:RUOG6FLHQWLÀF Newsletter

No. 39 • October 2014 World Scientific publishes acclaimed new book Fields Medallists’ Lectures, 3rd Edition

edited by Sir Michael Atiyah (University of Edinburgh, UK), Daniel Iagolnitzer (CEA-Saclay, France), Chitat Chong (National University of Singapore)

John W. MilnorEnrico Bombieri Gerd Faltings Andrei Okounkov Terence Tao Cédric Villani Elon Lindenstrauss Ngô Båo Châu Stanislav Smirnov Manjul Bhargava Martin Hairer

lthough the Fields Medal does not have the same public The third edition of Fieldsds recognition as the Nobel Prize, they share a similar Medallists’ Lectures featuress Aintellectual standing. It is restricted to one field — that additional contributions from: of mathematics. The medal is awarded to the best mathematicians John W. Milnor (1962), Enricoo who are 40 or younger, every four years. Bombieri (1974), Gerd Faltingsgs A list of Fields Medallists and their contributions provides (1986), Andrei Okounkov (2006), TTerence TTao (2006)(2006), CédCédrici a bird’s eye view of the major developments in mathematics Villani (2010), Elon Lindenstrauss (2010), Ngô Båo Châu over the past 80 years. It highlights the areas in which, at (2010), Stanislav Smirnov (2010), Manjul Bhargava (2014) and various times, the greatest progress has been made. Martin Hairer (2014). At approximately 1000 pages, this new edition will be published in two volumes.

The Lives and Works of 33 Nobel Laureates in Crystallography presented in new book From a Grain of Salt to the Ribosome

his book is published to Sweden), Anders Liljas (Lund University, Sweden), Sven Lidin celebrate the Interna- (Lund University, Sweden), From a Grain of Salt to the T tional Year of Crystall- Ribosome: The History of Crystallography as Seen Through the ography 2014, as proclaimed by Lens of the Nobel Prize describes the lives and works of 33 Nobel the United Nations. 2014 has Laureates, starting with Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1901) and been chosen as the International ending with Brian Kobilka (2012). It also reproduces the most Year of Crystallography since it important works of these scientists. The book gives a historical was 100 years ago that the first perspective of a scientific field that is important for our NobelN Prize was awarded for understanding of the atomic organization of the world around crystallographiccrrysstallographicc oobservations to Max von Laue. us, from inorganic materials to complex biological molecules. Just a year later, Sir William Henry Bragg and William Lawrence There is no other book with such a selection of rich material Bragg, father and son, won their prize for showing the possibility and it is a timely summary of the main developments in of determining atomic positions in crystals. crystallography over the last 100 years. Edited by Professors Ivar Olovsson (Uppsala University, Top New Titles

Remembering the “Father of Fractals” Professor Benoit Mandelbrot

Benoit Mandelbrot: A Life in Many Dimensions is a collection of articles edited by Professors Michael Frame (Yale University, USA) and Nathan Cohen (Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc., USA). Many of these articles were written by people who worked with Professor Benoit Mandelbrot, memorializing the remarkable breadth and depth of his work in science and the arts. Contributors include mathematicians, physicists, biologists, economists, and engineers; and also artists, musicians, teachers, a historian, an architect, a filmmaker, and a comic. Also included are articles on fractals and music by Charles Wuorinen and Harlan J. Brothers; fractals and finance by Richard Hudson and Christian Walter; fractal invisibility cloaks by Nathan Cohen; and a personal reminiscence by his wife, Aliette Mandelbrot. While he is known most widely for his work in mathematics and finance, Prof. Mandelbrot influenced almost every field of modern intellectual activity. No other book captures the breadth of all of his accomplishments. World Scientific Newsletter Scientific World

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Upcoming Book on Quantum Field Theory by the esteemed “physicist’s physicist” Professor Sidney Coleman

edited by Bryan Gin-ge Chen (Leiden University, Netherlands), Yuan-Sen Ting (Harvard University, USA), Richard Sohn (University of Chicago, USA), David Derbes (University of Chicago, USA)

