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A P S N E W S APSMARCH 1996 THE AMERICAN P HYSICALNews SOCIETY VOLUME 5, NO 3 APS Elementary Education Institute was a Blizzard of Activity

rom January 7 through January 11 difficulties, there were enough resources the role they might play to assist and real mission of effective science edu- Fin Washington, DC, 29 scientists at hand to reprogram the meeting and facilitate reform. It was a very busy week. cation. from selected sites around the country carry out a very successful institute. participated in the second Elementary These participants returned to their com- For information about becoming a par- Science Education Reform Institute. The Participants had the opportunity to munities better informed and ready to ticipant in the APS Teacher-Scientist meeting, a component of the APS identify goals for elementary science assist ongoing reform efforts. The ex- Alliance contact: Ramon Lopez, http:// Teacher-Scientist Alliance Institute, was education, and identify the kinds of ex- citement was palpable as many felt that aps.org/educ/tsai.html. designed to provide a thorough periences that children need in order to they really had overview of issues in school district realize those goals by participating in a handle on reform of elementary science education hands-on activities. They also examined how to make a nationally produced exemplary curricu- real difference Originally almost 40 participants were lum materials that should be at the heart for children. expected to attend, along with nation- of a reform effort. Yet having good ma- For improving ally recognized experts in education who terials is not enough. Participants learned the ability of would be the presenters. However, an about the other structural elements children to suc- uninvited guest, the Blizzard of ’96, re- school districts must create in order to ceed in a duced the final count of participants and support and sustain good hands-on sci- scientific and made it impossible for many of the pre- ence education. They also examined the technological senters to come. Despite these process of change in school systems and world is the

Workshop participants Jennifer Ross and Robert Johanson calibrate a spring scale. INSIDE THE BELTWAY

Political Chaos And Uncertainty Prod Scientists Into Action As they had throughout the year, the Their debt ceiling strategy thus stymied, by Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs House Republican freshmen became the the Republicans, who fundamentally did catalysts for action. And while Senate not trust the President to negotiate faith- Like an “Indy 500” race car that has moted by the new Congress. Majority Bob Dole (R-KS) and fully, made good on their threat to shut blown a gasket, the 104th Congress, Emboldened, President Clinton un- House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) the government down. By the time which had peeled away from the start- capped his veto pen and exercised his reportedly expressed misgivings pri- Christmas week arrived, national parks ing line scarcely a year earlier, barely constitutional prerogative. vately, the Republican leadership and passport offices were closed, as were limped into its Christmas recess, many eventually bowed to the freshmen’s agencies such as NSF, NASA and NIH. laps away from the checkered flag. The Without the authority to spend money, high-risk response to President Clinton’s session that had begun amidst great the agencies covered by the vetoed bills intransigence. Although default on the Amidst the chaos, Congress left town. euphoria in the House of Representa- would have to cease operation. But federal debt was fraught with long-term But before they did, the Republican tives, where the new Republican this was not a unique moment in Ameri- perils, and temporarily shutting down House freshmen vowed that they would majority had rapidly passed all but one can history. The federal government government agencies would cause short- return to complete their unfinished busi- item in the Contract with America, had faced a similar situation many times term inconvenience, the President, to ness, so sure were they that their strategy ended officially on a distinctly sour note before, and in virtually every instance, keep operations normal, would have to would work. Many in the Republican this past January 3, with much of the Congress and the President had agreed sign the Reconciliation Bill that contained leadership, including House Speaker federal government still shut down for to a