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A Publication of the American Physical Society Meet The New APS President JANUARY 2012 • VOl. 21, No. 1 • www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/index.cfm Page 3

APS April Meeting Celebrates Cosmic Rays and More Sorters Set New Records The 2012 APS April Meet- History of Physics, International ing will be held at the Hyatt Re- Physics, and Physics and Soci- gency Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia ety will be participating, along from March 31 through April 3. with the topical groups on En- This year’s theme is “100 Years ergy Research and Applications, of Cosmic Ray Physics,” com- Few-Body Systems, Gravitation, memorating the April day in 1912 Hadronic Physics, Plasma Astro- when Victor Franz Hess accom- physics, and Precision Measure- panied an electroscope into the ments & Fundamental Constants. sky in a balloon and discovered On Saturday, March 31, there a fourfold increase in ionizing ra- will be a keynote plenary session diation as the atmosphere thinned sponsored by the Kavli Founda- out. tion. It will feature Alan Watson The yearly meeting is expect- of the University of Leeds, Ellen ed to host about 1,200 attendees Zweibel from the University of and will feature 72 invited ses- Wisconsin, Madison and Sam- Victor Hess getting ready to measure sions, more than 120 contributed uel C. C. Ting of MIT, speaking cosmic rays, Austria, 1912. Photo by Michael Lucibella sessions, three plenary sessions, about the last century of research poster sessions and a public out- latest research from the APS di- into cosmic rays, plasma physics Sorters for abstracts submitted to the 2012 APS March Meeting in Boston visions of Particles and Fields, met at APS headquarters in College Park on December 3 and 4. The 158 reach event with the local science and cosmic rays, and the Interna- Astrophysics, Nuclear, Computa- sorters tackled a record 8,960 abstracts, for an astonishing A/S ratio of 56.7. center. In addition, the Sherwood tional Space Station’s alpha mag- tional, Plasma and Beam Physics. In the photo, Steve Hudson of NIST, Andrey Dobrynin of the University of Fusion Theory Conference will netic spectrometer respectively. Connecticut and Megan Robertson of the University of Houston debate a fine In addition, the forums on Edu- be co-located with the meeting. In addition, the second ple- point of the sorter's art. cation, Graduate Student Affairs, The meeting highlights the MEETING continued on page 7

APS Report Stimulates New BA Programs at Michigan Tech

By Michael Lucibella 1 National Science Foundation. APS Members Advocate For ACTION ITEMS Michigan Technological Uni- “The motivation for offering Science on Capitol Hill versity is starting two new physics a B.A. in physics to provide stu- degree programs aimed at increas- dents with a strong foundation in Despite cuts to many other port federal funding of research. ing physics literacy and helping physics but fewer course require- agencies, scientific research Mosley said that emailed alerts train new physics teachers, based ments,” said Seel. “It’s basically seemed to be largely protected in are an effective way of engaging what I think APS said in its gen- the recently passed “minibus” bill the membership. Usually only a in part on recommendations from STRENGTHENING THE PHYSICS ENTERPRISE IN UNIVERSITIES AND NATIONAL LABORATORIES der equity report; to create flex- funding multiple federal agencies handful are sent out per year, but an APS report. MAY 6-8, 2007 Located in the northwest part ible tracks for physics majors… A in 2012. The National Institute of they often generate significant re- of the state, Michigan Tech is B.A. basically offers more flexible Standards and Technology, the sponse from the membership. In starting up a new Bachelor of pathways.” National Science Foundation and 2011, two alerts generated 7,685 Arts degree in physics as well as Seel added that the new pro- the science division of NASA messages to Congress. a B.A. in physics with a concen- grams weren’t watering down the all got significant boosts in their tration in secondary education. In science taught in them, but were budgets. Those who worked with one of the recommendation’s from the announcement, provost Max being offered to give students the lawmakers on the budget said that 2007’s Gender Equity report put Seel, a physicist and APS mem- opportunity to get a strong back- input from scientists and scientific out by APS in collaboration with ber, said that they were following ground in science, even if they organizations was instrumental in the Department of Energy and the PROGRAMS continued on page 4 getting members of Congress to continue to fund research. “Throughout the year, APS members played a role in advo- Mid-East Accelerator Getting Close to Completion cating for science budgets,” said Michael Lubell, APS Director of By Michael Lucibella SESAME is a UNESCO-spear- Amy Flatten, APS Director of In- Public Affairs. “It’s not just APS SESAME, the long-awaited headed project to build a 2.5 GeV ternational Affairs, who attended members; it’s cumulative when particle accelerator being built in synchrotron light source in Jordan. the council meeting. you look at science, engineer- the Middle East, seems poised to When completed, it would be the Until recently, the consortium ing and mathematics across the enter its final stages of construc- first such particle accelerator in had been facing a $35 million defi- board.” tion. At SESAME’s recent council the Middle East. The multinational cit in the budget needed to com- Brian Mosley, APS grassroots meeting in Turkey, two countries coalition to build and run the facil- plete the project. However, at this manager, said that reaching out “These are the emails that we have fully signed on to help fill in ity is modeled after the governance meeting, firm commitments from to Congress is important for sci- send out to APS members when its budget gap, and two more are of CERN and features nations that several nations came through, entists if they want congressional very important legislation comes expected to contribute soon as have historically been rivals, such along with pledges from others support of scientific research to up on the Hill,” Mosley said. He well. In addition, the organization as Israel and Iran, collaborating on that will make up the majority of continue. He warned that if scien- highlighted the alert sent out in reports that construction on the ac- the project. Much of the buildings, the needed funds. Israel pledged tists remain disengaged from the February after House Resolution celerator has been moving forward tunnels and radiation shielding has that it would contribute $1 mil- political process, it’s easy for the 1 called for major cuts to sci- according to plan, and, provided been completed, and the first parts lion per year for five years if four needs of scientific research to get ence funding. “We sent that out to the necessary funding comes of the accelerator have just been other members contributed funds overlooked by lawmakers. members and asked them to voice through, it is on track to start up installed. The accelerator itself as well. “Elected officials won’t go out their concerns about it.” in 2015. is in part made up of Germany’s “As of the beginning of this on a limb on issues that won’t af- Similarly, APS operates “Con- “I’d say the outcome was very decommissioned BESSY1 light meeting, Israel has been joined fect a large number of their con- tact Congress” booths at its four good technical progress and en- source. by Jordan and Iran,” said Herman stituents,” Mosley said. “We’re biggest meetings. Members at- couraging news about funding, “SESAME is on track and the Winick, a research professor at not the only ones who have to ex- tending the meetings can sign a but nothing final,” said Sir Chris project is very close to reaching an SLAC and a member of the Ex- plain why we need to get funding prepared letter in support of sci- Llewellyn-Smith of Oxford Uni- agreement between five countries ecutive Committee of the APS Fo- every year.” ence research and address it to versity, who is president of the for 25 of the 35 million needed rum on International Physics. He Every year, APS works to mo- their members of Congress. Af- for completing construction,” said SESAME Council. MID-EAST continued on page 5 bilize its members to act and sup- CAPITOL HILL continued on page 4 2 • January 2012

