November 2000 NEWS Volume 9, No. 10 A Publication of The American Physical Society http://www.aps.org/apsnews

Myriam Sarachik Elected APS Vice President Members of the APS have chosen Sciences Research at Lucent. Only and government labs, and to pro- Myriam Sarachik, a distinguished two new general councillors were vide the next generation of professor of physics at City College elected, compared to the four educators at our universities,” she of New York’s City University of New elected in previous years, to reflect says. One of her goals as President York, to be the Society’s next vice recent changes in the APS Consti- will be to strengthen the society’s president. Sarachik is the third tution, designed to reduce the size efforts to make a career in physics woman to be elected to the presi- of the APS Council. These changes attractive. “We need to be more ef- dential line in the Society’s 101-year were published in the March 2000 fective in explaining the pleasures history, following C.S. Wu of Colum- issue of APS News. that a career in physics can bring, bia in 1975, and Mildred the satisfaction garnered from VICE PRESIDENT CHAIR-ELECT OF THE Dresselhaus of MIT (who became VICE PRESIDENT teaching, and the excitement of re- Myriam Sarachik NOMINATING COMMITTEE Director of the Department of MYRIAM SARACHIK search and discovery; we must also Susan Coppersmith Energy’s Office of Science in August) City College of New York/CUNY have salaries competitive with other in 1984. Sarachik’s term begins Born in Antwerp, Belgium, professional options,” she says. “At January 1, 2001, when she will suc- Sarachik earned her PhD in 1960 the same time, we must continue ceed William Brinkman of Bell from Columbia University. Follow- to make as strong a case as possible Laboratories/Lucent Technologies, ing a year as a research associate at to our legislators and the public who will advance to become presi- the Watson Laboratories of IBM that it is essential to the health and dent-elect. Sarachik will become while teaching at City College in the future of the nation to invest in the APS president in 2003, following evening, she became a postdoctoral science that produces major dis- George Trilling of Lawrence Berke- member of the technical staff at Bell coveries which seed the technology ley National Laboratory in 2001 Laboratories. She joined the faculty of the future.” GENERAL COUNCILLOR GENERAL COUNCILLOR and William Brinkman in 2002. of City College in 1964 and has re- In her candidate’s statement, Jonathan Bagger Cherry Murray mained there ever since. Sarachik’s Sarachik emphasized the need for research interests have ranged from the APS to play an ever-expanding “It is important that we superconductivity, disordered metal- role in a much broader arena: po- reassert and promote lic alloys, and metal-insulator litical, social, educational, and unity and a sense of transitions in 3-D doped semicon- international. She praised recent ef- ductors, to hopping transport in shared vision.” forts to organize a consortium with INSIDE THE BELTWAY solids and properties of single-mol- other science and engineering soci- ecule magnets. Her extensive APS eties to make a strong case for public A Washington Analysis In other election results, Susan experience has included service on investment in physical science R&D, Coppersmith, a professor of phys- the executive committees of the as well as its development of success- ics at the University of Chicago, APS Forum for International Phys- ful programs in educational outreach Spending Floodgates Open as becomes chair-elect of the APS ics, and the Division of Condensed and science teacher preparation. Nominating Committee, which will Matter Physics, and on the Com- Sarachik also called on the APS Election Nears be chaired by Curtis C. Callan of mittee on the Status of Women in to play a leading role in the interna- By Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs Princeton University in 2001. The Physics, and the APS Council, tionalization of physics, facilitating Nominating Committee selects the among others. the participation of American physi- Under the gun all summer, termed it an election-year docu- slate of candidates for vice presi- Of the many very important is- cists in multinational endeavors. DOE’s science accounts finally re- ment, worth little more than the dent, general councillors, and its sues that the APS is currently Finally, she expressed concern over ceived major boosts when the ink with which it was printed. It own chair-elect. The choices are dealing with, Sarachik believes one how the APS divisions have grown House-Senate conference report called for more than $623 billion then voted on by the APS member- of the most urgent is the substan- increasingly separate, and its jour- won approval early in October. It in discretionary spending, with ship. Elected as new general tial decline in the number of nals more specialized and narrowly was due in no small measure to the generous dollops of dollars for re- councillors were Jonathan Bagger, students who now choose to study focused. “It is important that we re- remarkable efforts of the research search. a professor of physics and as- physics. “A shortage is rapidly de- assert and promote unity and a community throughout the pre- The official White House line tronomy at Johns Hopkins veloping (abroad as well as in the US) sense of shared vision,” she said, ceding months. was that it didn’t break the budget University, and Cherry Murray, of bright young scientists and engi- pointing to the enormous success The budgetary end game also caps established in 1997. No small neers to meet the needs of industry Senior Vice President of Physical See ELECTION on page 7 drove a stake through the corpus feat, since those caps called for of The Contract With America. At $572 billion for Fiscal Year 2001. least that’s the read around this Republicans said that, in the Apker Finalists Meet in Washington town, where everyone is a card- end, a good deal of the presiden- carrying pundit. tial ink would disappear. Early On September 16, the six final- Six years ago, the House Repub- on, in April, to prove its point, ists in the Apker Award competition licans unveiled a blueprint for Congress passed a Budget Reso- met in Washington to present their reform that ultimately led to GOP lution that stripped away almost work in person to the selection com- control of Congress for the first See BELTWAY on page 2 mittee. The Apker Award is given time in 40 years. Cutting the size annually by the APS for physics re- of government, reducing federal search done by an undergraduate. spending and cutting taxes were HIGHLIGHTS The award was first given in 1978, prime among the Contract’s core and in recent years has been divided principles. into two categories, depending on One look at the spending bills whether the institution has a PhD that have emerged from the 106th granting program or not. Congress is enough to tell you that See FINALISTS on page 3 these principles have been blown away by the tried and true doctrine

Previous Apker Winners of all political life, “Get reelected M. Tarlton/AIP Featured... On page 3 of this first.” ΣΠΣ Congress Zeros in issue we present a feature article by on Career Diversity and When President Clinton sent 6 Undergrad Education Richard M. Todaro about the 33 his budget up to Capitol Hill last Reform previous Apker Award recipients– February, Republican congres- The Back Page Ken Cole/APS where they are, what they’re sional leaders declared it dead on Creationism Versus Physical Front row (l to r): Christopher Lee, Heather Lynch, Edina Sarajlic. Back row (l to r): doing, and how they got there. 8 Science Jacob Krich, Andrei Bernevig, Steven Oliver. arrival. Even some Democrats 2 November 2000 NEWS

This Month in Physics History November 17 – December 23, 1947: Invention of the First Transistor

The story of the first transis- innovation: a third electrode, called of electrons at the surface of a semi- point contacts just fractions of tor begins well before Bell Labs a grid, consisting of a network of conductor, in hopes of discovering a millimeter apart. With that scientists first started working small wires surrounding the cath- what was causing electrons to block in mind, Brattain placed a rib- on developing such a device in ode, with a negative potential that amplification, but condensation bon of gold foil around a the 1930s. It was scientists in the controlled the flow of electrons kept forming on the silicon. To plastic triangle, and sliced it 1800s — including Maxwell, from the cathode to the anode, pro- cope, Brattain immersed the entire through one of the points. Hertz, and Faraday— who ducing an amplifying current. experiment in water, inadvertently When the point of the triangle made the dramatic scientific dis- The amplifying vacuum tube creating the largest amplification was placed onto the germa- coveries that made it possible to was not only an essential compo- thus far observed. Informed of the nium, the signal came in harness electricity for human nent in the development of radio, result, Bardeen suggested making through one gold contact and uses, while inventors applied but also in early telephone equip- an amplifier in which a metal point increased as it raced out the this knowledge in the develop- ment, television sets, and was pushed into the silicon and other: it was the first point- ment of useful electrical devices computers. But the technology was surrounded by distilled water. The contact transistor. like radio. less than perfect. Vacuum tubes device worked, but the resulting At roughly half an inch high, Wireless communication was consumed too much power, gave amplification was slight. the first transistor was huge by born in 1895, when Marconi off too much heat, took up too But Bardeen and Brattain were today’s standards, when 7 mil-

