October 2009

Volume 18, No. 9 TM www.aps.org/publications/apsnews APS NEWS A Whole Page of Announcements! See Page 7 A Publication of the American Physical Society • www.aps.org/publications/apsnews

APS-Led Project Receives $6.5M NSF Grant Members Elect Robert Byer to By Gabriel Popkin APS Presidential Line The APS recently received its By Lauren Schenkman the Q-switched unstable resonator largest single grant award to date. APS members have elected Nd:YAG laser, remote sensing us- The society will receive $6.5 mil- Robert Byer, the William R. Ke- ing tunable infrared sources, and lion dollars from the National nan, Jr. Professor of Applied Phys- precision spectroscopy using Co- Science Foundation (NSF) to ics at Stanford, as the Society’s herent Anti Stokes Raman Scatter- support PhysTEC, APS’s flagship next vice-President. Byer will ing (CARS). His current research education program since 2001. assume the office on January 1, includes developing nonlinear The project, which APS leads in 2010. At that time, optical materials and laser diode collaboration with the American of Caltech will become President- pumped solid state laser sources Association of Teach- elect, and Curtis Callan of Princ- for laser particle acceleration and ers (AAPT), aims to improve eton will become President, suc- gravitational wave detection for and promote the education of fu- ceeding 2009 President Cherry projects such as the Laser Interfer- ture physics and physical science Photo courtesy of Laird Kramer Murray of Harvard. Byer will be ometer Gravitational-Wave Obser- teachers. Laird Kramer, PhysTEC site leader at Florida International University, works President-elect in 2011, and serve vatory and the Laser Interferom- with prospective teachers on an electricity and magnetism demonstration. The main goal of the project is as APS President in 2012. eter Space Antenna. to demonstrate successful mod- of all US physics teachers have a ticular—as a critical threat to US In other election results, Steve Currently the co-director of els for increasing the number of degree in the subject, and many educational and economic com- Girvin of Yale University was se- the Stanford Photonics Research highly qualified high school phys- recent reports have identified petitiveness. lected as the new chair-elect of Center, Byer has directed several ics teachers around the country. science teacher shortages—and PhysTEC’s primary activity is the APS Nominating Commit- centers and laboratories at Stan- Currently, only about one-third physics teacher shortages in par- GRANT continued on page 3 tee, which has the responsibility ford, most recently the Hansen of selecting a slate of candidates Labora- each year to run for APS offices. tory and the Edward L. Gintzon Climate Statement Gets Renewed Scrutiny Marta Dark McNeese, professor Laboratory, and has served as vice APS President Cherry Mur- ment. The APS Panel on Public mer members of APS who have of physics at Spelman College, provost and dean of research, as- ray has appointed an ad hoc com- Affairs produced a draft which signed an open letter to the APS and Warren B. Mori, professor of sociate dean of the School of Hu- mittee to study whether the APS was passed after some modifica- Council this month, calling for a physics at UCLA and director of manities and Sciences, and chair statement on climate change, tion by Council on November 18, reconsideration of its November the UCLA Institute for Digital Re- of the physics department. Outside passed in 2007, needs to be re- 2007, with one dissenting vote. 2007 policy statement on climate search and Education, were elected of Stanford, he has played a wide visited. This action comes in the The text of this statement accom- change. The letter proposes an al- general councilors. Belita Koiller, variety of leadership roles. He has wake of a motion by councilor panies the present article. ternative statement, which the sig- professor of physics at the Federal served on the American Institute Robert Austin at the May 1 Coun- The next opportunity for natories believe to be a more ac- University of Rio de Janeiro, Bra- of Physics Governing Board, has cil meeting, asking that the state- Council to consider the climate curate representation of the current zil, was elected international coun- been President of the Optical So- ment be reviewed and possibly change issue will be at its No- scientific evidence.” They go on to cilor. ciety of America and of the Laser changed. The motion, which was vember 8 meeting. It is expected decry the “subversion of the sci- Byer earned his PhD in Applied and Electro-optics Society of the introduced at the very end of the that the ad hoc committee will entific process and the intolerance Physics from Stanford in 1969. IEEE, and has been chair of the meeting, was tabled to allow time have submitted its recommenda- towards scientific disagreement Since then he has been a faculty California Council on Science and for further consideration. tions by then. that pervades the climate issue.” In member at Stanford, conducting Technology. He has served on nu- The APS statement on climate The motivation for request- addition to Austin, those signing research and teaching classes in merous advisory and review com- change had originally been adopt- ing this review was expressed by the communication were S. Fred lasers and nonlinear optics. He mittees over the years, completing ed after the American Geophysi- Austin and five other Singer, Hal Lewis, Will Happer, has made numerous contributions a four year term on the Air Force cal Union requested that APS sign in the “Correspondence” section Larry Gould, and Roger Cohen. to laser science and technology, Scientific Advisory Board in 2006, on to their statement about global of the July 23 issue of Nature. In The open letter, and list of including the demonstration of and currently advises the SLAC warming. The Council opted in- part they state: “We are among signers (which in fact includes the first tunable visible paramet- Linac Coherent Light Source, the ric oscillator, the development of ELECT continued on page 6 stead to compose its own state- more than 50 current and for- CLIMATE continued on page 5

Air Force Restrictions Impact Apker Finalists Meet in Chicago Adaptive Optics Every year the APS presents Apker Awards to undergraduate students for Restrictions imposed by the kilometer-high layer of sodium at- outstanding research. The selection Air Force on the use of lasers are oms to create a reference point in committee first chooses a set of final- significantly diminishing the -util the sky. By tracking this reference ists from among the nominees, and then picks the recipients, usually two in num- ity of adaptive optics for studying point, known as an artificial guide ber, after a day of interviews with the fi- the cosmos, according to a num- star, astronomers can cancel out nalists. Each finalist receives $2000 and ber of astronomers. much of the atmospheric interfer- a certificate, and the finalists' institutions “At one time, four or five years ence. Currently four telescopes in each receive $1000. The recipients, who are chosen by the APS Executive ago, we were getting very few re- the US use these lasers, with more Board following the selection commit- strictions, but more recently that in development. tee's recommendation, each receive an has increased,” said Julian Chris- Air Force Space Command additional $5000, and their institutions tou, the adaptive optics technician regulates their use to protect pass- $5000. for the Gemini North Observatory ing satellites. All uses of the lasers This year the finalists met on August 31 in Hawaii. “The impact is we are must be approved days ahead of in downtown Chicago to be interviewed by the committee, which was chaired losing time to do long integra- time by the Laser Clearing House by former APS President . tions…It’s an accumulated time at Vandenberg Air Force base to Photo by Shelly Johnston Shown here at the reception following loss.” prevent the beam from the day of interviews are (l to r) final- Laser guide star adaptive op- paths with an approaching space- ists Barry Bradlyn (MIT), Emma Wollman (Swarthmore), Bilin Zhuang (Wellesley), Kathryn Greenberg (Mount Holy- oke) and Andrew Higginbotham (Harvey Mudd). The recipients will be announced on the web following the Executive tics involves shining powerful craft. The lasers cannot damage Board vote, and also in a subsequent issue of APS News. lasers into the lower atmosphere a craft’s hull, but they could po- Nominations for the Award are encouraged from physics departments at both four-year colleges and universities, for to correct for atmospheric distor- tentially burn out sensitive optical undergraduates who have performed outstanding research in physics. Although nominations are now closed, they will tions. The most common type equipment. re-open early next year, with a deadline in late June. More information about the Apker Award can be found at http:// www.aps.org/programs/honors/awards/apker.cfm . refracts an orange beam off a 90 AIR FORCE continued on page 5 2 • October 2009 APS NEWS

