Newsletter 99 ª March 2000 NEWSLETTER
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Newsletter 99 ª March 2000 NEWSLETTER The American Astronomical Societys2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Suite 400sWashington, DC [email protected] ROCHESTER PRESIDENT’S COLUMN HOSTS Bob Gehrz, President, [email protected] AAS The Budget is Here: Start_Early@Home On February 7, President Clinton submitted a FY2001 budget SUMMER request which includes dramatic increases for the science MEETING funding agencies such as NASA and NSF. Well before this, at Caltech, he emphasized the need to support all scientific LOC members at the research and the interconnectedness of the physical and life University of Rochester sciences. Congress also appears to be acknowledging the (UR), and the Rochester importance of basic science research. Institute of Technology (RIT) This year, we have a chance, are delighted to welcome the if we get started now, 196th Meeting of the AAS to support proactively to Rochester, NY from a substantial increase 4–8 June 2000. The ...the best way to in science budgets third largest urban influence a budget outcome rather than be area in New York, forced to react to Rochester is home to a variety of industries and is to visit the home district a potential disaster research centers that support astronomy — from those offices of congressional created by partisan at UR and RIT that develop detector arrays for space politics, as we were missions and for ground-based astronomy; to the representatives last year. Luckily, Eastman Kodak Company, that developed the mirror for science is a non-partisan Chandra and Keck telescopes; to the Richardson Grating issue and is likely to enjoy Laboratory, that produces ultra-large gratings, such as those for continued support no matter who the Subaru Telescope; and to UR’s Laboratory for Laser wins the coming Presidential election. Energetics (LLE), working on intense laser laboratory Even in an improved political climate, however, without the astrophysics. active involvement of scientists, no hope of Congressional The history of astronomy and astronomy education is well support for science can be realized. A silent community represented in Rochester at the Strasenburgh Planetarium commands no attention from Congress. (Rochester Museum and Science Center) and the George By far the best way to influence a budget outcome is to visit the Eastman House, a museum specializing in the development of home district offices of congressional representatives. Members the camera, optics and imaging techniques. of the House and Senate have offices in their home districts, As part of the AAS meeting program, tours are planned of UR’s usually in the major metropolitan areas within the district. Some Laboratory for Laser Energetics (http://www.lle.rochester.edu) and have several offices and split their time between them when they the Richardson Grating Lab (http://www.gratinglab.com). A are not in Washington. In the home district, representatives have reception and tour of the beautiful George Eastman House for more time for visitors, visiting and for talking. 150 participants (sponsored by Kodak, the University of Although there is no single recipe for establishing a good home Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology) will be held office relationship, the following suggestions made during a panel discussion sponsored by the AAS Committee on Public Continued on page 2 Policy (CAPP) at the Atlanta AAS meeting may be useful: • Call the home office and get to know some of the local HIGHLIGHTS staff. Be aware of the Congressional schedule (look at Council Actions at Atlanta Meeting........................................3 http://www.house.gov). Make sure your member knows you Proposal to Amend AAS Bylaws ...........................................4 are a constituent, that you are an astronomer and you are Atlanta Meeting Highlights...................................................14 interested in your member’s position on astronomy and Astronomer Finds Happiness in the Oil Industry .................16 space science issues; HAD, HEAD Meetings in Atlanta .........................................18 • Offer to serve as an information resource for any issues that NSF Strategic Plan and Portfolio Allocation Review ...........21 come up pertaining to your area of expertise. Information is Mexican Astronomers Met in November .............................21 a valuable resource for members of Congress; if they have President’s FY’01 Budget Submitted to Congress ..............24 an easy way of learning, they will take advantage of it; Continued on page 23 2 AAS Newsletter 99 ª March 2000 ROCHESTER MEETING PUBLICATIONS NEWS Continued from page 1 Free Access to Journals Older than Three Years; Tuesday evening, 6 June from 6–8:00pm (http://www.eastman.org). Page Charges Reduced Adam Frank, UR faculty member, will give a public talk on Monday evening, 5 June. The excellent brass