April 2012 • Vol. 21, No. 4

Focus on Advocacy A Publication of the American Physical Society See page 6 www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/index

Atlanta Hosts 2012 APS April Meeting APS President Condemns Wave of Physicists from all over the versary of the discovery of cosmic Iranian Scientist Assassinations world will soon be converging on rays, and in celebration the meet- Over the last two years, being American Physical Society con- the Peachtree State as this year’s ing’s theme is “100 Years of Cos- a physicist in Iran has become a demns acts of violence against sci- April Meeting is being held at the mic Ray Physics.” The meeting dangerous profession. Four scien- entists everywhere and reaffirms Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, Georgia will kick off on Saturday morning tists have been assassinated under its commitment to international from March 31 through April 3. with the Kavli Foundation Key- suspicious circumstances. The collegiality among physicists and The meeting will draw more than note session about the history and most recent incident took place in its belief that science can be used 1,000 physicists to share the latest current research into cosmic rays. January of 2012. In response to to promote international peace.” results in particle physics, nuclear Leading off the session, Alan Wat- these attacks, APS President Rob- No nation or organization has physics, astrophysics and plasma son from the University of Leeds ert Byer released an open letter on thus far come forward and claimed physics research. There will be will take the audience through the behalf of the Society, condemning responsibility for the attacks. 234 invited speakers and a total 100-year history of cosmic ray the killings. Many analysts have surmised that of 165 sessions as well as three research and how it has impacted “The American Physical Soci- because they have been targeting poster sessions. In addition, the numerous fields of physics. Ellen ety finds the recent wave of kill- physicists, the campaign is part of Sherwood Fusion Theory Confer- Zweibel from the University of ings of Iranian scientists extremely a concerted effort to slow or stop ence will take place in conjunction Wisconsin–Madison will high- physics. Nobel laureate Samuel troubling and welcomes the United Iran’s suspected clandestine nu- with the meeting. light current research into the un- C.C. Ting from MIT will bring au- States’ condemnation of this type clear weapons program. The most This year marks the 100th anni- derstanding of cosmic ray plasma ATLANTA continued on page 6 of violence,” the letter reads. “The SCIENTISTS continued on page 7 Fukushima’s Legacy Debated Free Benefit Brings the News Home to Members By Michael Lucibella persist. On the same panel, follow- A year after the meltdown at the ing Kuczynski’s remarks, Edwin The APS Weekly NewsBrief has been gaining physicists who subscribe what the news is report- Fukushima Daiichi power plant, its Lyman from the Union of Con- popularity since its inception in April of 2009. ing about physics.” legacy still divides scientists over cerned Scientists laid out his or- The weekly emails, to which more than 2,300 The news briefs cover all fields of physics, and the future of nuclear power. At this ganization’s reservations about the APS members now subscribe, deliver a condensed don’t exclusively focus on stories with an APS year’s March Meeting, a special safety of nuclear power in the US. summary of the week’s physics news circulating angle. Each email contains a link to the original session organized by the Forum on “The question does come up: throughout the mass media. story, plus a brief synopsis, as well as a link back Physics in Society, the Forum on ‘Can it happen here?’ There’s been “It’s a compilation of news about physics that to the original journal article when it stems from International Physics and the Divi- a lot of debate on this issue, wheth- appears in the popular press,” said James Riordon, an article in an APS journal. Riordon said the idea sion of Condensed Matter Physics er it was a Japan-specific event, the Head of Media Relations at APS, “It’s to tell is both to keep members abreast of the latest news, brought the two sides to the fore- whether the US was better prepared and also to give the scientific community insight front. than Japan to deal with this kind of into how the public perceives science and physics. Stephen Kuczynski, CEO of contingency. In our view, compla- More March Meeting “I think it’s important for us to know what they Southern Nuclear Operating Com- cency is as prevalent here in the Coverage in May think about what we’re doing,” Riordon said. pany, defended his industry. His United States as it is in Japan,” Ly- The NewsBrief is a benefit that is free to APS company recently received the first man said. “US nuclear plants were Because the March Meeting was early this year, members, who can subscribe either by clicking on new construction license to build not designed or intended to survive we were able to provide two stories from the “Weekly NewsBrief” on the Member Services page Meeting in this issue. More extensive coverage a new nuclear power plant in the major natural disasters, multiple on the APS website, or by emailing the APS mem- will appear in the May APS News. United States since the Three Mile system failures or terrorist attacks.” bership department at [email protected] Island incident in 1979. Following the crisis at Fuku- “It’s the safest industry that you shima, leaders of the US nuclear can work in. The workers at our industry put together a study titled power plants are the safest in any “The Way Forward” to review March Meeting Prize and Award Recipients industry,” Kuczynski said. “We what happened in Japan and pre- also have layers of oversight… vent such an accident in the United There [are] multiple layers to de- States. The document that emerged tect if there is a change or degra- included a strategy for coping with dation in the safety culture, and we potential accidents, which the in- can take action.” dustry referred to as its FLEX However, concerns about safety FUKUSHIMA continued on page 4 March Meeting Session Highlights LGBT+ Issues for Physicists By Calla Cofield with the gender they were born At the 2012 March Meeting, with) to indicate the inclusion of all sexual orientations and gender APS hosted the first-ever session at identities.] a major physics conference on sex- Speakers presented results from ual and gender diversity issues. Six two national surveys gathering in- speakers and a very vocal audience formation about the experiences of shared a discussion about the state LGBT+ people in physics and aca- of the LGBT+ community in phys- demia, providing some of the first ics. [LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, data on this subject. bi-sexual, and transgender, while Susan Rankin, Associate Profes- Photo by David Fox the plus sign includes other sexual sor of Education and Senior Re- orientations or gender identities in- At the March Meeting in Boston, at a special ceremonial session, APS President Robert Byer presented 17 prizes and search Associate at the Center for awards to a total of 20 individuals, and one additional prize was presented by the American Institute of Physics (AIP). In cluding intersexed, queer, question- the Study of Higher Education at the front row in the photo are (l to r): Dimitri Basov, Laurens W. Molenkamp, Shoucheng Zhang, Charles L. Kane, Nadya ing, asexual or pansexual. Some Penn State University, co-authored Mason, Mulugeta Bekele, Richard Wilson, APS President Robert Byer, Matthew Tirrell, Kai-Ming Ho, David S. Hall, and organizations also list straight and the first study, published in 2010, Ian Affleck. In the back row are (l to r): William A. Eaton, Giovanni Jona-Lasinio, Stuart Parkin, Siyuan (Steven) Wang, Andreas Mandelis, Robert Cava, Justin Weber, Rachel Segalman, Eric Fullerton (AIP), and Thirumalai Venkatesan. cisgender (anyone who identifies LGBT continued on page 7 2 • April 2012

Careers Committee Convenes in College Park This Month in Physics History April 23, 1762: Joseph Black and Latent Heat Disappearing heat and the dog that did not bark Ed. Note: This column has been contributed by hall, behaved very differently. Over a period of guest writer Richard Williams. time, the water warmed by many degrees. The ice One of the most primitive human skills, known did not melt as expected, but most remained, along from ancient times, is our ability to tell whether an with a little water, at 0° C. He used the absence of object is hot by touching it. It feels hot because of an expected effect, “the dog that did not bark”, to its energy content, “sensible heat.” But there is a argue the case. more subtle form of heat, recognized only more re- He pointed out an important effect of latent cently. We can’t detect it by touch, yet evidence of heat on the melting of snow and ice in nature. “If its existence is all around us. the complete change of ice and snow into water Melting ice, for example, absorbs a large amount required only the further addition of a very small of heat without any increase in temperature. The quantity of heat, the mass, though of considerable