Members This Month in Physics History in the Media “These are baby problems,” “[Jennifer Mass] is one of an October 22, 2004: Discovery of Peter Limon, Fermilab, describ- emerging, growing group of sci- cientists often find ingenious ways to attain their nature by first making a three-dimensional material, ing the initial problems most accel- entists who have a foot planted in research objectives, even if that objective is a tru- which is graphite, and then pulling an individual lay- erators, including CERN, experi- both worlds,” S ly two-dimensional material that many physicists felt er out of it,” said Geim. ence early in their operating lives, Sol Gruner, Cornell, describing could not be grown. In 2003, one ingenious In October 2004, Geim published a paper an- , August 4, 2009. Mass’s discovery of a lost N.C. Wy- took a block of graphite, some Scotch tape and a lot nouncing the achievement of graphene sheets in eth painting using X-rays, The Phil- of patience and persistence and produced a magnifi- Science magazine, entitled “Electric field effect in “As a physicist, my big com- adelphia Inquirer, August 20, 2009. cent new wonder material that is a million times thin- atomically thin films.” It is now one of the plaint was that people don’t consid- ner than paper, stronger than diamond, more conduc- most highly cited papers in materials physics, and by er the odds and worry about things “If somebody sneezed on that tive than copper. It is called graphene, and it took the 2005, researchers had succeeded in isolating graphene that are terribly unlikely…I never kilogram standard, all the weights physics community by storm when the first paper ap- sheets. Graphene is a mere one thick– perhaps worried about things that were un- in the world would be instantly peared the following year. the thinnest material in the universe–and forms a high- likely, and it came back to bite me.” wrong,” The man who first discovered graphene, along quality crystal lattice, with no vacancies or disloca- Robert Park, University of Mary- Richard Steiner, NIST, National with his colleague, Kostya No- tions in the structure. This struc- land, describing when he was nearly Public Radio, August 20, 2009. voselov, is Andre Geim. Geim ture gives it intriguing properties, killed by a falling tree, The Philadel- studied at the Moscow Physical- and yielded surprising new phys- phia Inquirer, August 10, 2009. “If Advanced LIGO doesn’t see technical University and earned ics. gravitational waves I think people his PhD from the Institute of Solid From a fundamental stand- “I don’t see it in quite those will be very surprised…It is likely State Physics in Chernogolovka, point, graphene’s most excit- apocalyptic terms…Everyone there such a situation would require revi- Russia. He spent two years at the ing capability is the fact that its was unhappy about the earlier acci- sion of General Relativity.” Institute for Microelectronics Tech- conducting electrons arrange dent, but I didn’t get the feeling that Vuk Mandic, University of Minne- nology before taking a fellowship at themselves into quasi-particles there was panic or that they were sota, MSNBC.com, August 19, 2009. Nottingham University in England. Scanning electron micrograph of a that behave more like neutrinos resigned to anything but a delay.” In 1994, he joined the faculty at the strongly crumpled graphene sheet or electrons moving close to the , University “We have respected people on on a silicon wafer (Foundation of University of in the Neth- Fundamental Research on Matter, the speed of light, mimicking rela- of Texas, Austin, talking about the both sides of the medical profes- erlands, moving back to England’s Netherlands). tivistic laws of physics. In most mood at CERN, The New York sion speaking very loudly and now University of in 2001 to become director materials, charge carriers behave in a more classical Times, August 8, 2009. with greater and greater vitriol as to of the Centre for Mesoscience and Nanotechnology. fashion. Geim has compared the effect to the Large whether that theory is legitimate… Geim has a knack for quirky yet significant re- Hadron Collider, “but on your desktop.” This makes [T]he LHC is an example of an We’ve got to have somebody like search subjects. He made headlines in 1997 when it possible to test certain ideas in and enormously complicated machine the National Academy of Sciences he used a magnetic field to levitate a frog, garnering astrophysics conceptually on a smaller tabletop scale, that is pushing the edge of accelera- look at all of the studies that are put him an Ig in 2000. He once co-authored rather than in a multi-million dollar collider. tor technology, and it is not surpris- forth as validating that theory–and a paper with his favorite hamster, “Detection of earth The most obvious application is using graphene ing that it has had some unantici- see whether they’re valid.” rotation with a diamagnetically levitating gyroscope,” to replace silicon chips, since that technology is fast pated problems,” Thomas Bohan, MTC Forensics, insisting that “H. A. M. S. ter Tisha” contributed to reaching its fundamental limits (below 10 nanome- Neal Lane, Rice University, The calling for a definitive verdict on the the levitation experiment “most directly.” (According ters). It is also possible to make graphene using epi- Associated Press, August 7, 2009. cause of shaken baby syndrome, Na- to Wikipedia the hamster later applied for a PhD at taxial growth techniques–growing a single layer on tional Public Radio, Aug 24, 2009. the University of Nijmegen.) And in 2007 his labora- top of crystals with a matching substrate–in order to “What the U.S. and China do tory developed a microfabricated adhesive mimick- create graphene wafers for electronics applications. over the next decade will determine “[H]ere’s a case where you shine ing a gecko lizard’s sticky footpads. So graphene holds promise for use in high-frequency the fate of the world.” a laser on something and it actually Geim has said that his predominant research strat- transistors in the terahertz regime, or to build min- , Department of En- cools down, and not just a handful egy is to use whatever research facilities are available iature printed circuit boards at the nanoscale. There ergy, Time, August 13, 2009. of , but a macroscopic object,” to him and try to do something new with the equip- are technical barriers: graphene is metallic, so scien- Trey Porto, NIST, describing a ment at hand. He calls this his “Lego doctrine”: “You tists would need to devise a way to make the mate- “These neutrinos are a type new technique developed by a Ger- have all these different pieces and you have to build rial semiconducting. They will also need to develop of matter that essentially form a man research team, National Geo- something based strictly on the pieces you’ve got.” In a technique for producing graphene sheets in large shadow universe…They share graphic, September 8, 2009. the case of graphene, his lab was well-equipped for quantities if the material is to find application in space with us, but they have very the study of small samples. large-scale industrial sectors. little interaction with us. So you “We rent one early-bearing tree Carbon nanotubes were–and are–a major area of For now, graphene is being explored as a filler have neutrinos going through your and one late-bearing tree…It’s a materials research, and Geim thought it might be pos- in plastic to make composite materials, in much the body all the time–neutrinos from nice feeling knowing that’s my ap- sible to do something similar to carbon nanotubes, same way that carbon nanotubes are used to bolster the the sun, neutrinos from the cosmic ple tree.” only in an unfolded configuration. He had the idea to strength of concrete materials, for example. Graphene rays coming down from space, neu- Richard Raymond, Univer- polish down a graphite block to just 10 or 100 lay- suspensions can also be used to make optically trans- trinos left over from the birth of the sity of Michigan, on renting apple ers thick and then study the material’s properties. One parent and conductive films suitable for LCD screens. universe–but they go right through trees from an orchard, Detroit Free of his students was assigned the task, and produced Graphene may even have the power to tame you.” Press, September 10, 2009. a speck of graphite roughly 1000 layers thick–a little Geim’s notorious five-year itch: that is how frequent- Marvin Marshak, University of short of the mark. ly he has tended to change research topics in the past. Minnesota, The Washington Post, “There are a number of demon- That is when Geim had the idea to use Scotch tape Yet he has even set aside his promising gecko tape August 17, 2009. strably false claims which have to peel away the top layer. Flakes of graphite come research to focus predominantly on graphene, which been put forth such as there is no off onto the tape, and the process can be repeated he admits is by far the most scientifically significant “A big part of the worldwide evidence, one can’t get here from several times to achieve progressively thinner flakes of his results. “With graphene, each year brings a neutrino program is to gather evi- there, governments can’t keep se- attached to the tape. He then dissolved the tape in new result, a new sub-area of research that opens up dence that neutrinos in fact had a crets, if aliens were visiting they solution, leaving him with ultra-thin flakes of graph- and sparks a gold rush,” Geim told Science in 2007. role in making the universe asym- would want to talk to me or land on ite: just 10 layers thick. Within weeks, his team had “I want to put many more stakes in the ground be- metric,” the White House lawn,” begun fabricating rudimentary transistors with the fore it’s covered completely, before all the interesting Boris Kayser, Fermilab, The Stanton Friedman, describing material. Subsequent refinements of the technique science is claimed and taken. Then it will be time to Washington Post, August 17, 2009. his research into flying saucers, The Denver Post, August 9, 2009. finally yielded the first graphene sheets. “We fooled move on.”