successfully sent a radio signal much space, cost too much to pro- http://www.research.att.com/history/47trans.html Image from encouraged, and doggedly began lion transistors can fit onto a over a distance of more than a duce, and eventually burned out experimenting with different ma- single silicon chip. But it was the mile. But before the technology and needed to be replaced. (The tinct regions, one favoring positive terials and set-ups, eventually very first solid state device ca- could be fully practical, better University of Pennsylvania’s ENIAC current flow (“P”) and one favor- deciding to replace the silicon with pable of doing the amplification detectors needed to be devel- computer, which incorporated ing negative current flow (“N”). The germanium. The result: an ampli- work of a vacuum tube, earn- oped to detect the radio signal thousands of vacuum tubes, filled discovery of this “P-N junction”, fication 330 times larger than ing Bardeen, Brattain and carrying the information. Rec- several large rooms and consumed and the ability to control its prop- before. Unfortunately, it only Shockley the Nobel Prize in tifying crystal detectors were enough power to light ten homes.) erties, laid the foundation for the worked for currents with very low Physics in 1956. More signifi- eventually incorporated into ra- These shortcomings prompted one transistor. frequencies, while a phone line, for cantly, it spawned an entire dio receivers, which were able Bell Labs engineer, J.R. Pierce, to John Bardeen, Walter Brattain example, would need to handle all industry and ushered in the In- to separate the carrier wave from proclaim, “Nature abhors the and William Shockley spearheaded the complex frequencies of a formation Age, revolutionizing the part of the signal carrying vacuum tube.” the Bell Labs effort to develop a new person’s voice. global society. the information. In the 1930s, Bell Labs scientists means of amplification, speculating The scientists decided to replace However, crystal sets only were trying to use ultrahigh fre- that by adding a third electrode to the liquid with a layer of germa- For Further Reading: “Crys- worked with strong radio quency waves for telephone the semiconductor detector, they nium oxide. However, in the course tal FIre” by Michael Riordan and waves, which tend to weaken communications, and needed a would be able to control the of the experiment Brattain realized Lillian Hoddeson (W. W. Norton over distance and terrestrial ob- more reliable detection method amount of current flowing through he’d accidentally washed off the and Co., 1997). structions. Amplification was than the vacuum tube, which the silicon. The resulting device oxide layer. Surprisingly, he was still needed. English physicist John proved incapable of picking up would, theoretically, amplify as well able to achieve some voltage am- Further Online Reading: Ambrose Fleming provided the rapid vibrations. They reverted to as the vacuum tube with much less plification, and he could achieve it http://www.pbs.org/transistors, first step towards a solution with a crystal-based detector, which power consumption and in a frac- at all frequencies. The gold contact and http://www.lucent.com/minds/ his invention of the rectifying worked effectively and set them on tion of the space. was puncturing holes in the germa- transistor. vacuum tube: a lightbulb out- the path of exploring the particu- The research efforts peaked dur- nium which canceled out the fitted with two electrodes lar properties of the most reliable ing the so-called “Miracle Month:” obstructing effect of the surface Birthdays for November: attached to radio receiving sys- semiconductor material: silicon. In November 17 to December 23, electrons. 7 Marie Cuire (1867) tems. The American inventor the process, they discovered that 1947. Brattain had built a silicon So the key components were a 7 Lise Meitner (1878) Lee DeForest added a further silicon was comprised of two dis- contraption to study the behavior slab of germanium and two gold 24 Dmitry Skobeltsyn (1892)

BELTWAY, from page 1 and Urban Development and In- into law. True, House members The Energy and Water Bill illus- labs and science. dependent Agencies, as early as last had swallowed hard and passed trates this well. The House had As money flowed into the ap- $23 billion. The $600 billion re- spring predicted that, by the time ten of the remaining bills. Pri- amply funded water projects but propriators coffers, NSF, NASA and maining, GOP leaders said, really the session ended, deals would be vately, however, many of them shortchanged the weapons labs, the National Institutes of Health all didn’t break the cap. (Who were struck and discretionary spending said that they trusted that the Basic Energy Sciences and the Spal- saw their budgets swell. But it these guys kidding?) would approach the level of the Senate would take responsibility lation Neutron Source. The Senate didn’t end there. Science, after all, Appropriators, with their politi- presidential request, including the and fill in the gaping holes. had replied by cutting water doesn’t win elections. Highways, cal standing on the line in every National Science Foundation. His But senators wanted no part of projects, slashing high-energy court houses, bridges, parks and spending bill, quickly warned that advice to the science community, the blame for breaking the Bud- physics and fusion, while restor- dams do. there was no way they could fund in so many words, was, “Scream get Resolution barrier. Never ing funding for the weapons labs You can imagine the talk: “If the programs the public demanded loud and often.” quick to move on any legislation, and the SNS. we’re breaking the caps, what the with the budget allocations they But even Walsh underesti- the upper body dragged the ap- With the clock ticking and Elec- hell, lets go whole hog and pork it had received Still, the congres- mated the extent of the propriations bills along at the tion Day fast approaching, up real big. And hot to trot, let’s sional leaders said, “Press on.” election-year thirst. By the time pace of a slug and often threw Congressional leaders, loathe to blow town before anyone adds up Savvy “cardinals,” like James Congress returned from the con- them back at the House with dif- negotiate with the White House on the numbers. What’s the difference Walsh (R-NY), who has responsi- vention recess after Labor Day, ferences so large they couldn’t be an omnibus appropriations bill, fi- between $623 and $630 billion? bility for the bill that funds the only two of the thirteen appro- resolved without radical infu- nally opened up the flood gates, Voters can’t add numbers that big, Veterans Administration, Housing priations bills had been signed sions of cash. funding water projects, weapons anyway.”

Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 Huntington Past-President Birnbaum (Materials), John D. Walecka (Nuclear), Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. Allow at least Jerome Friedman*, Massachusetts Institute of Sally Dawson, Peter Meyers (Particles and Fields), NEWS 6 weeks advance notice. For address changes, please Technology Robert Siemann (Physics of Beams), Richard send both the old and new addresses, and, if possible, Hazeltine, (Plasma) include a mailing label from a recent issue. Requests General Councillors Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 from subscribers for missing issues will be honored Beverly Berger, Philip Bucksbaum, L. Craig Davis, Stuart *Members of APS Executive Board without charge only if received within 6 months of Freedman, S. James Gates*, Leon Lederman, Cynthia the issue’s actual date of publication. McIntyre, Margaret Murnane, Roberto Peccei, Paul ADVISORS Series II, Vol. 9, No. 10 Letters to the editor are welcomed from the membership. 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Park, Director, contains news of the Society and of its Divisions, Topical Membership Department, American Physical Society, Treasurer Stuart Wolf (Forum on Industrial & Applied Physics), Public Information; Michael Lubell, Director, Public Groups, Sections and Forums; advance information on One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, Thomas McIlrath*, University of Maryland (emeritus) Myriam Sarachik (Forum on International Physics), Ed Affairs; Stanley Brown, Editorial Director; Charles meetings of the Society; and reports to the Society by its [email protected]. For Nonmembers— Editor-in-Chief Gerjuoy (Forum on Physics and Society), Andrew Lovinger Muller, Director, Journal Operations, Michael Stephens, committees and task forces, as well as opinions. Circulation and Fulfillment Division, American Martin Blume*, Brookhaven National Laboratory (Polymer), Carl Lineberger (Laser Science), Howard Controller and Assistant Treasurer NEWS November 2000 3 Where Are They Now? APS News Finds Out What Happened to the Previous Winners of the Apker Award Editor’s Note: The following infor- vision series for the Learning Chan- Tak Leuk Kwok, the 1984 Apker News was unable to locate Yeh. Physics and Biology in New York mation was researched and written by nel. He will also be contributing to winner, passed away in 1987 at the Chungsheng James Yeh, a 1987 and at the University of Southern Richard M. Todaro. This material has the upcoming APS website for the age of 20. Kwok attended Caltech winner, attended Princeton Univer- California’s Hedco Molecular Biology been greatly condensed from a much public, Physicscentral.com. He will as an undergraduate. His advisor, sity as an undergraduate. Thereafter, Labs in Los Angeles, she was hired more complete description of the careers write a weekly column answering Harvey Newman, says that Kwok he attended the University of Cali- in 1998 as an assistant professor at and achievements of past Apker Award how and why questions of physics. wanted to study high-energy phys- fornia, Berkeley from 1987 to 1993. the UC- Santa Barbara. Fygenson’s winners. The full version is available ics. Records indicate he earned his mas- research explores the physical inter- on the APS News web site, http:// 1980s “He was very accomplished,” ters degree in physics in 1988 and a actions between bio-molecular www.aps.org/apsnews. The Apker Richard P. Binzel, the 1980 win- Newman says. “He had an unusual doctorate in physics in 1993. No materials, such as microtubules and award is given by the APS in recogni- ner, is a professor of astronomy at breadth of scientific knowledge and further information could be found. membranes. Fygenson is also in- tion of outstanding research in physics MIT. His research is in planetary as- good achievements in the program.” Gerard C.L. Wong, the other volved in educational outreach by an undergraduate. tronomy. After attending Born in Hong Kong, Kwok was 1987 winner, is today an assistant programs to her community, such as undergraduate school at Macalester just a junior when he won the Apker, professor of physics at the Univer- the Girls Exploring Math and Sci- 1970s College in St. Paul, Minn, Binzel rather than a senior. Following sity of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne. ence (GEMS) program, which In 1978, David Heckerman be- went to astronomy graduate school graduation, Kwok attended Harvard He has a joint appointment in the teaches science to middle school came the first winner of the Apker at the University of Texas at Austin, as a graduate student. In the sum- departments of materials science and girls. Award. At the time, he was an un- earning his PhD in 1984. mer of 1987, Kwok was at CERN in engineering and physics. Wong im- Steven Simon, also a 1989 win- dergraduate at UCLA working in the Mark B. Ritter, the 1981 winner, Geneva, Switzerland working on a migrated to the United States from ner, is now the head of the physics acoustics lab under Gary Williams. is the manager of the communica- project in high-energy physics Hong Kong when he was 10 years theory department at Bell Labs in Today, Heckerman, 43, is the man- tion design and architecture section through a research fellowship pro- old. He attended Caltech as an un- Murray Hill, NJ, where he carries out ager of Microsoft’s Machine Learning of IBM’s T.J. Watson Research Cen- gram. He was jogging when he dergraduate, earning his degree in research in the area of condensed and Applied Statistics Group in ter in Yorktown Heights, NY suffered a heart attack and died. 1987. He went to graduate school matter physics and communication, Redmond, Washington. He works in Following undergraduate school at Julia Wan-Ping Hsu, the 1985 at UC-Berkeley, earning his PhD in including subjects ranging from mi- the area of artificial intelligence (AI) Montana State University, Ritter winner, is a scientist at Bell Labs in 1994. His research was in semicon- crowave propagation to high and machine learning, for example, earned his PhD in applied physics Murray Hill, NJ Hsu came to the ductors and interfaces. Upon temperature superconductivity. He incorporating AI into ever-more-so- at Yale University, finishing in 1986. United States from Taiwan in 1980 finishing, he decided to enter a less also oversees projects that are “of phisticated versions of Microsoft Ritter’s research interest is now in the and started school as an undergradu- “mature” field than traditional solid- general interest to communications Office and Microsoft Windows and area of fiber optic data communica- ate at Princeton University in 1981. state physics. As a result he switched and biophysics,” he says, including incorporating so-called “data min- tion technologies and circuit design. She next entered the physics gradu- to bio-molecular and soft matter phys- biophysics information theory. After ing” (the use of statistical tools to find Subir Sachdev, the 1982 winner, ate program at Stanford University, ics, a field that studies systems like attending Brown University in Provi- patterns and relationships in large is a professor of physics at Yale Uni- earning her PhD in 1991 in super- liquid crystals, polymers and mem- dence, R.I., where he earned a degree databases) into Microsoft’s Enterprise versity. Sachdev earned his conductivity research. Following a branes. Wong lives in Urbana, Ill. in physics and math, Simon at- software. Heckerman holds six de- undergraduate degree in physics two-year stint as a post-doc at Bell Leo Radzihovsky, the 1988 win- tended Harvard as a graduate grees, including two bachelors of from MIT in 1982. He then entered Labs, Hsu was an assistant and then ner, is an assistant professor of student in theoretical physics, earn- science, two masters of science, a the physics program at Harvard, an associate professor of physics at physics at the University of Colorado ing his PhD in 1995. PhD and a medical degree. where he earned his PhD in 1985. the University of Virginia from 1993 at Boulder. After attending Louis Bloomfield, the 1979 win- He was hired at Yale in 1987. through 1999. She then decided to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1990s ner, is today a professor of physics Sachdev has just written a book on return to Bell Labs to focus on re- Troy, NY, he entered the physics pro- Charles J. Brabec, the 1990 win- at the University of Virginia in the theory of quantum phase transi- search. gram at Harvard on a Hertz graduate ner, has left the field of physics and Charlottesville, where he is best tions, and his research is on the Terence Tai-Li Hwa, the 1986 fellowship, working on statistical now works as a software developer known for developing and teaching application of related ideas to the high winner, is a professor of physics at mechanics of membranes and vorti- for North Carolina State University the hugely popular course “How temperature superconductors and the University of California, San ces. He completed his PhD in 1993 in Raleigh. He describes himself as a Things Work.” The course was an other condensed matter systems. Diego. His research is in unconven- and was hired at CU-Boulder in “cross between a system administra- inspiration for similar courses at Raymond E. Goldstein, the 1983 tional areas, as he shuttles between 1995 after a post-doc. In his five tor and a programmer.” Brabec got other schools. In 1996, using his winner, is an associate professor of statistical physics, molecular bio- years there, he has been awarded the both his undergraduate and gradu- course teaching notes, Bloomfield physics at the University of Arizona physics and theoretical genomics. Sloan Fellowship and the Packard ate degrees in physics at NC State. wrote the book, How Things Work. in Tucson. Born and raised in New After finishing undergraduate school Fellowship, as well as the National He earned his PhD in 1996 for work Attention surrounding the book has Jersey, Goldstein attended MIT as an at Stanford, where he had a triple Science Foundation Career Award. on modeling carbon structures such resulted in a side-career as a science undergraduate, majoring in physics major in physics, electrical engineer- Deborah Kuchnir Fygenson, a as Buckyballs. As for leaving phys- writer. Bloomfield has written “how and chemistry. Goldstein attended ing and biology, he entered MIT, 1989 winner, is an assistant pro- ics, Brabec says, “I didn’t care for the things work” articles for the Wash- graduate school in physics at where he earned his PhD in physics fessor at the University of academic track and I lost interest in ington Post and the journal Scientific Cornell, earning his PhD in 1988. in 1990. Of his current work, he California, Santa Barbara. Her re- the work,” he says. “I wasn’t keen on American. He reviewed George He spent five years at Princeton as says, “I don’t fit into any particular search is in biological physics. After the job prospects, and I didn’t want Johnson’s book Strange Beauty for the an assistant professor of physics be- community.” He believes his efforts earning her undergraduate degree to do a post-doc. Nor do I care for New York Times. He also has done fore being hired at Arizona in 1996. at creating an interdisciplinary field in physics from MIT, Fygenson at- publishing papers every few years to many of the AAAS-produced “Why His research is in nonlinear dynam- have been a good success. tended Princeton, where she make a living.” Is It?” science question-and-answer ics and pattern formation, fluid In 1987, there were two Apker earned her PhD in physics in 1995. Dean Lee, a 1991 winner, is a radio spots. Bloomfield is currently dynamics, and biological physics (i.e. Award winners, Chungsheng James After a post-doc at Rockefeller post-doc in theoretical physics at the working on a “physics of sports” tele- the study of cell membranes). Yeh and Gerard C.L. Wong. APS University’s Center for Study in See APKER on page 7

April Meeting 2001 Program Committee Meets April 2001 Plenary Speakers FINALISTS, from page 1 David Kestenbaum, National Public Radio “Bringing Science/Physics to the Public” Each finalist receives a plaque and Bernevig from Stanford, “Spectros- James F. Drake, University of Maryland a check for $2,000. The winners of copy of Matter Near Criticality:” “Magnetic Reconnection” the award, who will receive an addi- Heather Lynch from Princeton, “A tional $5,000 each, are selected by Kondo Box: Coulomb Blockade and Natalie Roe, Lawrence Berkeley National the committee from among the fi- the Kondo Effect in Iron-doped Laboratory “CP Violation in B Mesons” nalists, and will be announced in the Copper Nanoparticles:” and Steven next issue of APS News. Oliver of the University of Califor- Maria Spiropulu, Fermilab This year the three finalists and nia at Berkeley, “3D Raman Sideband “In Search of Extra Dimensions” their research topics from the non- Cooling at High Density.” David Wark, University of Oxford PhD-granting institutions were: The selection committee was

Donna Baudrau/APS “Neutrino Oscillations and the Sudbury Jacob Krich from Swarthmore Col- chaired by Andrew Sessler, the past- Neutrino Observatory” In September the April 2001 Program Committee met to discuss and identify lege, “Correlation Length and past-president of APS. Also serving the invited sessions for the upcoming meeting. Andrew Lange, California Institute of Chirality of Isotropic Short-range on the committee were Harry Lustig, Technology Order in Nematic and Chiral- former treasurer of the APS who is Photographed are (clockwise from front left): Joel Moss, DNP; Betsy Beise, “The Boomerang Experiment” CSWP; Richard Deslattes, GFC; Jim McGuire, GFBS; Martin Lampe, DPP; Nematic Liquid Crystals;” retiring from the committee after 16 Ben Bederson, FHP; Steve Smith, FPS; David Ernst, FIP; Bob Wald, GGR Steve Murray, Harvard-Smithsonian Center Christopher Lee from Reed Col- consecutive years, Rick Greene of and Judy Franz, APS. for Astrophysics lege, “Supersymmetric Quantum Maryland, Michael Brown of “Chandra Overview” Mechanics;” and Edina Sarajlic Swarthmore, Stephen Ralph of Geor- Also in attendance were Chuck Dermer, DAP; Stan Wojcicki, DPF; Ron Davidson, DPB; Bunny Clark, COM; and Co-chairs Trevor Weekes and Paul Kwait, Los Alamos National Laboratory from Bryn Mawr, “State Selective gia Tech, Larry Marschall of Chris Quigg. and University of Illinois Quantum Beat Spectroscopy by us- Gettysburg, Alan Chodos of the APS, “Enlayered Photons for Quantum Information” ing Time-resolved Two-color and Jerome Friedman of MIT, who For more information on the APS April Meeting 2001 go to Resonant Four-Wave Mixing.” will chair the committee next year http://www.aps.org/meet/APR00/ Wolfgang Ketterle, MIT “Atom Wave Amplification” In the PhD-granting category, the when he succeeds to the past-past- finalists were: Bogdan Andrei presidency. 4 November 2000 NEWS LETTERS

