feasibility of the outset, by the time of his indictment stories that disclosed many details Laboratory (LANL) researcher crises according to agreed upon predicted Apocalypse, the unthink- any supposed evidence that he had of the government’s ongoing inves- who was the subject of my Back rules. If one accepts the premise, able. revealed nuclear weapons secrets tigation; the March 9 story explic- Page article in the April 2000 APS then the thesis is quite reasonable. We need our leaders to begin to the PRC already had begun to itly named Lee as the investiga- News, had settled his lawsuit A series of global events in our thinking out of the bomb-box . It collapse. Indeed the above-quoted tion’s “prime suspect.” against the US government for lifetime demonstrates the fallacy of takes but a single thinking to indictment language accusing Lee A March 10, 1999 Albuquerque $1.65 million, to which sum five the premise. To name a few: The come forward, and recognize that of mishandling classified docu- Journal story said the reason for fir- news organizations had contributed Nazi genocide, Darfur, Hiroshima, the only solution to nuclear self ments carefully avoids the much ing Lee was based on “very strong a total of $750,000 although they Nagasaki, 9-11, Beirut, USS Cole, destruction is the conversion of ALL more serious charge, punishable suspicions of his participation” in were not named defendants in the etc, etc, etc. Today, it is no longer nuclear weapons into nuclear reac- by , that Lee actually had espionage for the PRC. case. The present article describes reasonable to expect that we can tors or some other non-destructive given any classified information Accordingly, starting on March 10, the basis for the lawsuit, elucidates reason with the irrational. application of nuclear energy for to a foreign power. By September 1999, Lee’s lawyer Brian Sun the settlement terms and explains Consideration of the multiple peaceful purposes. We could go a 13, 2000 the evidence had com- wrote the Department of Justice how the news organizations came approaches to resolving the many long way to helping with the cli- pletely collapsed. On that date the (DOJ) and the FBI a series of let- to be involved. global threats to civilization seems mate, the environment, scarce petro- government agreed to a settlement ters pointing out that the continu- In April 2000 Wen Ho Lee was beyond our capacity, so we contin- leum resources, and the myriad of whereby, in return for Lee plead- ing leaks were highly prejudicial to being held in solitary confinement ue to fall back on the military solu- other planet issues while disposing ing guilty to a single count of the Lee, were a misleading character- (bail having been refused), under tion. In the past, this has worked in of the threat posed by the overhang- original 59, he immediately was ization of whatever evidence the a 59-count indictment issued the short run. ing sword. freed on a sentence of “time DOJ had against him, and direct- December 10, 1999 accusing Lee But today's world requires The rational world thinks along served” and all the other counts ly violated established DOJ poli- of unlawfully mishandling classi- rethinking the entire sequence of with Admiral Mies, while in some were dismissed. Presiding Federal cies. These letters also pointed out fied documents “with the intent to events. When our nation was decid- back room in Pakistan or District Court Judge James A. that the sources of the leaks were injure the , and with ing on whether the Japanese govern- Afghanistan or Providence there is Parker told Lee in open court, “I subject to lawsuit for the damages the intent to secure an advantage ment was so irrational that nothing a group of irrationals plotting to get sincerely apologize to you, Dr. Lee, to Lee that those leaks had caused. to a foreign nation.” The investi- short of nuclear attack would per- hold of a bomb to trigger our self for the unfair manner [in which] None of these letters were gation which led to his indictment suade them to stop the killing and destruction. you were held in custody by the answered. had begun in 1995, shortly after the end the war, the political/military Jerome Eckerman executive branch.” The threatened lawsuit was filed DOE had received information thinking trumped pleas to attempt Potomac, MD Despite the dubious evidence, ten days after Lee was indicted. It causing it to suspect that the main- the fact that a case was being built was based on provisions of the so- land People’s Republic of China against Lee had been leaked to the called federal Privacy Act, Title 5 Advanced LIGO Will Be Swimming in (PRC) government had obtained news media long before he actual- Wen Ho Lee continued on page 7 Gravity Wave Signals In the "Members in the Media" times greater sensitivity than in US Nuclear Deterrence Strategy is a Disingenuous and Dangerous Fallacy section of the June APS News, the current data run and will my quote from a New York Times therefore be able to see about In its June Back Page, APS News is, we will use them if deterrence of the US. Once the nuclear thresh- article was put in the wrong con- 1,000 times as many sources of featured an interview with Admiral fails. And the decision is not yours old is crossed again, many more text. My concern is that a reader gravity waves as the current Richard Mies arguing that the US nor mine nor even Congress's, it is nations will rush to acquire nuclear could be given a misleading and LIGO. So if the current LIGO nuclear threat can enhance stabili- the President's, with a small weapons as a deterrent to a US negative impression with poten- configuration has a 25% chance ty. Mies's arguments contain faulty group of hand-picked like-minded attack. Even the mere statement of tially serious consequences for of seeing gravity waves, we will logic and contradictory statements advisors. such policies together with the the credibility of the Advanced be swimming in gravity wave sig- aiming to endorse the very danger- According to Mies and stated development of more "credible" LIGO project that we expect to nals once Advanced LIGO reach- ous nuclear path that the US is purs- US policy, US nuclear weapons are nuclear weapons provides a strong begin constructing in 2008. es its full sensitivity. ing, which will lead to catastroph- intended to deter such things as ter- incentive for non-nuclear nations to The quote appearing in the By the way, my affiliation is ic consequences if not altered. rorist attacks, an adversary's use of become nuclear. With no longer a May 2, 2006, NY Times article the California Institute of Mies starts by stating "the pri- underground facilities to store nuclear taboo and many more was "25 percent, if nature's kind." Technology, not Lawrence mary value of nuclear weapons is WMD, and even an adversary's nuclear countries, the chances of a The article made clear that I was Berkeley National Laboratory as not their use; it's in the threat or intention to use WMD. Mies's state- global nuclear conflict will be commenting on LIGO's chances the "Members in the Media" item potential of their use." The primary ment that nuclear weapons "will exponentially enhanced. of seeing gravitational waves dur- stated. value of any weapon is not to kill; always be weapons of last resort" Mies is right in stating that ing the current data run. This run, Jay Marx it is to allow its owner to force its merely means that they will be used nuclear weapons probably helped which began in November 2005, Pasadena, CA will on others. Hitler would have when every other resort to deter prevent a conventional conflict utilizes LIGO in its present con- Ed. Note: Jay Marx is the liked nothing more than to be able such behaviors has failed. between nuclear powers, thus sav- figuration. Executive Director of the LIGO to conquer Europe by merely threat- As of today, the deterrence value ing lives. However the same Advanced LIGO will have 10 project. ening to use Germany's firepower, of US nuclear weapons for such argument is not valid when as he did with Czechoslovakia. behaviors is minimal. Nuclear nuclear weapons are used to target Only because other countries were weapons have never been used in non-nuclear countries, as the US is Headline Misrepresents the Data not deterred from resisting had the response to such behaviors, and the doing