Members This Month in Physics History in the Media “I’m thankful that the world Elaine Gorham, The New York January 19, 1894: James Dewar produces solid air gives us puzzles we can solve, Times, December 7, 2011. Scientists have long been fascinated by the dif- help create high vacuums, in large part because but not too easily.” ferent phases of matter, particularly the various charcoal was so effective at absorbing gases, par- Frank Wilczek, MIT, on being “Much of the progress in ac- temperatures and pressures at which one phase ticularly at very low temperatures, resulted in a bet- asked what about physics he’s celerators comes out of this kind changes into another. Some of the most ground- ter vacuum. most thankful for, PBS.org, No- of basic research.” breaking work in turning gases into liquids and sol- Dewar came up with the idea of using one glass vember 22, 2011. Drew Baden, University of ids was done in the late 19th century by a Scottish vessel inside another, the double walls separated Maryland, talking about technol- chemist and physicist named Sir James Dewar. by a thin vacuum layer. This kept the liquids cold “Physics is the only piece of ogies from particle accelerators, The youngest of six boys, Dewar was born in for longer periods of time and helped revolutionize magic I’ve ever seen. I’m grate- The Washington Post, December 1842 in Kincardine, Scotland. Orphaned at 15, he low-temperature research. Fellow scientist Heike ful for real magic.” 13, 2011. nonetheless managed to acquire an education, first Kamerlingh Onnes called it a “magnificent inven- Jim Gates, University of attending Dollar Academy, and then studying at the tion, which may be called the most important appli- Maryland, on being asked what “What’s most important is that University of Edinburgh, finding a mentor in the ance for operating at extremely low temperatures.” about physics he’s most thankful the way we are looking for the chemist (Lord) Lyon Playfair. This was the technological breakthrough Dewar for, PBS.org, November 22, 2011. Higgs and the way the LHC is He was keenly interested in physics and chem- needed to continue his work. He gave a series of six looking, are really very different. istry, describing several different formulas for ben- Christmas Lectures in December 1893, concluding “I’m thankful for the arrow If one accelerator sees it and one zene by 1867, as well as publishing papers on such on January 8, 1894, in which he liquefied some of of time, pointing from the past does not, it might be even more varied topics as electro-photom- the air in the lecture hall for the to the future. Without that, every exciting.” etry, the sun’s temperature, and audience. He showed it could moment would look the same.” Dmitri Denisov, Fermilab, the chemistry of the electric arc. remain in liquid form for a good Sean Carroll, Caltech, on Chicago Sun-Times, December By 1875, he had become a pro- while if properly enclosed in a being asked what about physics 13, 2011. fessor of natural experimental “Dewar flask.” Two weeks later, he’s most thankful for, PBS.org, philosophy at the University of he successfully produced solid November 22, 2011. “Occasionally a theorist says Cambridge, and was elected to air at the January 19 meeting of that the biggest discovery would the Royal Institution two years the Royal Institution. “As the physicist Ron Johnson be if we don’t find it because later. In 1878, he began a series Alas, Dewar neglected to pat- once said, I’m grateful to quan- that would mean that everything of studies on the spectroscopy of ent his invention, so he did not tum mechanics for an interesting we did up to now is wrong…I gases, including their behavior reap the immense financial ben- life.” think it would be great to find the when cooled to very low tem- efits when two German glass- Edward Farhi, MIT, on being Higgs boson and understand its peratures. blowers formed Thermos GmbH asked what about physics he’s properties.” This was a burgeoning area and marketed a hugely success- most thankful for, PBS.org, No- Robert Cousins, UCLA, The of research at the time. By 1845, ful commercial product–a ther- vember 22, 2011. Los Angeles Times, December legendary physicist Michael mal insulated beverage container 13, 2011. Faraday had successfully lique- suitable for storing both hot and “Just another shameless effort fied most known gases, except cold liquids–based on his design, to manufacture a false controver- “Black holes give off pairs of for six, which became known which they then patented. Dewar sy, once again.” Higgs bosons, among many oth- as the permanent gases: oxy- Dewar (right) holding a dewar (left) lost a court case to reclaim his Michael Mann, Pennsylvania er things…They produce these gen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon invention rights. State University, on a recently Higgs particles at their horizons, monoxide, methane and nitric oxide. Just two years But his scientific research prospered. Dewar released batch of hacked emails and if you put a detector there, after Dewar joined the Cambridge faculty, two successfully liquefied hydrogen gas in 1898, using from climate scientists, CBSNews. you would see them. But the de- French chemists, Louis Cailletet and Raoul Pictet, a large regenerative cooling machine he built at the com, December 2, 2011. tector would be gobbled up pretty managed to create (independent of each other) oxy- Royal Institution. And he kept improving his meth- quick by the black hole.” gen and nitrogen in liquid form by cooling them to ods, ultimately succeeding in lowering tempera- “It’s big enough you can see John Gunion, University of just 80 degrees above absolute zero. tures to just 13 degrees above absolute zero, a point it…They’re sitting on the table, California, Davis, MSNBC.com, Dewar devoted one of his Friday evening lec- at which every gas except for helium liquefies. out in plain view. The laboratory December 14, 2011. tures at the Royal Institution to this topic, even Dewar very much wanted to make that last isn’t particularly cold or particu- demonstrating the apparatus Cailletet had used to achievement, but on his first attempt to liquefy he- larly hot, it’s just your everyday “Our group and its partners are liquefy the gases. He dreamed of building on that lium, he failed. Helium was scarce at the time, and room.” showing how massive amounts work to liquefy some of the remaining permanent it seems his helium source was contaminated with Ian Walmsley, University of data will be handled and trans- gases. It took more than six years, but ultimately neon gas, which freezes at a higher temperature. of Oxford, on entangling mac- ported in the future.” Dewar prevailed in his quest to liquefy air on June His experimental apparatus became clogged with roscopic diamond samples, Harvey Newman, Caltech, on 5, 1885. ice. FoxNews.com, December 2, breaking the record for fastest By 1891, Dewar could produce liquid oxygen The honor of being the first to liquefy helium 2011. data transfer, BBC.com, Decem- in large quantities, and also showed that it and liq- eventually fell to Onnes in 1908, relying on the ber 14, 2011. uid ozone were strongly attracted by a magnet. But methods Dewar pioneered. Onnes sent a tele- “When you’re in the middle his desire to investigate the liquefaction of gases gram to Dewar on March 5, 1908, announcing the of your career, you can’t just “It’s an awful name…It does at extremely low temperatures further were ham- achievement: “Converted helium into solid. Last take time off for those hobbies… not convey the particle’s true pered by the lack of a means to keep the gases evaporating parts showed considerable vapor pres- Once you’ve retired, you have role, that it is the last missing cold enough long enough to study them. The lique- sures as if liquid state is jumped over.” Dewar was these bursts of energy for all piece of the Standard Model, and fied gases absorbed heat from the ambient air too gracious in his reply: “Congratulations! Glad my these things you wanted to do that it gives mass to the other par- quickly and evaporated back into a gaseous phase. anticipation of the possibility of the achievement for the last 25 years when you ticles.” He tried boxes filled with powdered cork or hay, by known methods confirmed. My helium work ar- were working. I was just talking Michio Kaku, City College including one of his wife’s own hat boxes. rested by ill health but hope to continue later on.” to a woman who had just retired. of New York, on the Higgs Bo- He also studied the electrical properties of su- Onnes received the 1913 Nobel Prize in Phys- She said, ‘I have so many quilt son’s “God Particle” moniker, percooled gases from 1892 to 1895 with Ambrose ics for his work. Dewar did not, although he was patterns in my head, I am going FoxNews.com, December 15, Fleming. His discovery that cooled charcoal could to just make them until I die.’” 2011. DEWAR continued on page 6

Series II, Vol. 21, No. 1 and, if possible, include a mailing label from a recent is- General Councillors ADVISORS January 2012 sue. Requests from subscribers for missing issues will be Haiyan Gao, Marta Dark McNeese, Nergis Mavalvala*, Representatives from Other Societies honored without charge only if received within 6 months Warren Mori, Pierre Meystre, Jorge Pullin*, Keivan G. © 2012 The American Physical Society Fred Dylla, AIP; David R. Sokoloff, AAPT of the issue’s actual date of publication. Periodical Post- Stassun age Paid at College Park, MD and at additional mailing International Councillor International Advisors Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS News, Annick Suzor-Weiner Louis Felipe Rodriguez Jorge, Mexican Physical Society; Membership Department, American Physical Society, Editor•...... Alan Chodos J. Michael Roney, Canadian Association of Physicists One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Chair, Nominating Committee Staff Science Writer ...... Michael Lucibella Lars Bildsten Staff Representatives Art Director and Special Publications Manager...... Kerry G. Johnson APS COUNCIL 2012 Design and Production...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Alan Chodos, Associate Executive Officer; Amy Flatten Proofreader...... Edward Lee President Jill Dahlburg Director of International Affairs; Ted Hodapp, Director Robert L. Byer*, Stanford University Division, Forum and Section Councillors of Education and Diversity; Michael Lubell, Director, Public Affairs; Dan Kulp, Editorial Director; Christine APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X yearly, Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publi- Neil Cornish* (Astrophysics), Thomas Gallagher Giaccone, Director, Journal Operations; Michael monthly, except the August/September issue, by the cation delivered by Periodical Mail. Members residing President-Elect (Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics), Mark Reeves Stephens, Controller and Assistant Treasurer American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Col- abroad may receive airfreight delivery for a fee of $15. Michael S. Turner*, University of Chicago (Biological), Nancy Levinger* (Chemical), Francis Hell- lege Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It contains Nonmembers: Subscription rates are available at http:// man (Condensed Matter Physics), TBA (Computational), Administrator for Governing Committees news of the Society and of its Divisions, Topical Groups, librarians.aps.org/institutional.html. Vice-President James Wallace (Fluid Dynamics), Gay Stewart* (Forum Ken Cole Sections, and Forums; advance information on meetings Malcolm R. Beasley*, Stanford University on Education), TBA, (Forum on Graduate Student Af- of the Society; and reports to the Society by its commit- Subscription orders, renewals and address changes fairs), Michael Riordan (Forum on History of Physics), tees and task forces, as well as opinions. should be addressed as follows: For APS Members– Executive Officer TBA (Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics), Her- * Members of the APS Executive Board Membership Department, American Physical Society, Kate P. Kirby*, Harvard-Smithsonian (retired) man Winick* (Forum on International Physics), TBA Letters to the editor are welcomed from the member- One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, (Forum on Physics and Society), Anthony Johnson (La- ship. Letters must be signed and should include an ad- [email protected]. Treasurer/Publisher ser Science), Ted Einstein (Materials), David McIntyre dress and daytime telephone number. The APS reserves For Nonmembers–Circulation and Fulfillment Divi- Joseph W. Serene*, Georgetown University (Emeritus) (Northwest Section), Wick Haxton* (Nuclear), Marjorie the right to select and to edit for length or clarity. All cor- sion, American Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 Editor-in-Chief Corcoran* (Particles & Fields), John Galayda (Physics respondence regarding APS News should be directed to: Huntington Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. Gene D. Sprouse*, Stony Brook University (on leave) of Beams), Vincent Chan (Plasma), Scott Milner (Poly- Editor, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, Allow at least 6 weeks advance notice. For address mer Physics), Bruce Barrett (4 Corners Section) Past-President MD 20740-3844, E-mail: [email protected]. changes, please send both the old and new addresses, Barry C. Barish*, Caltech January 2012 • 3