“Publication Embargo” Policy of Nature and Science Software Crashes as Y2K Begins In listing objections to the em- editors and the referees of manu- I was interested to read Rich- and Porter that on Jan.1, 2000 my In fairness to Quicken, I should bargo policy of Science, Nature, scripts a long period of exclusive ard Klein’s letter in the August/ Quicken software crashed, and in- mention that they did eventually and the New England Journal of knowledge of advances that may September APS News. Klein dicated a zero balance in every provide a free and upgraded ver- Medicine, and perhaps other jour- affect share prices of companies seemed to tacitly agree with the account that I had. Various attempts sion of their software which was nals (APS News, August/September on (and off) the stock market. quoted statement of Hugh Por- to fix the problem were futile, and I Y2K compliant, but by then it 2000, p, 5), Alan Chodos was too Charles W. McCutchen ter that the Y2K computer bug finally wound up buying a new com- was too late. polite to mention that it gives Lake Placid, New York “didn’t really have any effect at puter and switching to Microsoft Paul F. Zweifel ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ all.” Please inform Messrs. Klein Money to keep track of my finances. Blacksburg, Virginia The policy of Nature and Science a specialized peer reviewed journal). magazines of embargo on any prior In reality, what we have here is a Physicists Are the Highest Paid Scientists public release as a condition of fallacious notion of the “prestige” I have uncovered some good $79,000 and $73,000. Thus, physi- 1997 and was published in the publication may be counterpro- of some selected journals. As it was news for physicists, which I cists earn around $20,000 more March, 2000 issue of Physics To- ductive and, perhaps, even plainly put once, “it is not the discovery, it would like to share with the than scientists in other disciplines. day. There, it was reported that foolish. However, Alan Chodos is on what paper you manage to readers of APS News. Jupiter Sci- These figures do not include bo- physics bachelor degree gradu- unjustly puts all the blame on jour- print it, stupid.” The allure of pub- entific Publishing has produced nuses or fringe benefits. ates obtained a median salary of nals. At least part of it should be lishing in a fancy tabloid overtakes an extensive, comparative tabu- Physicists with 2 to 4 years of $37,000 whereas new PhD duly assigned to the authors. the professional duty of scientists lation of salaries by scientific experience earn on average about graduates earned $62,000 in the Why, after all, they are so insis- — to make their important discov- discipline and experience based $61,000 whereas those with 0 to 2 industrial sector. Since Salary.com tent on publishing exactly in Nature? eries publicly known without on data compiled from years of experience earn about does not distinguish undergradu- If they indeed have something im- unnecessary delays. Yes, it is true Salary.com. (See http:// $50,000. These salary figures are ates and from graduates nor portant and urgent to report, what that the publication in Nature ajanta.sci.ccny.cuny.edu/ roughly $10,000 higher than those industrial from academic, its fig- stops them from making immedi- brings with it some sort of celeb- ~jupiter/pub/sciinfo/.) It turns for biologists, chemists and geolo- ures are in approximate ate public release through any of rity status. But one is prompted to out that physicists are the high- gists. Biochemists are relatively agreement with those of AIP. the news media and/or the ask whether indeed our present- est paid scientists! According to poorly paid with salaries in the The data are good news to Internet? Their priority claims (if day science operates by the the data, the median annual sal- $40,000-$50,000 range with only both established physicists and there are any) will not be affected standards more akin to Hollywood ary of a physicist with five or a slight increase for seniority. physics students. A degree in by the mode of publication they than to Galileo and Darwin? more years work experience is Salary.com claims that its data physics is not only worth a lot could choose. (A more detailed re- Alexander A. Berezin currently about $96,000, are accurate and up to date. The intellectually, it’s worth a lot ma- port can, of course, be submitted to McMaster University, Canada whereas experienced biologists, American Institute of Physics con- terially. chemists and geologists respec- ducts its own employment survey, Stuart Samuel Solar UV is Source of Ionosphere tively earn about $73,000, the most recent of which is for City College of New York In a comment on an earlier letter solar particles nor accelerated mag- regarding the inclusion of solar pro- netospheric particles rival the solar cesses in the Earth Science and radiative energy (and ionization) Geophysics discipline, Erika Harnett sources for the global thermosphere VIEWPOINT… passes on a misconception that the (the atmospheric region above about existence of the ionosphere is due 90 km) and its embedded iono- Human Rights, at Home and Abroad to energetic particles from the Sun sphere, where the most important (APS News, Letters, August/Septem- space weather effects on human ac- By coincidence, two important treason. He spent 10 months in President James S. Langer to Attor- ber 2000). In fact, the dominant tivities take place. The solar human-rights cases were settled on prison in 1996, and as the case ney General Janet Reno in source of ionization in the iono- ultraviolet irradiance varies on time the same day, many thousands of dragged on for five years, even af- February. In late summer the weak- sphere is not energetic particles, but scales ranging from minutes (flares) miles apart. On September 13 in ter his release he was the subject of ness of the government’s case rather solar ultraviolet radiation at to decadal (solar cycle) and longer, Moscow, the Presidium of the Rus- harassment and persecution. The became increasingly apparent, and wavelengths smaller than about 150 and is indeed a major contributor to sian Supreme Court dismissed the international scientific community, Lee’s lawyers negotiated a settle- nm (See, for example, Roble et al. [J. both weather and climate in the appeal of the prosecution in the among others, engaged in public ment in which he pled guilty to Geophys. Res., 92, 8745, 1987].) ionosphere. case of Aleksandr Nikitin, thereby and private agitation on Nikitin’s only one charge in return for a sen- The incorrect view that energetic Robert R. Meier ending all attempts to jail him on behalf. For example, Jerome I. tence of time already served. In particles from the Sun are the only Head, Upper Atmospheric charges of high treason. Later that Friedman, then President of the freeing him, Judge Parker said that source of “space weather” is not un- Physics Branch; Naval Research day in Albuquerque, New Mexico, APS, wrote an open letter in No- the actions of certain government common. However, neither direct Laboratory Judge James A. Parker set free Wen vember of 1999 in support of officials “have embarrassed our Ho Lee, the Los Alamos scientist Nikitin, about a month before he entire nation and each of us who SORCE to Study Solar Variations who had been held without bail for was acquitted of the treason charge is a citizen of it.” nine months awaiting trial for al- in St. Petersburg Municipal Court. One important lesson of these Erika Harnett, in her letter in the versity of Colorado’s Laboratory for legedly mishandling nuclear It was this acquittal that was up- affairs is that even in a nation of August/September issue of APS Solar Physics. SORCE will provide secrets. held on appeal in April 17 of this laws like ours in which freedom News, emphasizes that “one cannot the first space-based measurements Someone not familiar with the year, and again on September 13. and democracy are cherished prin- ignore the effect on the Earth’s envi- of variations in solar spectral irradiance details of these cases, especially The Wen Ho Lee affair was ciples, there are forces at work ronment caused by the Sun and its near the peak of the Sun’s energy out- someone in this country, might as- shorter, but more intense. Fired willing to use slogans like “national celestial neighbors,” and she gives as put, extending continuously from the sume that the American system from his long-term position at Los security” to trample on basic hu- examples auroral activity, existence far ultraviolet, through the visible, into would be inherently superior to the Alamos by Energy Secretary man rights, and they are never very of the ionosphere, and the depen- the near infrared, in particular includ- Russian in dispensing justice and Richardson in March of 1999, far from getting away with it. We dence of life on production of heavy ing the wavelengths carrying the most in protecting the rights of the ac- amid allegations that someone succumb at our peril to the fiction elements in supernovae. These ex- energy into the troposphere and cused. After all we have a proud there had leaked nuclear secrets to that this can happen only in other amples are certainly important. But oceans. We know that the Sun’s radia- tradition of more than two centu- the Chinese (Lee himself is a natu- countries. the most immediate influence of the tive energy output varies with an ries of freedom and democracy, ralized American born in Taiwan), The consequences of the Wen Sun on life here at Earth’s surface is amplitude of about 0.1 % over the 11 whereas Russia, heir to the oppres- Lee was arrested in December 1999 Ho Lee affair promise to be long- the solar visible radiation that pen- year solar cycle. However, to under- sive Soviet system and before that and indicted on 59 counts of mis- lasting and severe. Several of the etrates tens of meters into the oceans, stand the implications of this for Earth, the tyranny of the Czars, is only handling nuclear secrets. He spent news media have reported on the and solar ultraviolet radiation that especially near Earth’s surface, where now emerging as a struggling de- the next 278 days either in solitary damage done specifically to Los penetrates deep into the atmosphere, we live, we must know how these so- mocracy plagued by an unstable confinement or in shackles when Alamos as a scientific institution, and solar infrared radiation that lar variations are distributed over economy in which chaos and cor- transported out of his cell. Initially and more generally to the broader heats the lower atmosphere and the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wave- ruption abound. he was forbidden unsupervised community of scientists, many of surface. Elements of NASA’s “Earth lengths, since these most influence the So it is enlightening to examine meetings with members of his fam- whom are Asians or Asian-Ameri- Observing System” (EOS), as em- Earth’s ozone layer, clouds, and up- the circumstances of these two ily, and forbidden to speak with cans who in the future will be less phasized in my earlier letter, study per layers of the oceans. cases, and to discover an interest- them in Chinese. Although he was inclined to choose science as a ca- impacts of the Sun on Earth, includ- Important contributions in Earth ing degree of similarity between never charged with espionage, the reer or less inclined to pursue their ing ACRIMSAT and Terra. Sciences often go unreported, per- them. Of course neither case re- government treated him as a severe careers in the United States. The Another major component of EOS haps because supernovae and solar flects well on the government threat to national security, and ar- true threat to our national security is SORCE, or the “SOlar Radiation and storms are so dramatic in themselves, involved: Nikitin is an environmen- gued successfully against the and well being is much more likely Climate Experiment.” Due to launch that difficulties in working out their tal activist primarily concerned granting of bail. Protests against to come from a loss of scientific into low Earth orbit in mid-2002, consequences here at home are with the nuclear waste generated the conditions of his incarceration competitiveness than from a loss of SORCE will carry an active cavity radi- sometimes overlooked. by Russia’s northern fleet, and the were widespread both outside the nuclear secrets to the Chinese or ometer like ACRIMSAT, and also three Robert F. Cahalan governmental response to his ac- scientific community and within it, anybody else. spectrometers being built at the Uni- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center tivities was to charge him with high including a letter written by APS —Alan Chodos NEWS November 2000 5 The Physics of Pole Vaulting