quintet, Prism, Bruce Elmegreen, Chair, Publications Board and Robert W. Milkey, Executive Officer, AAS (http://www.wizware.com/prism/frame.htm) of the UR’s Eastman School of Music will entertain at the AAS banquet on At the January meeting, the AAS Council approved the Wednesday evening, 7 June. Publications Board proposal, effective immediately, to make There’s plenty to do and see in and around Rochester beyond the freely available on the Web all AAS journals older than three astronomical activities planned for the meeting. An hour’s drive years from their cover dates. This applies to the Astrophysical east of Rochester, in Seneca Falls, NY is the home of Elizabeth Journal Parts I, II, and Supplements, and to the Astronomical Cady Stanton, where, in 1848, the US women’s rights Journal, whether accessed through the ADS or directly through movement officially began with the First Women’s Rights the University of Chicago Press. While the access to these older Convention, which led, 72 years later, to the ratification of the journals is free to all, the published AAS policy regarding rights 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. Also in Seneca Falls is of use still applies to all material contained in AAS journals. the Women’s Hall of Fame and the National Women’s Rights The Publications Board is also happy to announce that, effective Park. The Susan B. Anthony House, Rochester, is listed on 1 January 2000, page charges for electronically submitted the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the manuscripts to ApJ Part I and ApJ Supplements are reduced. Page public. Niagara Falls is an hour and a half to the west of charges for electronic submissions to ApJ, ApJS, and AJ are now Rochester. Letchworth State Park, called the “Grand Canyon all $115. Page charges for the ApJ Letters remain at $155 (only of the East,” is an hour south. Water sports and wine-tasting electronic manuscripts are accepted). Page charges for paper tours abound in the nearby Finger Lakes submissions to ApJ, ApJS and AJ remain at $130. The new rates (http://www.fingerlakes.net/flp/flpwine/flpwineld.html). are printed on page 8 of the 2000 Membership Directory. Close to Rochester’s downtown area and within a few miles of New ApJ Homepage the Convention Center at the Centers at High Falls,an Julie Steffen, Astronomy Pub. Manager, U. Chicago Press entertainment mecca, is Brown’s Race Historic District where there is a replica water raceway, early 19th century industrial Please go to http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/ApJ/ and explore the new home of the ApJ. You will see a new look, improved buildings, an excavated forge site and a massive waterwheel. functionality and enhanced content. Future updates to this site Take well-documented walking tours around the museum trail will include new “Yellow Pages” and Tentative Tables of and neighborhood of the arts, as well as Rochester’s historic Contents. Please send us your comments by email. residential neighborhoods. Walking, public transportation, or the free EZ Rider bus (evenings after 5:30pm; Sundays excluded) make it easy to visit these areas. For all there is to see LETTERS TO THE EDITOR and do, visit the web sites, http://www.visitrochester.com and Letters to the Editor on current issues of importance to astronomers are http://www.rochgetaway.com, which give an overview of the area, welcomed. Letters must be signed and should not exceed 250 words. For and feature area museums – e.g. UR’s Memorial Art Gallery, inclusion in the June 2000 issue, letters must be received by Jeff Linsky, parks, sports, entertainment, history and the like. Bring the Associate Editor, Letters, by 1 April 2000. You may contact Jeff Linsky by whole family for a week of fun and exploration bound to suit email [email protected], phone 303-492-7838, or FAX 303-492-5235. everyone’s tastes. The Associate Editor may edit letters, but will consult with authors before doing so. Letters will be published at the discretion of the Editors. Meetings In General The AAS Newsletter (ISSN 8750-9350) is published in March, June, August, October, and December by the American Astronomical Society, 2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20009-1231, Tel: 202-328-2010, Video Projectors FAX: 202-234-2560, [email protected]; http://www.aas.org Starting with the June 2000 Meeting in Rochester, the AAS will The $105.00 annual membership dues for the American Astronomical Society provide LCD/video projectors for AAS invited speakers or for include $3.00 that is applied toward a subscription to the AAS Newsletter. Periodical postage paid at Washington, DC. invited speakers in special or topical sessions only when POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AAS, 2000 Florida Avenue, NW, requested at least two weeks before the start of a meeting. Suite 400, Washington, DC 20009-1231. These projectors will not be available for contributed papers. 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