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New APS CEO: Jonathan Bagger APS Sends Letter to Biden Transition Penrose’s Connecting students A year of Back Page: 02│ black hole proof 03│ and industry 04│ successful advocacy 08│ Bias in letters of recommendation January 2021 • Vol. 30, No. 1 aps.org/apsnews A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS GOVERNANCE APS Sends Letter to Biden Transition Team Outlining New APS CEO: Jonathan Bagger Science Policy Priorities BY JONATHAN BAGGER BY TAWANDA W. JOHNSON Editor's note: In December, incoming APS CEO Jonathan Bagger met with PS has sent a letter to APS staff to introduce himself and President-elect Joe Biden’s answer questions. We asked him transition team, requesting A to prepare an edited version of his that he consider policy recom- introductory remarks for the entire mendations across six issue areas membership of APS. while calling for his administra- tion to “set a bold path to return the United States to its position t goes almost without saying of global leadership in science, that I am both excited and technology, and innovation.” I honored to be joining the Authored in December American Physical Society as its next CEO. I look forward to building by then-APS President Phil Jonathan Bagger Bucksbaum, the letter urges Biden matically improve the current state • Stimulus Support for Scientific on the many accomplishments of to consider recommendations in the of America’s scientific enterprise Community: Provide supple- my predecessor, Kate Kirby. But following areas: COVID-19 stimulus and put us on a trajectory to emerge mental funding of at least $26 before I speak about APS, I should back on track. It was a wonderful support; international collabora- from the pandemic prepared to billion, as outlined in the Research tell you a bit about myself. experience. (High school physics tions and research security; visas both compete and cooperate with Investment to Spark the Economy I grew up in New Jersey, the was another matter; the labs with and immigration; domestic work- our global counterparts,” wrote (RISE) Act, for the federal science oldest of four children, and the water and ripple tanks were mem- force; nuclear threat reduction; Bucksbaum. agencies in any future COVID relief only one who went into science. My orable for all the wrong reasons.) and climate change. Current APS President Jim Gates legislation. journey started in middle school I went to Dartmouth College in “Many of our recommendations added, “These priorities will not • International Collaborations & with a terrific physical science New Hampshire, where I had an align with plans you offered during only benefit the physics commu- Research Security: To help achieve course. We had great fun doing amazing freshman year course the campaign and can be executed nity, but they will, if implemented, an appropriate balance between experiments almost every day, dis- taught by Bruce Pipes. Oh, did immediately, within your first 100 lead to outcomes that could improve national security and the research covering our own laws of physics, we struggle, but my friends from days in office, or as part of your the lives of many Americans.” requirements of open science, with greater or lesser success. that experience remain friends initial budget request to Congress. The recommendations, as stated Every so often, the teacher, Matt in the letter, are as follows: Their implementation would dra- BIDEN LETTER CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Kashuba, stepped in and nudged us BAGGER CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 CAREERS MEETINGS Careers 2021 Provides Up-to-Date Lessons Learned from a Successful Year Online Content for Job Seekers BY LEAH POFFENBERGER BY LEAH POFFENBERGER arly in 2020, APS made Meetings at APS. “Broadcasting the knowledge of physics through the tough call to cancel a science conference can be a bit APS meetings is a core mission ast year, APS launched Careers its in-person meetings, like TV, and you have to pay for activity and one in which APS and 2020, the first APS Careers E shutting down two of its largest technicians, a production manager its members jointly invest both guide, featuring nearly 80 L conferences. The APS Meetings and airtime…There is a lot of value time and resources." pages of articles, profiles, and other Department has been able to to these meetings, but also a cost— APS has also learned that most content aimed at students, early quickly pivot to organizing con- but we’re trying to make them as participants register just before a career physicists, and other job ferences in the online world and affordable as possible while still virtual event. "Unlike an in-person seekers. While some of the plans lending support to APS member- making them happen.”On top of meeting which has fixed as well to distribute hard copies of the ship units holding their annual that, he adds, there are more than as variable costs that depend on guide at in-person APS meetings