New President Ready to Move Forward with Strategic Plan Washington Dispatch A bimonthly update from the APS Office of Public Affairs Robert L. Byer, The William R. ecutive Officer, was a long range of North America. We need to Kenan, Jr. Professor in the De- strategic plan. That plan asked engage the international commu- ISSUE: Budget and Authorization Environment partment of Applied Physics at the general question of what nity more fully, and so one of the Stanford, and the Co-Director of are the ways that the American statements in our strategic plan Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations The November Dispatch reported Congress was set to pass a series the Stanford Photonics Research Physical Society can best serve is to do exactly that, to begin to of “minibus” bills, wrapping several appropriations bills into one piece Center, assumed the APS presi- its members, can best serve engage on an international scale, of legislation. Only one succeeded, covering Commerce, Justice, dency on January 1st 2012. In physicists and the broad com- the physics community broadly. and Science; Agriculture; and Transportation/HUD. the following interview with APS munity, and best serve society. Q: Broadly speaking, what News, he discusses his priorities will be your main focus during To bridge the spending gap, Congress passed another continu- for the Society during his presi- your presidential year, and what ing resolution (CR) that kept departments and agencies operating dential year. approach will you take towards through December 16th. Narrowly averting a government shutdown, Q: What do you see as the achieving these goals? the dueling interests settled their differences at the eleventh hour, most pressing issues facing the A: It will start with a rollout and passed a catchall bill to fund the rest of the government through physics community right now? of the strategic plan, so that the the balance of the fiscal year. The list of key science appropriations A: The most pressing issue Society at large can become fa- for FY12 follows. facing the American Physical miliar with the elements of that Commerce, Justice, & Science Appropriations: Society, which represents a large plan, and then we will begin to fraction of the physics communi- place emphasis on one or two or • NSF (Total) [$6.8B in FY11] – $7.03B ty, is communication about phys- perhaps at most three of the key ◊ Research and Related Activities (RRA) [$5.56B]: $5.72B. ics and the importance of physics elements of that plan and begin ◊ Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction in modern society. to implement those. I just men- (MREFC) [$117M in FY11]: $167M. Q: How do you mean? tioned international engagement, ◊ Education and Human Resources (EHR) [$861M in FY11]: A: Well, we have a number Photo by Ken Cole/APS but “re-imagining meetings” was $829M. of issues that we face both on a Robert L. Byer another statement that came from • NIST Core [$578M in FY11] – $622M national basis and a global ba- the planning process. It’s an in- ◊ Scientific and Technical Research and Services (STRS) sis, and the American Physical We’ve now completed a year of teresting phrase. “Re-imagining [$507M in FY11]: $567M. ◊ Construction of Research Facilities (CRF) [$70M in FY11]: Society has been active in the study on the strategic plan, and meetings.” What it means to me $55M. past in explaining the scientific are about to roll it out to the di- is that APS has an opportunity to ◊ NIST Technology Innovation Program (TIP) [$45M in FY11]: or the physics background that visions of the Society as well as better serve its members and the $0. helps illuminate decisions on the members, and there are a se- community at large by relooking • NASA Science [$4.94B in FY11] – $5.09B. The bill restores fund- those issues. That ranges all the ries of statements in that strategic at how the meetings are struc- ing for the James Webb Space Telescope, per the Senate plan. way from alternate sources of plan which will become our area tured, ways in which we can im- As you will recall, the House bill zeroed out the program, while energy, which have been in the of focus in the next few years as prove them, ways in which they the Senate version restored funding while bumping JWST sup- news recently, to international we begin to implement our stra- can meet member expectations, port $150M above the presidential request in order to achieve a arms control and related activi- tegic plan. for those members that attend 2018 launch. It would also cap the project cost at $8.8B. ties. So when there’s a physics Q: Can you give us a heads and make presentations at the component, the American Physi- up on what some of the strategic meetings. Energy & Water Appropriations: cal Society can undertake stud- plan might contain? Q: How well do you think • DOE Office of Science (Total) [$4.84B in FY11] – $4.89B ies to help clarify from a physics A: One of them is an empha- the Society is serving its mem- ◊ Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) [$422M perspective issues with regard to sis on the international commu- bers and are there any areas in in FY11] – $442M; the major questions that we face. nity and better serving the Soci- which APS programs can be en- ◊ Basic Energy Sciences (BES) [$1.68B in FY11] – $1.69B; Q: What are some other is- ety’s international members. The hanced? ◊ Biological and Environmental Research (BER) [$612M in sues that you see the American American Physical Society has A: APS is one of the largest FY11] – $612M; Physical Society having to ad- historically had a large fraction of physical societies in the world, I ◊ Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) [$376M in FY11]– $402; dress in the coming year? its membership from outside of think second only to the German ◊ High Energy Physics (HEP) [$796M in FY11] – $792M; A: One thing that we’ve un- North America, and today more Physical Society, but we do have ◊ Nuclear Physics (NP) [$540M in FY11] – $550M. dertaken this last year, and it than half of the authors of papers a lead role in journals and pub- • ARPA-E [$180M in FY11] – $275M started with Kate Kirby, our Ex- in our journals are from outside • Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) [$1.80B in PRESIDENT continued on page 6 FY11] – $1.82B

Labor, Health, & Human Services Appropriations:

• NIH (Total) [$30.69B in FY11] – $30.64B

Defense Appropriations:

• DOD 6.1 (Basic) [$1.95B in FY11] – $2.10B • DOD 6.2 (Applied) [$4.45B in FY11] – $4.70B A Smooth and Silky Career Be sure to check the APS Washington Office’s Blog, Physics Front- By Alaina G. Levine line (http://physicsfrontline.aps.org/), for the latest news on the FY12 Budgets. The seemingly pedestrian ra- me, a physicist.” Turns out P&G interest,” he says. According to zor blade you utilize every day is Beauty and Grooming was ex- Parker, what swayed him to pur- ISSUE: Deficit Reduction Cuts to the Federal Budget (Seques- really something quite extraordi- panding its market reach with a sue employment with the cos- trations) nary. Its components are crafted recent acquisition of the Gillette metics giant was the fact that the from advanced composite ma- Company. They needed physi- consumer problems he would be Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Cuts terials and thin films. Its design cists and materials scientists who solving would allow him to flour- Potential funding cuts will be triggered a year from now in the form of automatic across-the board reductions – technically called seques- draws from novel engineering so- could understand the physics be- ish as a physicist, the problems trations–mandated by the 2011 amendments to the Budget Control lutions to reducing friction. And would always be fresh and excit- Act (BCA) of 1985. According to the amended BCA, the recent failure its ability to make anyone’s face, ing, and there would be plenty of of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (AKA: the Super legs and back silky and smooth is other scientists and resources to Committee) to come to an agreement on a debt reduction plan, will owed to talented physicists, like aid him in his technical and engi- initiate $1.2 trillion in sequestrations over nine years, beginning with Jeffrey S. Parker, who have cho- neering endeavors. Fiscal Year 2013. The effect on science funding is not yet known, sen the personal care industry as Once Parker started at P&G, since the sequestrations will apply to appropriations bills that have their professional playground. he soon realized there was an- yet to be written. However, once Congress has acted and the bills Parker, 39, is a Senior Scien- other advantage to serving as a have been signed into law next year, sequestrations will automati- tist at Procter & Gamble (P&G)’s shaving scientist–it is inherently cally reduce defense appropriations by 11% and every account in South Boston Innovation Center. a multidisciplinary endeavor, non-defense appropriations by ~8%, effective January 2, 2013. For example, if appropriators choose to increase the National Science The materials physicist, who re- which means that he would have Foundation’s Research and Related Activities (R&RA) account by ceived his PhD from Florida State the opportunity to learn about dif- 2% in the Fiscal Year 2013 Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) University in 2003, has been with Jeffrey S. Parker ferent fields. “There’s so much bill, their action would result in a 6% decrease in the R&RA account the company since 2007. He was overlap [between subjects], you at the start of calendar year 2013. on track to have a conventional hind blade movement and archi- can’t just be a physicist,” he says. academic career, completing two tecture, in order to design and im- Parker’s role at P&G Beauty In addition to triggering sequestrations, the BCA amendments man- postdocs, including one at the prove high profile products like and Grooming involves every as- date caps for overall discretionary spending over a ten-year period University of Minnesota’s Mate- Fusion ProGlide Razors, which pect of research and development beginning with Fiscal Year 2012. Appropriators must adhere to those rials Research and Engineering incorporate many blades. Parker for blades and razors, marketed caps in the aggregate, but they may alter individual accounts to re- Center, when fate nicked him. visited P&G’s technology center under the Gillette brand. His re- flect their priorities. As a result, Congress has the ability to increase “I was approached by a P&G “out of pure curiosity,” and real- sponsibilities include fundamen- DISPATCH continued on page 6 recruiter,” he recalls. “I won- ized “there was definitely enough tal and applied research, testing dered what they wanted from technical challenges to keep my SILKY continued on page 7 4 • January 2012 Letters Incentives Can Re-invigorate US Manufacturing Readers interested in submitting a letter to APS News should By Bruce Johnson large corporations benefit, but occasional short-term and uncer- email [email protected]. A government program called the smaller feeder industries that tain tax cuts, etc. There must be a the Independent Research and De- made parts and components also structured and long-term govern- velopment Program (IRAD) was flourished. ment managed plan, like the origi- very strong and effective until the Congress should seriously re- nal IRAD program, to accomplish mid-1990s. It allowed industry to visit this program, look at how it this manufacturing resurgence ef- Big Fan of Online Talks recover costs for doing research would enhance US business and fectively. and development that was in the the US economy, and make it part The rebirth of manufacturing I was a little surprised to read 2009 and DPF 2011, have had all interest of the government as well of new economic legislation mov- in the US can and should be nur- your news story “Posting Meet- of their talks posted online. I think as business. As a Technical Direc- ing through Congress at this time. tured and sponsored by the federal ing Slides Online Gains Strong that at this point in time the mer- tor I was responsible for many Unlike the investment and government. We need to utilize Acceptance” in the October 2011 its of posting talks online hardly IRAD projects while working for banking industries, industries that our innovative skills and put new issue of the APS News, since in need to be discussed. I hope that several major US corporations. manufacture products in the US, life into a results-proven govern- my field, high energy physics, in future April meetings all of the This was a win/win program for for not only US but world markets, ment program, one that can guar- posting talks online is a standard talks will be posted online. both the federal government and need long-term incentives to de- practice. For example, the last two antee strong growth, stability, and business because it nourished new velop new products and markets. a means to reduce our lopsided meetings of the Division of Par- Gil Paz product development and manu- This kind of dedicated support ticles and Fields of the APS, DPF Detroit, MI negative balance of international facturing in the USA. will result in continued economic trade. Its successes were key to After decades of outstanding growth for US manufacturing. our past innovation and market contributions to our economy, The present mindset in Congress, leadership. the federal government cut back to simply cut spending and not A renewed IRAD stimulus pro- CAPITOL HILL continued from page 1 IRAD programs, and there was increase taxes, misses the most gram, coupled with manufactur- uncertainty about the long-term important part of finding ways to ter the end of the meetings, hard are worried that without an in- ing, along with similar ideas put commitment to support them. In improve our economy. These ef- copies of the letters are printed crease in advocacy, science fund- forth by Andrew Liveris, CEO of this atmosphere, the great research forts are just wasting time as our and physically delivered to the ing may take a major hit. The Dow Chemical Company, in laboratories, for example those economy continues to suffer. lawmakers to whom they are ad- “If the science community run by GE, Bell, RCA, Westing- Our chief economic advisers do his book “Make it in America, The dressed. Last year, 2,378 such let- takes a back seat, then the federal house, ITT and many others, were not understand what needs to be Case for Re-inventing the Econo- ters were sent to Capitol Hill. budget for science will also take a my” are necessary if the US econ- Opportunities are also provid- shut down, and key new product done to strengthen US industries. back seat,” Lubell said. omy is ever to be re-strengthened. ed for APS members to personally development at US corporations Getting people to simply spend Both Mosley and Lubell said This is a matter that requires the visit the offices of their congres- either disappeared completely or more money, like buying more that while the level of participa- urgent attention of Congress for sional representative. In 2011, declined to the low levels that we Chinese doo-dads at Wal-Mart, the good of the US economy. the Society organized about 100 tion from the scientific commu- have today. Foreign countries sub- does not strengthen our economy. Bruce Johnson is an indepen- such meetings with members of nity has so far been encouraging, sequently picked up the R&D and We must provide world markets dent consultant. He was Technical Congress or their staff. This often they hoped to see more in the manufacturing work that we either with value-added products made included members of Congress upcoming year. Already they’re gave them through outsourcing or here in the US. Director for ITT Night Vision, and from states that have large physi- planning on actions to mobilize let them have outright. University and government he held similar positions with oth- cist communities, like California, researchers in the hopes of in- This industrial IRAD work was research programs do not meet er major corporations, including Illinois, New York and Texas, as sulating scientific research from supported by R&D cost recovery, these needs because they are not RCA Electro-optics & Devices, Bendix Research Laboratories & well as states that aren’t known cuts as much as possible. not a bailout, for business to per- directly linked to US manufactur- Litton Electron Devices. He is a as much for having large popula- “I think we have ample data form or extend the required funda- ing. Industry will not do the re- mental research, and then develop quired R&D to create major new Senior Member of APS and a Life tions of scientists such as Kansas, that shows that scientific discov- and manufacture new products, products for manufacturing in the Fellow of the Institute of Electri- Idaho and Washington. ery and innovation are the things Though the budget for 2012 US products. Not only did the US on its own initiative, with only cal and Electronic Engineers. that drive the American economy, featured increases for federally and they’re also key for national supported science, advocates security, defense and energy secu- are worried about the budget in 2013. After the failure of the so- rity,” Lubell said. “It’s extremely called Super Committee to reach important for the [scientific] com- an agreement on deficit control, munity to organize itself and deal the federal non-defense budget is with office holders, and tell them looking at a likely 8 percent cut it’s not just for us personally; it’s across the board next year. Many for the good of the country.” Graduate School: Envisioning a Future of International Collaboration PROGRAMS continued from page 1 by Abhishek Kumar don’t necessarily want to go into in the physics B.A. that will also physics as a career. “This B.A. be offered is to directly address Happy New Year 2012! I am (CAM2011) organizing commit- sions were soon put to rest once degree has nothing to do with less the need for more high school really excited to write this article tee and the journey was a unique the organizing committee was in rigor, but to create more job op- physics teachers. Recent studies as a graduate student member of experience. In this letter I would place. All of us, the students from portunities.” have shown that more than half APS. I began graduate studies in Canada, Mexico and the US, ex- APS’s 2007 Gender Equity of high school teachers teaching the US after completing my un- ecutive members of FGSA and report focused on crafting ways physics do not have a degree or dergraduate studies in physics in the fabulous staff members at the to offset the gender imbalance in minor in physics or physics edu- India, with the notion that gradu- APS, CAP and SMF served to in- physics. In 2006, women received cation. ate school is about doing well in spire and encourage each other. only 18 percent of physics PhDs “We need more good teachers courses and assignments, learn- The commitment and earnest ef- awarded that year. One of the in high schools. Having a B.A. ing new skills and consequently forts of the organizing team re- recommendations of the report option should exactly help that carrying out research work–the ally gave wings to my ideas and was to “[m]ake it easier to enter too,” Seel said. “It will open up usual drill. In my first semester I propelled me to think higher and a physics program after the first more flexible paths for people became a member of APS and got higher for the CAM2011. year to allow for late starters or who are trying to get a good foun- involved in the Forum on Gradu- FGSA hosted the CAM2011 those with lower initial prepara- dation in physics, a good back- ate Student Affairs (FGSA) ac- in Washington DC at the end tion in mathematics.” ground in physics, but don’t want tivities as Secretary of the FGSA. of September last year and the Seel said that he hoped the to stay in the field of physics their Ever since, it has been a very choice of city was well thought flexible options offered by the whole lives.” fulfilling experience, and I have Abhishek Kumar out. The US capital, being the B.A. program would encourage Michigan Tech announced its been fortunate to have had many nerve center of general policy more women to enroll in the phys- new physics programs on De- exciting opportunities to think like to share my experience with formulation and science and tech- ics program. cember 9th, along with two new and act, quite often out of the box. CAM, how immensely satisfying nology in particular, nicely com- “I think anything that offers masters programs and a new PhD Thanks to the APS, I now have a and revealing an experience it has plemented an important theme more flexibility in the physics program. The new degrees are much broader and active view on been and how it has helped me of the CAM2011, namely “Poli- degree plan opens more doors pending approval from the aca- what it means to be a graduate realize that graduate training goes cy.” In today’s rapidly changing to more students,” said Monica demic affairs officers of the presi- student in the United States and way beyond lab research. Admit- world, the critical significance of Plisch, Assistant Director of Edu- dents’ council of the State Uni- the opportunities ahead for inter- tedly, it was a little daunting at the right kind of scientific poli- cation and Diversity at APS. “The versities of Michigan, the state’s national scientific collaboration. first. Having been a participant in cies cannot be overemphasized. B.A. allows them to switch [ma- academic oversight board. Seel In the past months, I had the CAM2009, I knew expectations Keeping this in mind, we boldly jors] and still finish their degrees said he expected them to approve great honor of leading the Cana- would be high, which meant that experimented with the scope of in four years.” the new programs around January dian-American-Mexican Phys- the task at hand wasn’t going to CAM to organize two panel dis- The secondary education track 20th. ics Graduate Student Conference be easy. However, my apprehen- ENVISIONING continued on page 5 January 2012 • 5 Middle Tennessee State University Takes on Physics Teacher Preparation By Gabriel Popkin many physics teachers, however, ty had become a replication site of Middle Tennessee State Uni- her path to the profession took UTeach, the highly successful sci- versity (MTSU) has not tradition- a few twists and turns along the ence and math teacher preparation way. Kakanis’ original dream was program at the University of Texas ally been a powerhouse of physics to be a planetarium director. “I’ve at Austin; this provided resources teacher preparation. In fact, Ron always loved talking about space,” for reforming the teacher certifica- Henderson, the MTSU physics she says. “I would love to live in a tion program. department chair, wrote in a recent planetarium.” With support from PhysTEC article that “over the past fifteen But at a meeting with a plan- beginning in 2010, MTSU was years the number of students that etarium director, Kakanis learned able to reform existing physics ed- completed a major in physics and there were only around a thousand ucation courses and begin launch- became endorsed to teach high planetariums in the entire west- ing new ones. Kakanis took the school physics has totaled, well, ern hemisphere, meaning the job department’s first offering of “The zero.” market might be tight. So around Teaching of Physics,” which in- But that is changing fast, thanks the end of her sophomore year at troduces students to inquiry-based to concerted efforts by Henderson MTSU, seeking to position herself teaching practices that are specific and his colleagues, and a little help for her dream career, she decided to to physics, and she was inspired to Photo courtesy of Ron Henderson, MTSU from the Physics Teacher Educa- pursue physics teaching. She then see that other physics majors were Hilary Kakanis with fellow MTSU future teachers Paul Turner (left) and Dylan Russell. tion Coalition (PhysTEC). Phys- learned about the great need for also becoming interested in teach- TEC is a project led by APS and physics teachers, and that she was ing. “I’m really excited about pro- ics teachers in Tennessee.” ics First” class, also known as the the American Association of Phys- good at it. “When I started teach- grams like PhysTEC and Noyce Henderson adds, “Hilary will “Inverted Curriculum,” where stu- ics Teachers (AAPT), with the ing, I got a whole lot of positive that are encouraging young people embody what the physics educa- dents take physics before chemis- goal of improving the preparation feedback,” says Kakanis. “People to get into teaching,” she says. tion community has learned about try and biology. of future physics teachers. In 2010, said I made the subject approach- MTSU physics faculty and good physics instruction.” “I like the idea of Physics First,” MTSU became a PhysTEC funded able, and I made them want to lis- PhysTEC project leaders expect For now, Kakanis, who has she says. “Usually when kids get site, joining 19 other such sites the ten.” that Kakanis will be the first of lived in Tennessee since she was to high school, they hear ‘physics’ project has funded since 2001. And Kakanis’s timing was good: the many program graduates who nine, is planning to take her skills and start to freak out because they in December, MTSU graduated its MTSU Physics Department had go out and teach in the nation’s to another place where they are hear it’s a senior-level class and first physics teacher in over a de- recently received an award from high-need schools. “MTSU is rap- also badly needed–Texas. New everybody flunks it. With Physics cade and a half: Hilary Kakanis. the National Science Founda- idly becoming a leader in physics standards in that state require that Kakanis, who majored in phys- tion’s Noyce Scholarship Program, teacher education,” says Monica all students take physics in order First, you’re getting the kids when ics with concentrations in astron- which funded the final two years Plisch, Associate Director of to graduate high school, and Texas they’re still fresh and new, and omy and teaching, says she will of Kakanis’s education; the depart- Education and Diversity at APS, universities are not prepared to have never done anything like that soon be licensed to teach physics ment was also in the process of and PhysTEC project co-director. supply the teachers needed to teach before. and math, and is in the process of adding a concentration in physics “They are poised to help meet a these students. Kakanis hopes to “I want to catch them when seeking a teaching position. Like teaching. In addition, the universi- great need for well-prepared phys- teach ninth graders in a “Phys- they’re young!”