lthough Professor Sidney Coleman is largely unknown outside of the theoretical physics community, and known only by reputation to the A younger generation, he was an unusually effective teacher, famed for his wit, insight and encyclopedic knowledge of the field to which he made many important contributions. There are many first-rate quantum field theory books (the ancient Bjorken and Drell, the more modern Itzykson and Zuber, the now-standard Peskin and Schroder, and the recent Zee), but the immediacy of Prof. Coleman’s approach and his ability to present an argument simply without sacrificing rigor makes Quantum Field Theory: Lectures of Sidney Coleman easy to read and ideal for the student. Part of the motivation in producing this book is to pass on the work of this outstanding physicist to later generations, a record of his teaching that he was too busy to leave himself. Book microscopy, withtheaddition ofnew procedures (suchas massspectroscopy.and gas-phase But4Delectron and otherprocessesthroughstructural X-ray crystallography Much canbegleanedaboutthe mechanismsofbiochemical microscopy. thetechniqueof4Delectron has becomeaccessiblethrough physical, technologicalandmedically-significant phenomena Additionally, itchronicleshow avast range ofbiological, fantastically marvellous universe.” marvellous fantastically authors’ amazement at—asFeynman putit—our pleasanttobrowsevery atleisure…Itfullyconveys the physics andcosmology…Itisbothanenjoyable readand to astronomy tolightenuptheheavier ofparticle taste andbiology anecdotes andexamples frommusictosport “The authorshave compiledarefreshingmixofhistorical of Ten, butI hopeitwillhave aneven widerreach.” science teacherwouldbenefitfromreading Time inPowers …Every realities ideasviaconcrete abstract fundamental wealth ofserioussciencethatwillgive readersinsightsinto of modernphysics, andsoon. Underneaththemallisa as anunusualperspective onhistory, as apopularaccount … Canbeenjoyed asasourceofscientificstoriesandimages, even thepeoplewhocompilequestionsfor Trivial Pursuit demics, students, booksand connoisseursofcoffee-table “Pleasingly accessiblevolume thatwillgive pleasuretoaca- picked upthebook.” of illustrationsaresoinviting andratheraddictive onceyou “The somewhat andtheabundance facetious narrating style by Reviews

Nobel LaureateProfessorGerard‘tHooft Time inPowersTime ofTen European MathematicalSociety compelling reading. makes thismonograph near-atomic resolution, alone time-scale, whilealsoreaching microscopy atthefemtosecond achieve ultrafastelectron requiredto technical virtuosity “The dazzlingbrillianceofthe Times HigherEducation by

Nobel LaureateProfessorAhmedH.Zewail Nature Physics 4D Visualization ofMatter 4D Visualization natural world.” to therevelation ofthecornucopiahidden secretsofthe This monographconstitutesauniquelypowerful approach and inthefieldsofplasmonicscellbiology. yet horizons inthedynamicsofcondensedmatter further lossimaging,as electron Kikuchi diffractionetc., opensup tomography,such aselectron bright-anddark-field, aswell all thenumerousmodesofrecording “static” information photon-induced near-field electronmicroscopy PINEM)to time, andhow itshapesourlives.” dimension, ofthefourth interested inadeeperunderstanding illustrated andshouldbeanenjoyable foranyone read and thelifeevents ofouruniverse. The bookiselegantly associated timescales, small, spanningthevery large, thevery an exposé ofawiderangenaturalphenomena and their This bookby Gerard ‘t HooftandStefan Vandoren gives us and awesome variation ofscaleshapesthenaturalworld. “Time isanessentialdimensionoflife. Indeed, itsremarkable enjoy thebookasIhave.” have knowledge to thelongest. Iamsuremany readerswill title ofthebooksays, timesofwhichwe fromtheshortest by powers often, asthe differscales considered time scales. The time curred onmany different that occurorhave oc- phenomenainteresting by and describingtypical inanovelof nature way the readertodiversity “The authorsintroduce

Royal Institution ofGreatBritain,London Sir John Meurig Thomas, FRS,FREng d y y r Former Head ofPhysical Chemistry t

h Professor ofMaterialsScience Nobel Laureate inChemistry Former Master ofPeterhouse h University ofCambridge i Former Director Fields Medalist Edward Witten Ahmed Zewail f hi h

3 World Scientific Newsletter Book Reviews

Risk

A Study of Its Origins, History and Politics by Matthias Beck (Queen’s University, United Kingdom), Beth Kewell (University of Stavanger, Norway)

“Practitioners in the field looking to broaden their reading may find value in this study of thehe changing concepts and theories of risk.” Times Higher Educationon

“This opportune book provides a comprehensive interpretation of ideas and concepts of risk.sk. While global risks transcend national boundaries and fail to fit neatly within disciplinaryry confines, most books remain rooted in these frames; giving this work a special place. Risk: A Study of its Origins, History and Politics provides illuminating and inspirational reading whichch will expand readers’ horizon and further their understanding of the theoretical and practicall complexitiescomplexities of the ppervasiveervasive risk phenomenon.” IEEE Professor Darinka Asenova Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

Stem Cells

An Insider’s Guide by Paul Knoepfler (University of California, Davis, USA)

“This is an opinionated but extremely knowledgeable introduction to the potentials and

World Scientific Newsletter Scientific World pitfalls of research in and applications of stem cells. The science is current, accessible, and 4 well presented, but the best aspect of the book is its focus on ethical considerations associated with stem cell research. This is a fascinating book on important scientific, medical and consumer issues.” CHOICE