now. The June 2006 issue of APS "some" strangeness. German army to engage in actual memories of nuclear weapons' actu- The way to reduce the global News contains the headline "JLab Robert E. Chrien use of their weapons. al use (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) nuclear danger is not utopian - Experiment Discovers Some Upton NY Mies advocates nuclear weapons are fast fading into the past. This is al disarmament nor enhanced Strangeness In the Proportion of Ed. Note: The word "strangeness" with "lower yield, higher accuracy, why the Bush administration is counter-proliferation efforts, nor Strange Quarks." That statement was being used in its everyday sense: it's ... improved earth penetrating abil- preparing the conditions that will even non-first-use pledges. It is an is not consistent with the result of strange that so little strangeness was ity" because with these weapons, "justify" the use of a low-yield ironclad unconditional pledge by the HAPPEx collaboration found. And we could not resist the US forces have a "credible deter- nuclear device against an Iranian the nuclear nations to renounce described in the article. Both the temptation to quote Francis Bacon: rent and thereby never have to use underground facility under the the option of nuclear weapons use magnetic moment and charge "There is no excellent beauty that hath not them." Sure, we would like to stated new US nuclear weapons against non-nuclear nations. distibutions of the proton are some strangeness in the proportion." (Do achieve our goals without having to policies. Nuclear nations are already deterred consistent with zero. you think he knew about the mixing of s use them, but the clear implication Deterrence is not a monopoly from using nuclear weapons Zero strangeness is not and b quarks?) Sorry for the confusion. against each other by fear of retal- We Must Seperate Science from Dogma iation, and such a pledge would provide a real deterrent for non- Admiral's Chart Not Definitive After reading several of the attempt at replacing scientific the- letters responding to Lawrence ory with dogma, as evidenced by nuclear nations to become nuclear, The chart that Admiral Mies more chaotic than linear. What does Krauss’ repudiation of Intelligent Lysenkoism in the old Soviet as well as a real incentive for (Back Page, June 2006 APS News) the future actually portend from Design as a scientific theory, Union. It is the obligation of scien- nuclear nations with small arsenals introduces to support his contention these fluctuations in modern I feel the need to rise to his defense. tists to protect science from dog- to disarm. that a nuclear threat can reduce wartime deaths–an overall reduc- Krauss did not write a diatribe matic pressures of any kind and to Would such a pledge be detri- war deaths is ambiguous. The tion of per capita fatalities, or a against religion. Instead, he warned disseminate to the public our best mental to US national interests? "...percentage of human deaths as tendency toward nonlinear insta- against those with a particular reli- understanding of natural, not super- Arguably yes to the extent that it a result of warfare" may vary over bility? gious belief, Intelligent Design, try- natural, phenomena. would reduce our ability to coerce recent times in part from better sta- Loren Booda ing to gain a foothold in the science William Lehr other nations, or in more tistics, but it may also belie a trend Arlington, VA classroom. This is not the first Bothell, WA US Nuclear continued on page 7 APS NEWS August/September 2006 5

Letters from the Middle East US Team Garners 4 Gold, 1 Silver Ed. Note: In late July, we contact- host it next summer (the phoenix will well with my new life, up until the cri- at Physics Olympiad in Singapore ed two APS members in Lebanon, rise again). sis erupted. It was very sudden and Bassem of Notre Dame “I have two students working with without any warnings, and within 12 The United States Physics ond, outscored only by the University-Louaize and Ghanem me on studying the correlations hours the situation changed from well Team brought home four gold Chinese team. Oweis of the American University of between host galaxy properties, dark to hell. My concerns and thoughts medals and one silver medal From 1986 to 2006 the United Beirut, as well as Eitan Ehrenfreund matter halo, and the central super- shifted from getting my lab up and from the 37th International States teams have brought home of the Technion in Haifa, . We massive blackhole. This project has running and finishing up manuscripts, Physics Olympiad, held in 30 gold medals, 21 silver medals, asked for news of the impact of the cri- screeched to a halt since one of the stu- to trying to stay alive…I was work- Singapore July 8-17. This year’s 26 bronze medals, and 11 honor- sis on them personally and on their dents is stuck in the South, the other ing on my PhD at Michigan on event was the largest Olympiad able mentions. physics communities. Their respons- is in the sea city of Byblos, and I am September 11th 2001; the nerve ever, with 383 competitors from The Olympiad is an interna- es, written on July 27 and 28 and stuck in the Bekaa. The roads are wracking confusion and uncertainty 86 nations participating. tional competition among pre- slightly edited, follow. APS News plans dangerous. My university in Mount was déjà-vu this time but it is some- Winning gold medals were: university students from more a lengthier feature on this Lebanon is closed. My home in Beirut thing you’d hope never to go through Menyoung Lee, a senior at than 80 nations. The goals of the subject in our October issue. is dangerous to live in. There is no again.” Thomas Jefferson High School Olympiad are to encourage Bassem Sabra: “Your email is place for us to meet to discuss the proj- Eitan Ehrenfreund: “Technion for Science and Technology, excellence in physics education very heartening after a long, troubled ect. We are cut off from the resources was closed for a week (16-22/7/06); Alexandria, VA. Lee won a gold and to reward outstanding night of air raids. The humanitarian that we need. I cannot go to my office it is now formally ‘back to routine’. medal for the second year in a physics students. Competitors situation is grim indeed…Needless to to continue with the other projects. I Many employees do not show up, row; William Throwe, a senior solve challenging theoretical and say this is taking its toll on the physics am trying to work on yet another proj- but prefer to stay at home with their at Shoreham-Wading River High experimental physics problems. community. Many graduating physics ect on my laptop computer but, due children, who of course do not have School, Shoreham, NY. Last year The 24 members of the US students who were getting ready to go to the situation, my efficiency is at a any summer camps or other activities. Throwe, the son of PRLAssistant Physics Team are selected abroad for graduate studies are now record low….One of my colleagues There are no exams (July was the Editor Jane Throwe, served as through two competitive exam- stuck here. Mail services are down so whom I was collaborating with on a exam period); all exams are an alternate to the team; Henry inations. As reported in the July they are not able to get their papers proposal to the Lebanese CNRS spent postponed, as of now, to September. Tung , a junior at Torrey Pines APS News, these students attend- ready in time and getting out of two days looking for milk for his There will be no summer semester. High School in San Diego; and ed an intensive week-long train- Lebanon is not that easy given that the children. Many were planning to trav- Administratively, Technion is Otis Chodosh, a senior at the ing camp held at the University roads with Syria are bombed regular- el abroad to carry out experiments at functioning… Oklahoma School of Science and of Maryland in May, after which ly. Summer sessions at universities are the labs outside Lebanon "So far, it has not been hit by a mis- Mathematics in Oklahoma City. the five traveling team members on hold. or were getting ready to have inter- sile or rocket, but one of the missiles Taking home a silver medal was were selected. The US Physics “I had this whole summer planned national colleagues come to there fell some 400 m from Technion fence. Sherry Gong, a junior