Photo by Michael Lucibella evaporation of water absorbs even more heat with- size, ought all to be melted in a few minutes or out a temperature change. When the process is re- seconds more. Were this really the case, the con- The APS Committee on Careers and Professional Development has the broad versed and water freezes, or the vapor condenses, sequences would be dreadful. Even as things are at responsibility of coordinating affairs within the Society concerned with career and professional development in physics, and advising the Society on courses this “latent heat” returns to the environment. The present, the melting of great quantities of snow and of action. The committee held its most recent meeting on March 16 at APS latent heat stored in ice and wa- ice occasions violent torrents. headquarters in College Park, MD. Shown in the photo are (l to r): Alice White, ter vapor has a profound effect But were the ice and snow to Sufi Zafar, Mark Holtz, Richard Berger, Committee Chair Gregory P. Meisner, on weather and climate. melt... suddenly ... the torrents Arnold Kritz (partially obscured), Committee Administrator Crystal Bailey, and Early scientists were un- would be incomparably more APS Director of Education and Diversity Ted Hodapp. able to grasp the concept of dreadful.” The latent heat that latent heat, which seemed to Black discovered greatly slows disappear and then reappear the melting of snow and ice. He later, somewhere else. To make gave the first account of this Members matters worse, at the time, the work on April 23, 1762 at the distinction between heat and University of Glasgow. in the Media temperature was poorly under- Having established the exis- stood, and the instruments to tence of latent heat in the melt- “Their approach is extremely Chicago Tribune, March 16, measure them were crude and ing of ice, Black turned to the powerful… This is at least a 10- 2012. unreliable. Finally, however, vaporization of water. From year effort to make very tiny elec- in a brilliant leap of scientific Joseph Black his lecture notes: if a small trical wires and combine them “We’ve lost the motivation intuition, the bizarre behavior quantity of heat added to boil- with the placement of a phospho- to make it (space) a priority… I of latent heat was unmasked by a modest Scottish ing water could convert it all to vapor, “the undeni- rus atom exactly where they want think there’s always been some scientist, Joseph Black, 1728-1799, who discerned able consequence of this would be an explosion of them.” background activities going on. a profound truth hidden in poorly understood and all the water with a violence equal to that of gun- Andreas Heinrich, I.B.M., on The space shuttle has been going seemingly unrelated observations. powder.” Since this does not happen, he concluded research by physicists at Purdue on for several decades. But my Black’s attention was drawn to the latent heat that a large quantity of heat must be added, even and the University of New South criticism of that was that we were puzzle by an observation on supercooled water, though there is no change in temperature, “and I Wales making single atom transis- boldly going where hundreds have made by physicist Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit, [of gave it the name, latent heat.” tors, The New York Times, Febru- gone before. If you want to actual- the Fahrenheit temperature scale.] Fahrenheit re- The concept of latent heat was soon applied to ary 19, 2012. ly advance the space frontier, what ported the now well-known fact that water can be industrial practice. James Watt was a student of you want to do is move that fron- supercooled, or chilled below the freezing point, Black and cooperated with him in his work. Watt’s “I don’t think I met anyone tier out. Every time you do that, without turning to ice. When shaken, however, the early knowledge of latent heat enabled him to man- who said I bet it’s going to be true. a whole new level of interest and supercooled water turns instantly to ice, and the age heat in the steam engine, improving it from a I think the people on the experi- curiosity is stimulated, spawned temperature rises to the freezing point. crude and inefficient machine into the powerful ment worked as carefully as they for having done so.” Black meditated on Fahrenheit’s experiment, driver of the industrial age. With ice, recognition of could, and I think they ran out of Neil deGrasse Tyson, Ameri- and on his own observations of the slow melting latent heat allowed one to design ways to use heat ideas of what could be wrong and can Museum of Natural History, of ice. Taken together, the two suggested that a insulation, so that ice could be stored for months they decided to present it… May- CBSNews.com, February 27, large quantity of heat was absorbed as ice melts, without melting, even in the warmest climates. be they should have waited a few 2012. and a corresponding quantity released by the freez- An industry arose in the US, shipping ice cut from more months.” ing of water. Starting from this simple insight, he northern lakes in winter to Cuba, India and other Edward Blucher, University of “This very much smells like soon realized that a form of heat must exist that warm countries. In the early 19th century, ice was Chicago, on OPERA’s announce- the Higgs boson.” mysteriously disappears and reappears as water one of the most important US exports, exceeded ment that the faster than light neu- Beate Heinemann, University changes phases. Black based his reasoning in part only by cotton. Writer Henry David Thoreau, a re- trinos might be the result of loose of California, Berkeley, on data on the fact that something expected to happen did lentless critic of technology, in 1854 expressed his cables, MSNBC.com, February coming out of the Tevatron’s last not. [Sherlock Holmes used similar logic to solve disdain for both the ice export and the steam en- 23, 2012. run hinting at the Higgs boson, a puzzling case by noting that a dog at the crime gine in a single sentence; “Men think it necessary The New York Times, March 7, scene had not barked, though it was expected to.] that the Nation have commerce, and export ice... “The evidence is beginning to 2012. Before Black’s work, scientists expected that and ride thirty miles an hour; ... if railroads are not point towards the OPERA result if one warmed a cold piece of ice to the freezing built how will we get to heaven?” being an artifact of the measure- “Unfortunately, this hint is not point, a minute quantity of additional heat would Joseph Black was born on April 16, 1728, one ment,” significant enough to conclude melt the ice entirely. Black showed that the expect- of twelve children. Pressed by his father to study Sergio Bertolucci, CERN, on that the Higgs boson exists,” ed thing did not happen. In lecture demonstrations medicine, he enrolled at the University of Glasgow, the report by the ICARUS experi- Rob Roser, Fermilab on data he showed that equal weights of ice and water, both then went on to receive his medical degree in 1754 ment that they measured neutri- coming out of the Tevatron’s last at 0° C, warmed equally by the air of the lecture BLACK continued on page 6 nos going at the speed of light, MEMBERS continued on page 3