Continuing Resolution to maintain the seven-year Republican blueprint. Gingrich, were far less certain. lack of money and many science agen- activities temporarily, usually at the pre- The three-week hiatus proved sober- cies facing an uncertain future. Within vious year’s level. But the Republican But during the summer and early fall, ing, at least for the leadership: the weeks, rumblings of an impending re- budget for FY 1996 was different in one the Democrats had studiously laid the public had come down clearly on the search crisis began to emanate from critical respect: it eliminated or substan- ground work for a counterattack. They side of the President. The GOP strat- Washington, and scientists across the tially reduced many existing programs. had taken every opportunity to label egy had failed. Yet White House country began to mobilize. the Republican plans for Medicare and The government was also running up Medicaid as radical cuts in programs jubilation was muted. Strategists there Months earlier, the Senate and, subse- against the debt ceiling. Unless Con- that benefit the middle class and the believed that the President would also quently, an uncharacteristically stubborn gress approved an increase, the country poor. Regardless of its merit, the pub- begin to suffer serious rebuke, if the President Clinton had set up road blocks would be unable to meet its obligations. lic accepted the claim, and President impasse lasted much longer. that eventually proved insurmountable Again, this was not a unique occurrence. Clinton gained the upper hand. The stage was thus set for a compro- for the finely honed House machine. By But, in the past, during the four decades mise. But first, the Speaker had to the time the spending bills needed to that the Democrats had controlled the He vetoed the Reconciliation Bill, and convince the freshmen. Otherwise he keep the government running began to House, Republicans had grown accus- to deal with default, he had Treasury would have had to rely on a bipartisan appear on the President’s desk, well into tomed to voting against such measures Secretary Robert Rubin adopt creative coalition involving moderates from both the start of the new fiscal year, polls were almost reflexively. Their nay votes were financing measures that could keep the showing that a majority of Americans had popular back home, and they were country afloat for three or four months. (continued on page 3) become wary of the pace of change pro- loathe to abandon the tradition. APS Council Elects 180 New Fellows IN THIS ISSUE The APS Council elected 180 members as ship Committee. The APS Fellowship APS Elementary Education Institute was a Blizzard of Activity ...... 1 Fellows of the Society at its November 1995 Committee was chaired in 1995 by APS New APS Fellows ...... 1 meeting. For the names and citations of President-Elect D. Allan Bromley (Yale Inside the Beltway ...... 1 new APS fellows, see pages 8-11. University) and is currently chaired by To Be Honored at 1996 March Meeting ...... 2 APS Vice President (LBL). Book Review ...... 3 Nominations for fellowship are re- Announcements...... 4 & 8 ceived by the APS headquarters Fellowship nomination forms may be Opinion ...... 6 throughout the year, and are forwarded obtained from the January 1996 issue The Back Page ...... 8 for review to the appropriate division, of APS NEWS, the APS Home Page or APS Meeting News ...... Insert topical group and forum fellowship by writing to the APS Fellowship Of- committees. These in turn forward their fice, One Ellipse, College Park, recommendations to the APS Fellow- MD 20740-3844. 1 APS News March 1996 Physicists To Be Honored at 1996 March Meeting

en APS prizes and awards will be pling in molecules, and studies of NMR of Charles Vernon Shank scientific advisor to the Goodyear Tire and Tpresented during a special ceremo- metal surfaces. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Rubber Company. From 1949 to 1961 he nial session at the 1996 APS March was a research at the British (now Citation: “For his pioneering research ac- Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, to be held 1996 FRANK ISAKSON PRIZE Malaysian) Rubber Producers’ Research As- complishments in the area of laser later this month. Citations and biographi- sociation. He received a Ph.D. in 1955 from Established in 1980 and now sponsored by development and ultrafast phenomena for the University of London. His main research cal information for each recipient follow. Pergamon Press, Ltd., the Isakson Prize is his outstanding research management lead- interests are in the mechanics of deforma- awarded biennially in recognition and en- ership as director of the Electronics Research tion and fracture of rubber and plastics. He PRIZES couragement of outstanding contributions Laboratory at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the is a past chair of the APS Division of High to the field of optical effects in solids. development of quantum electronics, and as Polymer Physics, and past President of the director of Lawrence Berkeley National Labo- Society of Rheology. 