at Phillips Team is co-organized by the out for research and public outreach. labs. Due to the heavy teaching load Of course, we are all worried and Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH. American Association of Physics The astronomy club at my universi- during the fall and spring, we all look pray for the safety of our soldiers in In an unofficial ranking of Teachers and the American ty, together with the Lebanese forward for the summer to get some Lebanon and the safety of Israeli cit- countries based on total team Institute of Physics. APS is one Astronomy Group and the Arab work done. All these research efforts izens under the missile threat." score, the US team placed sec- of the sponsors. Astronomical Union were organizing have been torpedoed.” the first Arab amateur astronomy Ghanem Oweis: “I was in Beirut, meeting in late August. We had a full Lebanon during the first three days of program of lectures and hands-on the crisis, and managed to evacuate INTERNATIONAL workshops on practical astronomy. through the embassy of Jordan, of News Five speakers from the US, e.g. Alan which I am a citizen, to the safety of ...from the APS Office of International Affairs Hale (co-discoverer of comet Hale- the capital Amman, where I am well Bopp) and Europe were expected. and spending time with my family… An Open Invitation to APS Members to Form Participants from all the Arab world I moved to the American University were planning to attend (over 100 of Beirut in February of this year as Iranian-American Physicists Network Group persons). The convent where we were an assistant professor where I’ve been Hamid Javadi It is important to nurture diver- when it is confirmed with obser- going to house the participants has teaching and working on establishing Formation of a network group sity in its true sense. Some cultures vation. As such, science is a pre- been badly damaged. We cancelled a laboratory for experimental fluid for US physicists with Iranian her- may not be equipped to deal with cise endeavor of the human being. the whole event and are planning to mechanics. Things have been going itage appears to be timely. Already, challenges of the future. The key This digression brings me to three distinct groups form a nucle- to success in the field of science enumerate the goals of the Professional Skills Development for Women Physicists us for US physicists with Chinese, is also open-mindedness and high proposed Iranian-American Do you want to improve your negotiation skills? Do you have great Korean, and Indian cultural her- receptivity. While our political Physicists (IrAP) network group ideas that you want to communicate to your colleagues? itage–the Oversees Chinese world today does not always por- in promoting diversity and dia- If so, the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics invites you Physics Association (OCPA), tray tolerance, I believe that the logue. Such an organization would to attend one of the workshops entitled "Professional Skills Development American Chapter of the Indian human spirit heralds a bright and endeavor to: for Women in Physics." These workshops will: Physics Association (ACIPA), and friendly future for all of us. 1. Provide the focal point and • Coach women in key skills that are needed to enhance their careers. Association of Korean Physicists Diversity resonates with teach- an arena for Iranian-American • Provide training in persuasive communication, negotiation, and lead- in America (AKPA). Each of these ings of Sufism (the inner or eso- physicists who wish to broaden ership presented by experienced professionals. groups has established bylaws teric dimension of Islam [1]) that their professional/personal lives • Provide a special opportunity for networking among participants. which govern their activities. tolerates aspect of human endeav- with cultural/historical/ancestral Workshops at the 2007 March and April APS Meetings will be aimed In the same way that those ors as manifestation of ubiquitous ties. at women in industry and government labs, and will take place on Sunday, organizations have enhanced link- God. Molana Jalal-e-Din 2. Welcome all interested mem- March 4, 2007 (Denver) and Friday, April 13, 2007 (Jacksonville). ages throughout their community, Mohammad Molavi Rumi (Iran’s bers of APS who wish to join the Application deadlines are Dec. 4 for the March workshop and Jan. 12 for this article intends to be an open most revered poet, 1207-1283 IrAP network group. the April workshop. invitation to all APS members that A.D.) drove these teachings to the 3. Facilitate concerted efforts Each workshop will be limited in size for optimal benefits. Workshop respect diversity and value dia- heart and mind of many genera- by its members in specific inter- participants are eligible to receive a stipend to help cover the cost of log, to form an Iranian-American tions of Iranians. He promoted the disciplinary fields regarding: travel and up to two nights lodging. Physicists (IrAP) network group. idea that every thing (no matter •Addressing the needs of devel- These workshops are funded by the National Science Foundation. First, some personal thoughts how insignificant it may seem) is oping and poor countries (sustain- Details will be available in September at http://www.aps.org/educ/ as an Iranian-American physicist, important and valuable as it plays able economic development, gen- cswp/index.cfm . regarding the motivation for its role in God’s arena. Rumi in eral health, epidemics). creating such a network: one of his celebrated poems; “The •Influencing policy-makers Elephant in the Dark House” [2] regarding their decisions when OUTREACH PROJECT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 describes many individuals who concerned with earthquake enter a dark room where an ele- prediction and environmental decode a secret message from existing contacts in local schools “PhysicsQuest provides 6th to phant is kept. Each person learns protection. 1778. Optional extension activities or forge new connections,” says 9th grade students with a positive about the animal from his/her 4. Enhance the role of physics are provided online, also free of Kendra Rand, APS Public and fun experience with physics point of reference, namely the ele- in expanding the coverage, charge, for teachers who wish to Outreach Specialist. Members can and we hope this will increase the phant’s specific anatomy that increasing effectiveness, and pop- expand sections of PhysicsQuest call physical science teachers and numbers of students taking physics he/she has touched. The tales of ularity in utilization and applica- into an in-depth lesson. Once the ask them to register for the proj- later in school. If we can add per- observers are widely different but tion of the scientific thinking and class solves the mystery they sub- ect. Those who are motivated can sonal interaction with a real, live the whole picture comes only its methods. mit their results to APS for a also offer to go to the classroom physicist, just imagine the impact when one combines their descrip- 5. Emphasize physics educa- chance to win prizes. to help conduct the experiments on these kids’ education,” says tions. tion and its impact on societies. This year, in addition to send- once the kit arrives, or offer to Clark. This poem addresses the vari- 6. Advocate physics as a tool ing direct mailings and advertising give a career talk, suggests Rand. Interested members can get ation of human perceptions of the in expanding democracy. at appropriate meetings, the Public The level of involvement for each more information on the project world and to an extent can be 7. Build upon the image of a Outreach Department is asking member can vary from a phone and how to recruit classes on a applied to a physicist’s approach universal physics to achieve world APS members to help recruit call to a personal visit, depending special volunteer website, in understanding the world. To be peace. classes in their area. “We are ask- on his or her own interest and that www.physicscentral.com/ accurate though, science starts 8. Increase the interaction of the teacher. ing APS members to use their physicsquest/volunteers. with hypothesis and solidifies International News continued on page 6 6 August/September 2006 APS NEWS

Energy on My Mind Retraction Infraction?