In September, American Stacy at 5 feet 8 inches, with an approxi- “the women’s record is likely to Likewise, the distribution of mass Dragila became the first woman to mate sprint speed of 18.7 MPH, improve quite a bit” as women who affects center of mass. In general, win an Olympic gold medal in Dragila, an assistant track and field can run faster and use the pole men have a higher center of mass women’s pole vaulting at the Olym- coach at Idaho State University and more effectively enter the field. The than women do. pic 2000 games in Sydney, Australia, the women’s current world record reason this is possible is that vault- In his recent presentation before clearing a height of 15 feet 1 inch. holder, should theoretically be able ing is an example of conservation the 2000 Olympic Trials USA Track And a physicist from the University to jump a height of about 14 feet 9 of energy: The kinetic energy, of the & Field Super Clinic, Nielsen stated of Texas says women are poised to inches. runner’s approach speed is con- that everything else being equal, “the make even bigger leaps in the record Dragila has already topped that verted, through the pole vault, into taller vaulter will likely be able to books. Cliff Frohlich, who has writ- approximation, setting her current the potential energy of the jump hold (the pole) higher and will be ten articles on sports physics in the record of 15 feet 2.25 inches in July height. The faster a vaulter sprints higher in the air at take off.” As for American Journal of Physics and the at the Olympic trials in Sacramento, toward the vault bar, the more en- upper body strength, Nielsen says, book The Physics of Sports, points California. (The world record in ergy is available for the vault. “Females are similar to males in leg out that while the men’s pole vault- men’s pole vaulting is held by the Nielsen says in addition to the strength, but have noticeably less ing record has stood for more than Ukraine’s Sergey Bubka, who approach velocity, other factors upper body strength.” He thinks this 6 years, we’ve yet to see the heights cleared 6.14 meters or 20 feet 1.75 must be considered, such as how might be a liability during vaulting,

to which women will vault. inches in a 1994 competition.) She http://www.sacbee.com/sports/trials/spikeshoe/dragila_diary/bio.html Photo from effectively the vaulter’s horizontal which requires the execution of a By using a vaulter’s sprint speed fell short of her attempts to clear Olympic gold medalist Stacy Dragila. running velocity is converted into series of maneuvers that amount to to determine the potential vertical 15 feet 3 inches during the actual Still, he thinks 16.5 feet is a good vertical velocity, since this deter- a somersault while holding the pole. height, Frohlich says he expects Olympic competition, but says she bet, and he says women will even- mines the amount of momentum Louis Bloomfield, another the women’s record to top 17.5 has cleared that height during prac- tually break the 17 foot mark. that will carry the vaulter up and physicist who teaches the popular feet soon. That’s more than two tice sessions. Still, notes Frohlich, “Women have different challenges than over the bar. This occurs through “How Things Work” course at the feet higher than where the cur- “the model predicts the height at- men in pole-vaulting, such as different the “angle in” and “angle out” that University of Virginia agrees with rent record sits. (You can tained remarkably well.” The upper body strength and a lower aver- the vaulter’s body makes with the Frohlich’s expectations that women determine your own potential difference is accounted for by the age height,” Nielsen says. Nevertheless, ground at the start of the vault. will likely make some big height vault height online, and read fact that the sprint speed used is he adds, “I don’t doubt that women Upper body strength and the gains in the near future. “He’s more about the physics of pole only an approximation, and no will eventually jump over 17 feet,” as height of the vaulter’s center of mass probably correct,” says Bloomfield. vaulting — including the equa- other factors are considered. women pole vaulters continue to in- also play very important roles, since “His observations that women can tions Frohlich uses to determine Dragila’s coach, Dave Nielsen, agrees crease sprint speeds and improve other both are intimately tied up with the do better than 15 feet, and will vaulting heights—at http:// with Frohlich that women probably vaulting factors. amount of mechanical work that probably do so fairly soon, is www.aip.org/physnews/graphics/ have room for significant gains, but he With current women’s records at must be done. The taller a person, probably correct, too.” html/polevault.html.) For example, isn’t sure about the 17.5 foot figure. just over 15 feet, Frohlich says that the higher is their center of mass. —Inside Science news team

zero gravity VIEWPOINT… Science and Religion Can Work Together by Freeman Dyson

“God forbid that we should give out prayer for all of us as we begin the of people. They do more than any a dream of our own imagination for a 21st century. other organizations in the town to pattern of the world.” Science and religion are two hold our community together. windows that people look through, Within this community of people, The above was said by Francis trying to understand the big uni- held together by religious traditions Bacon, one of the founding fathers verse outside, trying to understand of human brotherhood and sharing of modern science, almost 400 why we are here. The two windows of burdens, a smaller community of years ago. Bacon was the smartest give different views, but they look professional scientists also flourishes. man of his time, with the possible out at the same universe. Both The great question for our time exception of William Shakespeare. views are one-sided, neither is com- is, how to make sure that the con- Bacon saw clearly what science plete. Both leave out essential tinuing scientific revolution brings could do, and what science could features of the real world. And both benefits to everybody rather than not do. He is saying to the philoso- are worthy of respect. As the old widening the gap between rich and phers and theologians of his time: Swiss nurse who helped take care poor. To lift up poor countries, and look for God in the facts of nature, of our babies used to say, “Some poor people in rich countries, from not in the theories of Plato and people like to go to church, and poverty, to give them a chance for a