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Congressional Fellow Combines Research and Communication By Michael Lucibella entific research was put to use on involved in policy,” Hopkins said, Education C orner Scientific research can take on energy issues like ethanol credits, adding that many scientists are A column on educational programs and publications a whole new perspective when comprehensive energy legislation willing to engage the public about seen from the halls of Congress. and coal ash disposal regulations. their research. “But what I see APS’s 2010/2011 Congressional In March, after the earthquake in much less frequently is scientists Award for Improving Undergraduate Physics Education Science Fellow, Laura Berzak Japan, she was able to rely on her coming to their local representa- training as a plasma physicist to tive and their local senator… I Created by the APS Committee on Education, the award recognizes Hopkins said that working in the explain some of the workings of wish I saw more of that.” departments and programs that support best practices in education House and Senate gave her valu- at the undergraduate level. Programs will be recognized for a three- able insights as to how the law- the unfolding Fukushima disaster. Bringing scientific expertise to year term, acknowledged on the APS website, awarded a plaque, making process works, and how “I was primarily explaining the lawmakers is one thing, but Hop- announced in APS News, and recognized at an annual meeting. scientists can get involved. background of what is a nuclear kins is also as passionate about These awards are intended to acknowledge commitment to inclu- Hopkins did her doctoral the- power plant, is it a nuclear weap- sharing science with the public. sive, high-quality physics education for undergraduate students, and sis work at the Princeton Plasma on, what is a spent fuel pool,” Throughout college she gave pub- to catalyze departments and programs to make significant improve- Physics Laboratory. There she lic talks and helped with other ments. Nominations for the award are being accepted until July 15. worked on diagnostic systems outreach activities. More information can be found at www.aps.org/programs/education/ “I’ve always been interested in undergrad/faculty/award.cfm for Tokamaks, data acquisition systems and data analysis. When not only doing the science, but… in showing people why I’m excit- APS Excellence in Physics Education Award finishing up her thesis, she heard about the APS Congressional Fel- ed about science,” Hopkins said. The award recognizes and honors a team or group of individuals lowship, which intrigued her be- She’s kept up her passion for (such as a collaboration), or exceptionally a single individual, who bringing science to the public. have exhibited a sustained commitment to excellence in physics cause it seemed like a good way to combine her interests in science This year, Hopkins received an education. Nominations are being accepted until July 1. More infor- APS Outreach Grant to set up a mation can be found at www.aps.org/programs/honors/awards/edu- research and communication. website to let scientists show off cation.cfm From the start, working with law- makers proved to be wholly unlike their research to the public. The PhysTEC Solicitation for Supported Sites working with ionized particles. website, titled “WhySci,” will host short explanations of the The PhysTEC Solicitation for Supported Sites to build model physics “It was a different experience work done by scientists. Written teacher education programs will be released in early fall 2012. To from research,” Hopkins said, Laura Berzak Hopkins view the 2011 solicitation, visit www.phystec.org/solicitation adding that she found there was by the researchers themselves, a much greater variety of work in Hopkins said. “A lot of the issues Hopkins will help edit the de- Date and Location Set for 2013 PhysTEC Conference Congress compared to a lab. “One related to nuclear energy were scriptions by getting science jour- right in line with my work.” nalism students involved as well. The next PhysTEC conference will be held March 16-17, 2013 in day I might be accompanying my She added also that not only “I think that it’s a great op- Baltimore, MD, immediately preceding the APS March Meeting. For boss to do a speech or give an in- info on the 2013 PhysTEC conference, visit www.ptec.org terview, and the next day I might was her technical training itself portunity for both scientists and be going to meetings with differ- a boon while on Capitol Hill, but non-scientists to open a line of AAPT Summer Meeting ent interest groups.” the research skills she developed communication,” Hopkins said. while pursuing her degree were as “There are a lot of scientists who The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) will be hav- Hopkins spent the first half of ing its annual summer meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from her year in Congress working at important to her success. are extremely passionate about July 28 to August 1, 2012. This meeting features sessions and work- the House Foreign Relations sub- “It sounds trivial but I think it’s what they’re doing, and there are shops on a wide variety of physics education topics, and typically committee on terrorism, nonpro- a skill that scientists really hone a lot of non-scientists who are draws over 1,000 physics educators from universities, K-12 schools, liferation and trade. in their daily research activities,” genuinely excited about what’s and other institutions. “I focused primarily on nucle- Hopkins said. going on.” 2012 Conference on Laboratory Instruction - Beyond the First ar cooperation agreements and the She pointed to issues that she Hopkins is still weighing her Year of College current status of what some of the worked with on the Hill, includ- options for the future. Right now ing energy and pollution, as areas she’s at Princeton’s Woodrow Geared toward university faculty and staff who teach intermediate legislation is,” Hopkins said. where scientists can have a lot of Wilson School of Public and In- and upper-level laboratory courses for physics students, the con- After the midterm elections, the ference will provide an unusual opportunity for hands-on exposure leadership of the House changed, meaningful input. However she ternational Affairs program on to a broad smörgåsbord of contemporary instructional labs and for along with all of its staffing, so said she was a bit dismayed that Science and Global Security. She discussions of a range of curricular models to enhance the under- she went to work for the office of more scientists and researchers said she’s thinking about getting graduate physics major. The conference is organized by ALPhA (the Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND). There don't get involved in the lawmak- back into physics research, but Advanced Laboratory Physics Association) with support from the she found her background in sci- ing process. hasn’t made any concrete deci- NSF, the APS Forum on Education, AAPT, the Physics Instructional “I wish I saw more scientists sions yet. Resource Association, ComPADRE, and the Physics Departments of the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. Hosted by and at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, the con- ference will run Wednesday to Friday, July 25–27, 2012, immediately prior to the AAPT Summer Meeting. More information about the con- ference can be found by following the links at www.advlab.org. ICPE Medal goes to Professor Joe Redish Professor Edward F. (Joe) Redish has been selected to receive the International Commission of Physics Education (ICPE) Medal for 2012. This medal is awarded by the International Commission of Can Science and Politics Coexist? Physics Education (IUPAP Commission C-14) “…to recognize out- by Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs standing contributions to physics teaching of a kind that transcends national boundaries.” Secretary of Energy Steven that in hindsight we now know sands of emails, they found nary Chu, Nobel Laureate, National made a very bad bet on the silicon a trace of a spoor. Nonetheless MEMBERS continued from page 2 Academy member, APS Fellow futures market. Chu’s reputation remained en- and former Lawrence Berkeley Solyndra was one of several snared in the kind of innuendo for run hinting at the Higgs boson, “At the heart of quantum me- National Laboratory director, is businesses–Evergreen Solar was which Washington is famous. Reuters, March 7, 2012. chanics is a rule that sometimes discovering just how rough Wash- another–that had developed tech- The Solyndra furor had barely governs politicians or CEOs–as ington can be. Despite yeoman nologies requiring less silicon to died down after months of hear- “It would be a triumph of the long as no one is watching, any- efforts on behalf of American sci- produce solar power. If the price of ings and accusations, when Chu theory to actually see that it hap- thing goes.” ence and technology, in less than silicon had continued to increase, once again found himself the sub- pens.” Lawrence Krauss, Arizona a year he’s twice found himself they would have had investors ject of controversy, this time for a Gary Feldman, Harvard Uni- State University, quoting from caught in a political bear trap. knocking down their doors to buy comment he made in 2008, when versity, on physicists nearing the his recent book “A Universe from The “gotcha” mindset is noth- a piece of their companies. But the he was still the Berkeley lab di- discovery of the Higgs Boson, The Nothing,” The Financial Times, ing new to seasoned politicians. price collapsed, and their balance rector. This time, the context was Chicago-Sun Times, March 7, March 9, 2012. They know it comes with the ter- sheets went completely sour. oil, or more precisely the price of 2012. ritory. But for most scientists, who Chu was carrying out an ad- gasoline. “Although challenges still re- are trained to speak the “truth” as ministration policy that Congress It’s no secret among political “We had this idea that you main, I am confident that we have the profession demands, it is reve- had authorized–providing incen- cognoscenti that consumers blame could use this kind of trick to put into place a clear pathway for latory. tives to encourage solar energy a president for anything that goes probe the structure of molecules… the years ahead and strategies that Chu’s first serious brush with development. Opponents have wrong economically, whether it's At Kansas State, we don’t have the will support Berkeley’s ongoing the Washington hunting posse challenged the wisdom of a politi- soaring prices or vanishing jobs. kind of laser that (OSU research- excellence and its impact on the came last year, when his finger- cal philosophy that injects the fed- And the electoral fallout can be ers) have.” world.” prints appeared on the $500 mil- eral government so directly into catastrophic. Just ask Jimmy Cart- Chii-Dong Lin, Kansas State Robert Birgeneau, University lion Solyndra loan guarantee. Let the marketplace, but Chu’s critics er or George H.W. Bush. University, on using ultrafast la- of California, Berkeley, on step- me be clear: he committed no went even further, lambasting him So in an election year, with gas sers to snap an image of atoms ping down as chancellor of the legal transgression in approving for alleged impropriety. prices threatening to climb well inside a molecule, The Columbus school, The Los Angeles Times, government assistance to what ap- Though his congressional de- past four dollars a gallon, it didn’t Dispatch, March 8, 2012. March 13, 2012. peared to be a promising company tractors combed through thou- COEXIST continued on page 5 4 • April 2012

Dudley Buck Remembered Letters It was a pleasure to see some ducing both the size and the cost of tion, the goal is not making money. of Dudley Buck’s ingenious work computer components by several It is “to advance humankind by do- Readers interested in submitting a letter to APS News should reported in the February “This orders of magnitude. He was also ing good physics.” And this policy email [email protected] Month in Physics History” column an amazing human being, with an has one hundred percent director in APS News. However, categoriz- acute sense of humor and a pro- and stockholder support. Presum- ing me as his “classmate” greatly pensity for clever practical jokes. ably there are numerous other or- overstates my then status. At elev- His philosophy that one should ganizations that feel the same way. Intellectual Property Belongs to Authors en years older, he was a mentor, a be “ambitious for the entire human Buck was right. In the “Bill to Kill Open Ac- lication, and conveniently “al- substitute father, and a wonderful race” should be a guiding principle cess Mandate” story in the March lows” you personal use of your friend. His sudden death at age 32 for all of us. Interestingly enough, APS News, Michael Lucibella own work, all for the laughable was a crushing event. this philosophy can work in private Chuck Crawford writes “Publishers who oppose it reason that “the scientific record Buck was a very early advocate industry as well as in academia. In Wilton, NH have had to walk a fine line be- must be clear and unambiguous.” of the huge potential societal ben- our small but quite successful fif- Ed. Note: The writer is President tween supporting the mission of Let’s be very clear and unambig- efits which would result from re- ty-plus-person Delaware Corpora- of Kimball Physics, Inc. greater dissemination of science, uous here: we are TRIPLE pay- Self-interest Drives Political Loyalty while at the same time protecting ing in this case. First to publish, their investments and intellectual second to access, and third in our Felix Smith (letters, August/ nonsense. Scientists are just like Regarding Smith’s other property.” My response: “What taxes! September APS News) cites Mi- everyone else. Self-interest plays claims: It was not Clinton and the intellectual property?” For ex- chael Lubell’s Inside the Beltway a big role in the DEM/GOP ratio. Dems, but Clinton dragged along ample Elsevier demands all Ross Mayo column which quotes the PEW Most scientists at universities, na- by Gingrich and the GOP budget rights be given to them on pub- Columbus, OH Foundation numbers that 55% tional laboratories, etc. are public balancers–who for the first time of scientists identify themselves employees and would tend to sup- in four decades held the House– with the Democratic party, while port the party that they feel will that produced federal surpluses. only 6% with the Republican. (A give them more funding and sup- Large factors were defense in- Role Models Should be Sensitive to lot of us are independents.) He port more spending. The “tax and dustry reductions due to Reagan’s notes that this correlates strongly spend tag” is clearly attached to ending the cold war, and to the Diverse Values and Motivations with being liberal or conservative. the Dems, and public employees economic and high-tech boom Lubell, Smith notes, reports that are a large part of their constitu- Reagan helped unleash. The tech Cultural perspectives are of- as the student. However, when it the imbalance may be understand- ency. The Democrats’ strategy is bust, among other things, ruined ten extremely complicated and I comes to motivating and inspiring able: “Professionally and person- clear: bigger government, with Clinton’s last year. Bush inherited believe the article on PhysTEC students, I think that more than ally scientists need to be more more public spending and more the resultant recession–followed that appeared in the March APS good teaching is required. Stu- dedicated and more sensitive to public employees, more entitle- by 9/11. News did an excellent job in cap- dents of diverse backgrounds and the pursuit of truth and the correc- ments and more hand-outs will be- turing some of these broad ideas. cultures, generally, have diverse tion of error...scientists tend to be get more votes. It has been work- Paul Brady Because the concept is complex, I value systems and motivations. more idealistic–and perhaps more ing for many years. Davis, CA just want to add a few comments Thus, teachers, mentors, and other public spirited than the general In Congress the House defines PS: California is an extreme to amplify my remarks that were potential role models should be population.” the spending and the Dems have case of public employee “self- quoted in the article. cognizant of and sensitive to these Wow! What a slap at the non- controlled it for 48 of the past 60 interest” where the public unions Although there is a grave need differences. It may be true that in- dedicated, self-interested, “un- years, and controlled the Senate basically run this Democratic for minority physicists and phys- dividuals of similar backgrounds corrected,” less public-spirited, for 46 of those. Republicans are state from top to bottom. CA K-12 ics teachers, it is my belief that etc., Republican and independent seen as trying to get our deficits school performance has fallen minority students do not need are more aware of these differ- ences and how to address them. scientists. In every income range and debt (now $16 trillion–more from the top 10% to the bottom role models that look like them in conservatives and Republicans than our GDP) under control, 5% in national tests. Rising car- However, with effort–and possi- order to be successful in physics give appreciably more money and which involves spending reduc- bon taxes will cripple or shut- bly training–all have the capacity and physics teaching or to be in- time to charities than do liberals tions (as well as revenue increases down many industries and stunt to be positive and influential role spired to pursue careers in those and Democrats. The latter argue –as can be done without seriously state economic growth. And, we fields. Research, as well as my models regardless of background. that instead they seek to redistrib- slowing the economy). owe hundreds of billions for pub- own personal experiences, sug- ute taxpayer money through the As G. B. Shaw said: A govern- lic pensions and retiree health- gests that role models need not be Geraldine Cochran government. ment that takes from Peter to give care–a cost soon to average nearly the same race, ethnicity, or gender Miami, FL So surely the above claims re to Paul can always depend on the $10,000 per family per year for scientists are questionable, if not support of Paul. the several million public retirees.