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Chu Lays Out Ambitious Plan for Energy Research Secretary of Energy Steven in the FY2011 budget. again: A company wants to do a Chu hopes to ramp up energy re- In addition to sponsoring more research program, run the R & D search in the coming years both research within the department, for four of five years, the analyst within the Department of En- Chu also hopes to bring more sci- says this is no good, and the stock ergy and in the private sector. entific scrutiny to applications for gets punished. Then the board He laid out his vision of a more government research grants. He and CEO of the company have research-intensive future in early said that though most of the DOE to weigh this, and in the end pay New Department of Energy Cast! August, at the first meeting of grants go to legitimate research, attention to the stock prices.” He the President’s Council of Advi- some researchers knew how to said, adding that companies in Same Old Show? sors on Science and Technology game the system and receive un- other parts of the world had been by Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs (PCAST). warranted funding. He referred to successful in this way, “Most of A major part of Secretary several instances in recent years The Obama White House has one questioned his extraordinary lithium ion batteries come from Chu’s plan to bolster energy re- when researchers received large given the Department of Energy science credentials and his amaz- Asia. Invented in the United search is to establish eight “En- amounts of money to sponsor a superb gift. By appointing Steve ing ability to tackle complex sci- States and commercialized by ergy Innovation Hubs” inside the frivolous or unnecessary research. Chu Secretary of Energy, Steve ence and technology problems. But DOE. These innovation hubs, “I would love PCAST to look Sony. It took a while for Sony to Koonin and Kristina Johnson, Un- amidst the euphoria accompanying modeled after Bell Labs where at the [Department of Energy] commercialize this, but they had der Secretaries for Science and En- the selection of the first science Chu used to work, would each and especially the applied areas,” a stick-to-itiveness and perhaps ergy, and Bill Brinkman Director of Nobelist to serve in a President’s focus on solving a specific en- Chu said. “What have we done weren’t punished as much.” the Office of Science, the President Cabinet, there were the inevitable ergy problem facing the country. right? And I want you to tell me To help encourage this kind has arguably handed DOE the best whispers, “Can he tame the DOE They would concentrate on issues what we have done wrong,” add- of research, the department an- scientific team the Department has bureaucrats and create function out that range from improving carbon ing also, “Just don’t fund things nounced in August it will dole out ever had at its highest managerial of dysfunction?” capture and sequestration tech- that violate the second law of $37 million in stimulus spend- levels. Nine months into the effort, the niques, updating the grid, or cre- thermodynamics.” ing to small businesses’ research Chu, a Nobel Laureate, is for- feral DOE child is still fussing. ating new extreme materials. He Though much of what Chu is programs. Working through its mer director of Lawrence Berkeley Chu has been inspiring and has set Laboratory; Koonin is former chief internal goals of streamlining op- hopes that these hubs will attract proposing puts a strong empha- Small Business Innovation Re- scientist at BP and former provost erations and breaking down bar- some of the brightest scientific sis on narrowly focused, mission search and Small Business Tech- of Caltech; Johnson is former pro- riers. But, according to sources on minds to help solve the nation’s directed research, he said that he nology Transfer programs, the vost and vice president for academ- the Hill, the Department’s behavior energy challenges. has no plans on cutting off fund- department will distribute up to ic affairs of Johns Hopkins; and still smacks of remoteness, obfus- However these proposed hubs ing for basic science, including $150,000 to each qualified com- Brinkman, a past APS president, is cation, poor communication, and were recently dealt a legislative astrophysics, cosmology and ma- pany to invest in technologies former vice president for research more than a modicum of arrogance. blow in Congress. The Senate terial sciences. ranging from power plant cooling at Bell Laboratories. In these regards, DOE seems only approved funding for three “That’s good stuff,” Chu said, to gas turbine and solar technol- As Ira Gershwin’s 1930 Girl out of step with the White House, hubs in 2010’s budget, while the “Actually having something to ogy. Each company will have six Crazy lyrics read, “Who could ask which has worked hard to accord House authorized only one. Chu focus the mind is not so bad.” months to develop the viability of for anything more?” Well I could, Congress appropriate respect as a said that he hopes when the two Chu also asked the council to their work before having to apply and I do. co-equal branch of government. budgets are reconciled, the Senate look into ways to encourage more for the second phase of grants. In Washington’s corridors of To be fair, most members of Chu’s version prevails and three of the research in the private sector. He power, the Department of Energy team have been in place for less hubs are funded. said economic factors often im- At the PCAST meeting, Chu has an extraordinary reputation, than four months, and many policy “First I had trouble convincing pede a company’s ability to in- emphasized that his major focus and it’s not extraordinarily good. positions still remain unfilled. Still the House this was a good idea,” vest in long term projects, even is on turning scientific discover- Ask any Capitol Hill staffer or there are signs that the new team Chu said, adding that he made the if they show promise. Wall Street ies into practical, mass market Member of Congress to name the may not be acting fast enough. mistake of not appealing to the analysts can be sharply critical of applications. federal agencies with the worst rep- When DOE released its budget members of congress for fund- large amounts of money devoted “It’s not about writing re- utations, and the two that surface for FY 2010, it included a request ing in person. He said also that he to research, causing the company search papers anymore,” Chu most often are the Department of for funding eight “Energy Hubs” at plans to make a more effective, to shy away from continuing it. said, “You’ve got to deliver the Homeland Security and the Depart- $25 million per year. With enthusi- personal plea for their inclusion “I have heard time and time goods.” ment of Energy. Years after their asm that was positively contagious, GRANT continued from page 1 births–and in DOE’s case it’s been Chu described them as mini Bell 32 years–they continue to exhibit Labs, where scientists would be funding institutions to build looked part of the mission state- physical science courses these behavior characteristic of children able to devote their creative ener- model physics teacher prepara- ment may be among the most teachers take. run amok. gies to addressing pressing energy tion programs. The new award visible and valued parts of what The new funding will also Congress created both depart- needs, freed from the cumbersome will provide funding for eigh- external constituencies expect support research projects aimed ments from mélanges of disparate overlapping levels of bureaucratic teen new sites to join the four- the institution to do in exchange at determining the impact Phys- federal programs and forced their oversight for which the Department teen that have already received for the public financial support TEC teachers are having in the often-incongruent cultures into un- of Energy has become famous. He funding from the project. it receives.” classroom, assessing the sus- natural cohabitation. The result: wasn’t wearing jeans and a black PhysTEC institutions have UNC-CH recently graduated tainability of reforms instituted unwieldy bureaucracies, disruptive turtleneck, but Steve Jobs would increased the rate at which its first physics teacher in over a at PhysTEC sites, and identi- turf battles, and excessive stove have given him a high five for be- teachers graduate by up to a fac- decade, and has several more in fying best practices in physics piping. (There are some public ser- ing inspirational. tor of 10. Sites have increased the pipeline. Cornell University, teacher preparation programs vants who rise above the miasma Yet, when Congress asked for teacher recruiting efforts, de- Florida International Univer- around the country. In addition, –they know who they are–and I details, DOE officials provided veloped engaging early teach- sity, and the University of Min- the award will support the con- applaud them.) Add to these flaws, conflicting stories about the Hubs, ing experiences, improved con- nesota, the project’s other three tinued development of PTEC— any one of which could be fatal by so much so that appropriators de- tent and pedagogy courses, and currently funded sites, are all a coalition of institutions dedi- itself, a dash of political tone deaf- cided to put most of them on hold. fostered collaboration among physics doctorate-granting uni- cated to improving physics ness, and you have a perfect pre- The appropriators did the same physics departments, education versities, and are also making teacher preparation—as well as scription for Potomac dysfunction- thing with the Department’s bud- schools, and local school dis- significant progress in viewing ongoing dissemination and out- ality. getary request for its clean energy tricts. Teachers-in-Residence– teacher preparation as a legiti- reach efforts, including confer- When Steve Chu took over education and training program local master teachers hired mate activity for a science de- ences, workshops, publications, the reins at the Energy Depart- called RE-ENERGYSE, again as- with project funds–spearhead partment. and activities at APS and AAPT ment’s Forrestal headquarters, no BELTWAY continued on page 4 many of these efforts, and also In addition to funding nine meetings. provide critical mentoring that more traditional sites, the new In the past few years, Phys- helps keep teachers in the class- award will allow the project TEC has received significant In addition to NSF funding, aspects of this project is helping room. to provide smaller grants to recognition from other leaders APS has pledged over $2 mil- physics faculty and their institu- In the last few years, the nine “pilot” sites to implement in science teacher preparation. lion of the proceeds from its 21st tions realize their ability to have project has made major strides experimental and innovative According to Michael Marder, Century Campaign to PhysTEC. a significant impact in this area. in engaging physics depart- programs such as part-time co-director of the University of “APS remains committed to We are looking forward to sup- ments at research universities Teachers-in-Residence, four-year Texas at Austin’s UTeach sci- PhysTEC and to the goal of edu- porting a new cadre of physi- in teacher preparation. Laurie physics education degree tracks, ence and math teacher prepara- cating future physics teachers,” cists who are engaged in these says President Cherry Murray. McNeil, former Physics Depart- and partnerships with two-year tion program, “PhysTEC leads issues. With this new grant, we “We are very pleased to receive ment chair and PhysTEC site colleges. Through these pilot the way in showing universi- are particularly looking to target this award, which will enable us leader at the University of North awards, project leaders hope ties how to reform their courses areas and populations of critical Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC- to develop models that are ef- and programs to increase the to continue to lead the physics community in addressing this im- need—those students who have CH), says an institution such as fective at smaller institutions. number of physics majors who traditionally not had access to a hers “rarely considers the prepa- The project also hopes to pro- become teachers. PhysTEC is a portant issue.” Ted Hodapp, Director of Edu- high-quality physics education.” ration of high school teachers vide funding for PhysTEC sites model for every scientific dis- cation and Diversity at APS, di- For more information about to be a central part of its mis- to improve elementary teacher cipline that wants to make deep rects the PhysTEC project. He PhysTEC, see www.PhysTEC. sion…However, especially at a education by implementing changes in how much students says, “One of the most rewarding org. state institution, this often-over- research-based curricula in the learn in high school.” 4 • October 2009 APS NEWS