1996 OLIVER E. BUCKLEY PRIZE David E. Aspnes ratory for fostering industrial interactions.” North Carolina State University Established in 1952 by an endowment from 1996 BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS AT&T Bell Laboratories, the Oliver E. Shank has been Director of the Lawrence Citation: “For his creative applications of Berkeley Laboratory in Berkeley, Califor- PRIZE Buckley Prize is intended to recognize and experimental and theoretical methods to the nia, since 1989. In addition, Shank has a Established in 1981, the prize is intended encourage outstanding theoretical or experi- study of optical properties of thin films, unique triple appointment as a professor to recognize and encourage outstanding mental contributions to condensed surfaces, and interfaces; in particular, for physics. at the University of California, Berkeley in achievement in biological physics research. electric- field modulation, spectroscopic the departments of physics, chemistry and Charles Pence Slichter ellipsometry, and dynamic control of epi- electrical engineering and computer sci- Sponsors include Abbott Laboratories, Bio-Rad University of Illinois taxial growth.” ences. He graduated summa cum laude Microscience Division, Candela Laser Corpora- from UC Berkeley in 1965 and went on to tion, Coherent Laser Products, Eastman Kodak, Aspnes received his Ph.D. in physics from Citation: “For his original and creative ap- receive his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in 1969. Furumoto Research Foundation, Newport Cor- the University of Illinois in 1965. After a plications of the magnetic resonance poration, and Siemens AG. techniques to elucidate the microscopic year there as a postdoctoral research asso- Shank then joined the staff at AT&T Bell properties of condensed matter systems ciate, and another at Brown University, he Laboratories. During his 20-year career Seiji Ogawa including, especially, superconductors.” joined the technical staff of Bell Laborato- there, he held numerous leadership posi- AT&T Bell Laboratories ries. In 1983 he joined Bellcore to organize tions including director of the Electronics Slichter is a pioneer in the development of and head the Interface Physics Department. Research Laboratory. He made pioneering Citation: “For his many seminal contribu- magnetic resonance and its applications to He became a faculty member at North Caro- contributions to the study of ultrafast (nano- tions to the understanding of biological problems in condensed matter physics, chem- lina State University in 1992. second) events using short laser pulses. He systems ranging from proteins to intact or- istry, and surface science and technology. contributed to fiber optic communications gans by nuclear magnetic resonance He obtained his Ph.D. in 1949 from Harvard Principal research interests have been in with the invention of the distributed feed- culminating in the development and appli- University, beginning research in magnetic the areas of optical and semi- back laser, a component in high data rate cation of functional magnetic resonance resonance as a student with E. Purcell just conductor and surface physics. transmission systems. imaging by blood oxygenation level depen- two years after the discovery of NMR. He Contributions include the discovery, eluci- dent (BOLD) contrast.” has taught at the University of Illinois since dation, and development of low-field 1996 EARLE K. PLYLER PRIZE 1949, and is currently a professor both of electroreflectance for high- resolution spec- Ogawa received his B.S. degree from the Physics and Chemistry. He is a past recipi- troscopy of semiconductors and the The Earle K. Plyler Prize was established in University in Tokyo in Applied Physics in ent of the APS Irving Langmuir Prize. determination of their band structures, the 1976 by the George E. Crouch Foundation 1957 and his Ph.D. degree from Stanford development and application of spectro- to recognize and encourage notable con- University