Regional Fuel Storage Could Lessen Radiation Hazard FUKUSHIMA continued from page 1 As the crisis at the Fukushima each plant, multiple countries plan. According to the plan, plants proposed a program which they pool of water is there for at least a Daiichi nuclear power plant un- ship their spent fuel to a single acquire self-contained portable call FLEX, which essentially in- three day period,” Kuczynski said. folded, one of the greatest dan- regional holding facility in a pumps, generators, batteries, com- volves buying lots of commercial “All we need to do is fill it back gers of radiation exposure came nearby nation. The fuel would be pressors, hoses and equipment to grade, off-the-shelf equipment up; it’s a very simple evolution. not from the reactors but from stored in dry cask storage while clear debris. The equipment is kept like diesel generators that anyone And that’s just gravity, that’s just the fuel storage pools. These it cools off at these facilities onsite to deal with a catastrophic can buy for their home, and stor- convection, that’s just normal heat giant water tanks store spent under the auspices of the Inter- event that knocks out external ing them at various places, on and transfer.” nuclear fuel rods while the rods national Atomic Energy Agen- power. The idea is to use the bat- off reactor sites, in the hope that The robustness of that 72 hour cool to manageable levels. After cy. The team says this system teries, hoses and other equipment no matter what event might come, estimate was disputed by Lyman. the tsunami engulfed the facility, would be easy technologically to keep water flowing over spent that at least some equipment some- He said that overall the plans de- the power was knocked out, and to implement, safer than pools fuel rods and the reactor cores, where will survive and you’ll be veloped by the nuclear industry the pumps that kept water flow- at every power plant, more cost preventing them from overheating. able to get it to the site and use lacked vision and flexibility for di- ing into the pools were disabled. effective for power plants, and “Let’s just assume that we’re it,” Lyman said. “It’s really not sasters outside of the imaginations Ultimately firefighters had to be able to turn a profit for the not smart enough to know every clear how much additional safety of designers. Prior to the disaster don protective suits and brave host country within two years. single possible external event; let’s we’re getting from the industry’s in Japan, no one had developed dangerous levels of radiation to Countries would bid to host the develop strategies to deal with program. And the NRC has not yet contingency plans for such severe run water hoses into the pools, site, and the one selected would whatever they are,” Kuczynski issued its guidlines as to how that damage inflicted upon a nuclear keeping the rods from boiling collect revenues from nations said. “It may be a flood, it may be equipment should be regulated.” plant. Lyman said that such is away all of their protection. whose waste it’s storing. a seismic activity, it may be some- The designs of reactors were also the case with the new West- A recent proposal from the James Malone, current chief thing that we’re just not thinking also the subject of contention. The inghouse reactors; their safety is American Academy of Arts and of nuclear fuel development at about at this point in time. But can reactors slated for construction at predicated on the entire system Sciences recommends a new Lightbridge and former vice we develop strategies to extend Southern Nuclear’s new plant are remaining mostly intact. One po- way to mitigate the dangers of president of nuclear fuels at Ex- battery life, make sure our sources the first to use a much touted, third tential flaw he pointed to was if these onsite spent fuel pools. It elon Generation Company, said of AC power are secure, and can generation nuclear reactor, the the pool of water used for cooling proposes an international plan to that the biggest challenge would transport water so our ultimate Westinghouse AP1000. It’s been is punctured there would be no collect spent fuel from multiple be getting countries to partici- heat sink can be functional? That is designed with a number of pas- contingency to prevent the reactor nations and consolidate them at pate, rather than any technical the whole purpose around FLEX.” sive safety features built in that from going critical. a single safe facility. challenge. Lyman said that the FLEX pro- don’t need any power or operators “We hear a lot about the “It’s widely recognized that “We’re not doing anything gram did not address some of the to shut down fission reactions and AP1000s that can cope with a 72 a nuclear incident anywhere is new on the tech side,” Malone fundamental issues that contrib- start cooling the core. The system hour station blackout. But really consequential to us all,” said said “This technology has been uted to the disaster at Fukushima. is supposed to keep the reactor that’s only under the design ba- Robert Rosner, a physicist at deployed at Exelon at each site.” He said he was concerned that a from going critical for three days sis of certain conditions,” Lyman the University of Chicago who He added that spent nuclear fuel major catastrophic event, like the if emergency power hasn’t been said. “So if you have something helped develop the new idea. is safer in dry storage than in tsunami that struck the Japanese restored. that’s beyond the design basis of The proposal recommends water. plant, could still knock out all of “In the AP1000 there is a pool the plant, a seismic event or ma- that instead of storing spent Each of the proposed sites the emergency equipment stored of water on top of the containment, jor flooding, then you might not nuclear fuel in cooling pools at onsite. so if it’s needed, it will stream and be able to count on that 72 hour STORAGE continued on page 7 “The US nuclear industry has it will exchange the heat and that plan.” April 2012 • 5

COEXIST continued from page 3 take long for Republicans to realize ing the Journal quote to a relent- House has proposed for other they might have a potent campaign less refrain, just weeks ago Chu federal programs. Yet, the Obama Biggest March Meeting Ever issue. They blasted the President found himself disavowing his plan tilts heavily toward strate- for pursuing policies they claimed 2008 sentiments at a Senate hear- gic rather than discovery-driven exacerbated the price at the pump: ing, because he had changed his programs: toward clean energy, limiting offshore drilling, delaying position, given the fragile state of for example, rather than neutrino approval of the Keystone pipeline the economy. physics. that would carry oil from Canada’s Has either of these episodes tar- Inevitably, some critics will tar sands to U.S. Gulf Coast re- nished Chu’s scientific reputation? take issue with the White House fineries and pushing for removal Hardly, but together they serve as priorities, and as they fulminate, of tax incentives for oil and natu- a warning to scientists who aspire they unwittingly will be playing in ral gas exploration. But although to public office: Intellect and ac- a political arena fraught with con- polls showed Obama’s approval complishment, alone, even at the tention and debate, rather than on rating eroding, they also showed Nobel level, do not insulate you a science terrain where truth and the public didn’t completely buy from the politics of science. beauty are the only currencies of the Republican charges. As physicists, we believe our the realm. But Chu’s 2008 statement gave work should live in a politics-free Scientists may harbor the hope Republicans the ammunition they zone. But in reality, whenever sci- their work can be truly free from needed. Before Obama had tapped ence intersects the lives of citizens political intrusion and intrigue, him for a Cabinet post, Chu, in ex- in a democracy, politics is a hand- but that hope ultimately will prove plaining to The Wall Street Journal maiden, welcome or not. Consider false. Engaging the public and how consumers might be enticed the impending appropriations bat- spending time enlisting support Photo by Ken Cole to buy more fuel-efficient cars, tles on the Hill. of elected officials may seem de- The so-called March Meeting, which took place mostly in February this year, said, “Somehow we have to fig- President Obama’s opening meaning to many research prac- shattered all previous records for attendance, with an official count of 9867 ure out how to boost the price of salvo, a budget request for fiscal titioners, but in the end it will do physicists taking part. (The only bigger APS meeting was the combined March and April Meeting in 1999 held in conjunction with the APS Centennial celebra- gasoline to the levels in Europe.” year 2013, may not quite place more to insulate their work from tion.) Here new arrivals crowd the space in front of the registration desk at the If ever there was a “gotcha” quote science on a funding pedestal, but political meddling than almost Boston Convention Center as the meeting got underway on Monday morning, that was it. it does protect research and STEM anything else they can do. February 27. And with the GOP drums beat- education from cuts the White