By Michael S. Lubell, of American foreign policy– It matters little whether the Dear Jordan: APS Director of Public Affairs except for our extraordinary facts bear out the public concerns. I read in the press recently that a chemistry professor at ASPEN, July 13–It does the dependence on foreign sources of In the world of politics, percep- Columbia was retracting several papers, which were mainly the intellect good to get outside the oil. The facts are simple. tions dictate election outcomes, work of a former graduate student. The former student claimed Beltway on occasion. And Aspen Despite having only 3 percent which is why the White House the work was valid and vehemently opposed the retraction. is a wonderful place to clear out of the world’s population, we are and Republican congressional Nevertheless, apparently, the various journals involved, includ- the mental cobwebs, rejuvenate the world’s largest economy, and, leaders are desperately trying to ing the Journal of the American Chemical Society, were going the spirit and breathe in the Rocky with our way of life, we use 25 get out the good news on GDP ahead with the retractions. Mountain air. It also doesn’t hurt percent of the world’s energy. We growth, job creation, and shrink- It seems to me that the former student's reputation was being to be in the company of a handful also use oil to drive 70 percent of ing deficits. But if energy prices damaged without an impartial evaluation of the situation. Is this of Nobelists, a former presidential our transportation systems, but we continue to spiral upward, good fair? How would the APS journals handle a similar situation? science advisor, and some of the are able to supply only 30 percent news will soon turn to bad. And Curious in Cleveland world’s experts on energy, espe- of what we need from our own the anxiety the public is express- cially if the subject is energy. domestic sources. ing today will have far more foun- Jordan Moiers replies: As I wrote in my last column, Oil is a fungible commodity, dation in fact. Dear Curious, Washington politicos have turned and any burp in the world’s sup- Terrorists would like nothing The case you describe involves associate professor Dalibor on their energy policy after ply anywhere causes almost instant more than to see the United States Sames of Columbia University’s chemistry department and his burners–with good reason. When distress everywhere. Although we suffer economically, but putting former graduate student Bengü Sezen. Columbia is currently gasoline is selling for $3.49 a gal- get only a fifth of our imported oil a squeeze on international oil pro- conducting a review to determine if, as Sames asserts, Sezen fab- lon, which is what I paid for reg- from the Middle East, if Iraq or any duction has proven to be problem- ricated data or spiked reactants in a series of experiments on the ular a few days ago in the San other part of that region falls into atic historically, even when OPEC manipulation of carbon-hydrogen bonds. Sames, Columbia Francisco Bay area, Joe Six Pack chaos, oil supplies will be threat- has made a concerted effort to do University, and the editors of the Journal of the American gets mad, really mad. And even if ened and prices will soar in all so. There’s an easier target: Chemical Society and Organic Letters (also an ACS publica- the White House is distracted by parts of the world. America’s energy infrastructure. tion) are withholding comment until the completion of the inquiry. world events, members of But even if Iraqi civil strife We’ve already seen what hurri- Setting aside the issue of Sezen’s misconduct, which will be Congress in both parties are feel- doesn’t develop into a full-scale canes can do to roil the oil and settled one way or the other through the Columbia investigation, ing the pain of each of their con- , and even if Israel does- natural gas markets, and we know the handling of the affair raises some serious ethical issues. stituents. For some members, their n’t take its battle with Hezbollah how easy it is for parts of the elec- Sames is the corresponding author on the retracted papers and political survival may be at stake. and Hamas to Damascus and tricity grid to fail. A terrorist attack his lab’s principal investigator, and yet was apparently less than Charlie Cook, one of the well Teheran, oil and natural gas prices on a few refineries, nuclear plants fully informed about Sezen’s work until recently. Although not respected Washington polling will continue to climb at home. or parts of the power grid could all authors are accountable for all portions of a given paper, gurus, puts the number of endan- The demand pressures from rap- produce crippling results. Security Sames had the added burden of being Sezen’s advisor. When it gered House and Senate seats at idly developing Asian nations, par- analysts believe it is only a mat- comes to graduate school, advisors and supervisors are respon- about 50. And for a number of ticularly China, simply will out- ter of time before an attack occurs. sible for guiding young researchers’ scientific development and those so dubiously anointed, strip the world’s supplies. And as But energy is not only a mat- integrity. Nobody is perfect, but the retraction of four papers sug- November 8 could well be résumé the costs of petroleum products ter of economic and homeland gests a serous and chronic problem in Sames’s lab that an involved time. increase, the American economy, security. It’s a matter of environ- coauthor and PI should have been aware of. Between now and the coming despite its resilience, will mental security. Global warming While Sezen shared in the credit for publishing the papers, election, four issues will domi- inevitably come under great stress. and the carbon emissions that which were based on research she conducted, Sames’s unilater- nate the political debate: Iraq and Today, polling shows that most drive it are real, and politicians al retraction denied her the opportunity to weigh in on the retrac- the Middle East, economic growth Americans are anxious about their are just now beginning to grasp the tion. In articles published in Science and the ACS publication and jobs, national security and ter- economic future. In the last three enormity of the issue. Within the Chemical & Engineering News, Sezen claims that she was not rorism, and, in selected regions, years, the Gross Domestic Product next two years, as the public tunes informed of the retractions that Sames requested of the ACS, and religious and moral values, which may have grown at a annual rate into the issue, energy and sustain- strongly protested when she eventually learned of them. ACS edi- includes gay marriage and stem of 3.5 percent and more than 5.5 ability could become the buzz tors aren’t talking in advance of Columbia's investigation, so we cell research. Except for the val- million new jobs may have been words that determine the outcome can’t know their reasoning for accepting the contested retractions ues issues, energy lies at the nexus created, but most Americans say of the 2008 election. at the moment. of the others. they feel threatened financially. As Steve Chu, Nobelist and According to APS Editor-in-Chief Martin Blume, a case like Putting aside the cultural, polit- Many claim the economic recov- Director of Lawrence Berkeley this at the Physical Review might be handled quite ical and spiritual bond that exists ery has passed them by. They point Laboratory points out, we don’t differently. "Retraction is a very significant step," he says, "which between the United States and their fingers at offshore outsourc- really have an oil or gas problem, implies that misconduct has occurred. An accusation by one Israel, it’s hard to see why the ing of jobs and waves of illegal we have a carbon problem, and author, no matter how senior, against another is not proof of Middle East should be such a focus immigrants. science must lead the way. misconduct, and everyone is entitled to respond to an accusation." Absent an independent investigation conducted according to INTERNATIONAL NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 institutional or funding-agency guidelines, APS would not print a retraction of the paper, Blume said. But APS could print an erra- between its members and diverse Iranian immigrant communities contact until the IrAP network tum by the disaffected authors, or an editorial note, stating their cultures of the world with empha- across USA. group establishes itself. Please for- desire to remove their names from the paper. sis on humanity. 