No Simple Answer to Brain Drain Problem Letters I must respectfully voice my points out that had the very same for those scientists. But the benefits skepticism with regards to Nina Fe- tools and accumulated data been will always be short-lived as soon Survival Unites Science and Religion doroff's concept of “science diplo- made available to, say, a monk liv- as university professors find them- I read the recent discussions in ily apparent to those who choose to macy”–especially since I am one of ing in medieval times, the discov- selves once again preoccupied with, the APS News carefully but found look, this concern is hardly univer- many scientists who are part of the ery would never have been made say, financing the health care and no trace of what I regard as the cru- sal. An honest appraisal of our cur- “brain drain” mentioned in her “The simply because the monk would not education of their children by work- cial connection between science and rent efforts surely suggests the need Back Page” essay (August/Septem- have the time or the energy to re- ing a second job. In the long run, I religion. Ensuring the long term sur- for science to enhance our chances ber APS News). She oversimpli- flect on the matter: He would have believe this type of foreign aid sim- vival of human civilization strikes for success in this endeavor. fied the problem by disregarding been too preoccupied with laboring ply exacerbates a scientist’s desire me as a religious concern, whatever lessons from history regarding the for sustenance and protecting him- to move to greener pastures, by re- its origin. Despite the many factors Elmer Eisner development of science in various self from brigands, among many minding them what they are miss- threatening long term survival read- Houston, TX civilizations from antiquity to mod- things. There is a parallel situation ing. It is true that a paradigm shift ern times. In every case, science for scientists in brain-drain coun- is needed if we are to ease the brain DeWitt Not Split on Many Worlds Idea has flourished only in societies that tries: a significant part of their time drain and become equal partners I was happily surprised to find ly replied “Touché.” However, the have stabilized economically and and energy is diverted to problems across a “flat world,” but it would that Bryce DeWitt was featured in remark “I do not feel myself split” politically. This is well discussed that simply don’t exist in devel- be naive to expect such a partner- “This Month in Physics History” in has been construed as an initial re- by Steven Johnson in his book, The oped countries, and none of these ship until the quality of life in de- the May 2009 issue of APS News. jection by DeWitt. The article is excellent. I am currently editing a book Invention of Air. In reflecting on the problems are addressed by “science veloping countries is significantly Unfortunately, it contains one The Pursuit of Quantum Grav- conditions under which the legend- diplomacy.” Granted, we have to improved. wrong statement1 that I have tried ity, Memoirs of Bryce DeWitt from ary Joseph Priestley first discov- do something regardless, and such to rectify2 for many years–namely 1946 to 2004 that will be published ered the ecological relationship be- programs do provide much needed Albert A. Gapud “Ironically, it was Bryce DeWitt in the near future by Springer-Ver- tween plants and animals, Johnson moral support and encouragement Mobile, AL who changed his mind.” In fact, lag. I hope this book will set the re- DeWitt promoted Everett’s work cord straight once and for all. Indirect Costs Should be Decoupled from the very beginning. When Arthur Bienenstock’s article in sions of indirect cost rates are pain- is to decouple the award amount John A. Wheeler asked DeWitt to Cecile DeWitt-Morette the July 2009 issue of APS News, ful for faculty” because increases from indirect costs. So, if a partic- read Everett’s , DeWitt found Austin, TX entitled “Administrative Burdens eat into money available for re- ular NSF program has a ceiling of it “new and refreshing.” His only Stifle Faculty and Erode University search, and that “faculty will protest $100K per year, all of that $100K 1Peter Byrne “The Many Worlds of Hugh Ever- reservation “I do not feel myself ett”, Dec. 2007, pp 98-105. Resources,” is a thorough and pen- strongly to Congress should there would be available for direct costs. split” was quickly dispelled by Ev- etrating analysis of the many fac- be a move to lift the cap ...” If the grant is funded, NSF will ne- erett’s response that we do not feel 2Cecile DeWitt-Morette “Letter to the Editor”, tors that confront faculty and uni- Allowing faculty to charge di- gotiate directly with the university Scientific American April 2008 p14 and p18 the earth move. DeWitt immediate- (as edited by Scientific American). versity administrations in managing rectly for administrative support, to arrive at the appropriate indirect research grants. as the article suggests, would in- costs for that grant. While this still Advisers Care About More Than Physics The main argument is that “The crease the management burden on leaves open the question of what Regarding the “Profile in Ver- nology. Though, that must explain most appropriate way of deal- researchers, and could lead to less is the appropriate reimbursement satility” in the August/September how we end up wasting billions ing with ... administrative burdens than optimal use of staff positions. rate for universities, it has the ben- APS News: I find it profoundly of dollars on “missile defense sys- resulting from federally-funded Also, some of the costs of feder- efit that faculty researchers may be sad, that people who by their own tems”... and those advisers end up research would be to lift the cap ally-funded research, especially more willing to support the concept admission first and foremost care as defense industry executives. on administrative cost reimburse- those involving human and animal of full reimbursement under these about money and power, are also ment,” so that universities are treat- subjects, will remain unrecovered. conditions. those who advise US senators on Vyacheslav Lukin ed the same way as other non-profit I think another approach to the the physics of the US defense tech- Alexandria, VA and for-profit sectors. Bienenstock problem which would get immedi- B. Ramu Ramachandran also acknowledges that “discus- ate support from faculty researchers Ruston, LA Wise Old Proton Saved in Stirring Tale BELTWAY continued from page 3 serting that DOE officials had not presentations that relied on Depart- registered lobbyists. (Disclaimer: There are many books written as a full partner. kept Congress sufficiently informed ment funds and laboratory ameni- to introduce science concepts to The NSF ultimately passed I am one.) Although the Obama children, but Jill Linz and Cindy on the funding, and Linz and about the rationale. ties, including, as bizarre as it may White House now has an open door Schwarz’s new offering has taken Schwarz opted instead to write But congressional complaints sound, telephones and printing ser- policy regarding meetings with lob- a different approach from most and publish the story themselves. about the Department’s failure to vices. byists, the Department of Energy others. The two spent much time together communicate extend far beyond Isolating itself from Congress doesn’t. That’s bad policy. It’s also budget matters. For years, Mem- and making it difficult for elected “[It’s] the adventures of Niles at the 2008 New York State meet- a violation of the First Amendment. bers have bemoaned DOE’s aver- officials to see first hand how - re and Livvie, who just happen to be ing in Cornell fleshing out and Call me a cockeyed optimist sion to advertising its science dis- searchers–some of them, their own atoms,” said Linz, “It’s the story writing the story. Their plan is to –credit Richard Rodgers–but I re- of how they accidently invent expand Adventures in Atomville coveries on the Hill. Many other constituents–have used DOE funds main confident that Chu’s team will something called ‘the macroscope’ into an ongoing series. Schwarz agencies do it, some, like NASA, to advance science, medicine and and discover the outside world for said that they already have most of with extraordinary pizzazz. the economy is hard to fathom. pursue the needed reforms. Still, the first time.” the next two in the series planned But DOE recently threw up Isolation is a term that also fits their task is immense, the DOE bu- Nearly all of the characters out. roadblocks when national facilities DOE’s policy on meeting with sci- reaucracy has extraordinary inertia in Adventures in Atomville: The Schwarz received her PhD users tried to organize educational ence advocates, who happen to be and the clock is running. Macroscope are atoms. Niles (a at Yale in experimental particle nitrogen) and Livvie (an oxy- physics, and began her career by gen) free Penelope the Wise Old teaching the subject at Vassar. Proton from the captivity of the When in the early nineties the Su- Royal Benzenes and return her to perconducting Supercollider proj- Lord Neon’s Castle. The two sides ect was canceled, she shifted her By Michael Lucibella are in the midst of a dispute as to focus from research to outreach. whether the citizens of Atomville In 1992 she authored her first chil- should work for the molecules, or dren’s book, A Tour of the Atomic live freely in a gaseous state. The Zoo, and edited its follow-up Tales book reads as a young adult chap- of the Particle Zoo, a collection ter book aimed at grades three of short stories by Vassar students through five. starring subatomic particles. “In other kids’ books it’s more Linz received her master’s de- of an overt science lesson,” Linz gree in theoretical physics at RPI, said, “In Atomville, that’s not the and now teaches physics full-time objective. The objective is a story at Skidmore College. Her classes plain and simple.” are aimed at teaching non-physics Both Linz and Schwarz are majors practical fundamentals of physics professors and have done physics they can use in their fields. a great deal of work with out- Her course “Sound and Music” reach. The two met two years is primarily aimed at musicians, ago through a mutual colleague while her other course “Light in APS’s New York section. Linz and Color” appeals mostly to art first asked Schwarz to join her ad- students. In 2000 she started the visory board for an NSF grant she Physics Outreach project, where was applying for. She hoped to she collaborated with the NYU create an animated series based on film school to create two “Falling the Atomville characters she had Bodies” videos to introduce basic been using for years in lectures. physics concepts to elementary Schwarz asked to come on board school students.