©2000 Paul Dlugokencky (aDailyCartoon.com) for APS News Aristotle. I am saying to modern some people like cherries.” decent life, technology is not scientists and theologians: don’t Troubles arise when either sci- enough. Technology must be guided imagine that our latest ideas about ence or religion claims universal and driven by ethics if it is to do more the Big Bang or the human genome jurisdiction, when either religious than provide new toys for the rich. have solved the mysteries of the dogma or scientific dogma claims Scientists and business leaders who universe, or the mysteries of life. to be infallible. Religious creation- care about social justice should join IN BRIEF Here are Bacon’s words again: ists and scientific materialists are forces with environmentalists and “The subtlety of nature is greater equally dogmatic and insensitive. religious organizations to give politi- Latest Figures on Women in Physics many times over than the subtlety By their arrogance, they bring both cal clout to ethics. Girls now account for half of high school physics students in the US, but of the senses and understanding.” In science and religion into disrepute. Science and religion should in general, participation of women in physics decreases with the years, the last 400 years, science has ful- The media exaggerate their num- work together to abolish the gross according to a new report by the American Institute of Physics. In 1993, filled many of Bacon’s dreams, but it bers and importance. Media people inequalities that prevail in the mod- girls represented two fifths of high school physics students; in 1998 women still does not come close to captur- should tell the public that the great ern world. That is my vision, and accounted for only one fifth of physics bachelor’s degrees. The percentage of ing the full subtlety of nature. After majority of religious people belong it is the same vision that inspired women PhDs in physics and engineering (about 13%) lags behind the sketching his program for the scien- to moderate denominations that Francis Bacon 400 years ago, when percentages for math (25%) and chemistry (31%), and further behind biology tific revolution that he foresaw, treat science with respect, and the he prayed that through science and medicine. Among faculty, the proportion of women teaching physics Bacon ends his account with a great majority of scientists treat re- God would “endow the human decreases as academic rank and level of department increases. However, the prayer: “Humbly we pray that this ligion with respect, so long as family with new mercies.” percentage of women faculty members at each rank is consistent with the mind may be steadfast in us, and that religion does not claim jurisdiction Freeman Dyson is at the Institute percentage of women earning PhD’s at the time that they got their degrees. through these our hands, and the over scientific questions. for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ. (See report “Women in Physics, 2000” at http://www.aip.org/statistics) hands of others to whom thou shalt In Princeton, we have more than The above commentary was delivered give the same spirit, thou wilt vouch- 20 churches and at least one syna- upon occasion of his receipt of the Townes Receives NAE 2000 Founders Award safe to endow the human family with gogue, providing different forms of Templeton “Science and Religion” Charles H. Townes, who served as APS President in 1967 and who was new mercies.” That is still a good worship and belief for different kinds Prize in March, 2000. the co-recipient of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics, has been awarded the National Academy of Engineering’s 2000 Founders Award, which was es- tablished by the NAE to recognize an Academy member’s lifelong APS Mass Media Fellowship Program contribution to engineering, and whose accomplishments had benefit to the people of the United States. Townes was one of the pioneers in Applications are now being accepted for the 2001 summer APS Mass Media Fellowships. In affiliation the development first of the maser (microwave amplification by stimu- with the popular AAAS program, the APS is sponsoring two ten-week fellowships for physics students to lated emission of radiation) and then, in collaboration with his work full-time over the summer as reporters, researchers, and production assistants in mass media orga- brother-in-law Arthur Schawlow, of the laser. The award consists of a nizations nationwide. Information on application requirements can be found at gold medallion, a $2,500 cash award, and a certificate. http://www.aps.org/public_affairs/Media.html 6 November 2000 NEWS ΣΠΣ Congress Zeros in on Career Diversity MEETING BRIEFS and Undergrad Education Reform • The APS Four Corners Section held its fall meeting September Physicists from the premier 29-30 at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. A special alumni association for physics in session on Physics in Colorado on Friday afternoon, as well as a the US gathered at ACP Headquar- Saturday invited session that featured physics demonstrations by ters in College Park, MD, for the Brian Jones, creator of the “Little Shop of Physics”, were open to the 2000 Quadrennial Congress of public and the press, in keeping with the general physics emphasis ΣΠΣ Sigma Pi Sigma ( ), held in Sep- of the section’s fall meeting. The session on local physics featured tember. According to its mission lectures on probing a quantum degenerate gas of fermionic atoms, ΣΠΣ statement, is a national phys- the BABAR experiment in high energy physics, and NMR and MRI. ics organization that cuts across all Friday evening’s banquet was followed by a public lecture by Roger career paths to unite individuals Culver on celestial events that changed history. Other topics cov- with a common heritage in phys- ered during Saturday’s sessions included high pressure physics at ics, despite working in a broad Brigham Young University; dynamical localization in nonlinear lat- variety of professions. tices; extreme nonlinear optics; STM measurements of surface “Our goal is to spark the inter- diffusion; and developing extracurricular programs for K-12 grads change of insight, experience, M. Tarlton/AIP to interface scientists with schools. wisdom and connections among Above: Nobel Prize winner William Phillips crumbles a flower our membership for both personal frozen with liquid nitrogen as part of his lecture on absolute • The APS Ohio Section held its annual fall meeting October 13- zero. Top inset: Luncheon speaker James Trefil. Bottom inset: 14 at the University of Toledo in Ohio, organized around the theme and societal gains,” says Bo Ham- Banquet speaker Felice Frankel. mer of AIP. The Congress featured of photovoltaics and the environment. The meeting was held in con- guest speakers from industry, busi- McDonald is now an actuary with technical needs of smaller compa- junction with the corresponding geographical section of the American ness, government, the humanities American Fidelity, and says her nies like Omega. Association of Physics Teachers. Friday evening’s after-dinner speaker and academia, to achieve the event’s physics background was useful al- John Sunderland is technical opera- was John P. Thornton of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, stated objective of recognizing “the most immediately in her position, tions director and a medical physicist who gave a lecture entitled, “Disaster! What Will You Do When the varied paths taken by physics specifically in statistical probabil- at the Biomedical Research Foundation Electricity Disappears.” Other invited speakers during the weekend’s alumni,” and “the relationship be- ity and analysis. of Northwest Louisiana, who taught sessions covered such topics as high-throughput manufacturing of tween a solid physics education Steven Morin is director of re- high school physics before earning his thin-film PV modules; amorphous silicon photovoltaic technology; and success in a variety of profes- search, development and PhD in physics, and now works with photovoltaic arrays for NASA missions; and the potential commer- sions.” There was also a special engineering for Omega Optical, positron emission tomography. cialization of high-efficiency concentrator solar cells. panel discussion featuring retired a small high-tech manufacturing While his career path has been di- • The APS New York State Section held its annual fall meeting physicists sharing professional and firm that produces optical filters verse, he found that such practical October 20-21 at the State University of New York, Buffalo’s Amherst personal insights gleaned during for controlling signal to noise ra- physics experience as the photoelec- campus. The program consisted of three one-half day sessions de- their years in such varied fields as tios. Omega competes in a $50 tric effect, Compton scattering, voted to three separate topics: cosmology, strings and particle physics, atmospheric physics, space science, million niche market, and hence its diffraction, reflection and refraction all intended for the non-specialist. In addition to the invited lec- biophysics, materials science, and focus is on application specific served him well in the applied field tures, each session featured a special tutorial. Friday evening’s banquet industry. products and processes. Because of of medical physics. In fact, “I use vir- speaker was Fermilab’s Rocky Kolb. Cosmology topics included the The Congress kicked off with a its small size (less than 100 employ- tually everything I ever learned in case for dark matter, the cosmological constant and the inflationary special dinner on Friday evening, ees), the company is able to physics in my job,” he says, adding universe, and the evolution of the universe. The session on strings featuring a keynote address on la- respond to immediate customer that it also significantly facilitated his covered such topics as the physics of extra large dimensions, gravity ser cooling and trapping — product needs with incremental pursuit of an MBA. Still, Sunderland in infinite volume extra dimensions, and strings and black holes. involving a visual demonstration technological developments. How- feels that a fundamental problem Particle physics topics included mass and mixing in the neutrino with liquid nitrogen — by NIST’s ever, its R&D projects require today in physics education is that sector, quark-gluon plasmas, and CP-violation in rare kaon decay. William Phillips, a Nobel Prize win- reasonably quick expected most physics educators have little • Finally, the APS Texas Section held its annual fall meeting Octo- ner in 1997, and ΣΠΣ member paybacks, and its employees must applied experience outside aca- ber 27-29 at Rice University in Houston, Texas, in conjunction with since 1983. Saturday morning fea- operate in a fast-moving environ- demia, since most of those who find the corresponding units of the AAPT and the Society of Physics Stu- tured a distinguished panel of ment with high pressure from employment in applied fields tend dents, as well as the National Society of Hispanic Physicists. Friday industrial physicists employed in competition and the need for short not to return to teach, or even con- evening’s banquet featured a lecture by Dava Sobel, author of the diverse careers, discussing how product development cycle. Hence, tribute to education. best-selling books Longitude and Galileo’s Daughter. The meeting pro- their physics background has the company seeks out technical A possible solution was of- gram also featured several workshops for physics teachers, as well served them well in their chosen generalists, and Morin feels physi- fered by Stephen Cobb, chair of as opportunities to tour local physics research facilities. fields. For example, Amanda cists are best suited to fill the See ΣΠΣ Congress on page 7

New APS Service Keeps Members in Contact Santa Fe Fellows Recognized with New Fellow Pins Approximately 85 APS fel- the Society, and to update them Society’s public policy activi- The American Physical Society has “This is a unique lows in the Sante Fe region on APS activities,” she says. ties. The event also marked created a new service, the APS Techni- resource. Our gathered in September for a The Santa Fe reception fea- the first presentation of the cal Network, a web-based computer members in- special reception at the Mu- tured talks by APS Director of new APS Fellowship pins, the database that APS members can use to clude some of seum of International Folk Education Fred Stein on educa- majority of which will be make informal connections with other the greatest in- Art in downtown Santa Fe. tion, and Michael Lubell, APS mailed to APS Fellows in the members around the country. Unlike tellectual minds It was the latest in a series Director of Public Affairs, on the near future. a membership directory, it holds a lot in the world. of such receptions organized more information than address, phone, Why shouldn’t at various geographical re- fax and email. APS members have the they be able to gions with a strong opportunity to input information such take advantage concentration of fellows, ac- as their physics fields of expertise, their of that collective cording to Darlene Logan, web page, all of their educational ex- intelligence?” APS Director of Develop- perience, and up to 2000 characters of The Technical ment. “The purpose is to additional information that can be used Network has recognize APS Fellows as an to explain some of the exciting work grown from its original purpose of important constituency for in which they’re engaged. All APS helping small start-ups find techni- members have the ability to search this cal people, to allowing APS members database by physics fields, state, and/ to connect with each other more or keyword, and view the profiles of all easily and find common ground the members who fit their parameters. upon which solid professional rela- The idea for the Technical Database tionships can be built. came about when several APS mem- To become a part of this database, Photos by Daniel Barsotti bers in small companies petitioned the members can enroll at http:// Above: Albert Narath (l) speaks to John Pace APS to help them find ways to solve www.aps.org/TN and share their exper- VanDevender (r) as Fellows enjoy each other’s com- technical problems given their limited tise with other APS members. Anyone pany at the reception. resources. Arlene Modeste Knowles who searches the database and wants was enlisted to oversee the project. to provide feedback can contact Arlene At left: APS Treasurer Thomas McIlrath presents Fel- Knowles, who worked with Norval Modeste Knowles ([email protected]). low pin to APS President-Elect George Trilling, host Johnson, the programmer who de- The APS wants to make this channel of the reception. signed the database, believes that the of communication as successful as pos- Network can transform the sense of sible and is eager to hear suggestions community among APS members: for possible improvements. NEWS November 2000 7

ΣΠΣ Congress, from page 7 degree. Thus far the new degree has breakout sessions on Saturday to ous groups will be gathered in a re- Award for his efforts on behalf of proven quite popular with students discuss a variety of issues relating to port and disseminated through physics outreach to the general the Department of Physics at in the department, more than 75% physics education and public out- numerous venues later this year. public. Yet another new honorary Murray State University in Kentucky. of whom are pursuing the combined reach, including undergraduate The ΣΠΣ Congress organizers ΣΠΣ member was Saturday He stressed the difficulty many po- degree. Cobb also reports that these curriculum reform, the public face also bestowed special honorary evening’s banquet speaker, Felice tential employers experience in students are routinely accepted into of physics, and the continued un- membership on a few select attend- Frankel, an award-winning science articulating the difference between advanced degree programs, and der-representation of women and ees, including Phillips and former photographer whose book, On the a scientist and an engineer. To help have placements rates of 100% minorities in physics. The National AIP Executive Director Kenneth Surface of Things, has received both combat this mindset, Murray State with such major companies as Task Force on Undergraduate Phys- Ford. The same honor was be- scientific and artistic acclaim. (For has instituted an alternative ap- Boeing, NASA, Intel, Texas Instru- ics has asked ΣΠΣ for stowed on luncheon speaker James a profile of Frankel, whose work proach to the traditional ments, Raytheon and Lockheed. recommendations on revitalizing Trefil, a physics professor and was exhibited during the APS Cen- undergraduate physics education: a The “meat” of the two-day con- undergraduate physics education. popular author, who also received tennial meeting in Atlanta in 1999, combined physics and engineering gress was the organization of The recommendations of the vari- the 2000 AIP Andrew Gemant see APS News, May 1999.)