14. Recognize individuals who ward your suggestions and mem- Sames’s retractions seem to have explicitly violated Columbia’s 9. Unify the voices of Iranian- have contributed to humanity, bership requests to my email published professional ethics guidelines, which state that a American physicists and give them world peace, and general human address: hamidhjavadi@sbcglob- researcher must have the opportunity to review and rebut all a formal avenue to publicize their well-being with their research in al.net. Likewise, you can obtain allegations of misconduct, as well as the chance to appeal any aspirations or to raise their con- science (specifically physics). more information about the afore- formal misconduct findings, prior to the notification of funding cerns. 15. Honor individuals who have mentioned associations on the research agencies, journals, and societies of fraudulent work. 10. Provide a positive role defended scientific thinking and web: Regardless of the outcome of Columbia’s investigation, the model for members of the young freedom of thought around the OCPA–http://www.ocpaweb.org affair’s inevitable damage has already been aggravated by Iranian immigrant community world. ACIPA–http://theacipa.org the premature retractions. It has directed a spotlight of striving to assimilate with their 16. Stand bold and strong AKPA–http://www.akpa.org suspicion on Sezen at a critical time in her career, leading to an newly adopted home, and trying to against injustice and discrimina- Footnotes indefinite delay in her postdoc appointment at Stanford. If a find their new identities without tion against minorities and individ- 1. “Al-Serat, The Interior Life survey of blogs hosted by chemistry grad students is any losing positive aspects of their cul- uals. Oppose deception (especial- in Islam,” Prof. Seyyed Hossein indication, Sames’s reputation is suffering as well, both because tural heritage. ly scientific fraud). Nasr, http://www.al-islam.org/ of his affiliation with potentially fraudulent research and because 11. Establish scholarship and This list is not exhaustive and al-serat/interior-nasr.htm. of the distaste expressed by some for his apparent hostility toward awards to honor talented young is meant only as a suggestion. The 2. “Blind Men and the Elephant” a former student who was once a promising young member of physicists. goals of the proposed Iranian- legend has originated from the Pali his lab. 12. Provide guidance and men- American Physicists network Buddhist Udana. Excerpts of “The It is too soon to tell whether Columbia’s chemistry torship to the students of physics group will be determined by its Elephant in the Dark” poem can be department debacle will be added to the list of high profile and science. member-elected representatives. found in http://www.khamush. scientific frauds. But whether Sezen is eventually cleared 13. Organize public lectures Hamid Javadi is in the com/. Also see P. Dunn, M. M. (perhaps leading to a retraction of the recent ACS journal retrac- and events, interviews with Iranian Jet Propulsion Laboratory Dunn, “The IllustrateRumi, A tions) or not, the ethically flawed handling of the case will public media in exile, and issue Submillimeter Wave Advanced Treasury of Wisdom from the Poet likely leave a dark cloud over the people and institutions involved news and timely public announce- Technology Group. of the Soul” ISBN: 006062017X, for some time. ments to raise physics awareness Note from the author: I will HarperCollins Publishers, New and the role of science within the offer my service to be the point of York, NY (2000) APS NEWS August/September 2006 7

WEN HO LEE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 ANNOUNCEMENTS § 552a of the United States Code. comitantly threatening to signifi- accrued; it must have been under- Under the doctrine of “sovereign cantly increase the government’s stood that these fines would be Estate Planning Now Appearing in RMP: immunity,” which traces back to financial exposure. Under the set- waived if the settlement was Handouts Now Available Recently Posted Reviews and Colloquia the “divine right of kings,” individ- tlement terms the government paid reached. Although the settlement In addition to the many uals quite generally may not sue $895,000 toward Lee’s legal by no means excused the reporters’ research talks at the 2006 You will find the following in the online edition of US governmental agencies without expenses, but made no restitution contemptuous refusals to obey the March Meeting in Baltimore, permission. The Privacy Act con- whatsoever for Lee’s damages Court’s order, the District Court Reviews of Modern Physics at an estate planning session was http://rmp.aps.org fers this required permission for from the leaks. Thus Lee probably judge probably was happy to be rid once again offered for atten- Photo Crystal Heterostuctures lawsuits alleging unauthorized dis- would not have agreed to the set- of Lee’s complicated time-con- dees and local members. Led and Interfaces, by Emanuel closure of governmental agency tlement, had the five news organ- suming case. by Jerry McCoy, an attorney Istrate and Edward H. Sargent records, and even explicitly permits izations not been willing to make Edward Gerjuoy is Professor from the DC area well-known the Court to “assess against the their $750,000 contribution to of Physics Emeritus at the for expertise in estate tax law, "Photonics" has become a United States reasonable attorney defray Lee’s damages. University of Pittsburgh and has the session provided APS household name in analogy to fees and other litigation costs” The news organizations, though been a practicing lawyer. Because members with tips and tax sav- "electronics." This review dis- when the complainant has substan- not defendants in Lee’s lawsuit of these qualifications and his long- ings ideas for use in planning cusses photonic crystal het- tially prevailed (some of the real- and hence under no legal obliga- continued association with the for the long term distribution erostructures, that is, devices ly great features of this nation’s tion to pay Lee anything, presum- APS Committee on International of their property to family, with a periodic modulation of democracy still remain). ably were willing to do so because Freedom of Scientists (CIFS), in friends and charitable inter- their dielectric constant, and I emphasize that this lawsuit the $750,000 was much less than 2000 he became actively involved ests. Handouts from the ses- hence their optical properties. was wholly independent of the the total fines their reporters’ in the defense against Wen Ho sion, including informational An overview is given of both criminal action against Lee that refusals to testify already had Lee’s 1999 criminal indictment. brochures on a broad range of the experimental realization of ended on September 13, 2000. estate planning topics, are such materials, which has led to Listed as defendants were the DOJ, APS AWARDS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 available to all interested mem- functional devices, and the the- FBI and DOE, plus Jane and John bers from Darlene Logan at oretical methods used to model Doe defendant leakers 1 through the dynamics of complicated American, or Native American US [email protected]. these systems. 