© Michael Lucibella 2009 APS NEWS October 2009 • 5

AIR FORCE continued from page 1 Astronomers submit a request bell, an astronomer at the Keck percent of observing nights. to the Laser Clearing House two Telescope, adding that poor Observatories have adapted to Education C orner to three days before their obser- weather is a more serious con- the restrictions by scheduling ex- A column on educational programs and publications vations, stating when and where cern, as it can cut observations posures around the interruptions. they plan to aim the laser. The by a third. He said also that over- Additionally some observatories SPIRAL-3 program at the clear- all the restrictions have had only like Keck request that anyone us- 2010 PTEC Conference ing house tracks the orbits of a small impact on operations at ing the telescope on a given night satellites and calculates “shutter Keck. have a backup plan that doesn’t The 2010 Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PTEC) Conference times,” periods when the obser- The net amount of time lost require a laser. will be held in Washington, DC, on February 12-13, in conjunction vatory must switch off the laser to shutter times is usually only a “We’ll just power through with the APS April Meeting, the American Association of Physics to avoid passing satellites. With few minutes, but these interrup- Teachers (AAPT) Winter Meeting, and the National Society of Black some of these shorter closures,” these safety measures in place, tions can interfere with sensitive Campbell said, “We just roll with Physicists and National Society of Hispanic Physicists meeting. The there have been no known in- observations. “A three second in- theme will be Diversity in Physics Education: Preparing Teachers for the punches.” stances of a laser beam harming terruption could mean interrupt- the 21st Century. There is no formal law requir- an orbiting satellite. ing a three hour long exposure,” ing compliance, but all US and The Federal Aviation Admin- said Antonin Bouchez, the adap- For more information, see www.PTEC.org/conferences/2010. US-supported observatories vol- istration also regulates the la- tive optics head at the Palomar untarily abide by the Air Force’s ser’s usage. It requires that spot- telescope. Online Physics Careers Resource Launched restrictions. The National Sci- ters outside the observatory keep Though there are no defini- The Physics Careers Resource (www.compadre.org/careers) is watch and shut off the laser if tive studies on the dangers posed ence Foundation does explicitly a new website designed to provide physics career information any aircraft nears the beam. by these lasers, most laser op- require any telescope using its and resources to students, parents, and teachers. The site brings A study prepared last year by erators agree that the odds of a funds to follow Air Force guide- together information specifically tailored to the needs of each of these the Association of Universities laser damaging a satellite’s in- lines. The regulations also act as groups at various levels, including middle school (e.g., programs for Research in Astronomy said struments are small. Satellites in a liability shield for observato- such as Physics Quest), high school (e.g., information about physics ries, in the unlikely event a satel- scholarships), and college (e.g., links to the Grad School shopper, that newly expanded restrictions low Earth orbit travel at average lite is damaged. the Society of Physics Students, and the Physics Today job feed). by Space Command have had speeds around 17,000 miles per In addition, the website hosts a large collection of physicist profiles, “a very significant impact on hour and would cross a beam None of the astronomers in- which are designed to give students a sense of what physicists do, science operations” at Gemini for only a few milliseconds. If terviewed said that laser safety and how physics informs their careers. The profiles illustrate physics North Observatory in Hawaii. the two were to cross, the satel- measures were unnecessary, but careers that bridge many areas of interest, and that are accessible at The report, “AURA’s Assess- lite would likely need to have its these measures have sparked various stages of the degree path. The site also provides statistical ment of Adaptive Optics” said optical scanner aimed directly frustration and a growing con- information related to physics careers and an overview of careers in that newly broadened zones of at the beam to cause any dam- cern about the future of US as- various fields. avoidance around satellites have age. Generally satellites observ- tronomical endeavors. Observa- The Physics Careers Resource is a member of the comPADRE digital caused more interruptions. ing Earth at night record infrared tories outside the United States library, which is a partnership between APS, AAPT, and the American “The significant negative im- wavelengths outside the narrow are not bound by US Space Com- Institute of Physics (AIP), and a member of the National Science pacts of these new restrictions on visual spectrum of the lasers. mand’s guidelines, leading to Digital Library. scientific productivity are being The Air Force did not respond concerns that the United States felt now,” the report read, “Only to submitted questions about could lose some of its competi- NSF Graduate Research Fellowships to triple; 2009 50-63% of science targets have their policies before press time. tive edge in astronomy. deadline approaching suitable clearance windows on a The long approval process “If this keeps on continuing at given night.” has limited astronomers’ ability more and more observatories, it President Obama plans to triple the number of National Science Craig Foltz, acting division to respond to unexpected events. puts us at a disadvantage,” said Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships awarded by 2013. In a director of astronomical sciences Phenomena that happen without Christou, “It gives them [Europe] speech in April, Obama said, “This program was created as part of at the National Science Founda- warning, such as supernovae or the space race five decades ago.I n the decades since, it’s remained an advantage we don’t have,” tion, said he is aware of more gamma ray bursts, can be over largely the same size–even as the numbers of students who seek Foltz recently began a dia- instances where the guide star’s by the time the LGS is approved. these fellowships has skyrocketed. We ought to be supporting logue between the NSF and the use was limited. “As it becomes more routine, these young people who are pursuing scientific careers, not putting Air Force about changing the la- “Towards the end of 2007, and especially with this rapid re- obstacles in their path.” According to the NSF, “this prestigious ser restrictions. He said that the Fellowship is the flagship for the federal government in supporting the the Laser Clearing House list of sponse science where a lot of as- foundation has had some pre- broad array of science and engineering disciplines across all fields as restrictions seemed to get a bit tronomers want to look at things well as international research activity.” tighter,” Foltz said. that didn’t exist yesterday, it be- liminary fact-finding talks with These shutter times vary comes a bigger issue,” said Bou- the Air Force, but has not yet dis- The deadlines for this year’s round of applications are in early nightly depending on the flight chez. cussed specific policy changes. November, with the exact deadline dates depending on the field of paths of passing satellites. Usu- Space Command on occasion “We don’t want to misstep, research. For more information, see www.nsfgrfp.org ally lasers need to be shuttered transmits last minute orders to we don’t want anybody to think the scientists are being arrogant,” Roster of Physics Departments for five to fifteen seconds ata shutter beams. These unanticipat- stretch. When observatories are ed shutter times can be the most said Foltz, “We really want to be The AIP’s Statistical Research Center recently released its annual studying areas of the sky near the disruptive, as they come unex- good citizens with respect to the “Roster of Physics Departments with Enrollment and Degree Data” for slower-moving geosynchronous pectedly and usually last much Air Force.” He added also that 2007-2008 academic year. The center reports that 5,767 bachelor’s satellite band, blackout periods longer than the predetermined while laser guide star use was not degrees were awarded in 2008–a number essentially unchanged could last up to several minutes. times. Campbell estimated that at the top of the NSF’s list of pri- from the previous year. The 1,499 PhDs granted that year represents “The percentage of lost time the Keck telescope gets calls to orities, “It is an inefficiency, and a 38% increase since 2004, but the number is expected to stabilize, to Space Command is around switch off their beam for 30 min- I do think it is something we’re as graduate enrollments have leveled off in recent years. two percent,” said Randy Camp- utes to a few hours on five to ten going to have to work out.” For more information, see www.aip.org/statistics. CLIMATE continued from page 1 PhysTEC Receives $150k in Supplemental Noyce only 5 of the 6 Nature authors) tacting an appropriate member found at www.aps.org/about/gov- can be found at tinyurl.com/ of Council. Each APS division ernance/executive/councillors. Funding lg266u. and forum has its own Council- cfm. The officers of the Society, The PhysTEC Noyce Scholarship program recently received $150k Members who wish to pro- lor, and sections are represented who are ex officio members of from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to supplement the initial vide their input on these issues on a rotating basis. There are Council, are listed separately at $750k awarded in 2008. The program, which gives scholarships prior to the Council meeting on also eight General Councillors. www.aps.org/about/governance/ to future physics teachers at PhysTEC sites, will use part of the November 8 can do so by con- A list of Council members can be executive/officers.cfm . supplement to enable PhysTEC Noyce sites to hire part-time Teachers- in-Residence, who will help recruit and mentor future teachers. The part-time TIR model is based on a pilot program at Seattle Pacific APS Statement on Climate Change University, one of the six PhysTEC Noyce sites. The project will also (Adopted by Council November 18, 2007) provide professional development and physics education research opportunities for PhysTEC Noyce teachers, create a video designed Emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities are changing the atmosphere in to recruit physics teachers, and support learning communities among ways that affect the Earth’s climate. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide as well as PhysTEC Noyce Scholars. The program is run jointly by APS and methane, nitrous oxide and other gases. They are emitted from fossil fuel combustion and a AAPT. range of industrial and agricultural processes. The evidence is incontrovertible: Global warming is occurring. If no mitigating actions are Interviews with Physicists taken, significant disruptions in the Earth’s physical and ecological systems, social systems, security and human health are likely to occur. We must reduce emissions of greenhouse The AIP’s Center for History of Physics and Library & gases beginning now. Archives have mounted over 400 transcripts of interviews with Because the complexity of the climate makes accurate prediction difficult, the APS urges physicists on their web site. This site also highlights voice clips of Einstein, , , and other famous physicists. an enhanced effort to understand the effects of human activity on the Earth’s climate, and to To explore the oral histories, visit www.aip.org/history/nbl/oralhistory.html. provide the technological options for meeting the climate challenge in the near and longer terms. The APS also urges governments, universities, national laboratories and its member- ship to support policies and actions that will reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Focus on