ENVISIONING continued from page 4 MID-EAST continued from page 1 cussion sessions on “Science to learn but courage to think out being graduate students, all par- added that Turkey is close to get- Other advances and mile- and Policy” and “Science for of our personal scientific box, ticipants were on the same foot- ting its contributions passed by its stones were reported to have been Diplomacy.” The response was our comfort zone. We should re- ing. It fostered an atmosphere full parliament, and Egypt is also like- reached as well. The accelerator’s overwhelming. The discussions member that the sharp boundar- of rich possibilities for future col- ly to contribute funding. Though 22 MeV electron pre-injector has offered an open forum to freely ies between the disciplines and laboration. only four instead of five countries reached full energy and been fully explore the important role of the sub-disciplines are constantly In light of rapid changes have made firm pledges, Winick shielded. Work installing the 800 scientists in policy making and getting breached even as, admit- around the globe in general and said that “It is expected that Israel MeV booster synchrotron contrib- it significantly increased our ap- tedly, more and more sub-dis- scientific advancements in - par is going along with this.” uted from Germany is continuing, preciation for the obstacles faced ciplines are branching out. The ticular, we, the graduate students, Funding from Turkey had been and plans for the outer storage by the experts. By engaging with ability and the courage to “break will have to play a major role in delayed after it was found that ring have been finalized. When all the issues of how science affects through to the other side” will their membership had never been funding is secured, the project will policy making and, in turn, how shaping things to come not only have a great bearing on the future formally approved by their par- be able to start ordering magnets policy can influence the develop- of science and society. The infor- by performing high-quality re- search but also by providing ef- liament. A bill authorizing their and beam lines. ment of science, it neatly brought mal and convivial atmosphere at membership in SESAME has If the funding from Turkey and ficient and able leadership. We out the social aspects of doing CAM2011 was exactly what was passed through all the relevant Egypt comes through by early have to go the distance by incul- science. For me personally, the needed for my fellow graduate parliamentary committees and is next year, as is expected, Winick panel discussions were an eye- students to start talking and com- cating in ourselves the required awaiting approval from its Gen- said that the project is on track opener and changed my idea of municating with one another. skills and values and inspiring eral Assembly. to come online with its first four serving the cause of science, Co-operation: Any social our colleagues to do the same. Egypt’s contributions have working beam lines by 2015. especially physics–which was endeavor needs a fair amount of CAM2011 did well indeed by been on hold because of the recent “I think there is optimism,” doing lab research and publish- co-operation for it to succeed and “catching them young.” Its task government changeover. The new Winick said, adding that despite ing research papers. In today’s science is certainly no exception. is well cut out for the future. interim government has expressed many delays, the project looks interconnected world, alternative We must also recognize that no The APS Staff members and interest in supporting the project, close to being able to move to- scientific career paths ought to plan of co-operation could suc- CAM2011 Committee deserve and while the SESAME Council wards the next stages of construc- be considered as respectable as ceed if we do not take a broad many kudos and I personally was meeting, the country named tion. “SESAME is still hanging in scholarly research and publishing and unselfish view of science and owe them sincere thanks for this a new science advisor who will there. We have a site and a build- when one measures them against its potential. Co-operation would spearhead the process. ing courtesy of Jordan.” their ability to solve modern soci- go a long way in paving the path unique educational experience which I will always cherish. I Palestine and Pakistan have In order to help prepare scien- ety’s pressing problems. for multilateral international also expressed interest in con- tists in the region, APS has teamed thank all the invited speakers for Last month’s APS News fea- collaboration as it would be a tributing funds, and are currently up with other national scientific kindly accepting our invitation tured an article on CAM2011, so I win-win situation for all parties working out what that contribu- societies to send Middle Eastern won’t discuss how the conference involved. It would compensate and the participants for making tion will be. physicists to training opportuni- fared in terms of meeting the ex- for the cultural and political dif- CAM2011 a great success. We The US and the European ties around the world. pectations of the participants and ferences between the scientists value their constant encourage- Union have supported the project “APS had started a travel pro- the organizers. Rather, I shall de- and, ultimately, help to bridge the ment. Lastly, on behalf of the since its inception and will likely gram to fund opportunities for scribe the lessons I have learned differences between peoples and organizing committee, we are contribute the remaining $10 mil- scientists in the Middle East to at- as a CAM2011 participant and as nations. extremely grateful to Amy Flat- lion in funding that member na- tend training opportunities, users' an organizer. These are simple Communication: It is very ten and Michele Irwin for gently tions haven’t pledged. Represen- conferences, etc.” Flatten said. sounding “values” which I have important to communicate new guiding us in the planning stages tative Rush Holt (D-NJ), who is “The efforts of APS and the other termed broadly as courage, co- developments and scientific ad- of the CAM2011 and for seeing himself a physicist and APS mem- national scientific societies were operation and communication. vancements not only to scientists us through to its success. Once ber, has been leading the effort recognized by several speakers for They may sound nebulous in but also to non-scientists. This is again, I wish you all a very happy urging the US State Department to initiating the program…We got a their meaning, but I would like to much needed in order to coun- and peaceful year ahead. contribute to SESAME. lot of expressions of goodwill.” think of them as mantras. ter anti-scientific rhetoric which The 3C’s: flourishes in an atmosphere of Abhishek Kumar is a graduate Courage: It is always easy to scientific illiteracy. I did not ob- student in the physics department break the ice when meeting new serve any obstacles in commu- of the University of Massachu- APS NEWS online: people if one takes the initiative nication among the participants setts Lowell. He served as the http://www.aps.org/ and starts a conversation related at CAM, even though they were 2011 International Officer for the to her or his field of interest. This from very diverse backgrounds. APS Forum on Graduate Student publications/apsnews requires not only an eagerness This came naturally to CAM as, Affairs. 6 • January 2012