in Chemistry in 1967. He was a With Hebel, Slichter provided the first ex- scopic ellipsometry to surfaces, interfaces, tributions to molecular spectroscopy. research associate at the Mellon Institute in perimental proof of the pairing correlation thin films, and bulk materials, and the the early 1960s, studying radiation chemis- in superconductors. He has made impor- development and application of reflec- Charles S. Parmenter try. Since 1968, Ogawa has worked at AT&T tant discoveries about both the normal and tance-difference spectroscopy to real-time University of Indiana Bell Laboratories, first in the Bell Laborato- superconducting states of high temperature analysis of epitaxial growth. ries Biophysics Department and then in the superconductors. Among his other contri- Citation: “For his many important contri- Biological Computation Research Depart- butions are the first measurements of the butions to molecular spectroscopy, energy ment where he is currently employed. He 1996 PRIZE Pauli spin susceptibility, introduction of transfer, and reaction dynamics following is the 1995 Gold Medal Award recipient phase sensitive detection to pulsed NMR The George E. Pake Prize was established his inventions and developments of fluo- from the Society of Magnetic Resonance for and its use to detect weak signals, studies in 1983 by the Corporation to rec- rescence labelling and chemical timing scientific achievement. of charge density waves and of the Kondo ognize outstanding physicists who combine .” effect, first demonstration of dynamic original research accomplishments with In the early 1970’s, Ogawa worked on stud- nuclear polarization, co-discovery of J-cou- leadership in the management of research Parmenter completed his B.A. in chemistry ies of the structure-function relation in or development in industry. at the University of Pennsylvania in 1955. proteins by magnetic resonance spectros- Following two years in the US Air copy, especially on cooperative oxygen with DuPont, he completed his chemistry binding in hemoglobin. From the mid 70’s Ph.D. in 1962 at the University of Roches- to mid 80’s he pioneered in vivo studies of ter. After postdoctoral research with G.B. cellular metabolism and energetics and also Kistiakowsky at Harvard, he began his aca- APS COUNCIL 1996 enzyme kinetics. Currently, Ogawa is con- demic career at Indiana University in 1964. ducting research on functional MRI of the President He is a Fellow of the American Physical brain: BOLD contrast to brain function, func- APS News Robert Schrieffer, Florida State University President-Elect Society and is a member of the National tional mapping, spatio-temporal image D. Allan Bromley, Yale University Academy of Sciences. Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Vice-President patterns in functioning or non-functioning Series II, Vol. 5, No. 3 March 1996 Andrew M. Sessler, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory of the brain. © 1996 The American Physical Society Executive Officer Parmenter’s development of single vibronic Judy R. Franz, University of Alabama, Huntsville Editor: Barrett H. Ripin level fluorescence spectroscopy in the Treasurer AWARDS Newswriter: Jennifer Ouellette Harry Lustig, City College of the City University of , emeritus 1960’s provided a general method for reli- Editor-in-Chief Production: Elizabeth Buchan-Higgins Benjamin Bederson, New York University, emeritus able vibrational assignment of polyatomic Coordinator: Amy Halsted Past-President electronic absorption spectra. The technique C. Kumar N. Patel, University of California-Los Angeles 1996 EDWARD A. BOUCHET also led to discovery of the high sensitivity AWARD APS News is published 11X yearly, monthly, except the Au- General Councillors of nonradiative excited electronic state de- gust/September issue, by The American Physical Society, One Daniel Auerbach, Kevin Aylesworth, , Vir- Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. ginia Brown, Jolie A. Cizewski, Jennifer Cohen, Charles Duke, cay rates to vibrational excitation and Established in 1994, the Bouchet Award (for- It contains news of the Society and of its Divisions, Topical Elsa Garmire, Laura H. Greene, Donald Hamann, William Happer, provided a general approach to single-col- merly the Visiting Minority Lectureship Groups, Sections and Forums; advance information on meet- Anthony M. Johnson, Miles V. Klein, Zachary Levine, Susan Seestrom, ings of the Society; and reports to the Society by its commit- Ronald Walsworth lision state-to-state vibrational energy Award) is