99, whose identities the lawsuit proteins and systems. At Harvard, citizen or permanent resident still had to ascertain. Despite inten- McCoy’s activities include who is majoring or planning to sive efforts, including more than 20 cheerleading, active involvement in major in physics, and who is a high depositions of individuals who had the Harvard Society of Black school senior, college freshman, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS knowledge of the investigation that Scientists and Engineers, and or sophomore. More information STATE DEPARTMENT SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP led to Lee’s indictment, his lawsuit serving as a course assistant for about the scholarship can be found remained unable to reliably iden- calculus classes. at http://www.aps.org/educ/com/ Experience a unique year in vidual Fellows. Qualifications tify any of the leakers. Beginning Lisa Hines likes physics for the scholars/ Washington, DC. Make a include US citizenship; AIP in early August 2002, therefore, challenge it presents. She recalls personal contribution to US for- Member Society membership; New minority scholars: Lee issued subpoenas to five that around the time she was in eign policy while learning how and PhD or equivalent in physics- Ana Berrizbeitia reporters who had authored obvi- seventh grade, she was told that the policy making process oper- related field. Applicants should Christopher Bruner ously leak-based stories about the physics was the hardest subject. ates. This Fellowship is open to all possess interest or experience in Eduardo Hariton investigation, seeking testimony Instead of being scared, she was qualified members of APS and scientific or technical aspects of Lisa Hines and documents concerning the determined to challenge herself to other AIP Member Societies, of all foreign policy. APPLICATION Tamela Maciel sources of those leaks. try it. So she took physics in high ages and career levels. By spon- DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 1, John Matte All the reporters moved to school, and found that she liked it soring at least one Fellow a year 2006. For details on how to apply, Amanda McCoy quash the subpoenas on freedom of and was good at it. Hines, who in the State Department, this pro- please visit http://www.aip. Richard Molina Jr. the press grounds, essentially the grew up in Piscataway, NJ, is now gram benefits the government, the org/gov/sdf.html or contact Alexander Robel same grounds Judith Miller futile- double majoring in physics and science community, and the indi- Audrey Leath at [email protected]. Jessica Saiz ly argued in October 2005 when astronomy at Penn State University. Aaron Sampson she was jailed for refusing to reveal Hines says she still finds the sub- Marcos Tapia 48th Annual American Physical Society the sources who had leaked CIA ject challenging sometimes, but Malachi Tatum Division of Plasma Physics (APS/DPP) Job Fair operative Valerie Plame’s name to she is inspired by her love of sci- her. On October 9, 2003 the US ence. Although she sometimes feels Renewal scholars: Philadelphia Marriott to all job seekers. There is a District Court judge handling Lee’s out of place as one of the few Luis Bryce Downtown Hotel, October 30 nominal fee for employers. The lawsuit similarly rejected the female or minority students in Marissa Cevallos through November 1, 2006 pre-registration deadline for reporters’ arguments and ordered physics or astronomy, that further Rodgrigo Farnham Whether you are looking for both employers and job seekers them to testify about their sources, motivates her to do her best. “I Anton Gereau a job or recruiting, the American is October 16, 2006. Register saying Lee had shown there was no want to make a good example of Collin Physical Society Division of today at http://www.physics other way for him to obtain evi- myself,” she said. This summer she Hassan Korre Plasma Physics (APS/DPP) Job today.org/jobs/jobfairs.html. dence which could be essential to is conducting research on quasars Marc Martinez Fair is the place to be! The Job For additional information, his case. and spectroscopy at Penn State, Eric Paniagua Fair will provide job seekers and please contact Alix Brice at: On August 18, 2004, the and she plans to become a Aaron Pollack hiring managers with unsur- American Physical Society reporters having defied this order, researcher one day. She likes danc- Matthew Rickert passed recruitment and network- Career Network Division the Court found the five reporters ing, especially ballet, and says her Eduardo Ruiz-Rivera ing opportunities. Last year, One Physics Ellipse in contempt and fined each of them dream is to live in California. Cacey Stevens more than 50 companies met College Park, MD 20740 $500 for every day the order was The scholarship is open to any Luis Vargas with hundreds of job seekers. Phone: 301-209-3187 not obeyed. The Court stayed African-American, Hispanic Yonas Yemane The Job Fair is free of charge E-mail: [email protected] enforcement of the contempt cita- tion, however, pending appeal. On US NUCLEAR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 MEMBER SURVEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 June 28, 2005 the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals euphemistic language to "deter" directly or indirectly to the subject. Membership Director Trish can be found online at http://www. upheld the contempt citation for other nations from behaviors we If our profession didn't exist, Lettieri says she uses the survey as aps.org/memb/studentbrochure.pdf four of the five reporters. These don't like. But it is a small price to humanity would have no practical a communication tool. Surveys such When asked what additional four reporters then appealed to the pay compared to global nuclear way to erase itself from existence. as this one help APS leadership learn services or benefits APS could Supreme Court, which, on June 5, war, which the chain reaction result- Thus, as we revel in the great joy what’s important to members, but offer, many students wrote that 2006, three days after the settle- ing from a new US use of nuclear of being physicists we should also they also help inform members they want more career resources. ment, announced its refusal to hear weapons against a non-nuclear devote some of our efforts to help about the resources available to Students requested more job the case. country is likely to bring about, in prevent the unthinkable conse- them. “That’s one of the biggest postings and listings of I can only speculate about the a period of weeks, years or decades. quences that could result from the benefits we get out of doing sur- internships, scholarships and fel- reasons the parties agreed to the As physicists we understand weapons our profession created. veys,” said Lettieri. lowships, and advice on graduate settlement, whose terms are unusu- the potentially devastating effects We owe it to society, and society In fact, in the comments section, schools, fields of physics, what