PRESIDENT continued from page 3 DISPATCH continued from page 3

science funding relative to other accounts. But it will do so only if lawmakers believe the rationale is compelling. lications, and that’s been a tradi- tion we want to enhance, for ex- to participate in and contribute to. In the past, the scientific community has been able to rely on a few tional area of excellence for us. ample, holding joint meetings Q: What have been some of congressional champions to provide continued federal support for So we will continue to innovate or jointly sponsored meetings in your career highlights? research and education, but the political and fiscal landscape has in our journals and our publica- collaboration with other societ- A: Again, luck plays a role in changed substantially. Budget constraints will require scientists to tions. The recent online journal ies. We already have collabora- these sorts of highlights. By good weigh in if they want to see sustained federal funding. The abil- Physical Review X is a good ex- tion in publications, and we can luck my faculty member at Berke- ity and efficacy of the scientific community’s speaking out about ample of that. We will also con- certainly involve members of the ley, then a young assistant pro- program cuts proposed earlier this year was clearly evident in No- tinue to make sure that the jour- broader international community vember when Congress restored Fiscal Year 2012 funding for NSF, fessor, Sumner P. Davis, allowed nals continue to reach and serve in the leadership positions of the NIST, and NASA Science during final House-Senate negotiations me to work in his laboratory, just on the appropriations bill covering CJS. But with the federal budget the broader international commu- American Physical Society. gratis, as an undergraduate stu- tightening in the coming years, the community will have to step up nity that’s now the majority of our Q: In recent years APS has dent. That opened the door and its efforts if it wants to achieve comparable positive results. authors of the journal papers. So been increasing its focus on edu- opened my eyes to a whole set that’s one area of real concern to cation and outreach. What do of possibilities of doing physics During the next year you will have ample opportunity to contact your serve members. The second area you think of these efforts and beyond the undergraduate experi- representatives in Congress and impress upon them why science is to improve communications how do you aim to guide them? ence. By even better luck, Sumner funding is important. Doing so through visits, phone calls, and let- between the American Physical A: Education and outreach is P. Davis recommended that I in- ters will let them know their constituents care about these issues. Society administrative structure, our future and we need to find APS will alert you throughout the year about advocacy opportunities terview with a small company in both the volunteer groups as well ways to not only continue our ef- Mountain View, CA because they and when advocacy will be most effective. If enough voices com- as the executive and officer group forts in education and outreach, bine together, Congress will hear the message. were working on this new kind of in Washington DC and our mem- but to broaden them. Part of the widget called the laser. So I went bers. We can do this by direct strategic plan recognized that ISSUE: POPA down and interviewed and discov- services that directly enhance a there are opportunities to go be- ered the very first day I was there member’s reason to join the APS, yond what we’ve done in the past Since early May 2011 there has been considerable legislative ac- “Wow, here’s a whole new way to tivity associated with the Energy Critical Elements report: most re- and a set of indirect means that and make further progress in di- make light and a whole new set of cently the Chair of the study, Robert Jaffe, provided a briefing to generally enhance the meaning rections of both education and possibilities to use light.” By luck Congress (November 29th) and testified before the U.S. House of of physics to a broader group of outreach. Collaboration with our Representatives’ Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment people, from students, to minori- fellow societies that represent mi- I worked for the world’s first laser (December 7th). ties who participate in physics, to nority physicists is something that company for one year before go- educational and outreach activi- we already have talked about and ing back to graduate school. Work- POPA is currently considering two new studies: (1) reductions of ties. These are examples of what have discussed and I think that’s ing for Spectra Physics was a huge non-strategic nuclear weapons, a joint workshop in partnership with we will do in the future to en- something that will come about learning experience about how a the center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS); (2) science- small startup company and Silicon backed education standards. hance communication and service and we will find ways to support to our members. those societies that represent mi- Valley worked. It wasn’t called ‘Silicon Valley’ at the time but the At its last meeting, the APS Executive Board approved the revised Q: What do you see as the So- nority scientists and engineers. In proposal for an educational component associated with the Direct ciety’s role in public policy? physical sciences at least, we have stories about the Varian brothers Air Capture Technology Assessment presented by the POPA Sub- A: The APS traditionally has made slow and steady progress in and Hewlett and Packard were be- committee on Energy & Environment. taken a proactive role in public involving women in the physical ing discussed. I returned to gradu- policy, and I think that we ex- sciences. I think we can do bet- ate studies in Applied Physics at If you have suggestions for a POPA study, please send in your ideas pect to continue to do that. Our ter, and we will continue to work Stanford where by good luck I electronically by visiting http://www.aps.org/policy/reports/popa-re- office in Washington DC is in to bring a better balance in repre- was assigned to work with profes- ports/suggestions/index.cfm. direct support of public policy as sentation in the physics commu- sor Stephen Harris in the rapidly it’s implemented in Washington nity. In education per se, reaching developing field of nonlinear op- ISSUE: Media Update DC. We have traditionally di- teachers matters because teachers tics. Today nonlinear interactions To persuade the now-defunct Joint Select Committee on Deficit Re- vided that into two aspects. One amplify contact with future stu- and devices that we once thought duction to maintain robust federal support of science funding, APS is to inform the public more care- dents. APS programs already in were impossible to demonstrate or members wrote op-eds and were quoted in an editorial in several fully what science, particularly place can be extended to increase construct are commonplace in our newspapers in Ohio, Michigan, and Massachusetts. physical science, has to say about our reach to prepare teachers for commercial products, and serve pending public policy decisions. teaching science at the K though the science community broadly. John Mergo, a graduate research assistant at Cornell University and An example of that is the POPA 12 grade levels. Q: Why did you choose to run an Ohio native, wrote an op-ed titled, “Congress must protect our study of energy critical elements. Q: How is it that you person- for the APS presidential line? nation’s sciences” for the Chillicothe Gazette; the piece appeared If we’re going to revise and mod- ally first became interested in in the paper on Nov. 11th. [http://www.chillicothegazette.com/apps/ A: I was nominated. However, ernize and improve our sources of physics? pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011111110310] after being nominated I met with energy in the future, the questions A: It’s interesting because ev- the former APS presidents at Stan- Former U.S. Rep. Vernon Ehlers wrote an op-ed on Nov. 12th for asked “Are there elements that eryone that gets involved in sci- ford University and had a chance the Grand Rapids Press titled, “Retain robust federal support for sci- we acquire from the Earth, for ence has a story to tell. In my case to talk with each of them. The list entific research.” [http://www.mlive.com/opinion/grand-rapids/index. example, from mining, that are I grew up with a real passion for of former APS presidents included ssf/2011/11/retain_robust_federal_support.html] in short supply that may prevent astronomy and wanted to be an as- among others Burt Richter and us from reaching our long- term tronomer. One of the last things I Artie Bienenstock, for example. APS Executive Officer Kate Kirby and Smithsonian physicist Hosse- goals?” That study was well re- did before I headed to college was They gave me the background to in Sadeghpour were quoted in an editorial in The Republican, which ceived by Congress and led to im- to go meet with a very famous as- stated that scientific innovations have fueled economic growth in better understand the American mediate action with regard to how tronomer at Caltech and ask him Physical Society, better understand the U.S.The paper published the editorial on Nov. 16th under the we preserve those energy- critical about my plans to study astron- headline, “Research funding must remain steady.” [http://www. what would be expected in the four elements so that we can move omy. His words were directly to masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2011/11/editorial_research_fund- year term that extends from vice forward within the boundary of me, “No you don’t young man, ing_mus.html] president, president elect, presi- an Earth that isn’t infinite but has you want to study physics,” and I dent and past president, and also finite resources. didn’t understand exactly what he Log on to the APS Web site (http://www.aps.org/ the appreciation for the amount Q: What do you see as the meant at the time so I asked him public_affairs) for more information. of time commitment that it would Society’s role in international is- and he said “Well, if you study take. For example, I learned from sues? physics, which gives you a broad Artie Bienenstock that I should A: The tradition in science perspective of science, and you be prepared for a lot of travel and DEWAR continued from page 2 from 100 plus years ago is that later decide that you want to go for extensive interactions. I asked nominated several times. But he as a result. Dewar never rebuilt science is international, and that into astronomy or astrophysics all society benefits from basic re- you can do so.” And I followed him if I should take my sabbati- did garner many other awards his program, even after the war cal leave the year I serve as Presi- and honors in his lifetime, in- ended, devoting his attention pri- search and science broadly. In the his advice. I went off to Berkeley physical sciences, that held true and majored in physics and that dent, if elected, and he said by all cluding many prestigious medals marily to studying surface tension means. I have followed his advice from scientific societies. He was in soap bubbles, and to measuring because the international com- gave me indeed a much broader and beginning January 1, 2012, knighted in 1904. infrared radiation in the atmo- munity that worked in particle perspective of what the possibili- I am on a sabbatical leave from While serving on a govern- sphere with a thermoscope of his physics and high energy physics, ties were and twenty and thirty Stanford for one year. I think I can ment committee on explosives own design. really drew strength from scien- years later by happenstance I got contribute to the APS through the in the late 1880s, Dewar and a Dewar remained active as a tists from all over the world for involved in astrophysics proj- strategic planning process. I hope, colleague, Frederick Abel, devel- scientist until the very end, refus- a discipline that required an enor- ects, called the LIGO project for with the assistance of our very oped cordite, a smokeless gun- ing to retire from his position with mous investment of resources. So ground-based gravitational wave capable staff and our volunteers, powder. the Royal Institution. He died in as we move forward, the question antennas, the LISA project for The outbreak of World War London on March 27, 1923. But I think about a lot is “How does space-based gravitational wave both at the Executive Board, and I interrupted Dewar’s research his work in low-temperature gas- the American Physical Society antennas–exactly the kinds of the Council level and in the vari- program into the properties of es, and particularly his invention best serve and represent physics things that I could never have ous units, that we will continue to elements at low temperatures, of the Dewar flask, proved semi- on the international scale through imagined as a high school stu- grow a very successful American and he lost several key staffers nal to the field of cryogenics. collaboration?” It is collabora- dent, but physics has enabled me Physical Society. January 2012 • 7