Come Fly The Friendly Skies With You-Know-Who By Alaina G. Levine The middle seat sucks and the ations of the FAA. Their work in- of Justice commissioned CNA and was offered a position. As to question everything. But here food is lousy or nonexistent. But volves creating computer models to reconstruct the air traffic near an air traffic controller at small you do everything by the book, why should you complain? You that scrutinize air traffic data in an Detroit on Christmas Day 2009, airports in Indiana and North and don’t ask why.” For example, are flying in a gigantic tube made effort to understand the root cause when the bomber tried to detonate Dakota, he supervised air traffic before a pilot can take off, he of tons of steel and aluminum of system delays. Typical prob- an explosive device. Ng’s team’s visually because the airports had must determine the weight of the at speeds around 500 miles per lems involve analyzing a future charge was to analyze the impact no computers to assist them. “We aircraft he is flying, and for com- hour more than 30,000 feet above season’s airline schedules and an- that the attempted bombing had had the pilot position reports and mercial craft, it must be within Earth. And you are doing it rela- ticipating where these will change on air traffic that day, as well as our eyes,” he describes. “It was certain parameters. Nathaniel’s tively safely and efficiently be- the stress points in the overall air to study the consequences had strictly old school: It was all about expertise in physics tells him that cause of the principles of physics traffic network. Ng acknowledges the detonation caused the flight vectors. I had to figure out a 3D there is “leeway” in terms of the and the many principal physicists the benefits that dynamic picture weight, and that the plane could who work in various wings of the physicists bring to in my head, to fly safely if it was over by a certain aviation industry. this unique problem keep the aircrafts number of pounds. But legally, “if From designing and building set. “Physicists are separated so their you are one pound over, you don’t the avionic technology that en- very disciplined and vectors would not take off, ever,” he says. The same sures the plane’s sensors know methodological,” cross.” The fact thing goes with the temperature. where it is, to managing and ana- says Ng. “Physics that he had stud- “I would be perfectly comfortable lyzing air traffic systems, to fly- is one of those dis- ied physics, some- flying” a few degrees above what ing the jets themselves, physicists ciplines that teaches thing which most the FAA declares as the mandated make more of an impact on this you how to solve controllers do not temperature level for safety, says multi-billion dollar industry than problems employ- have in their tool Nathaniel. “But if I go one degree you may first realize. ing a highly disci- Brad Ng Walter Stockwell Richard Schmidt box, gave him a over, you don’t fly or you may end Brad Ng is just one example plined scientific ap- significant ad- up in jail.” of a physicist working behind the proach. We look for this when we to crash into the Detroit suburbs. vantage in these situations. After Nathaniel observes the prob- scenes to make your flying expe- hire people.” He and his colleague, who holds a almost 20 years as a controller, lem as either you can fly or you rience more friendly. As the Vice Walter Stockwell, whose doc- degree in astrophysics, examined Schmidt transferred to radar main- can’t, depending on temperature President of the Air Traffic Divi- torate is in astrophysics and who the FAA’s radar data from that day tenance. “Now my physics degree or load weight, whereas the FAA sion of CNA, the umbrella com- has worked in the avionics arena (and “normal” days for compari- became essential. It was excellent policy adds gray to the issue by pany for the Institute for Public since 1996 designing sensors for son) and reproduced four dimen- preparation for this type of techni- circumventing the science. Ng Research and the Center for Na- aircraft, concurs that his educa- sional images of the flight paths cal work.” notes a similarity in how his team val Analyses in Alexandria, VA, tion has made a huge difference of every aircraft within a hundred Today, despite the fact that the approaches problems in air traffic Ng leads a team of 26 scientists, in his problem-solving approach. miles of Detroit. Their findings aviation industry is computer- control management. “The phys- including six physicists, to ex- Not only does his background clearly illustrated how the bomb- driven, the ability to mentally pin- ics guys are the most ‘black and amine and solve problems relat- aid him with the technology de- er’s actions put lives in danger that point the locations of aircraft in white’ of the staff,” he says. “When ing to managing and controlling sign and testing (his company, day–in the airplane, on the ground, space is still a skill treasured by they look at a problem they look air traffic for the FAA. He was Moog Crossbow, builds solid at the airport, and in several other pilots. And for Nathaniel (not his at it as yes or no. But the govern- recruited by CNA 23 years ago state MEMS gyroscopes), but it aircraft over Detroit. real name), who is a commercial ment has a lot of gray.” This can after receiving his bachelors in also helps him the area of gen- The ability to create a picture airline pilot and a university phys- be a challenge for the physicists, biophysics from UC Berkeley and eral problem-solving. “The phys- of aircraft moving through space ics researcher, his physics educa- he continues. “The squishiness of a PhD in Chemistry from UCLA. ics degree helps me have an ana- and time has also aided Richard tion has served him well in this it makes the physics guys uncom- Although his original focus was lytical approach to problems,” he Schmidt in his 17 years as an air capacity. “Flying at night (espe- fortable,” says Ng. “The policy as- on naval and Marine Corps tech- says. Stockwell is able to “break traffic controller. Schmidt, who cially), I have to figure out where I pect may add grayness, and ‘black nology problems, in 1992, when problems down and know what is holds a bachelors in physics and am in space,” he explains. And “I and white’ doesn’t play…You CNA started taking on projects for important and what’s not, take real mathematics from Minot State have to see it in a blink of an eye.” have to realize that the answer you other agencies, Ng joined the team data and quantify it,” he says. College in Minot, ND, originally Although Nathaniel agrees his give is the best one you can but responsible for investigating and One of Ng’s recent projects taught high school for several knowledge of physics has helped there may be gray…(physicists) solving air traffic challenges for highlights the importance of hav- years after he graduated in 1984. him, he concludes that it may actu- are used to looking at a problem, the FAA. ing physicists with these skills. In But on a “whim”, after seeing a ally be a hindrance in some situa- getting a result and that’s it. They His current position involves, preparation for the trial of the “un- newspaper ad for a job for an air tions. “I don’t see a huge advan- look at benefits and achievements. in part, overseeing the work of an- derwear bomber,” the FAA Legal traffic controller, he applied for tage of having a physics degree,” But here, (the solution) may not be alysts who are examining the oper- Department and U.S. Department it, passed a required aptitude test, he says. “As a physicist you tend SKIES continued on page 6 6 • April 2012 Uncertainty Looms Over Federal Science Spending