al. According to some newspaper of nuclear weapons better than oth- expects no less from us. many students wrote that before classes to take, and non-academic stories the main impetus for the ers. Because of that, and because Jorge Hirsch the survey they hadn’t known careers. APS currently has settlement came from the govern- physicists brought nuclear weapons San Diego, CA about many of the benefits APS an online career center which ment, which probably was fore- into existence and have been offers. Because the survey found allows members to find job warned the Supreme Court was instrumental in the buildup of many student members are openings and employers not going to hear the reporters’ nuclear arsenals, we have a special Visit unaware of the benefits, the mem- (http://careers.aps.org). In response appeal. responsibility. Individually, even APS bership department has recently to the survey suggestions, the It is a good guess that the gov- if we don't work in nuclear-weapon- developed a new brochure that APS Committee on Careers and ernment feared the Supreme related subjects we are all tied to the News lists some of the member benefits Professional Development is Court’s refusal, once announced, issue, either because we teach stu- Online for students and lists websites for developing a handbook of career would lead to testimony from at dents that may work in the area or more information. The brochure advice and resources for least one of the reporters, thereby because we publish papers with www.aps. org/apsnews/ was distributed at student events at students, which will be available strengthening Lee’s case and con- knowledge that may contribute the March and April meetings, and online soon. 8 August/September 2006 APS NEWS The Back Page Containing Nuclear Proliferation nuclear weapons. But, what he no problem. The argument is four decades; how would you char- Physicists Sidney Drell and have been deeply involved in says about their importance is that our nuclear weapons are acterize this moment? Are we liv- nuclear weapons development and pol- quite relevant to our effort to try designed too close to some fail- ing in promising time? Critical icy for more than 40 years. Garwin con- and prevent proliferation of ure cliff. But, in fact, aging does times? Dangerous times? tributed to the design of the first ther- nuclear weapons. You should- not move them closer to that DRELL: We have survived the monuclear weapon in 1952 and Drell n't say you'll never use a cliff, and there are ways for Soviet empire's confrontation and worked on a JASON study in 1960 that examined national security issues. Both weapon, because you can't pre- compensating. For example, we avoided nuclear use during went on to receive numerous distinc- dict the future, not accurately. more tritium can be added as the those years of the Cold War. That's tions and serve in prominent federal But the NPT calls upon the weapons age. a tremendous achievement. We are advisory positions. The conversation nuclear nations to reduce the Q: Do you think the fact that now, I think, facing a very differ- was led by Francis Slakey, Associate salience of these weapons, and Sidney Drell Richard Garwin North Korea and Iran are pur- ent and more difficult problem. Director of Public Affairs and Jennifer Ouellette, APS News Associate Editor. what we say matters. suing nuclear weapons means That is keeping the most dangerous Q: What do you think is the cation for a program is to say: "Our that our nonproliferation poli- material and weapons out of the Q: When nuclear weapons were right size ? current things are inadequate and we cies are failing? Is it inevitable that hands of very dangerous people first developed, what did the design- GARWIN: There's no security need this new one." And so, you more countries will develop nuclear for whom the conventional notion ers believe the future held? in having vast numbers of nuclear show that there is something that weapons? of deterrence doesn't work. Nations GARWIN: Nuclear weapons weapons. There's insecurity in our cannot be achieved with existing GARWIN: It's not inevitable if have to work together, coopera- were a scarcity. We finished the war having vast numbers, and especial- systems and could be achieved with we focus much more seriously on tively, to prevent proliferation. And with maybe one in ly having vast numbers of not very a future system. nonproliferation. The current I think that at the moment we're August of 1945. And, in fact, the well protected nuclear weapons in Regarding the bunker buster in Administration is focused on free- really at a crossroads. If Iran and people at Los Alamos had very dif- . The US could immediate- particular, General Cartwright, the dom of action for the US rather North Korea get away scot-free ferent views, it turns out, of the ly reduce its arsenal to two thousand head of STRATCOM, says he does- than a path of collective security. Let and have nuclear weapons then future. , shortly before nuclear weapons and within a cou- n't need it. He can have functional me say specifically what you need we're going to lose some if not all he died, commented, "Nobody at ple of years to one thousand nuclear defeat of these underground facil- to do. The big problem with the the benefits of the non-proliferation Los Alamos believed that there weapons total, including reserves. ities by controlling what goes in, NPT is that it is perfectly legal under regime and the world will become would be thousands or tens of thou- And that would be on the way to what comes out, their communica- the NPT to be a member in good more dangerous. It will be a differ- sands of nuclear weapons." And having a few hundred nuclear tions, and so on. More generally, we standing as a non-nuclear weapon ent kind of danger. With more yet, in November 1945 Robert weapons in the world all together. need to recognize that in order to state and get support and informa- nuclear-armed countries and more Oppenheimer said that, "If there DRELL: I can't think of any limit what other countries do, we tion from the nuclear weapons states confrontations, nuclear weapons were to be a war between two value to having more than a few have to accept limitations ourselves. in development of enrichment and will gain increasing relevance nuclear-armed countries they would hundred. If I had infinite confidence Q: Another proposal is to devel- spent fuel reprocessing. Then, after around the world and the likeli- be used by the thousands or the tens that I knew all scenarios coming I op a Reliable Replacement one has these facilities and created of crossing the nuclear thresh- of thousands." So, between these might say we should get rid of all Warhead. The stated motivation is a lot of low-enriched uranium or old, even at a low level, I think, will two people who were intimately nuclear weapons, along with other to address emerging technical prob- separated plutonium, one can aban- grow. So, I think we're at a very involved in the creation of nuclear countries. But I can't envisage every lems with the current stockpile, dete- don the NPT and in three months dangerous point and I just urge the weapons to have such different possible scenario. At the Reykjavik riorating weapons design capabil- have facilities for making nuclear leaders of countries to continue to views is quite striking. summit, Reagan and Gorbachev ities, and the lack of “responsive- weapons. That possibility has to use diplomacy as creatively as pos- DRELL: The first envisaged came within a hair's width of say- ness” in the current arsenal. Is an stop. And the way it stops is for sible, balancing carrots and