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Reviews of Modern Physics Physics Teacher Education Coalition Annual Conference Shape coexistence in atomic nuclei Kris Heyde and John L. Wood February 3-4, 2012 Ontario, California The phenomenon of nuclear shape coexistence manifests itself in the presence of close-lying nuclear states with dif- ferent geometrical arrangements. Examples of coexistence are elongated fission isomers in actinides, alpha cluster New Paradigms for Physics Teacher Education structures such as the Hoyle state in carbon essential for the nucleosynthesis of carbon in stars, and deformed states in magic nuclei that provide stringent tests of nuclear par- www.ptec.org/conferences/2012 adigms. This review presents an overview of theoretical TM frameworks, summarizes experimental evidence, and pro- vides guidance for future developments. http://rmp.aps.org Varied Research Featured at Fluid Dynamics Meeting SILKY continued from page 3 The APS Division of Fluid more damaging. Researchers try standard symmetrical valves. and developing products, and col- cuts down on friction, he explains. Dynamics held its 64th annual have long studied how a slow The physics of how swirling lecting feedback to improve the But the DLC coating is especially meeting in Baltimore, Maryland burning fiery deflagration can a glass of fine port helps release quality of his designs. He contrib- important to the ProGlide’s ar- from November 20 through 22. turn into a powerful detonation its floral scents was calculated for utes to the marketing of products, chitecture because it ensures that Over 2,400 physicists attended in enclosed spaces. At the meet- the first time by Mohamed Farhat providing the lay-person-friendly the blades in the razor can remain more than 2,000 presentations on ing, researchers showed that from the École Polytechnique language for packaging and ad- thin, delivering significant reduc- topics covering all aspects of flu- detonations can also happen in Fédérale de Lausanne in Swit- vertisements that properly com- tion in “hair cutting forces”, and id physics. Researchers offered an unconfined area. Alexei Po- zerland. Using high-speed vid- municate the product’s value. He thus a more preferred consumer new insights into wind turbine ludnenko and his team, at the US eo, he recorded the propagation also consults with the production experience (i.e., fewer toilet pa- designs, mechanical heart valves, Naval Research Laboratory and of waves in wine while swirl- department to ensure they can per pieces applied to your bloody what happens at the instant an ex- Sandia National Laboratories, ing wine at different speeds and scale up the design as they pro- face). plosion detonates, and even the showed that it was possible, un- briskness. He found that for each duce it in a plant. “It’s one thing to Parker concludes that his work physics of wine swirling. der the proper turbulent condi- glass shape there is an optimal make it once, and quite another to for P&G is not as dissimilar from Building better wind turbines tions, for a detonation to happen “shaking diameter and rotation make it a billion times,” he says. academia as he would have ex- was featured in four focus ses- in an unenclosed space. The con- speed” to get the most oxygen- Parker is further charged with pected. “When you get down to sions and a total of 36 presen- ditions they described are similar ation which releases the wine’s claims support, an important di- it, the science is completely the tations on how researchers are to theoretical models of the inte- character. He said also that the vision in any consumer products same,” he explains. “It’s the same using fluid dynamics to better riors of white dwarf stars, which research can find industrial use in company. For every razor that a tools, methodologies, and thought harness energy from wind. One offer a possible explanation for biopharmaceuticals manufactur- firm claims “will give you a 45% processes, just applied differ- research team at Caltech, led by the cause of type 1a supernovae. cleaner shave,” there is a claims ing where large machines have to ently.” He still delves into surface John Dabiri, has been adapting The shapes of heart valves support unit that clarifies the ac- swirl vats of biological matter to morphology, he still measures and the way schools of fish swim in have gotten much scrutiny of curacy of such a statement before culture growing cells. analyzes electrostatic forces, and the ocean to improve the effi- late, and Marija Vukicevic of the it is used in promotions. Parker as- he still uses many of the same in- ciency of wind farms. Dabiri said University of Trieste showed that Julian Hunt, a fluid physicist sists claims support in testing the struments that he did when he was that the way fish draft off each some of their inherent asymme- at University College, London current shaving products for their a postdoc, such as an atomic force other smoothes the flow of water tries might hold the key to better and a member of Britain’s House strength, accuracy, friction reduc- microscope. through the school, letting each blood flow out of the heart. She of Lords, encouraged physicists tion, and overall shaving comfort. But one area that he still finds fish expend less energy when and her research partner Gianni to get more involved with pub- Here’s a fun fact to keep in perplexing is how to find techni- swimming than if it was by itself. Pedrizzetti, also from the Uni- lic policy debates. He said that mind while you are gliding that cal solutions for consumer prob- Dabiri’s experiments in a remote versity of Trieste, built valves scientists have a lot of expertise razor across your precious, pre- lems, when the consumers are not part of Los Angeles County have where one flap was as much as to offer on important issues fac- cious face: the blades used for exactly sure what they want in the shown that arranging wind tur- 70 percent bigger than the other, ing the world, and wanted to see shaving are some of the most so- first place. “The needs of the cus- bines like a school of fish cuts which more closely resembles more researchers and scientific phisticated and sharp cutting sur- tomer can be hard to define,” he down on turbulence and can im- the valves in a human heart. Af- organizations speak up and take faces on the planet. In particular, concedes. For example, in a focus prove efficiency of the farms. ter tests in a silicon aorta model, an active, engaged role in push- “Fusion blades are thinner than a group, consumers might indicate Volatile fiery explosions are the team found that blood flowed ing science-based solutions to is- grain of sand, and the blade tip ra- that they want a shaving lotion dramatic, but powerful concus- more smoothly in the asymmetri- sues like energy, climate change dius is smaller than a brain cell or that is more “creamy.” But there’s sive detonations can be much cal valves, rather than the indus- and natural disaster response. the wavelength of visible light,” just no scientific training that can describes Parker. “This level of ultra-high precision engineering help Parker and his colleagues un- is amongst the highest in the con- derstand exactly what “creamy” sumer goods industry.” means to different people in terms MEETING continued from page 1 The physicist has been instru- of the physics, mathematics and materials expertise that goes into nary session, this year’s Nobel discuss how single atom traps are invited to Lunch with the Ex- mental in advancing the Fusion crafting shaving lotion. Prize session, will be on Monday, can be applied to climatology and perts. Graduate students can sign ProGlide line of products, which But the haziness of certain as- April 2, and will feature 2011 non-proliferation. Judith Curry up to dine with well-known ex- currently utilizes five blades in pects of his job doesn’t take away laureates Saul Perlmutter of Law- from Georgia Tech will talk about perts in a field that interests them, its razors. Parker’s expertise has from the high level of satisfac- rence Berkeley National Labo- the recent Berkeley Earth Surface in an atmosphere of informal helped him analyze and improve tion he gets from working in the ratory and Adam Riess of Johns Temperature project. discussion. The list of topics will on cartridge geometry, how the ra- private sector. “In academia you Hopkins University talking about Atlanta’s Fernbank Science be available on the April Meet- zor pivots on the handle, and how never get to see a commercial for their discovery of the accelerat- Center, in collaboration with the ing website in early February, the blades themselves move. In ing universe. Rounding out the APS outreach department, will and signups, on a first come, first his quest to make the profile of the your work on TV or your item on session will be Frank Wilczek of host a public outreach event dur- served basis, will be at the regis- razor as thin as possible, Parker a shelf,” he says. “People want to MIT, who shared the Nobel Prize ing the meeting to get people ex- tration booth at the meeting. helped employ an advanced dia- buy P&G products because of the in 2004 for the discovery of as- cited about the 100th year of cos- Exhibitors from a range of mond-like carbon (DLC) coating science and engineering we put ymptotic freedom in the theory of mic ray science. publishers and other vendors will to the steel along the blade edge. into them.” the strong interactions. The recipients of many of have booths set up around the ho- This extreme hardness material Alaina G. Levine is a science The third plenary session is APS’s prestigious prizes and tel to display their products. (more than 10 times the hardness writer and President of Quantum planned for Tuesday, April 3. awards will be honored at a spe- Meeting attendees will have of the underlying steel) enhances Success Solutions, a science ca- Krishna Rajagopal of MIT has cial ceremonial session on Sunday the chance to stop by the APS each individual blade’s strength reers and professional develop- been invited to talk about his evening, which will also feature Contact Congress booth to send and allows the blades to stay sharp ment consulting enterprise. She work on the quark-gluon plasma, the retiring presidential address letters to their elected officials even after many uses. Another can be contacted through www. what he describes as “the most by Barry Barish of Caltech, who about the importance of contin- proprietary coating, Polytetrafluo- alainalevine.com. liquid of liquids.” Zheng-Tian Lu served as APS President in 2011. ued congressional support for roethylene (PTFE), is also applied Copyright, 2011, Alaina G. from Argonne National Lab will On Sunday, graduate students scientific research. to the blade, which significantly Levine. 8 • January 2012 The Back Page