Focus on

6 • October 2009 APS NEWS

ELECT continued from page 1 National Ignition Facility at LLNL, ics and Professor of Applied Phys- cal engineering and physics and and the Canadian Institute of Pho- ics at Yale, where he also serves as astronomy in 1998. Since the fall ocus on tonics. Since 1995 he has been an Deputy Provost for Science and of 2006 he has been the director of active part of the National Research Technology. He has served on and the UCLA Institute for Digital Re- Council; in 2007 he worked on a chaired various advisory boards, search and Education. Mori’s cur- directed energy study for the NRC including the APS Divison of Con- rent research interests are in plas- Board on Army Science and Tech- densed Matter Physics, the Kavli ma physics, laser and beam plasma nology. He served on the NRC Institute of Theoretical Physics in interactions, plasma-based accel- Hadronic Physicists Committee on Optical Sciences and Santa Barbara, and the National erators and light sources, inertial Engineering, the NRC Committee Research Council Committee that confinement fusion, high energy on Inertial Confinement Fusion, wrote the 1999 decadal report on density science, relativistic shocks, Find a Home and the NIST NRC advisory board condensed matter and materials and high performance computing. By Lauren Schenkman as vice chair of the physics panel. physics, among others. In his candidate’s statement, Byer has published more than “We face an era of fiscal uncer- Mori emphasized the need to at- 500 scientific papers and holds 50 tainty with risks to the world econ- tract talented students to physics In textbook diagrams, the fell through the cracks be- patents in the fields of lasers and omy as well as to our educational and to convince the government of proton can look deceptively tween these two areas. In ear- nonlinear optics. He was elected and research institutions,” Girvin the “value and need for funding in simple, a tiny spherical sun ly 2000, led by Eric Swanson, to the National Academy of Engi- said in his candidate’s statement. basic research in physics.” holding the electron in its or- Ted Barnes, Alex Dzierba and neering in 1987 and to the National “The world faces additional risks “This is also an auspicious time bit. But furled inside the pro- James Bjorken, hadronic physi- Academy of Sciences in 2000. He in a rapidly changing environment where our society faces grand chal- ton is a mysterious congeries cists began pushing to form has been honored with numerous increasingly dominated by poorly lenges such as climate change and of quarks, antiquarks, and glu- a cohesive community within awards; in 2009 alone he received understood technologies.” In the energy shortfalls,” he said. “It is ons that obey laws still muddy APS, achieving official status the W. E. Lamb medal for Laser face of these risks, the nominating more important than ever that the to physicists. Known as quan- Science and Quantum Optics, the in 2002. 2010 Presidential Line tum chromodynamics, these “Our goals were to raise the Frederic Ives Medal/Quinn Endow- laws are fertile ground for new visibility of hadronic physics,” ment from the Optical Society of discoveries, including the re- Swanson explained. “The field America, and the IEEE Photonics markable property of “asymp- had (and still has) the prob- Award. Focustotic freedom”on that earned Topic Da- Groups“Physics and the understanding lem that it is a part of particle vid Gross, , and physics that is not pursuing of the world through physics is an H. David Politzer the 2004 No- exciting and worthwhile career, Topicthe Higgs orGroups the next Stan- Curt Callan Cherry Murray Barry Barrish Bob Byer bel Prize. But quantum chro- dard Model, so it is missing a and I think one of the main things President Past President President Elect Vice President modynamics is far from com- natural home. It also tends to the American Physical Society can pletely understood. Focus on Topicbe funded by Nuclear Physics, Groups do is help carry that excitement to committee needs to find leaders APS be visible and vocal in driv- “We are still struggling with the next generation of young men who will make APS instrumen- ing science policy.” which heightens the confu- much of the basic theory,” said and women interested in science tal in “providing solid evidence- Belita Koiller earned her PhD sion.” Stan Brodsky, a theorist at and the application of science,” based information to our policy at UC Berkeley in 1975 and is According to Winston Rob- Stanford University and SLAC Byer said. “Beyond that we have makers and the general public,” currently a professor at the Phys- erts, the group’s current chair National Accelerator Labora- an obligation to speak out as physi- he said. Restructuring the under- ics Institute at Universidade Fed- and a theorist at Florida State tory and the rising chair of cists on those technical and techno- graduate physics curriculum, he eral do Rio de Janeiro. As a con- the APS Topical Group on Ha- University, one of the GHP’s logical issues that are important to added, could help diffuse the valu- densed matter theorist, Koiller has dronic Physics. “It’s so compli- goals is to provide hadronic us today. That includes communi- able problem-solving skills learned contributed to the understanding cated.” physicists with “a forum to dis- cation across the globe, openness in physics to students of biology, of the properties of disordered As a consequence, some cuss things they’re interested in the [basic] research programs… medicine, and engineering. solids, particularly disordered of the world’s most power- in.” that support all of us and the next Marta Dark’s research focuses chains and semiconductor alloys. ful particle accelerators are To that end, the group held generation, and the understanding on laser interactions with bioma- More recently, she has been inter- devoted to peering into the its third biennial conference on of how best to generate and uti- terials, including the study of elec- ested in quantum control of indi- proton. Brookhaven National hadronic physics just days be- lize energy, and the outcomes of tro-optical effects on nematic liq- vidual electrons’ spin and charge Lab’s Relativistic Heavy Ion fore the 2009 April Meeting in new forms of energy and how we uid crystals, and the photoacoustic in semiconductors, aiming at ap- Collider smashes beams of Denver. It was the largest yet, can benefit mankind by developing and photothermal effects in soft fi- plications in quantum information gold ions, melting the protons featuring more than 90 partici- those new forms of energy.” brocartilage tissues. She earned her and quantum computing. and neutrons and freeing their pants and 80 talks on every- In his candidate’s statement, PhD in Physics from MIT in 1999 Koiller received a Guggen- quarks and gluons in a plasma thing from jet physics to lattice Byer said it was crucial to balance and spent a year as a postdoctoral heim Fellowship in 1982, and in that’s hotter than the sun and quantum chromodynamics to the nation’s “investments in health associate at the Center for Bio-Mo- 1995 became the first woman to lasts just a few billionths of a heavy-ion physics. and medicine with investments lecular Science and Engineering be elected a full member of the second. Meanwhile, Thomas “I think the meetings we in the physical sciences and engi- at the Naval Research Laboratory. Brazilian Academy of Sciences Jefferson National Accelera- organize do generate an atmo- neering.” Part of that investment In 2000, she joined the physics in the Physical Sciences division. tor Facility’s accelerator fires sphere in which new collabora- involves modifying immigration department at Spelman College, In 2002 she was distinguished an electron beam at a proton tions can get formed,” Roberts policies to continue attracting the where she works to include model- as a Commander of the National target, probing the three-di- said. Members can look for- best and brightest foreign scien- ing of real phenomena in the phys- Order of Scientific Merit by the mensional quark structure for ward to a strong presence at tists, and changing export controls ics curriculum. presidency of Brazil, and was the explanations of the proton’s next year’s April Meeting in to keep America engaged in inter- Dark has served on local and L’Oréal UNESCO Laureate for macroscopic properties, such February 2010, when the GHP national collaborations. He said he national committees, ranging from Women in Physical Sciences in as mass, spin, and magnetic will present two invited ses- sees APS taking a leading role, not the Chemical and Biological Phys- Latin America in 2005. moment. Other high-profile fa- sions on the latest advances. only in pushing for these policy ics section of the National Society Koiller was elected to three cilities, such as the Large Had- The GHP has also played an changes, but in “[engaging] the of Black Physicists, to New York four-year terms as general coun- ron Collider and Fermilab, also important role in nominating next generation in the intellectual University’s “Physics in the Sci- cilor of the Brazilian Physical So- host important hadronic phys- deserving hadronic physicists excitement and benefits of a career ence Curriculum” Network sum- ciety and served for three years on in science.” mer seminar. She is currently the ICSU Committee on Capacity ics projects. for APS Fellowship, ensuring Hadronic physics plays a Byer added that transitioning completing her term on the APS Building in Science. In 2008 she that they’re not lost in the par- role in medicine and energy; to renewable, non-polluting en- Committee on Minorities and has became a member of the IUPAP ticle physics and nuclear phys- proton and pion beams fight ergy sources will foster economic served on the American Associa- commission on semiconductors, ics crowd. But that role would tumors, and a greater grasp of growth, especially if physicists can tion of Physics Teachers Commit- chairing the IUPAP-sponsored benefit from an increased protons would improve un- guide this change. “A ‘man to the tee on Minorities. 29th International Conference on membership. While the group derstanding of nuclear fuels. moon’-scale international research In her candidate’s statement, the Physics of Semiconductors, has grown to include about Meanwhile, physicists working and development program that in- Dark called herself a “translator held in Rio de Janeiro in 2008. on experiments often come up 400 physicists, Roberts hopes cludes energy technologies from of physics to the general public.” She has been a member of the Ex- with new technologies that find to see the community expand clean coal to fusion and fusion-fis- She identified three major chal- ecutive Committee of the Interna- their way into industry, in the even further. sion hybrid energy is an essential lenges for the physics community: tional Human Rights Network of form of better photomultipliers “The membership could be a investment in the future,” he said encouraging young people, espe- Academics and Scholarly Societ- or detectors that can be used to lot larger than it currently is,” in his candidate’s statement. “We cially women and members of un- ies since 2005. improve Magnetic Resonance he said. “There are people who must learn to manage both the en- derrepresented minorities, to study In her candidate’s statement, Imaging. are members of [the Division vironmental impacts and to create physics and pursue it as a career; Koiller highlighted the impor- Despite this field’s impor- of Particles and Fields and the a safe, non-threatening fuel cycle.” improving Americans’ quantitative tance of helping international tance and prominence, hadron- Division of Nuclear Physics] Steve Girvin is a theoretical literacy; and showing policy mak- scientists gain entry to the US in ic physicists lacked a commu- who should probably consider physicist who works closely with ers and the public how physics can order to work with American re- nity within APS until 2002. joining GHP.” experimentalists to pursue ques- be applied to “solve the pressing searchers. She said she will bring Many hadronic physicists “QCD is so important, it tions in condensed matter, quan- problems of our day.” her experience with the aforemen- were members of the Division deserves a central domain,” tum optics, and cold atom physics. Warren Mori has been a faculty tioned committees and societies to of Particles and Fields or the Brodsky agreed. “This is really He received his PhD from Princ- member at UCLA since earning her new role, in which she looks Division of Nuclear Physics, the natural place for presenting eton in 1977 and is currently the his PhD there in 1987, achieving forward to facilitating internation- but their particular interests the latest work.” Eugene Higgins Professor of Phys- full professorship in both electri- al collaborations. APS NEWS October 2009 • 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS

Let the APS/DPP Job Fair do the work for you! childcare grants available!

APS Division of Plasma Physics small grants of up to $400 JOB FAIR who is eligible Parents/caregivers who plan to attend the APS March or April (February) meeting with their small children or who Looking for a job? November 2-3, 2009 incur extra costs to bring them along or leave them at Hyatt Regency Hotel home. Preference is given to early career applicants. Looking for the ideal Atlanta, GA deadline candidate? Apply by Dec 15 (for February) or January 15 (for March)

Register today at: http://www.aps.org/careers/employment/jobfairs.cfm March Meeting details at http://www.aps.org/meetings/march/services/index.cfm For more information contact Alix Brice at 301-209-3187 or at [email protected] April Meeting (February) details at http://www.aps.org/meetings/april/services/index.cfm Call for India-U.S. Travel Grants Proposals: The Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and the American Physical Society These grants are made possible by (APS) are pleased to announce the launch of two new programs: 1) the India-U.S. Physics funds from the Elsevier Foundation Student Visitation Program, and 2) the India-U.S. Professorship Awards in Physics. and the American Physical Society. Through the Physics Student Visitation Program, U.S. and Indian graduate students may apply for travel funds of U.S. $3,000 to pursue opportunities in physics. The travel funds could be used to attend a short-course or summer institute, to work temporarily in a laboratory, or for another opportunity that the student and the host professor believes is worthy of support. The Physics Student Visitation Program aims to mostly support gradu- ate student travel to India by U.S. citizens, while enabling some students of Indian citizen- ship to travel to the United States. The Professorship Awards in Physics funds physicists in India or the United States wishing to visit overseas to teach short courses or provide a physics lecture series delivered at a U.S. or Indian university. Awards will be up to U.S. $4,000. APS Further details about both programs, including proposal guidelines, are provided at www.aps. Beller and Marshak Lectureship TM org/programs/international/us-india-travel.cfm. Awards-Call for Nominations! The upcoming deadline is 15 October 2009. Recipients will be selected by a joint APS- IUSSTF Review Committee. To: Chairs of the APS Divisions, Topical Groups, Forums, and the Committees on Minorities (COM) and the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP). Professional Skills Development The APS Committee on International Scientific Affairs (CISA) in- vites units and committees that organize sessions at the March for and April APS meetings to submit nominations for the 2010 Beller and Marshak Lectureships. Four lectureships ($2,000 maximum Women Physicists for each lectureship) are awarded every year to provide travel funds to support foreign physicists invited to speak during ses- sions at the following APS meetings: Improve your negotiation skills and learn to communicate your great ideas to your colleagues. Beller Lectureship–for a distinguished physi- When cist from outside of the United States Friday, February 12, 2010, Washington, DC • Two (2) lectureships for the March Meeting Sunday, March 14, 2010, Portland, Oregon (15-19 March, 2010, Portland, OR) Who may apply • One (1) lectureship for the April Meeting Women postdoctoral associates and women faculty in physics. Each workshop will have one session (13-16 February 2010, Washington, DC) aimed at postdocs and one session aimed at women faculty. Marshak Lectureship–for a physicist from a Deadlines to apply developing country or Eastern Europe November 9, 2009 (for February 12) • One (1) lectureship for either the December 7, 2009 (for March 14) March or April Meeting First consideration will be given to applications received by the deadlines. Workshops will be limited in size for optimal benefit. Women of color are warmly encouraged to apply. The deadline for nominations for the 2010 lectureships is Monday, 2 November Participants are eligible to receive a stipend to help cover the cost of travel and up to two nights lodging. 2009. Chairs of eligible units and committees can submit nominations online at http://ultron.aps.org/ Details at http://www.aps.org/programs/women/workshops/skills/index.cfm forms/aps.cgi?ID=1030. These workshops are funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

For International Year Of Astronomy: Request for PhysTEC Proposals The Universe Brought To Your Doorstep PhysTEC requests proposals for new sites to de- Well, at least expert talks about the universe and its contents! The Committee on Status of Minorities in Astronomy (CSMA) of the velop model physics teacher preparation pro- American Astronomical Society, Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO), grams, to begin in the 2010-2011 academic year. the University of Texas at Brownsville (UtB), and members of APS’s Proposals are solicited for two types of sites: DAP, GRG, FHP, and others are cooperating in an attempt to share the excitement of the cosmos with four year colleges and other in- Comprehensive sites, which will receive up to terested groups and organizations. $100k per year for three years. These sites will im- • Ask for what you want (topic, time frame, location), men- tion any cost sharing you can manage, and we will attempt plement the full PhysTEC program, described on www.PhysTEC.org . to find someone who is a good fit. The person will typically come for a day to speak with one or more classes, groups of students, Pilot sites, which will receive up to $25k per year for three years to implement faculty, and so forth. There is no need to arrange a large public talk specific elements of teacher preparation programs. (though it is not forbidden)-we are not trying to compete with pro- grams that do this. The deadline for the first round of applications is November 2, 2009. See • Possible topics might be cosmology, black holes, superno- vae, relativity, life in the universe, history of astronomy/as- www.phystec.org/solicitation for details, requirements, and application materi- trophysics, etc. We have the experience to do this, because most als. Minority-serving institutions are strongly encouraged to apply. of our team was involved in a 2005 World Year of Physics speakers’ bureau that achieved similar goals. PhysTEC's mission is to improve and promote the education of future phys- • To request a speaker, please go to our UTB web site: http:// acc.phys.utb.edu/web/LasCumbres/REQUESTS/howto.html. If per- ics and physical science teachers. PhysTEC is a joint project of the American chance you are willing to be a speaker, please get in touch with one Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers, with sup- or more of the contact folks below. port from the National Science Foundation and the APS's 21st Century Cam- Richard Price (UTB, [email protected]) Keivan Stassun (SCMA, [email protected]) paign. Virginia Trimble (LCO, [email protected]) 8 • October 2009 APS NEWS The Back Page