Focus on Advocacy By Michael Lucibella Agency, ARPA-E, which focuses How much of the proposed In the Obama administra- on developing energy technology, budget makes it through Con- tion’s proposal for the fiscal year is getting an extra $75 million, gress is an open question. Budget or 27.3 percent increase. Basic proposals reflect an administra- Ed. Note: With this contribu- 2013 budget, science and engi- Energy Science, Advanced Sci- tion’s policy priorities, and can be tion, APS News begins an occa- neering overall received a mod- entific Computing and Biological dramatically altered by Congress sional series highlighting mem- est bump in spending; however, and Environmental research are during the appropriations pro- bers’ activities in public advocacy. there are areas with potentially slated to grow by 6.6 percent, 3.3 cess. This administration and the John Mergo is a PhD student at painful cuts. Overshadowing the percent and 2.6 percent respec- current leadership of the House Cornell University, where he in- proposed budget are looming tively. Fusion Energy Sciences, of Representatives have had a vestigates colloidal micron spheres partisan battles in Congress, a High Energy Physics and Nuclear particularly acrimonious relation- used to model atomic systems. Al- presidential election and possible Physics are all contracting, with ship over federal spending; how- though his research in soft matter across-the-board spending cuts, budgets declining 0.7 percent, 1.8 ever scientific research has gener- is his priority, he finds time to par- casting a great deal of uncertainty percent and 3.7 percent respec- ally received bipartisan support. ticipate in outreach and advocacy over the future of federal science tively. “The House Republicans are to impact science policy. A native funding levels. “Budget issues are very real. not even going to accept the bare of southern Ohio, he grew up with According to the President’s John Mergo We’d love to have larger budgets bones of [the proposed budget]. a passion for science. But he rec- budget, funding for research and for the field we represent, but we They’re going to pull this thing ognizes that not everyone under- their careers. “I’ve been happily development is up about 1.2 per- have to live with what we can or- apart completely,” said Michael stands the relationship between surprised by the positive feedback cent. This puts the increase below chestrate through Congress and Lubell, APS Director of Public innovations such as the iPad and that my op-ed has generated in the the expected rate of inflation over the administration,” said William Affairs. “I don’t believe there is GPS and basic scientific research. community,” says Mergo. the next year, but dramatically Brinkman, head of the DOE Of- going to be any budget whatsoev- His goal is to help people compre- Read the op-ed: http://www. better than the proposed 2.4 per- fice of Science at a recent meet- er until at least after the election.” hend the connection. In addition aps.org/policy/resources/opeds/in- cent cut in federal discretionary ing of the High Energy Physics If no budget is passed by Con- to participating in Congressional dex.cfm. spending overall. Nondefense Advisory Panel. gress, it is likely that they will Visit Days, he recently wrote an For more information about research and development will be Under the current budget, the pass some kind of continuing res- op-ed that appeared in the Chilli- getting involved in outreach and getting a 5.1 percent boost while development of Fermilab’s new olution, keeping the government cothe Gazette (Ohio) detailing the advocacy, contact Tyler Glembo, defense R&D, which usually flagship experiment, the Long operating at 2012 spending levels choices young scientists face when government relations specialist makes up about half of the total Baseline Neutrino Experiment until a final budget is passed. considering whether to stay in at [email protected] or 202-662- R&D expenditures in the federal has been reduced and the project The fallout from the Budget the United States as they advance 8714. government, will shrink by $1.5 billion or 1.9 percent. will likely be further stalled and Control Act of 2011 is the biggest possibly even canceled. In addi- wildcard facing federal budgets SKIES continued from page 5 “This administration has over implemented for other reasons.” trollers using the airlines’ onboard the years been a pretty strong tion the Relativistic Heavy Ion at all agencies. According to the With all this inside knowledge entertainment system to hear supporter of science and inno- Collider at Brookhaven would act, after the failure last Fall of about the aviation and airline in- what’s happening in the cockpit. vation…given the budget con- run for 10 weeks, down from a the so-called “Super Committee” dustry, do these physicists still en- He declares “I very much enjoy straints, the budget caps, the planned 20 this year. to come up with a plan to reduce joy flying? Nathaniel, who was an flying,” in part because he under- budget control acts, the looming The US contribution to ITER, the deficit, significant across-the- airline instructor for 10 years be- stands what the pilots are talk- sequestration… I think they prob- the major fusion reactor under board cuts, called sequestration, fore becoming a commercial pilot ing about. Listening to the pilots’ ably did as well as they could construction in France, is increas- would set in starting January 2nd in 2006, clearly loves it–he does chatter helps him make decisions have,” said Matt Hourihan, direc- ing by about $45 million while of 2013. The cuts include 8 per- it every weekend as he manages about his own personal travel ar- tor of the R&D Budget and Policy the overall budget for fusion cent reductions in non-defense his dual-career. When Ng flies, he rangements and stay relaxed on Program at the American Asso- research is cut, resulting in the discretionary spending, and 11 likes to listen in on the conversa- delayed flights. “I know when and ciation for the Advancement of shuttering of the Alcator C-Mod percent reductions in defense tions between flight crew and con- where to fly,” he says, with a wink. Science. “However just as there Tokamak at MIT. spending. are a number of signs of continu- NASA is getting a 3.3 percent “Sequestration–that is an ab- ing support, there are a number cut overall, including a 3.2 per- solutely open question,” Hou- BLACK continued from page 2 of signs of the limitations they’re cent cut in its science program. rihan said. “There are real risks The James Webb Space Telescope for science and engineering fund- from the University of Edinburgh. other. He also discovered carbon facing.” is being supported, but at the cost ing.” He joined the faculty at Glasgow dioxide, and showed how it was Energy research is one of the of deep cuts to the planetary sci- As it stands, the President’s and made most of his discoveries related to other gases and to min- big winners for research dollars, ences which has already resulted budget does not factor in the cuts, there. He published very little of eral carbonates. Finally, he joined while high energy physics, nucle- in the likely end to the joint Mars and it is unclear how and where his works. What is known about the faculty at the more prestigious ar physics and domestic fusion exploration missions with the Eu- cuts will be introduced. It’s also them comes from occasional pub- University of Edinburgh. His lec- research are taking a hit. Overall ropean Space Agency. possible that Congress can opt to lic lectures and from careful lec- turing skills were legendary, mod- the Department of Energy’s Of- The National Science Founda- ignore its own mandate for cuts. ture notes made by his students. In els of order and precision, with fice of Science got a 2.6 percent tion is set to receive a 4.8 percent “If it comes to pass, I think addition to the discovery of latent demonstration experiments, al- boost in its budget, with programs increase, and NIST’s scientific people will be shocked,” Lubell heat, he first clarified the concept ways successful, attracting many working on energy research get- and technical research services said. “They [Congress] can do of specific heat, and showed how students from different fields. ting the biggest increases. The would get a 13.8 percent boost. whatever they want.” it varied from one material to an- He died peacefully in 1799. Advanced Research Projects

ATLANTA continued from page 1 diences up-to-date on research be- how string theory is being used neutrino discovered by the South becomes more affordable, physi- from Solar Turbines Incorporated ing conducted by the Alpha Mag- to describe the properties of hot Pole Telescope (Session W3.02). cists have been working on ways will talk about how to generate netic Spectrometer onboard the quark soup at RHIC and the LHC. Recent results from the Daya Bay to bring cleaner energy to the electricity using already existing International Space Station. Zheng-Tian Lu from Argonne Na- Experiment which uncovered the world’s poorest billions. Ashok biomass and other wastes. Trudy Nobel Session tional Laboratory will highlight value of the theta one-three mix- Gadgil from the University of Forsyth from the National Re- Monday morning’s Nobel ses- how laser-based atom traps are ing-angle of neutrino oscillations California Berkeley will share newable Energy Laboratory will sion promises to be engaging and being used for Atom Trap Trace will be presented in session G10. his work developing a cheap, show the promise that wind pow- enlightening. Two of the winners Analysis which could enable re- Gravitational Waves energy efficient and low carbon er holds for developing nations of the 2011 physics prize, Saul searchers to develop an effective The hunt for gravitational emission biomass stove for use (Session J12). Perlmutter from the University of method of krypton-dating ground- waves continues, and session L6 by displaced people around the Nuclear Detection California, Berkeley and Adam water and ancient ice. Judith Curry will bring focus on new develop- world. Kurt Kornbluth from the Warren Stern from the De- Reiss from Johns Hopkins have from the Georgia Institute of Tech- ments in the various searches as University of California at Davis partment of Homeland Security both been invited to speak about nology will talk about how the well as efforts to further refine has been developing inexpensive will highlight some of the recent their discovery that the expansion Berkeley Earth Surface Tempera- general relativity. Nicolas Yunes solar powered lights for unelec- developments in radiation detec- of the universe is accelerating. ture Project has brought together of Montana State University will trified houses and huts. Jeffrey tion technology. Michael Ku- One of the 2004 Nobel laureates, more than a billion historical give an overview of his work de- Nelson and his colleagues at San- liasha from the Defense Threat Frank Wilczek of MIT, will dis- temperature readings from around veloping new devices to look for dia National Laboratories have Reduction Agency will focus on cuss the implications that a poten- the world to produce a method to evidence of gravitational waves developed what they call “solar overarching strategies being em- tially low-mass Higgs boson will more accurately calculate the his- around binary star systems. Lat- glitter,” a new way of creating ployed by the United States to have for theories of supersymme- tory of global climate. er, John Conklin from Stanford photovoltaics made from crys- reduce the threat of nuclear ter- try (Session P1). Neutrino Research University will present the latest talline silicon that uses much rorism and proliferation. Michael Plenary Session New neutrino results are big results from the Gravity Probe B less semiconductor material, but Larson will describe the history of The third plenary session of at this year’s meeting. Bradford mission, launched in 2004. maintains its efficiency (Session the Nuclear Emergency Support the meeting, on Tuesday morning, Benson from the University of Energy for the Developing H6). The second session of the Team, a team trained to respond features a range of topics. Krishna Chicago will present the first World series looks at power generation to any kind of nuclear incident in Rajagopal from MIT will describe evidence of a 4th generation of As renewable and green energy at an industrial scale. Chris Lyons the country (Session Q5). April 2012 • 7

ANNOUNCEMENTS Reviews of Modern Physics Senior Editor Radioactive decays at limits of nuclear stability TM Physical Review E M. Pfützner, M. Karny, L. V. Grigorenko, and K. Riisager Nuclear physics began with the discovery of radioactivity. Several different forms of nuclear disintegration have The American Physical Society is conducting an international been identified very early, starting with the familiar alpha, beta, and gamma decays. In 1938, nuclear fission search for a successor to the current Editor of Physical Review E joined the elite club of nuclear decays. The exotic, short lived nuclei, accessible experimentally during the last (PRE). The position is that of the senior Editor of the journal, re- decades, have demonstrated quite a bit of skill and ingenuity in releasing its binding energy by spitting various sponsible for editorial standards, policies and direction of the jour- particles out. This review is devoted to the traditional and unusual forms of nuclear radioactivity observed at the limits of nuclear stability. nal, and leadership of the staff of about 15 editors. Physical Review http://rmp.aps.org E is a large multidisciplinary journal specializing in statistical, non- linear, and soft matter physics. SCIENTISTS continued from page 1 recent victim, Mostafa Ahmadi- scientists globally. tacks will only alienate Iran more. The ideal candidate should possess many of the following qualifica- Roshan, was a chemical engineer “The issue is that scientists “If we want to bring Iran back tions: stature in a field of research within the scope of PRE; stature at Iran’s uranium enrichment facil- should be given the freedom to do into the community of nations, we in the PRE author community; experience with scholarly journals; ity. Iran has variously accused Israel science,” Sadeghpour said. “This must address the plight of the Ira- management and interpersonal skills to deal effectively with an in- and the United States for the attacks. should be true everywhere, not just nian people, and in particular the ternational array of authors, referees, and editors and with the APS; Hossein Sadeghpour, a physicist in the United States or in some other plight of the scientists. They’re not advocacy, integrity, and wisdom to lead the journal in responding at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center favorite nation, but everywhere… working in very ideal environments to important matters and issues. for Astrophysics and chair of the Even during the Cold War, both the to begin with,” Sadeghpour said. The Editor may maintain his/her present appointment and location APS Committee on International United States and the Soviet Union The full text of President Byer’s and devote at least 20% of his/her time to the position. A higher Freedom of Scientists, said that the refrained from targeting their scien- letter is on the APS website at http:// level of commitment would be desirable in the initial year of ser- APS had to speak out because of the tists.” www.aps.org/about/governance/let- vice; several possible levels of long-term commitment, from 20% implications such attacks have for In addition, he said that such at- ters/assassins2012.cfm . to 50%, are possible. The initial appointment is for three years with renewal possible after review. Salary is negotiable and dependent STORAGE continued from page 4 on time commitment. The desired starting date is 1 July 2012. The would store up to about 10,000 met- a local management agency that and ready for business as early as APS is an equal employment opportunity employer and especially ric tons of spent fuel in a number of strictly conforms to IAEA stan- 2023. Logistical issues such as encourages applications from or nominations of women and mi- hermetically sealed steel cylinders dards. Nations would ship their where such a facility might be lo- norities. The search is not limited to residents of the United States. while they cool enough for other dis- spent nuclear fuel and pay a fee for cated and other liability issues have Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be sent by 1 posal methods. One facility should onsite storage, earning a profit for not yet been addressed. June 2012 to: K. Sreenivasan, PRE Search Committee Chair, ed- take up about an acre of land. the host country. The proposal is fully described [email protected] The idea for the facilities is that According to the plan, the first in a report available on the website each would be owned and run by such regional facility could be open of the American Academy.