sponsored by the Research Cor- tees and task forces, as well as opinions. transfer in large molecules. His chemical poration. It is intended to promote the Chair, Nominating Committee Martin Blume timing fluorescence spectroscopy provided participation of under-represented minori- Letters to the editor are welcomed from the membership. Let- ters must be signed and should include an address and daytime Chair, Panel on Public Affairs one of the first time-resolved spectroscopic ties in physics by publicizing the lecturer’s telephone number. The APS reserves the right to select and to David Hafemeister views of intramolecular vibrational redis- work and career development to the phys- edit for length or clarity. All correspondence regarding APS News should be directed to: Editor, APS News, One Physics Division and Forum Councillors tribution (IVR). ics community, especially to minority Ellipse, College Park, MD 20749-3844, email: [email protected]. Frank C. Jones (Astrophysics), Joseph Dehmer, Gordon Dunn physics students. (Atomic, Molecular and Optical), W. Webb (Biological), Stephen Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publication de- Leone (Chemical), Joe D. Thompson, David Aspnes, Lu J. Sham, 1996 HIGH POLYMER PHYSICS Anthony M. Johnson livered by 2nd Class Mail. Members residing abroad may re- Allen Goldman (Condensed Matter), David Anderson (Compu- PRIZE ceive airfreight delivery for a fee of $20. Nonmembers: Sub- tational), Guenter Ahlers (Fluid Dynamics), James J. Wynne (Fo- New Jersey Institute of Technology scription rates are: domestic $130; Canada, Mexico, Central and rum on Education), Albert Wattenberg (Forum on History of Phys- South America, and Caribbean $145; Air Freight Europe, Asia, ics), Ernest Henley (Forum on International Physics), Dietrich The High Polymer Physics Prize was estab- Africa and Oceania $170. Schroeer (Forum on Physics and Society), Andrew Lovinger (High lished the Ford Motor Company to Citation: “For his pioneering contributions Polymer), TBA (Laser Science), Howard Birnbaum (Materials), to nonlinear optics, lasers, and optoelec- John Schiffer, Peter Paul (Nuclear), Henry Frisch, George Trill- recognize outstanding accomplishment and Subscription orders, renewals and address changes ing (Particles and Fields), TBA (Physics of Beams), Roy Gould, tronics, his leadership in the national should be addressed as follows: For APS Members—Mem- excellence in contributions to high poly- William Kruer (Plasma) bership Department, The American Physical Society, One mer physics research. scientific community, and his many efforts Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, to attract minorities to careers in science [email protected]. For Nonmembers—Circulation and ADVISORS Fulfillment Division, American Institute of Physics, 500 Alan N. Gent and engineering.” Sectional Representatives Sunnyside Blvd., Woodbury, NY 11797. Allow at least 6 weeks John Pribram, New England; Peter Lesser, New York; Bunny C. advance notice. For address changes, please send both the University of Akron Clark, Ohio; Joseph Hamilton, Southeastern; Stephen Baker, Texas old and new addresses, and, if possible, include a mailing Johnson received his Ph.D. in physics from label from a recent issue. Requests from subscribers for miss- Representatives from Other Societies Citation: “For fundamental contributions to the City College of the City University of ing issues will be honored without charge only if received Howard Voss, AAPT; Marc Brodsky, AIP within 6 months of the issue’s actual date of publication. the physics of adhesion and fracture of elas- New York in 1981 and joined the technical Staff Representatives tomers.” staff of AT&T Bell Laboratories’ Quantum Second class postage paid at College Park, MD and at additional Stanley Brown, Administrative Editor; Irving Lerch, Director of Physics and Electronics Research Depart- mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS News, International Affairs; Barrett Ripin, Associate Executive Officer; Membership Department, The American Physical Society, One Robert L. Park, Director, Public Information; Cindy Rice, Direc- Gent is currently professor emeritus of poly- ment that same year. He is presently a chair Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. tor of Editorial Office Services; Michael Lubell, Director, Public mer physics and polymer engineering at Affairs; Michael Stephens, Controller and Assistant Treasurer of the Federated Physics Departments at the University of Akron, where he has been the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a faculty member since 1961, as well as (continued on page 3) 2 March 1996 APS News