ELECTION, from page 1 plays in informing non-physicists the Publications Oversight Com- important as never before,” citing colloidal crystals and self-assembly about the intellectual and practical mittee. Bagger’s research interests new materials, new ideas about the of optical materials. Her APS ser- of last year’s Centennial meeting in benefits of the science, as well as center on high energy physics at the structure of matter and the shape vice includes stints on the Forums Atlanta as evidence “that physicists the traditional activities of foster- interface of theory and experiment. of the universe, and new collabo- on Education and on Industrial share common roots, interests and ing communication between and His present work is focused on rations across fields as examples. and Applied Physics, as well as the concerns.” within various sub-disciplines supersymmetry and supergravity Panel on Public Affairs. through its meetings and journals. between the weak and the Planck CHERRY MURRAY Murray’s candidate’s statement CHAIR-ELECT OF THE Coppersmith says she chose to scales. Bell Laboratories/Lucent Technologies identified numerous critical issues run for office because of this, add- In his candidate’s statement, Murray joined Bell Labs as a facing the Society in the coming NOMINATING ing, “I am delighted to have the Bagger concentrated on the need member of the technical staff in millennium: increasing govern- COMMITTEE opportunity to help the Society re- for the APS to continue to broaden 1978, after receiving a PhD in ment funding of fundamental SUSAN COPPERSMITH spond effectively to the challenges its membership base and increase physics from MIT in 1973. Her physics research; stemming the University of Chicago and opportunities we will face over its reach, experimenting with new positions there over the years have decline in enrollments in under- Coppersmith received her PhD the next several years.” meeting and journal formats, and included serving as department graduate and graduate physics in physics from Cornell University working with other societies to ad- head for Low Temperature and programs; and communicating the in 1983 and spent the next two GENERAL vance curriculum reform. Solid State Research, Condensed excitement and importance of phys- years as a research associate at COUNCILLORS In fact, this was his primary mo- Matter Physics Research, and ics research to the general public. Brookhaven National Laboratory. JONATHAN BAGGER tivation in running for APS office. Semiconductor Physics Research. Murray has extensive experience Following a postdoctoral position Johns Hopkins University “You really need a broad representa- She was director of the Physical with the latter objective, having at AT&T Bell Laboratories and a Bagger received his PhD from tion of fields on the APS Council,” Research Laboratory from June served on the APS Task Force on visiting lectureship at Princeton, Princeton University in 1983 and he says, “As General Councillor I will 1997 until March 2000, when she Informing the Public, and serving she spent eight years as a member took a postdoctoral research posi- work to enhance communication assumed her present position of on the NRC committee that pub- of the technical staff at Bell Labs. tion at the Stanford Linear between the divisions within APS, Senior Vice President of Physical lished the successful pamphlet, She joined the faculty of the Uni- Accelerator Center, followed by and to broaden the reach of the APS Sciences Research. “The Physics of Materials: How Sci- versity of Chicago in 1995. Her three years on the faculty at to other branches of science, to the She has a broad background in ence Improves Our Lives.” research interests include the prop- Harvard University. He has been a government, and the public at large. experimental research in low-tem- As its membership becomes in- erties of materials that are far from member of the Institute for Ad- We need a united front to advance perature, surface, condensed creasingly diverse, “The APS needs thermal equilibrium, particularly vanced Study in Princeton, and is the cause of science.” Bagger also matter and complex fluid physics, to serve better those who are trained disordered materials, such as presently a member of the Fermilab took issue with President Clinton’s with emphasis on light scattering as physicists and end up in a career glasses, granular materials and dis- Board of Overseers. His APS service in- now-famous statement that the 20th and imaging. in which their job title is not ‘physi- ordered magnets. cludes a term as Secretary-Treasurer of century belonged to physics, but Her own research program cist’ — either in industry, finance, In her candidate’s statement, she the Division of Particles and Fields, as the 21st will belong to biology, not- currently encompasses imaging engineering, other fields of science, praised the “vital role” the APS well as the Pricing Subcommittee of ing, “I believe that physics is as of order-disorder transitions in or medicine,” she said.

APKER, from page 3 in both theoretical and experimen- tory of science, which he finished Brandon C. Collings, the third Cameron Geddes, the 1997 tal physics. Barnes likes to write and this year. His second thesis dealt with 1994 winner, works at Bell Labs in non-PhD institution winner, is a University of Massachusetts, has nearly completed work on a the history of American physics fol- Holmdel, NJ, as a research scientist physics graduate student at UC- Amherst. Lee went to Harvard as novel that he describes as a mixture lowing World War II and throughout in the area of fiber optics. After at- Berkeley, and he works as a plasma both an undergraduate and gradu- of fantasy and science fiction. the Cold War. Kaiser says that while tending Hamilton College in physicist in the L’OASIS group at ate student in physics. He earned his Justin Mortara, the other 1992 he loves the physics research he Clinton, NY, where he had a double Lawrence Berkeley National PhD in 1998. Apker winner, is the vice president does, his area “is a tiny, well-defined major in physics and mathematics, Laboratory. Geddes, who lives in Stephen R. Quake, the other of business development at his subspecialty, which can often seem he went to Princeton University as a Oakland, Calif., is an avid hockey 1991 winner, is an associate profes- father’s medical device company, cut off from other areas of physics. graduate student in electrical engi- and rugby player. sor of applied physics with a joint Mortara Instrument Company, at its By contrast, his research on the his- neering, earning his PhD in 1999. He Anna Lopatnikova, the 1997 appointment in biochemistry at Milwaukee, Wis., headquarters. tory of American physics since is currently on a research team that last PhD institution winner, is working Caltech. He does research in bio- Mortara attended the University of World War II has required him to November set a world’s record in num- toward her PhD in physics at physics in the area of single molecule Chicago, where he majored in phys- learn about a vast range of topics ber of distinct wavelength Harvard in the area of condensed science in an effort to use biological ics and worked under Stuart from foreign policy to culture and communications channels carried by matter physics. Lopatnikova has also molecules (like DNA) as models for Freedman on the search for a par- sociology to even art history. Above a single optical fiber. Collings plans to been at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, NJ studying physics. Quake attended ticular type of heavy neutrino (which all else, Kaiser says that he wants to stay in the fiber optics industry for the for four summers in a row in the Stanford as an undergraduate in turned out not to exist, he says). He help bridge the divide between the time being. Graduate Research Program for physics, working under Steve Chu, followed Freedman to UC- Berke- humanities and the hard sciences, Benjamin F. Williams, the Women. a Nobel Prize-winning physicist. He ley, entering the physics graduate particularly physics. 1995, the non-PhD institution Gwendolyn Rae Bell, the 1998 then went to Merton College, Ox- program in 1992 and earning his Arthur Chu, one of three 1994 winner, is an astronomy graduate non-PhD institution winner, re- ford University in England on a PhD in 1999. Thereafter, he joined winners, works on Wall Street as a student at the University of Wash- ceived her masters degree in Marshall scholarship. There he his father’s company, living in Bolo- research analyst for the bond mar- ington in Seattle. astronomy at Caltech and now earned his PhD in theoretical phys- gna, Italy, working at its office there. ket at a major investment brokerage Frederick B. Mancoff, the 1995 works for the Technology Research ics in 1994. Quake was hired at He says he left physics because he house in New York City. PhD institution winner, has begun a Group at SAIC. She lives in San Caltech in 1996. can make a better contribution to so- Steven S. Gubser, another 1994 post-doc position at the National Diego, Calif. Christopher Barnes, a 1992 win- ciety in the medical device industry. winner, is transitioning from a job Institute of Standards and Technolo- Brian R. D’Urso, the 1998 PhD ner, is a post-doc at Princeton David Kaiser, the 1993 winner, as an assistant professor of physics gies in Boulder, Colorado. He just institution winner, is currently University, where he entered gradu- has just begun teaching a course on at Princeton to a tenured position at finished his PhD in the department working toward his PhD in phys- ate school in physics in 1993 and the history of science as an assistant Caltech. Gubser attended Princeton of materials science and engineering ics at Harvard. earned his PhD in 1998. His current professor in MIT’s Science, Technol- University as an undergraduate in at Stanford. Brian Gerke, the 1999 non-PhD work is on the MAP satellite project, ogy and Society (STS) Program. He physics, focusing on string theory Benjamin S. Williams, the 1996 institution winner, is currently designed to measure cosmic back- is also a lecturer in MIT’s physics and two-dimensional quantum grav- non-PhD institution winner, is pur- working on his masters degree at ground radiation. Barnes attended department. After attending under- ity. Following a year at Cambridge suing his PhD at MIT in the Cambridge University in England, Reed College in Portland, Ore., as graduate school at Dartmouth University in England in a masters department of electrical engineering, where he studying on a two-year an undergraduate majoring in phys- College, Kaiser attended graduate program, he returned to Princeton where he is working on the devel- fellowship. Gerke plans to begin a ics. He then went to Cambridge school in physics at Harvard, where as a graduate student, earning his opment of a new laser that operates PhD program in the fall of 2001. University in England for a year, he earned the equivalent of two PhD in 1998 for work on the de- in the far infrared. Govind Krishnaswami, the where he completed the equivalent PhD’s (although Harvard only scription of black holes and the Christopher Schaffer, the 1996 1999 PhD institution winner, is of a Masters degree in physics be- awards one per person). The first was relation of string theory to gauge PhD institution winner, is currently working on his PhD at the Univer- fore going to Princeton. As a in physics, which he completed in theory. Gubser enjoys climbing working on his PhD in physics at sity of Rochester, continuing his graduate student, Barnes did work 1997, and the second was in the his- mountains as a hobby. Harvard in femtosecond laser research. undergraduate research there. 8 November 2000 NEWS THE BACK PAGE Creationism Versus Physical Science by Stephen G. Brush Last year, some scientists were surprised to learn from press re- ports that the Kansas State Board of Education voted to remove Big Bang cosmology, as well as biologi- cal evolution, from the required public school curriculum. This should be a wake-up call to alert everyone that all of science educa- tion is threatened by the political power of Creationism, even if the latest Kansas election result leads to a reversal of the 1999 decision. It may seem odd that religious fundamentalists would attack the Big Bang theory, since only a few years ago a number of popular books praised that theory as being favorable to religion: if scientists de- clared they could never know what happened before the Big Bang, this seemed to leave plenty of room for theologians to fill the gap.