Ed. Note: In 2004, James D. Patterson wrote an tendees. For reasons of insecurity I didn’t go. open letter to Physics Today1 containing advice to Ten Mistakes for Physicists to Avoid The next day when I gave my talk its validity the next generation of physicists. With several more was questioned. There was a good rebuttal, but years of accumulated wisdom, he presents some fur- by James D. Patterson I was too nervous to think of it. The chances ther ruminations in the article below. are if I had attended the social gathering, in the Montaigne said “... you never talk about yourself course of informally talking about my work, the without loss: condemn yourself and you are always same question would have arisen and I would 2 believed: praise yourself and you never are.” Nevertheless have dealt with it better. After I got married, at the relatively here is an update of a paper in which I discuss mistakes I late age of 38, my wife helped me immeasurably in feeling have made. I suspect Montaigne is right, but I have long comfortable in a social setting, whether related to physics been retired so my loss is minimal, and is possibly com- or not. I should have sought more balance in my personal pensated by gains of those who will consequently avoid my life at an earlier stage. errors. 7. Using secondary sources My main reason for writing another article is that I have It takes work to track down results in professional jour- new reflections on mistakes already considered as well as nals, but looking things up only in texts often results in less some new ones to discuss. I will get to all those in a mo- complete and sometimes less clear answers. Of course the ment, but first some preliminary observations. What is judged a mistake depends on objectives. scientific literature is consulted for research, but it is also A dean once told me he wanted me to be a success. That useful for classroom lectures. For example, the Quantum sounded good. Of course his definition of success was dif- Hall Effect originally was hard for me to understand. Then, 5 ferent from mine, so there remained an unresolved conflict. I discovered a review paper and was able, after digesting I think for him it meant more and larger grants. For me suc- it, to read the original literature. Texts may be handy, but cess meant time to do and teach the physics that I found shortcuts to grasping physics are few. interesting. Naively, I thought this would lead to a better 8. Always rejecting authority world. However, I am not sure the current culture of seek- I have a problem accepting authority. Perhaps I cannot ing more (of something, I am not sure what) is an improve- 2. Losing focus easily put myself in others’ shoes. This trait has led me to ment. Being stubborn, by refusing to go in the direction you In my formative years. I should have practiced solving cause trouble often for no real reason. I constantly inter- are pushed, may not always be wrong. You may be happier. problems efficiently. I spent more time reading than work- rupted a lecturer (who in fact was a good scientist) in my There is nothing wrong with loving your field and making ing problems. I “knew a little bit about a lot of things,” but junior electricity and magnetism course, using the excuse personal sacrifices to stay true to it. Fairly late in my career, I didn’t know enough about how to apply the fundamental that the text or his lectures or both had errors. Maybe they I was a department head and was not aggressively push- ideas of physics. A friend studiously worked every problem did, but that hardly made either unique. In any case, I was ing the department to seek as many outside funds as was in Kittel’s solid state book, and passed the basic exam the arrogant about it. Once he got so irritated he threw down desired by the university. An official in charge of univer- first time. He focused on the physics, what it really meant, the chalk and left the room. I shamefully admit now, I felt sity research wanted to get me fired, but I felt there was an and how to use it to analyze phenomena. victorious. Later in my career, a college president encour- imbalance in the emphasis on grants and I opposed him. I 3. Not making fundamentals a working part of mem- aged the faculty to learn about computers. It was the early did endure a couple of very uncomfortable years in conse- ory days, and he was leading us in the right direction. I wrote quence. I began to understand the importance of memorization the few programs he required, but without enthusiasm, and An academic career is no longer necessarily the path when I took a group theory course taught by Prof. William with minimal effort. By resisting direction, I lost a chance of many physics majors. Most current PhD graduate stu- Scott at the University of Kansas. A myriad of definitions to mature and be guided by someone with superior experi- dents will not go on to become university professors. There were used in the derivation of results. The math graduate ence and knowledge. are not that many available positions. Many don’t want to students knew these definitions and followed the lectures 9. Letting anger rule behavior anyway. There are other alternatives. I spent several sum- with ease. I didn’t and struggled. On a more elementary In mid-career, I went to Florida Institute of Technology mers in industry and national labs. In some cases I applied level, it bothers me when students don’t know simple things and was assigned to teach a class in advanced undergradu- for more permanent positions outside academia. One mis- like the value of the sine of 30 degrees. The point of physics ate mechanics. Because of my predilections the class tended take I made was in my résumé. I would list degrees earned, is not memorization, but knowing the fundamentals without to be rather mathematical. At Florida Tech there were both papers published, positions held and very little else. I don’t constantly looking them up greatly facilitates communica- physics and space sciences students. My lectures seemed think I even listed grants awarded. For industrial résumés tion. to be appropriate for the former but the latter were used you should list the assignments you have had and what you 4. Not focusing on physical ideas while obsessing over to a more qualitative approach. One student began coming achieved with them. Another aspect was pointed out to me the mathematics by Jim Fergason, an inventor of the twisted nematic liq- Experiment is the heart of physics. Many feel if you late. I lost my temper with him and started to lose control uid crystal display. He was irritated by scientists who never can’t measure something, the concept has no meaning. of the class. Later I became department head there. There gave any thought to possible uses of their ideas. Obviously Connecting ideas with experiment, and reducing them to was one faculty member who did not publish much and was this mindset is not attractive to industry. their essential physical core is hard, it takes time, and for stuck at the associate professor level. He began to blame me Now for my list of mistakes. Most of my career was in this it is often useful to talk to people and gather essential and verbally attacked me in one department meeting. Again colleges and universities; nevertheless many of the mis- crumbs, one by one. In courses and even in research (for I lost my temper. This led to problems in the department takes are universal. (Parenthetically I note two other short example on the statistical mechanics of magnetic systems which eventually reached the Dean’s ears. I had a rocky papers about universities and teaching.3 ) described by the simple Heisenberg Hamiltonian) I tended path for a while. In both cases when I lost control of myself, 1. Moving ahead before being ready to avoid experimental results. This once cost me a job when I lost some control over others and more importantly, some At the University of Missouri-Columbia, where I got my in the interview I was asked how I had interacted with ex- of their respect. Being strong seldom means being angry. bachelor’s degree, I was more interested in getting good perimentalists. I had no answer. It was a mistake for me 10. Not keeping in physical shape grades than in mastering the subject. I did not understand, not to consider realistic materials upon which experiments In the late 70’s I got invited by Prof. Gerald Jones to as colleague Lyle Feisel advised, that my job (to learn the could be done and ideas could be tested. Notre Dame for a year as a visiting professor. I arrived fat subject matter) was more than my assignment (to get good 5. Not fitting goals to abilities and tired. I had wanted a dog for some time and got one. grades). When I went to the University of Chicago to start We all would have liked to be Feynman, but there was I began taking him for walks and also watching my diet. graduate school, I was advised to take some senior under- only one. I wanted to work on advanced problems in theo- Physical discipline led to losing weight and also helped in- graduate level courses first. I refused and went ahead with retical physics before I was ready. I finally settled on more crease my mental organization. The year went quite well in the regular graduate program. This was ill-advised. When I applied problems in solid state physics, but for a while I felt research, teaching, and life. I discovered that letting things took the feared “basic” exam at the end of the second year I was demeaning myself. I fluffed an opportunity to estab- go slack in one area often leads to slackness in other areas I failed, partly because my grounding in fundamentals was lish myself in semiconductors in the early days at Hughes including physics. insufficient. For example in the oral part, I could not give an Products, where I worked two summers in the fifties. The So there you have a representative, if not exhaustive, adequate definition of what it meant to say that two waves first summer I followed directions and wrote a report on set of suggestions. If you are a young person, just getting were spatially coherent. crystal growth, but the second summer I tried to go my own started, I hope they prove to be of some use. Some failing students (including me) were recommend- way into more basic (I thought) areas. The report I produced James D. Patterson is Professor Emeritus, Florida Insti- ed to try again the following year, but I elected to finish my was good neither by my standards nor by theirs. It was too tute of Technology, Melbourne, FL. PhD studies at the University of Kansas. Perhaps another early in my career and very unrealistic to go off on my own. mistake was I was not willing to gamble that I would pass As I matured, I realized I would be lucky to find problems 1. James D. Patterson, Physics Today, 57, 56 (2004). on the next attempt. in solid state that I could help with, and that all physics 2. Michel de Montaigne, Four Essays, Translated by M. A. I also tried to do too much too soon as a teaching assis- is intriguing when you begin to really understand it. Even Screech, Penguin Books, New York, 1991. From “On tant at Chicago. When I was assigned to conduct a recitation today, despite the fact that I have written texts on solid state the Art of Conversation.” section for the quarter on optics (using Sears’ optics book) physics,4 I cannot say I have mastered anywhere near all the 3. J. D. Patterson, Am. J. Physics 54, 201(1986), and 58, I quickly became bored and tried introducing material from important ideas in that field. 423(1990). Sommerfeld’s optics book. Not only did this not help the 6. Ignoring personal life 4. James Patterson, Bernard Bailey, Solid-State Physics students, I doubt that I understood what I was doing. To- Like many physicists, I was shy around people. This Introduction to the Theory, Second Edition, Springer- wards the end of the quarter the attendance in my section caused difficulties, even in physics. A physics meeting in Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 2010. dropped to zero. This episode still haunts me. Rolla, Missouri began with a social gathering for the at- 5. H. Stormer, Rev. Mod. Phys. 71, 875 (1998).

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