Inside the Beltway Physicists To Be Honored (continued from botton page 2) (continued from page 1) Rutgers. His research interests include non- Research Center, she returned to Berkeley Physics in 1987, and presided over the sides, a true gamble, because both parties linear optics, ultrashort pulse propagation as an assistant professor of physics in 1986. celebrated high Tc superconductivity were badly fractured. It was far from clear in optical fibers, and the optical and opto- She joined the faculty at the University of (“Woodstock”) session at the 1987 APS March that the requisite 217 votes could be as- electronic properties of II-VI semiconductor Washington in 1991. meeting. He has chaired numerous international sembled, even if he and the President both multiple quantum wells. He has served on conferences and has advised national twisted arms. And, if the strategy failed, the Executive Committee of the Laser Sci- Olmstead’s primary research effort probes laboratories and IUPAP Commissions. the chemical, structural, and kinetic con- both of them would lose big time. ence Topical Group and a number of APS straints controlling the heteroepitaxy of committees, including the APS Committee 1996 JOHN H. DILLON MEDAL strongly disparate materials. She also stud- On a morning in early January, Newt on Minorities, which he chaired. ies the role of local geometry and electronic The John H. Dillon Medal was established Gingrich met with the Republican cau- structure on photoelectron energies and sat- in 1983 by the Division of High Polymer 1996 MARIA GOEPPERT-MAYER cus and in a stormy session laid down ellite excitations in insulators. Physics to recognize outstanding research AWARD the law. Although there were 18 de- accomplishments by a young polymer fections, the Speaker carried the day. Established in 1985 by the General Electric MEDALS & LECTURESHIPS physicist. The President, for his part, agreed to a Foundation to recognize outstanding seven-year balanced budget plan. achievement by a woman physicist in the Julia Ann Kornfield early years of her career, the Maria 1996 DAVID ADLER California Institute of Technology Goeppert-Mayer Award includes a travel The government reopened, and some LECTURESHIP AWARD Citation: “For incisive experiments to re- allowance for the recipient to present her targeted programs received full-year late microstructural dynamics to achievements to others through public lec- The David Adler Lectureship Award was es- appropriations, NIH among them. But macroscopic behavior of polymer blends, tures at four institutions of her choice tablished in 1988 by contributions from NSF, NASA and NIST did not. The block copolymers and liquid crystals.” within the U.S. friends of David Adler. Its purpose is to rec- agency’s plight, NSF Director Neal Lane ognize an outstanding contributor to the field warned, was headed toward criticality. Marjorie Ann Olmstead of materials physics, who is noted for his or Kornfield is an associate professor of chemi- University of Washington her research, review articles, and lecturing. cal engineering at CalTech. She received On Saturday, January 20, the APS swung her Ph.D. from in 1988. into action, issuing an electronic alert to Citation: For her innovative application of M. Brian Maple Following a NATO post-doctoral fellowship 26,000 members. Within five days, more spectroscopies to surfaces and in- University of California, San Diego at the Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer than 2,000 letters and phone calls reached terfaces that has elucidated the importance Research, she joined the faculty of Caltech of interfacial reactions on the structure, Citation: “For sustained impact in diverse in 1990. Professional activity has included the Hill. The APS initiative spawned simi- properties and morphology of both the in- areas including superconductivity, magne- serving on the APS Committee on Educa- lar activities by other science societies, and terface and growing film in systems tism, high-pressure physics, and surface tion, as well as involvement with the today estimates of calls and letters run as involving dissimilar materials, especially science. Not only has he developed many Division of High Polymer Physics. high as 10,000. The result: a bipartisan when heteroepitaxy is involved.” novel materials, he is also highly respected as a teacher.” initiative spearheaded by Rep. Vern J. Ehlers Kornfield’s experimental