LGBT continued from page 1 titled “The State of Higher Educa- Among the non-transgendered nearly 100 of which identified as ward that end, calling it “historic.” Speaker Michael Ramsey-Mu- tion for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & faculty who responded to the sur- LGBT+. The study provides a “Inclusion of LGBT in science solf, a professor of physics at the Transgender people.” The survey vey, the highest number of “out” more detailed look at minorities in and engineering diversity discus- University of Wisconsin-Madison aimed to gather information about faculty (open about their sexual physics by analyzing overlapping sions is new,” said speaker Janice and a former member and Chair the “climate” toward LGBT+ identity) came from the STEM identity factors. For example, gen- Hicks, Deputy Division Director of the APS Committee on the In- people in academia, and collected fields. But because sexual orienta- der identity ranked as a top reason at NSF, Division of Materials Re- ternational Freedom of Scientists, information from over 5,000 aca- tion and gender identity are self- for feeling unsafe; Long then pro- search. “Knowing when to raise argued that workplace discrimina- demic faculty, staff, administra- reported, and because there are no ceeded to look at how that statistic LGBT issues, so that they will be tion toward LGBT+ people, some- tors, undergraduate and graduate substantial data sets to which to played out when broken down by successful, has been difficult. In times known as the “lavender ceil- students. In her abstract for the compare the new results, there is gender, race and disabilities. The my opinion, based on what I’ve ing,” is also a human rights issue. session, Rankin demonstrated how no way to know how the number of results point to the fact that many seen in the past year, LGBT issues Ramsey-Musolf highlighted a sec- that climate can have a negative LGBT+ people who completed the people in physics may fall into are coming up now.” tion of the Universal Declaration impact not only on the individual, surveys corresponds to the actual multiple minority categories. In approaching LGBT+ is- of Human Rights set out by the but on the institution and the field. number of LGBT+ people in aca- In 2009, Long had searched sues in physics, speakers and au- United Nations, which states that “It has long been understood– demia. What is notable about the for resources for LGBT+ people dience members noted that they everyone, as a member of society, an understanding that has been high number of STEM responders in physics and found next to noth- frequently receive comments such has the right to the free develop- well supported by research-based is how drastically it differs from ing. The National Organization of as, “It doesn’t matter what some- ment of their personality. evidence–that institutional “cli- another anonymous study from Gay and Lesbian Scientists and one’s sexual orientation or gender The presence of the lavender mate” has a profound effect on any 2003, which Rankin says received Technical Professionals (NOGL- identity is. Why are you making it ceiling, like the glass ceiling, can academic community’s ability to negligible responses from LGBT+ STP) hosts caucuses of chemists an issue?” and “You’re being too mean the difference between pro- carry out its tripartite mission of STEM faculty. and mathematicians, the ACS has sensitive.” But the results of the motion and stagnation. Ramsey- teaching, research, and service,” The survey results showed a Gay and Transgender Chemists climate survey and the national Musolf then added, “So if we think wrote Rankin. “The research also a negative correlation between and Allies Subdivision, the Ameri- climate toward LGBT+ people about those human rights—the so- suggests that a challenging cam- STEM faculty members' level can Astronomical Society has the indicate otherwise. Less than half cial and cultural rights indispens- pus climate exists for LGBTQQ of comfort and their “outness,” Working Group on Gay and Lesbi- of all US states explicitly protect able for free development of one’s students, faculty and staff. Based or how open the person is about an Equality, and the LGBT astron- against employment discrimina- personality–that’s the antithesis of on the literature, a challenging cli- their sexual identity. “Meaning,” omy community hosts an “Outlist” tion based on sexual orientation, stagnation … So the lavender ceil- mate leads to decreased productiv- said Barthelemy, “the more ‘out’ identifying openly LGBT+ profes- and even fewer protect based on ing is an impediment to that basic ity, decreased sense of value to the the faculty members were, the sional astronomers. There is, how- gender identity. LGBT+ people human right.” community, decreased retention, more uncomfortable they were.” ever, no equivalent group, caucus face a daunting list of challenges Personal action and support for and negatively influences educa- LGBT+ STEM faculty who felt or list for physics. on issues that many non-LGBT+ the LGBT+ community has al- tional outcomes.” uncomfortable in their department Long founded a resource and people take for granted, including ready had an impact on the grow- Overall, the study evaluated were 14.3% more likely to leave networking website called LGBT+ federal spousal benefits, health in- ing number of LGBT+ physicists how comfortable LGBT+ people their institution. Physicists. Following the 2011 surance coverage, partner emigra- who are willing to step up and feel in academia, how negative Elena Long, a graduate student March Meeting, she and some tion and immigration, and benefits share their stories. For as much behaviors can affect them (physi- at Kent State University and past of the other physicists managing packages. work as there is to be done, most of cally, psychologically and career- Member at Large on the Executive LGBT+ Physicists came together As was noted at the session, the the speakers also expressed hope wise), and then used that data to Committee of the APS Forum of to organize the diversity session, APS Policy on Equal Professional moving forward. identify strategic initiatives to im- Graduate Student Affairs, reported with help from APS Director of Opportunity, adopted by Council “In my own career,” said prove campus climates. results from what appears to be the Education and Diversity Ted Ho- in 1994, includes protection for Ramsey-Musolf, “despite many At the APS session, Eric Pat- first survey to collect data specifi- dapp, APS Career & Diversity persons based on sexual orienta- moments when I was ready to ridge, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale cally on the LGBT+ community in Programs Administrator Arlene tion, but does not explicitly men- leave, had it not been for key allies University, and Ramon Barthe- physics. The new survey, conduct- Modeste Knowles, the APS Com- tion gender identity. who are not sexual minority mem- lemy, a graduate student in physics ed in 2011 and not yet published, mittee on the Status of Women in Hodapp responded by saying, bers, but who understood my sci- at Western Michigan University, was open to anyone working in or Physics, and the APS Committee “Because we’re a member orga- entific potential and were willing spoke on behalf of Rankin, who retired from physics in academia, on Minorities. nization and we want to serve the to stand up for it, to put themselves was unable to attend. Patridge is but was aimed mostly at graduate It is only in recent years that members, we need you to speak, on the line, I would not be here. also the founder of oSTEM (“Out” students. It asked responders to the STEM fields have recognized and say, this is the thing we would And so this gives me a lot of hope in Science, Technology, Engineer- identify various aspects of their LGBT+ people as a minority like APS to do. We are happy to fa- and optimism about the future in ing and Mathematics), an “LGBT- identity including gender and race, group, in need of the same support cilitate that, but we want it to come our field, that people who recog- affirming corporation” that offers as well as sexual orientation and as other minority groups. Speakers from the members because we feel nize good science are not willing support and resources for STEM gender identity. The survey re- and audience members noted the that it’s much stronger if it comes to let prejudice and stereotypes students and professionals. ceived just under 600 responses, importance of the APS session to- that way.” stand in the way.” 8 • April 2012 The Back Page