meetings in 2020. a million organizations that hold attendance, a virtual meeting is were thwarted by COVID-19, the community in 2021 and to get this In November, three APS Divisions conferences and demand for virtual primarily a fixed cost," explained online edition garnered 85,000 into the hands of as many members held their annual meetings online, meetings has surged owing to the Gould. "Regardless of whether 10 views, supplying valuable career as possible.” testing new virtual meeting plat- COVID-19 pandemic. people or 10,000 people actually advice to APS members. Like its predecessor, Careers forms, and recorded higher than “Companies charge money to participate, APS has to work with The next edition of the guide— 2021 will be available online, and average attendance numbers at run these meetings, and espe- its vendor far in advance to accom- Careers 2021—is ready to launch, a hard copy will be mailed to every each meeting. The Division of cially for large meetings—you modate the estimated maximum with new, up-to-date content for undergraduate member of APS, Nuclear Physics (DNP) attracted can’t have a Zoom session with number of participants to ensure today’s job seekers. Careers 2021 but there are plans in place to get over 1300 attendees, more than 10,000 people so we have to have a high-quality experience." contains new articles on career more copies to attendees of APS their typical attendance of around a company that has a lot of servers In 2020, APS tested a number paths in physics, APS career-re- meetings. 800. The Division of Plasma Physics and bandwidth,” says Michael of virtual platforms and a number lated programs, and an employer “The [National Mentoring (DPP) and the Division of Fluid Brown, DPP Chair Elect and pro- of pricing structures. "The goal of directory of companies currently Community] conference is going Dynamics (DFD) drew 2200 and fessor at Swarthmore College. “One APS meetings, whether in person looking to hire physicists. to do a physical mailing to every 3200 attendees respectively. thing these companies provide is or virtually, continues to be making “We’re really excited to be registered attendee and copies will These highly successful that they record everything, and them financially accessible to phys- putting this guide out again,” says be mailed out after the Conference meetings come at a time of rising the talks are available for a year icists from across the world while Crystal Bailey, Head of Careers costs to hold conferences online, afterwards. Virtually everything maintaining easy access to the Programs at APS. “We’re hoping especially for meetings with thou- that whole week was recorded. If highest quality content, whether to really push this out to the APS GUIDE CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 sands of registrants signing on at you still have your registration, it’s live or asynchronous," said Gould. the same time. DNP, DPP, and DFD like the conference is still going In order to support and broad- were among the first online APS on. That’s a service that isn’t free.” cast the elements of an online meetings to charge a registration According to APS Chief Financial meeting, from live talks to poster fee—about half of the usual cost Officer Jane Hopkins Gould, APS- sessions to virtual exhibit halls, to register for an APS meeting for sponsored meetings are not a profit both DPP and DFD opted to use regular members with a larger maker for the Society. "While Bravura Technologies to host their discount for students. it is our goal to cover all of the meetings. Bravura has partnered “Running these conferences direct costs, most meetings do with APS before on the phone app can cost a lot of money—there’s not produce sufficient revenue for in-person March and April a whole production element to to cover the direct costs plus the meetings. DNP opted to partner putting on a virtual meeting,” internally allocated costs," she says Hunter Clemens, Director of notes. "Advancing and diffusing ONLINE CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 2 • January 2021 EDUCATION Physics REU Leadership Group Gathers Online for First Virtual Meeting BY LEAH POFFENBERGER January 1965: Roger Penrose’s seminal proof of he National Science included opportunities for REU site black holes Foundation’s Research leaders to get to know one another T Experiences for and their programs, followed by a Undergraduates (REUs) present panel on supporting underrepre- he eminent physicist Roger Penrose won important opportunities for under- sented minorities at REUs. the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the graduate students to gain valuable “A highlight of meeting was T discovery that black hole formation is research skills and complete the panel discussion on support a robust prediction of the general theory of projects that may not be possible and recruitment of minority relativity,” sharing the prize with Reinhard at their home institutions.
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