sticks. use was to confront the large Soviet ing, "We're going to get rid of all RRW necessary? countries who are members of the I see no other course. army in Europe as NATO was being nuclear weapons." I think we should DRELL: The current arsenal is NPT to sign a modification of the GARWIN: I think that we are built. They were a substitute for work toward that goal. But if a dic- quite reliable. I think it's being main- treaty requiring that any facilities at a crossroads; that we are losing large manpower if the Soviets had tator knows that we have five, or tained very well by a very strong that they have obtained as a mem- control. We are not spending near- moved west. But, when thermonu- ten, or a hundred nuclear weapons Stockpile Stewardship Program that ber of the NPT will be returned or ly enough to resolve this problem clear weapons increased the destruc- then he also knows it would be total was initiated in 1994 soon after we destroyed if they are no longer and not spending the money we tive potential of these weapons by suicide for him to act crazy. So announced a moratorium on testing. members of the NPT. spend effectively. For example, we factors of a thousand beyond nuclear weapons might have value For ten years now the lab directors DRELL: Only eight countries try to secure nuclear materials–plu- Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the poli- while we’re sorting out this new have annually reported to the have nuclear weapons–that's an tonium and uranium in Russia. This cy became to prevent their use. world with terrorists. I'm not quite Secretaries of Defense and Energy extraordinarily successful achieve- is a program on which we should Q: There is no longer a Soviet arrogant enough to say "I know that our arsenal is reliable and safe. ment over 61 years. Maintaining spend $10 billion a year instead of Union to deter. What is the role for they have zero purpose, get rid of Now, if the RRW program is just the commitment to the nonprolifer- a billion dollars a year. So, things nuclear weapons today? How do them." another way of better focusing the ation regime is very important. With are bad. But they can get worse. I you think the president views the use Q: Some analysts warn that the Stewardship Program on what needs the spread of nuclear technology, it's believe that we will see, within the of nuclear weapons? US lacks the weapon to hold cer- to be done to maintain confidence become clear that the NPT needs to next few years, one or more terror- GARWIN: Well, you would tain hard and deeply buried targets in the arsenal, then it makes sense. be supplemented by further restric- ist nuclear weapons explode in an certainly use them in response to an at risk and they proposed develop- And, I think it's important to note tions in order to keep countries from American city and it will kill attack by nuclear weapons. But ing a Robust Nuclear Earth that the enabling legislation on that becoming latent or virtual nuclear 100,000 - 200,000 people. It's going there are a number of points here. Penetrator –the “bunker buster”. RRW program has very, very pow- powers. I say this because when to be very bad, unless we take One problem is that this President What do you think of that weapon erful and restrictive words in it: you can enrich uranium you can measures to survive the social and has said, "We'll never take any tool concept? “Any weapon design work done also make a uranium bomb. What economic disruption that's going off the table." So, we won't prom- DRELL: If you can bury a under the RRW Program must stay the US has been emphasizing, and to follow. So, that's what I believe, ise not to use nuclear weapons nuclear bomb a few meters under within the military requirements of properly so, is that additional restric- because there are nuclear against non-nuclear states. The cur- the ground and then detonate it you the existing deployed stockpile,” tions to the NPT are necessary, such weapons–improvised nuclear rent Administration doesn't want to can get ten to twenty times as much and “any new weapon design must as allowing challenge inspections to weapons–available. A gun-type limit its freedom of action in any over pressure–shock pressure–to stay within the design parameters all suspect facilities, not just to weapon will have the same yield regard. I think that is a very great destroy an underground target. validated by past nuclear tests.” If declared facilities. There's a whether it's something dropped mistake. It's not in our national secu- That's the advantage of an RNEP. the RRW program were used to Proliferation Security Initiative that from an airplane or something rity interest to use nuclear weapons But if the enemy builds a target make new weapons for new mili- has countries working together to assembled on an apartment floor in against non-nuclear states, and in the that's reasonably hard at a depth of tary missions, a resumption of prevent the shipment of equipment Manhattan. And unless we can past we have had formal commit- a thousand feet, it’s going to take a nuclear testing would be required. that facilitates uranium enrichment. change the motivation of people, ments in that regard. These commit- hundred kilotons to do any damage That would be an invitation to other And the President has a proposal, the technology becomes more and ments have encouraged people to and that would have tremendous countries to become nuclear or and so does Mohamed ElBaradei at more available. And we certainly remain members in good standing fallout effects. The proposal to renew their nuclear programs. the IAEA, that restricts develop- have not done enough to keep the of the Non-Proliferation Treaty build a bunker buster with no side GARWIN: Well, this is anoth- ment of new national enrichment materials from being available. (NPT) of 1970. Some folks on the effects is just sheer nonsense. To er one of those propaganda activi- and reprocessing facilities and in Dr. A. Q. Kahn, who stole the military side were horrified at the put a number on it, just a one-kilo- ties. To promote RRW, proponents exchange provides fuel service Urenco centrifuge design for cavalier approach to using nuclear ton bomb–one-fifteenth of are not going to say: "We’ll search guarantees. I think we also need Pakistan, and was the founder of weapons in the current dispute with Hiroshima–that is dropped and pen- for new weapon concepts." You're restrictions that say we're not going their nuclear weapon program, Iran as if they were just another etrates as deep as practical into hard, going to imply that what we're doing to build arsenals larger and that was a pro-proliferation machine, kind of conventional weapon. dry soil before detonating would now does not result in reliable we're not going to test nuclear selling technology to Libya and to DRELL: I think the President still cause a crater larger than the replacement warheads. But in fact, weapons. I think some of these North Korea. So there are people has made clear–all Presidents have World Trade Center and put about it does. The Stockpile Stewardship things should be put in the legisla- who benefit from this and the made clear–that these are weapons a million cubic feet of debris up in Program already generates replace- tion by Congress. forces against them are not very of last-resort. At this point, I don’t the atmosphere. ment warheads. We are making Q: Both of you have been work- effective. We don't have all that worry that the President would use GARWIN: The typical justifi- them, and they are reliable. There's ing on these issues for more than much time.

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