Encyclopedia of Thermal Packaging Set 1: Thermal Packaging Techniques (A 6–Volume Set)

Edited by Avram Bar-Cohen (University of Maryland, USA)

“The Encyclopedia meets head-on the challenges engineers and researchers face in this era of information abundance. By its breadth of coverage, the Encyclopedia provides a bird’s eye view of the techniques and approaches used over the entire field of electronics thermal management. By its depth of coverage, each volume provides the reader with a comprehensive guide to a specific subject area. This is undoubtedly a milestone publication that will serve the industry and the research community for many years to come.” Dr Wataru Nakayama Research Consultant, ThermTech International

“The volume authors are themselves noted experts in each topic. In this spirit of celebrated experts, the encyclopedia introduction is authored by Dr Wataru Nakayama … engineers and scientists performing R&D tasks involving electronics packaging and system integration, as well as engineers in industry, researchers in academia or students, should not be without this unique Encyclopedia, including the current Set 1, as well as subsequent Sets 2–4.”

IEEE CPMT Society Newsletter Book Launches

Singapore’s Pioneer Diplomat, Professor Maurice Baker Launches Memoirs

Prof. Maurice Baker with former Singapore President, Mr. S.R. Nathan. Prof. Maurice Baker with his family.

aunched in August 2014, The Accidental Diplomat: The Autobiography of Maurice Baker chronicles the diplomatic postings of one of Singapore’s pioneer diplomats, Professor Maurice Baker. L Former Singapore President, Mr. S.R. Nathan, who was at the launch, said the book offers readers an insight into how a man of his education and literary skills “could blend with the common man and strive to achieve something for the common good of people.” “I am certain that readers of Maurice Baker’s memoirs will be entertained by his many experiences during the years he spent as a diplomat in India, the Philippines and Malaysia,” Mr. Nathan added. World Scientific Newsletter Scientific World

5 Professor Amitav Acharya, American University, Launches Book on Indonesia’s Foreign Policy rofessor of international affairs at the American University in Washington DC, Amitav Acharya launched his latest book, Indonesia Matters: Asia’s Emerging Democratic Power, at the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta, Indonesia, in August 2014. P The chief editor of Jakarta Post, Meidyatama Suryodiningrat commented that Prof. Acharya’s book was “thought provoking” as it raised questions on how Indonesia mattered as a soft power and a player of democracy as well as noting the elaboration on why the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s presidency was deemed very successful in its foreign policy approach. “It is required reading material for Indonesian foreign policy students, diplomats going into foreign service and those going to be posted to Indonesia […] as it explains and also questions, what Indonesia stands for and how issues such as human rights, democracy and maritime security could be discussed in the future,” he said.

Prof. Amitav Acharya (left) presents “Indonesia Matters: Asia’s Emerging Democratic Power” to Deputy Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Dino Patti Djalal (right). Highlights

Outstanding Asia Pacific Physicsics Newsletter

sia Pacific Physics Newsletter (APPN) publishes articles reporting frontier discoveries in physics, research highlights, and news to facilitate A interaction, collaboration and cooperation among physicists in the Asia Pacific physics community. It is published jointly by Institute of Advanced Studies, Nanyang Technological University and the South East Asia Theoretical Physics Association, supported by World Scientific Publishing Company. APPN brings to readers the regional highlights, information on some of the research institutes and laboratories in India and China, the latest discoveries, research highlights and headline news in the field of physics. The latest issue is packed with interesting content such as insights into the lives of pioneers like Professor CN Yang (Nobel Laureate for Physics, 1957), Professor Roy Glauber (Nobel Laureate for Physics, 2005) and Professor Serge Haroche (Nobel Laureate for Physics, 2012). There is also an interview with Professor Chao-Lin Kuo, a forerunner in the detection of the cosmic microwave background radiation, in the “People” section. To keep readers up-to-date, the “News” section includes the efforts of Professor Paul Chu and Professor Anthony Leggett in their venture to improve the US–Iran relations and their success in breaking through the boundaries through scientific collaboration.

“Thank you for sending me the latest issue of APPN. It is a “Very interesting storiesti and dhihlif highly informative.” ti” very nice edition with numerous interesting articles and stories Professor Ong Choon Nam — well done!” Professor Peter Fulde Professor of the Department of Community, Director and Scientific Member Occupational and Family Medicine Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems National University of Singapore World Scientific Newsletter Scientific World

6 “It is a very impressive newsletter. It is lovely to see all the “Marvellous, amazed at the very rich materials and high activities that you have in Singapore. It will be such great fun quality content.” Professor Oh Choo Hiap to visit.” Professor Lars Brink Professor of the Department of Physics Chairman of the Physics Nobel Prize Committee National University of Singapore

Our Author, Professor Phillip A. Griffiths Awarded the Chern Medal for lifetime devotion to mathematics and outstanding achievements