program has pro- (R-MI and APS Fellow) to give full-year Olmstead is an associate professor of vided direct, quantitative observations of Maple is the Bernd T. Matthias Professor of physics at the University of Washington, polymer dynamics from the local segmen- funding to NSF, an agency that had received Physics at the University of California, San Seattle. She received her Ph.D. in 1985 from tal motions that control their glass transition support in every quarter at every turn, but Diego (UCSD). He received his Ph.D. in the University of California, Berkeley. After behavior to the overall relaxations of chain had fallen innocent victim to the chaos that physics in 1969 from UCSD. Maple chaired a year and a half at the Xerox Palo Alto conformation and mesophase structures. has marked the 104th Congress. the APS Division of Condensed Matter

BOOK REVIEW by Ben P. Stein

The Physics of Star Trek, by less-obvious topics such as holograms, In addition, the bending of spacetime “negative energy” which would be Lawrence M. Krauss [New York, Basic solitons, and physicists’ attempts to cre- could conceivably be used to deflect needed to keep wormholes open or to Books, 1995] ate the exotic state of matter known as enemy fire from other ships. But Krauss warp spacetime. He mentions that the quark-gluon plasma. points out that the energy requirements “negative energy” has something to do Arguably the most successful science- for significantly warping spacetime are phe- with the way in which black holes can fiction “enterprise” of the 20th century, Krauss is very talented at performing nomenally high: an object as massive as lose energy, but the general concept “Star Trek” has captured the imagina- entertaining back-of-the-envelope cal- the Sun, he points out, produces a could definitely have been spelled out tions of millions since it premiered as a culations to argue why certain Star Trek gravitational field that bends light by only a bit more clearly. television series in 1966. As we watch inventions might be implausible. For 1/1000 of a degree. Transporters are out, the crew of the Starship Enterprise en- instance, he discusses how much fuel Krauss argues, because even if one were Another quibble is that Krauss is clearly counter life on other planets and try to the Enterprise would need in its able to read and write the enormous first a physicist, and second a Star Trek get along with alien species, we begin nuclear-fusion-powered impulse en- amounts of information that constitute a fan. From all indications, Krauss had to see why Gene Roddenberry’s “Wagon gines to accelerate to sub-light speeds: human being, one would have to contend taken a crash course in Star Trek prior Train to the Stars” has spawned three Krauss calculates that it would need with the fundamental limits in knowledge to writing this book. While the text is additional TV series, seven movies, and to burn 81 times its entire mass in hy- prescribed by the uncertainty principle in liberally sprinkled with examples of a devoted, hard-core fan base. Star Trek drogen fuel to get up to that speed. quantum mechanics. Star Trek episodes and movie scenes, gets us to think about a future for the it is done without any great passion human race that is filled with hope and Indeed, much of Star Trek physics barely A discussion of matter- fuel for the series. Perhaps it would have potential. It also taps into the peculiarly gets off the ground even with Isaac allows Krauss to launch into an interest- been better if Krauss had a Trekkie co- American brand of optimism. From epi- Newton’s 17th-century science. Krauss ing history of antimatter research— and author, someone who could have sode to episode, Captains Kirk and points out that even if the Enterprise the lingering mystery of why we are added more enthusiasm for the show, Picard navigate the Enterprise and its were able to travel at faster-than-light- made of matter instead of antimatter. A or perhaps even debated some of crew out of seemingly intractable situ- speeds, its acceleration from 0 to Warp description of the Holodeck—the room Krauss’s conclusions. However, in fair- ations using their ingenuity and 10 in several seconds of air time would on the Enterprise that creates a living, ness, Krauss is not dismissive of any resourcefulness. pulverize the entire ship because of the breathing virtual reality environment— ideas in Star Trek until after carefully tremendous forces involved. leads to an explanation of holograms. analyzing them. But how many things in the Star Trek Krauss’s section