But Creationists refuse to consider ©2000 Paul Dlugokencky (aDailyCartoon.com) for APS News any metaphorical interpretation of the book of Genesis. In particular, that Darwinian evolution violates The justification for rejecting the (with the possible exception of disturbing tendency for science “Young Earth Creationism” (YEC) the Second Law of Thermodynam- multi-billion-year astronomical quantum electrodynamics) ex- teachers to treat speculative or un- insists that the entire universe was ics. It turns out that their version time scale, on which the Big Bang plains all the facts in its domain; proved theories as fact. Moreover, created only a few thousand years of the Second Law is different from theory depends, is even more re- one has to pick the best working some physical scientists and engi- ago. Hence they reject not only the the one taught in thermodynamics markable. In response to the hypothesis and try to refute or im- neers do not accept that theories Big Bang theory (because it postu- courses: it simply asserts that en- objection that many stars visible to prove it. Evidence against Theory in biology have the same status as lates an event that must have tropy can never decrease. The usual us must have existed millions of A is not evidence for Theory B, those in their own field, because happened several billion years ago), response is to insist that entropy years ago, since they are millions unless there are no other possible biological theories are not subject but any geological theory like plate can decrease in an “open system” of light years away, YEC claims that theories; but there are already many to rigorous tests. In particular, the tectonics, which relies on a time scale such as the Earth, as long as it in- God created the light from those anti-Darwinian theories competing evolutionary explanations given of several hundred million years. teracts with another open system, stars en route to us in space, to with each other. in popular books have often In general, the Creationists say such as the Sun, in which there is a make it look like it came from ac- Advocates of IDC sometimes try seemed to be no more than plau- any scientific theory that assumes compensating increase. tual stars, but that no such stars to distance themselves from the sible but untestable “just so” the world has existed for more than A better response is to point out ever existed. pro-religious, anti-science views of stories. Even in cosmology, theo- about 10,000 years is “Evolution that the equilibrium state of a sys- Some Creationists find that kind other Creationists. For example, ries like the Big Bang have been Science,” and, they argue, should tem is determined by seeking not of argument a little hard to swal- after the Kansas decision, Behe presented to students and to the either be excluded from the science the maximum entropy but the low. In recent years another version wrote an op-ed piece in The New public as established fact, rather curriculum or “balanced” by the minimum free energy, which bal- of Creationism has come into York Times (13 August 1999) say- than as simply the best working alternative “Creation Science” doc- ances energy against entropy (E-TS). prominence, called Intelligent De- ing that rather than being banned, hypothesis, still subject to modi- trine. Since the typical general An obvious example is the crystalli- sign Creationism (IDC). Its leaders Darwinian evolution should be fication. Finally, physical laws science course offered in second- zation of water molecules from a sound more reasonable and some taught in public schools so it could and theories are sometimes ary schools contains a substantial vapor: at low temperatures a low- have solid academic credentials: be refuted. But whatever their mo- taught as if they provide a com- amount of astronomy and geology, energy state with low entropy (a Phillip Johnson is a professor of law tives, there is evidence that they are plete explanation for everything complying with that demand crystal) will be favored over a high- at the University of California, Ber- being used by other Creationists as worth knowing, including hu- would have a major impact on such energy state with high entropy (a keley, and Michael Behe is a a respectable front or “wedge” to man nature and spirituality. I am courses, as well as on the standard gas). The Creationist version of ther- biochemist at LeHigh University. undermine public support for not saying that these criticisms biology course. modynamics fails to explain why it They do not necessarily deny that teaching evolution. If that ploy is justify interference with science The Creationists have learned snows. As Ludwig Boltzmann noted evolution has occurred, but they successful, it is sure to have dire education, rather that scientists that they cannot accomplish their more than a century ago, thermo- argue that Darwinian theory can- consequences for all of science edu- should be aware of them when objectives directly through state dynamics correctly interpreted does not adequately explain it. IDC cation. they address the public. laws banning the teaching of evo- not just allow Darwinian evolution, generally refrains from direct at- Both YEC and IDC, along with Several of the mainstream lution or requiring “equal time” for it favors it. tacks on physical science, while the late 20th century postmodern churches have rejected the Cre- Creationism. Instead, they now try In an attempt to justify their re- trying to hijack some of its ideas, skepticism about the universal va- ationist position that the credibility to remove evolution from the offi- jection of the well-established such as the Anthropic Cosmologi- lidity of scientific knowledge, of the Bible depends upon the truth cial curriculum on which statewide multi-billion-year time scale for the cal Principle, to support the theory undermine public support for sci- or falsity of a particular scientific tests are based; even if that topic is Earth’s history, YEC argues that the that the universe has been designed ence. We need to understand why theory, and actively opposed at- not actually banned, teachers will decay rates of the radioactive iso- to allow the evolution of life. But a substantial number of citizens — tempts to force YEC into schools not spend much time on a subject topes used to date rocks could have the IDC advocates concentrate on not just hard core religious fanat- in Arkansas and Louisiana. Scien- that is not going to be on the test. been much greater under extreme trying to show that Darwinian ics — reject or doubt certain basic tists themselves, many of whom Another effect of the Creation- conditions in the past, so the rocks natural selection is bad, because it theories of modern science, if we perceive no conflict between evo- ist assault on science education is are “really” much younger than they is materialistic (i.e., it denies any hope to defend science education lution and their own religious a threat to the supply of qualified seem to be. There is no legitimate role to supernatural or spiritual from such attacks in the future. A beliefs, will have to become more science teachers. There is already a evidence for this claim from experi- causes), and because it allegedly major reason seems to be “guilt by politically active, including running nationwide shortage of high school mental or theoretical physics. fails to explain all biological facts. I association”: according to the for election to school boards them- physical science and mathematics One reason Creationists want describe IDC as “soft” Creationism televangelists, evolution is allied selves, or at least learning how to teachers. In smaller high schools, a students to accept a Young Earth is because it makes no testable state- with secular humanism, which is lobby those boards effectively. The teacher whose degree is in biology to persuade them that there has not ments, in contrast to YEC, which blamed for abortion, pornography, stakes are high. will sometimes also be assigned to been enough time for evolution to makes many testable statements, all drugs, homosexuality and crime in Stephen G. Brush is a professor of the chemistry or physics course. produce humans and other mod- of which have been tested and re- the streets. If you teach children the history of science at the Univer- Political pressure to abandon the ern species by the slow process of futed. they are descended from animals, sity of Maryland, College Park. He is teaching of evolution is one more Darwinian natural selection. They IDC relies on a logical fallacy: if the reasoning goes, they will as- also co-author (with Gerald Holton) factor that discourages good people are willing to reject the foundations Darwinian evolutionary theory fails sume they can behave like animals. of Physics, the Human Adventure: from pursuing a teaching career. of modern geology and nuclear to explain a fact, then that fact is More thoughtful critics object From Copernicus to Einstein and Be- Physicists should also be con- physics in order to get rid of bio- evidence for design. But it is well that in presenting subjects like evo- yond, to be published in 2001 by cerned about the Creationist claim logical evolution. known to scientists that no theory lution and cosmology, there is a Rutgers University Press.

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