e are in the midst of paradox in math edu- A Math Paradox: The Widening Gap Between student can perform a technique that solves a Wcation. As more states strive to improve difficult problem doesn’t mean that he or she math curricula and raise standardized test scores, High School and College Math understands the problem. There is a delight- more students show up to college unprepared for ful story recounted by in his college-level math. The failure of pre-college By Joseph Ganem book: Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!: Ad- math education has profound implications for the ventures of a Curious Character, that recounts future of physics programs in the United States. an arithmetic competition between him and an A recent article in my local paper, the Baltimore abacus salesman. (The incident happened in the Sun: “A Failing Grade for Maryland Math,” highlighted 1950’s before the invention of calculators.) this problem that I believe is not unique to Maryland. It The salesman came into a bar and wanted to dem- prompted me to reflect on the causes. onstrate the superiority of his device to the proprietors The newspaper article explained that the math taught through a timed competition on various kinds of arithmetic in Maryland high schools is deemed insufficient by many problems. Feynman was asked to do the pencil and paper colleges. According to the article 49% of high school grad- arithmetic so that the salesman could demonstrate that his uates in Maryland take non-credit remedial math courses method was much faster. Feynman lost when the prob- in college before they can take math courses for credit. lems were simple addition. But he was very competitive at In many cases incoming college students cannot do basic multiplication and won easily at the apparently impossible arithmetic even after passing all the high school math tests. task of finding a cubed root. The salesman was totally be- The problem appears to be worsening and students are wildered by the outcome and left completely discouraged. unaware of their lack of math understanding. The article How could Feynman have a comparative advantage at reported that students are actually shocked when they are hard problems when he lagged far behind at the easy ones? placed into remedial math. Months later the salesman met Feynman at a differ- The article did not shock me. It described my obser- ent bar and asked him how he could do the cubed root so vations exactly. In recent years I’ve witnessed first hand quickly. But when Feynman tried to explain his reasoning sions at Loyola College registering incoming freshmen for the disconnect between the high school and college math he discovered the salesman had no understanding of arith- classes. Time and again students cannot pass the placement curricula. As a parent of three children with current ages metic. All he did was move beads on an abacus. It was exam for college calculus. Many students cannot pass the 14, 17, and 20, I’ve done my share of tutoring for middle not possible for Feynman to teach the salesman additional exam for pre-calculus and that saddles them with a non- school and high school math and I know how little un- mathematics because despite appearances he understood credit remedial math course—the problem described in the derstanding is conveyed in those math classes. Ironically absolutely nothing. The salesman left even more discour- newspaper article. Without the ability to take college-lev- much of the problem arises from a blind focus on raising aged than before. el math the choices students have for majors are severely math standards. This is the problem with teaching eighth-graders tech- limited. No college-level math course means not majoring For example, the problems assigned to my children niques such as matrix inversion. The arithmetic steps can in any of the sciences, engineering, computer, business, or have become progressively more difficult through the be memorized but it will be a long time, if ever, before the social science programs. years to the point of being bizarre. My wife keeps shaking concept and motivation for the process is understood. That A colleague in the engineering department who also her head at how parents without my level of math exper- raises the question of what exactly is being accomplished works summer orientation complained to me that many tise assist their children. My eighth-grade daughter asked with such a curricula? Learning techniques without un- students who wanted to major in engineering could not me one evening how to perform matrix inversions. I teach derstanding them does no good in preparing students for place into calculus. The engineering program is structured matrix inversion in my sophomore-level mathematical college. At the college level emphasis is on understanding, so that no calculus means no physics freshman year and no methods course for physics majors. It is difficult for me to not memorization and computational prowess. physics means no engineering courses until it’s too late to do matrix inversions off the top of my head. I needed to 3. Teaching concepts that are developmentally inappro- complete the program in four years. For all practical pur- refresh my memory by pulling Boas’ book: Mathematical priate. Teaching advanced algebra in middle school pushes poses readiness for calculus as an entering freshman deter- Methods in the Physical Sciences off my shelf. Not exactly concepts on students that are beyond normal development mines choice of major and career. The math placement test eighth grade reading material. at that age. Walking is not taught to six-month olds and given to incoming freshmen at orientation has much higher On another night my eighth-grader brought home a reading is not taught to two-year olds because children are stakes than any test given in high school. But, the place- word problem that read: If John can complete the same not developmentally ready at those ages for those skills. ment test has no course grade or teacher evaluation associ- work in 2 hours and that it takes Mary 5 hours to complete, When it comes to math, all teachers dream of arriving at ated with it. No one but the student has any responsibility how much time will it take to complete the work if John a crystal clear explanation of a concept that will cause an for or stake in its outcome. and Mary work together? That’s an easy problem if you immediate “aha” moment for the student. But those flashes Through the years I’ve found it discouraging as a fac- know about rate equations. Add the reciprocals of 2 and 5 of insight cannot happen until the student is developmen- ulty member to see so many high aspirations dashed at ori- and reciprocate back to get the total time. However it took tally ready. Because math involves knowledge and under- entation before classes even begin. I tell students with poor me a lot of thought to arrive at an explanation of my meth- standing of symbolic representations for abstract concepts math placement scores to go home, review high school od comprehensible to an eighth-grader. it is extremely difficult to short cut development. math over the summer and take the test again. But, few My other daughter struggled through a high-school trig- When I tutored my other daughter in seventh grade al- take my advice. Most students with poor placement scores onometry course filled with problems that I might assign gebra, in her words she “found it creepy” that I knew how switch to majors that do not have significant math require- to my upper-class physics majors. I certainly wouldn’t as- to do every single problem in her rather large textbook. ments. sign problems at such a high level to college freshmen. I When I related the remark to a fellow physicist he said: So if eighth graders are taught math at the level of a kept asking her how she was taught to do the problems. I “But its algebra. There are only three or four things you college sophomore why are graduating seniors struggling? wondered if the teacher knew special techniques unknown have to know.” Yes, but it took me years of development How can students who have studied college level math for to me that made solving them much easier. Alas no such before I understood there were only a few things you had years need remedial math when they finally arrive at col- techniques ever materialized. The problems were as diffi- to know to do algebra. I can’t tell my seventh grader or lege? From my knowledge of both curricula I see three cult as I judged. At least I could solve the problems, a feat anyone else without the proper developmental background problems. the teacher couldn’t manage in a number of cases. the few things you have to know for algebra and send them 1. Confusing difficulty with rigor. It appears to me that For example one problem involved proving a compli- off to do every problem in the book. the creators of the grade school math curricula believe that cated trigonometric identity. My daughter brought it to All three of these problems are the result of the adult “rigor” means pushing students to do ever more difficult me saying she had tried but couldn’t find a solution. I saw obsession with testing and the need to show year-to-year problems at a younger age. It’s like teaching difficult con- immediately that the textbook had an error that rendered improvement in test scores. Age-appropriate development certi to novice musicians before they master the basics of the problem meaningless. One side of the problem had a and understanding of mathematical concepts does not ad- their instruments. Rigor–defined by the dictionary in the combination of trigonometric functions with odd symme- vance at a rate fast enough to please test-obsessed lawmak- context of mathematics as a “scrupulous or inflexible ac- try and for the other side the symmetry was clearly even. I ers. But adults using test scores to reward or punish other curacy”–is best obtained by learning age-appropriate con- told her it was not an identity and that fact could be proven adults are doing a disservice to the children they claim to cepts and techniques. Attempting difficult problems with- with a simple numerical substitution on each side. If it is be helping. out the proper foundation is actually an impediment to de- an identity the equality condition must hold for all values It does not matter the exact age that you learned to veloping rigor. of the angle. A single numerical counter example proves walk. What matters is that you learned to walk at a devel- Rigor is critical to math and science because it allows that it is not an identity. It only took one try to find a coun- opmentally appropriate time. To do my job as a physicist practitioners to navigate novel problems and still arrive at ter example. I need to know matrix inversion. It didn’t hurt my career a correct answer. But if the novel problems are so difficult The next day she reported to me that the teacher that I learned that technique in college rather than in eighth that a higher authority must always be consulted, rigorous couldn’t solve the problem. grade. What mattered was that I understood enough about thinking will never develop. The student will see mathe- “Did you tell him that it is impossible?” I asked. math when I got to college that I could take calculus. matical reasoning as a mysterious process that only experts “I told him it was not an identity and if he put numbers Memorizing a long list of advanced techniques to appease with advanced degrees consulting books filled with incom- in he would find that out. He didn’t believe me. He just test scorers does not constitute an understanding. prehensible hieroglyphics can fathom. Students need to be said ‘We’ll see’.” Joseph Ganem is a professor of physics at Loyola Uni- challenged but in such a way that they learn independent The teacher never talked about that problem again. He versity Maryland and author of the award-winning book: thinking. Pushing problems that are always beyond their did teach the class about the symmetry properties of trigo- The Two Headed Quarter: How to See Through Deceptive ability to comprehend teaches dependence–the opposite of nometric functions but evidently he didn’t understand the Numbers and Save Money on Everything You Buy, that what is needed to develop rigor. usefulness of that knowledge. teaches quantitative reasoning applied to financial deci- 2. Mistaking process for understanding. Just because a At the same time I work the summer orientation ses- sions.

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