Worrying Trends deserve. To some extent, all three of these factors Despite having an exceptional history of pro- Thinking Seriously about may have an effect at different times. However, the ducing world-leading researchers, graduate phys- important aspect to keep in mind is that in our data ics education in the US faces stiff challenges. Doctoral Education in Physics and elsewhere there are no measurable differences While the number of doctorates awarded has in- between women and men in terms of their actual Geoff Potvin creased since a historic low around 2000, overall scientific merit and productivity through the end of growth in physics PhDs has been stagnant since graduate education (and beyond), so these gendered the great boom of the postwar era and has not kept effects require further study and attention in order up with the growth in many other STEM disciplines. Com- to eliminate their impact. Furthermore, the link between doc- pounding this problem is the fact that the number of PhDs toral completion time and salary for men is also troubling awarded to US-born citizens has been stagnant or declining given that doctoral completion time appears to be largely for some time, which is a worrying trend for policy makers independent of a student’s true merit. Thus, caution is neces- and those concerned with long-term US economic prospects. sary when considering completion time in the evaluation of For our community, the decline in physics interest among an individual’s potential. For example, those who undertake domestic students and the consequent drop in persistence riskier research topics, use less well-developed methodolo- through graduate school is a concern because it implies that gies, or join large, multiple-institution projects may experi- we may not be recruiting and retaining students who have the ence delays for reasons that are completely meritorious. potential to thrive in future physics pursuits. Compounding Looking Forward this issue, as growing economies around the world develop While interviewing scientists around the country, one of more competitive research communities, it will become more our observations was that many faculty mentors tend to repli- difficult to retain the most highly-skilled individuals, espe- cate their graduate school experiences, regardless of whether cially those who were not born in the US. they reported their experiences to be positive or negative. As has been discussed before, there are persistent con- If their experiences had been positive, then they saw them- cerns about underrepresentation which are more of an is- Geoff Potvin selves as providing similar benefits to their students; if nega- sue in physics than most other STEM disciplines. The rep- found that “unethical treatment of subordinates” was a wide- tive, they often took the position that the experiences were resentation of women in physics is increasing, albeit quite spread concern among junior members with somewhat dis- somehow necessary, formative, and/or beneficial (“building slowly: currently, only 19% of doctorates are awarded to turbing descriptions of such treatment. This further empha- character”). This highlights the tendency for graduate prac- women. Less well articulated has been the continued failure sizes the need to think carefully about the nature and structure tices and structures to be reinforced over time whether or not to attract and retain representative numbers of students from of graduate education in physics. In many respects, graduate they are beneficial for learning. By continuing to conduct traditionally underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities (a students are the engine driving research in many laboratories careful and detailed research into graduate education, we can total of 6% of doctorates are awarded to African-American, and research groups. It behooves us to ensure that they are hope to better understand the effect of different practices, un- Hispanic, and Native American students combined). Further- treated with proper respect and consideration. cover why and how they influence graduate education, and more, these numbers are not appreciably changing; they may, Peeling Back the Layers make policy recommendations based on evidence. in fact, be declining slightly. Additionally, there is a propor- In our research on graduate education1, we have tried to One initiative that may shed light on the process of gradu- tionately larger drop in minority student enrollment between shed light on some of these concerns. One important find- ate education and help to alleviate some of the representation undergraduate and graduate school–a drop from about 10% ing of our work, which goes to questions about recruiting problems of physics is the current effort by APS to develop to 6%. This “gap” in participation promises to become in- students and preparing them for research careers, is that stu- a “Minority Bridge Program” (MBP) for students from tra- creasingly problematic for physics as the US population be- dents’ motivations matter: the reasons that students choose ditionally underrepresented backgrounds. Among other ac- comes more diverse with a larger fraction of college students to pursue graduate school has a measurable and significant tivities, this program will build recruiting relationships and coming from currently underrepresented groups. It is also influence over their career outcomes. Specifically, we found faculty partnerships between doctoral-granting institutions a concern for these students since the perceived barriers in that students who go to graduate school primarily because and undergraduate institutions that have had success in at- physics limit their access to the social and economic capital of their intrinsic interest in thinking about science (rather tracting and preparing minority students towards bachelor’s associated with being an active participant in the discipline. than due to receiving good grades, fellowships, family en- degrees. Through “bridging experiences”, the program will The Doctoral Experience couragement, and a host of other motivations) become more help students who have the potential to succeed in a doctorate Similar to other STEM fields, the time needed to get a productive scientists, as measured by their publication and transition from their undergraduate institution to a doctoral- physics doctorate is getting longer on average. This is due, at funding rates. While true scientific productivity is difficult, if granting institution. Given the small numbers of minority least in part, to the increasing specialization of most research not impossible, to faithfully and comprehensively measure, students who currently receive doctorates, the MBP provides disciplines. Thus, new researchers must spend more time and we can interpret publication and funding rates as partial prox- a real opportunity to realize the APS goal of bringing the effort learning what has been done in the past and getting ies for scientific output. The importance of this finding lies proportion of minority students at the PhD level into parity to “new” findings. But this reality also means that students in recognizing the reality that student motivations are often with their undergraduate representation by 2020. Beyond the must spend an ever-increasing fraction of their lives getting ignored throughout the education system and, especially in direct impacts, the initiative also promises to be useful in “prepared” for their research careers. At the same time, the graduate school, it is often taken for granted that students helping us to understand how better to prepare all students, education system, research faculty, and, effectively, educa- have enough of the appropriate drive to succeed. Instead, regardless of race, ethnicity and gender, to transition from tion funding sources must invest greater effort and resources these results indicate that we should be encouraging and pro- undergraduate to graduate studies. This is critically impor- in the education of graduate students. It is difficult to track viding mechanisms for students to develop their intrinsic mo- tant if we are interested in expanding the pool of talent to retention rates exactly, since doctorates are not of a fixed tivations towards physics as this will likely lead to a deeper those who may not have been able to navigate the traditional duration, but it appears that approximately 1 in 3 of those lifetime attachment to learning and discovery and, ultimately, hurdles (for example, the GRE, inadequate undergraduate who begin a doctorate in physics do not complete it. Some scientific progress. preparation, comprehensive exams, etc.) despite having the will leave with an MS; others will not. While we should not In addition, external structural factors play a signifi- potential to be exceptional physicists. expect retention rates to be 100%, we should also not be cal- cant role in sustaining engagement. As mentioned, doctoral What is the future of doctoral education in physics? Will lous or ambivalent about retention rates given the substantial completion times are important (especially in the minds of our community take advantage of these and other opportuni- amount of time and resources invested by students, faculty currently-enrolled students!) and they have steadily risen in ties to grow and improve the preparation of future research- and administrators in graduate education. The dearth of data recent decades. These times have consequences for students’ ers and educators? Only through concerted effort and care- on what works best should compel investigations into how to careers. For men, we found that, controlling for a number of ful research can we hope to mirror the ongoing successes of organize graduate programs to effectively find and prepare factors expected to influence salaries (for example, field, type reform in undergraduate physics education. However, with researchers with the least amount of “unnecessary” delay. of employer, seniority, etc.), quick finishers have greater sal- a growing number of researchers taking doctoral education Studying graduate education, however, is in some ways ary prospects. Disturbingly, for women, this is not the case: seriously and with the weight of professional societies like more difficult than studying physics education at the K-16 on average they earn the same salaries independent of their the APS behind this work, we can be cautiously optimistic levels. By its very nature, graduate education is more spe- doctoral completion time, which is at the low end of the sala- that these efforts will begin to transform graduate education cialized and individualized than other levels of education. A ry scale for men. On the other hand, surprisingly few student in constructive ways. thesis or dissertation should be a unique and substantial con- factors significantly influence completion times (for exam- Geoff Potvin has been an Assistant Professor in the De- tribution to the scientific corpus. Thus, in certain respects, ple, gender, motivations for graduate school, prior research partment of Engineering & Science Education and the De- we should expect the variance in graduate experiences to be experiences, etc., do not affect completion) but departmental- partment of Mathematical Sciences at Clemson University greater than at other levels of education. However, there are and institutional-level factors certainly do (such as required since 2008, and is the Graduate Coordinator of Clemson’s well-known “canonical” experiences in graduate programs course-taking, teaching loads, etc.). The evidence points to PhD in Engineering & Science Education. Previously, he regarding, for example, course taking, publication expecta- the fact that doctoral completion times are, in large part, out completed a doctorate in theoretical physics at the Univer- tions, and research-group practices so, as we and other re- of the control of individual students; however, they do affect sity of Toronto and held a postdoctoral position in science searchers have shown, the concerns of graduate programs are the career prospects of men. For women, it appears that gen- education at the University of Virginia. amenable to analysis. der-bias effects have a deleterious effect on their prospects Several years ago the physics community was given 1. See, for example, Geoff Potvin & Robert H. Tai, Examining the rela- regardless of doctoral completion times. tionships among doctoral completion time, gender, and future salary another very big reason to be concerned about the realities It is important to consider how this latter finding actually prospects for physical scientists. Journal of Chemical Education, 89(1): of graduate school. In 2004, APS reported on the findings comes about in practice: it may be that potential employers, 21–28, 2012; Zahra Hazari, Geoff Potvin, Robert H. Tai, & John Alma- of a task force that was formed in the wake of a few high rode. For the love of learning science: Connecting learning orientation faculty advisors/mentors, or female students themselves un- and career productivity in physics and chemistry. Phys. Rev. ST Phys. profile data falsification scandals. The task force conduct- dervalue their potential and, subsequently, do not receive the Educ. Res., 6(1):010107, May 2010. ed a survey on ethical abuses, and, perhaps surprisingly, best offers and/or do not negotiate the employment terms they

APS News welcomes and encourages letters and submissions from its members responding to these and other issues. Responses may be sent to: [email protected] April 2012 • 9