Editor of Inspired by S S Chern: his seminal work in Hodge theory and A Memorial Volume in Honor of periods of algebraic varieties.” a Great Mathematician, which The Chern Medal is an international was published by World award recognizing exceptional lifelong Scientific in 2006, Professor achievements in the field of Phillip A. Griffiths was recently mathematics. The prize is awarded by named the 2014 recipient of the IMU and given at the ICM, which the Chern Medal at the is held every 4 years. The Medal also International Congress of comes with a $250,000 award and a Mathematicians (ICM) that was matching award of $250,000 to be held in Seoul, Korea. donated to the organization of the Prof. Griffiths, whose work winner’s choosing. has stimulated a wide range of Of the $500,000 monetary award, advances in mathematics over the past 50 years, was Prof. Griffiths has designated that half will be donated to cited by the International Mathematical Union (IMU) — support the African Mathematics Millennium Science Initiative, the global mathematics professional organization — for which is a distributed network of mathematics research, training his “groundbreaking and transformative development of and promotion throughout Africa. transcendental methods in complex geometry, particularly Highlights

NJC Student to Attend the Nobel Prize Presentation Ceremony 2014 in Stockholm Fully Sponsored by WSPC

or the very first time, a National of Singapore] senior student’s honors thesis level, both in Junior College (NJC), Year 6 quality and quantity. Her understanding of the chemical Fstudent, Tammy Lim Ting Yi, has analysis technique, including 2D NMR, and her high quality clinched the coveted World Scientific of work was very impressive,” said Professor Chang Young Tae Publishing Company (WSPC)–Imperial from the Department of Chemistry at NUS. College Alumni Association of Tammy believes that her research attachments, exposure Singapore (ICAAS) Most Outstanding to different project environments, her Advanced Chemistry class Junior College (JC) Science Student and even being a member of the NJC Canoeing and Dragon Award. She will represent Singapore at Boating Team have instilled in her special skills that will assist the most prestigious annual youth science event in the world her in participating effectively in the Seminar. She is looking — the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS). forward to interacting with peers and experts from around the Her week-long trip to Sweden, fully sponsored by WSPC, will world to obtain new insights, and continue to be motivated comprise scientific activities and lectures, visits to research to pursue further success. institutes, as well as unique occasions to meet and engage in conversations with the Nobel laureates. The Seminar is held in conjunction with the Nobel Prize presentation ceremony in December 2014. The WSPC–ICAAS award is presented annually to the most outstanding JC student who is academically astute and demonstrates mastery in explaining scientific results with the

ability to address complex problems and issues. Newsletter Scientific World Chosen from among 12 students nominated by the Ministry 7 of Education in Singapore, Tammy’s submitted project on, “Reactions of Bis(oxy)enamines with Transition Metal Halides” won her high praise. “Tammy’s work was as good as a NUS [National University The audience in Aula Magna during the SIYSS held in 2012.

Rahul Sibal Awarded the World Scientific Scholarship 2014 to Study in Imperial College London

orn in Indonesia, Rahul Sibal is the 5th Asian student burden on my parents. I am also to receive the World Scientific Scholarship. He thankful as the award helps me to Bcompleted his secondary school education at better juggle working part time and Henderson Secondary School before graduating from one studying, allowing me more time to of Singapore’s premier junior colleges, Victoria Junior do the latter,” said the former VJC College (VJC) in 2013. Rahul scored an impressive 5As at student. the A-Level examinations, including a distinction in Physics The World Scientific Scholarship at the Higher 3 level. He will be reading Chemical was founded in 2010 to provide Engineering at the renowned Imperial College London in students from Southeast Asia with September 2014. the opportunity to pursue higher studies at Imperial College “I feel fortunate and incredibly honored to be the London. The Scholarship includes a disbursement of £5000 recipient of this year’s World Scientific Scholarship. The per annum for a period of up to four years on a performance funds given will allow me to pursue studies in London’s renewable basis and is awarded to one exceptional student prestigious Imperial College without putting too much each year. About Our Author

Top Eye Surgeon Professor Arthur S.M. Lim Dies, Aged 80

Widely known as the father of ophthalmology in Singapore, Professor Arthur S.M. Lim passed away on 30 August at the age of 80. He was the founding medical director of the Singapore National Eye Centre, and also helped establish the Singapore Eye Research Institute and the National University Hospital’s ophthalmology department. In April 1988, he initiated and sponsored the establishment of the International Intraocular Implant Training Centre at Tianjin, China. Prof. Lim had published more than 10 books with World Scientific, including the bestseller, Colour Atlas of Ophthalmology 5th ed., which was read by many medical students. Minister of State for Health, Mr. Lam Pin Min remarked it was “like the ‘Bible’” for young ophthalmologists-in-training. World Scientific Newsletter Scientific World

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