on time travel gives him are actually possible, based Still, the Star Trek writers are very cre- ample opportunity to describe Einstein’s Krauss acknowledges that he does not on our current understanding of the ative in imagining possibilities that go special theory of relativity, and ideas for exhaust all of the physics topics that world? This is ostensibly the premise beyond apparent limitations in science. making time machines with such theo- can be discussed in connection with Star of physicist Lawrence Krauss’s latest Krauss explores the Enterprise’s warp drive, retical exotica as wormholes. An Trek. He even suggests that a sequel, book, The Physics of Star Trek. How- which allows the Enterprise to travel be- exploration of the possibility of life on which he wants to call Star Trek II: The ever, the mission of the book goes tween galaxies in minutes without either other planets brings Krauss to discuss Wrath of Krauss. However, I would deeper than this. A professor of phys- violating restrictions on faster-than-light how different types of stars evolve from suggest that before he sets out to do ics at Case Western Reserve University, speed travel or by expending enormous birth to death, and how volcanic activ- this, a second edition of the book be Krauss uses the book as an opportu- amounts of fuel. According to the series, ity in the early days of the Earth created prepared to clarify some of the confus- nity to introduce the readers to many the Enterprise traverses large distances by our atmosphere. ing sections. Even in its present form, of the exciting ideas in modern phys- warping spacetime: expanding the space however, The Physics of Star Trek suc- ics and cosmology. I was very behind it and contracting the space in front While Krauss very generously sprinkles cessfully shows that the ideas in physics impressed with the breadth of topics of it. This allows Krauss to talk about many of the latest and deepest ideas can be just as exciting and bizarre as that Krauss covers in this book. He dis- Einstein’s general theory of relativity, in in physics throughout the text, many those in science fiction. cusses not only the subjects directly which the presence of mass curves of his explanations are confusing even relevant to Star Trek, such as worm- spacetime and can hypothetically allow after a second or third read. For ex- Ben Stein is a science writer in AIP’s holes and time travel, but brings in this to happen. ample, he introduces the notion of Public Information Division.

3 APS News March 1996 ANNOUNCEMENTS

NOMINATIONS FOR PRIZES AND AWARDS

The following prizes and awards will be bestowed at meetings of the Society in the coming year. Members are invited to nominate candidates to the respective committees charged with the privilege of recommending the winners. A brief description of each prize and award is given below, along with the addresses of the selection committee chairs to whom nominations should be sent. Please refer to the APS Membership Directory, pages xxiii- xxxix, or the APS Home Page [http:/ /aps.org] under the Prize, Award and Fellowship button, for complete information regarding rules and eligibility requirements for individual prizes and awards.

PRIZES Send the name of candidates, bio- Purpose: To recognize and enhance out- graphical information and supporting standing experimental advancements in Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and letters to: H. Jeffrey Kimble, Division the fields of atomic and molecular spec- a certificate citing the contributions made by the recipient. 1997 IRVING LANGMUIR PRIZE of Physics, MC 12-33, Caltech, Pasa- troscopy or chemical physics. dena, CA 91125, Ph: (818) 395-8340, Sponsored by the General Electric Send the name of candidates, bio- Fax: (818) 793-9506, email: Nature: The prize consists of a $5,000 Foundation. graphical information and supporting [email protected]. Nomina- stipend and a certificate citing the con- tributions made by the recipient. The letters to: Jeffrey T. Koberstein, Inst of Purpose: To recognize and encourage tions must be received no later than first prize was awarded in 1980 and be- Material Sci U136, Univ of Connecti- outstanding interdisciplinary research 14 June 1996. ginning in 1981, every odd numbered cut, Storrs, CT 06269-3136, Ph: (203) in chemistry and physics in the spirit year thereafter. An allowance will be 486-4716, Fax: (203) 486-4745. Nomi- of Irving Langmuir. 1997 DANNIE HEINEMAN PRIZE provided for travel expenses of the re- nations must be received no later than 14 June 1996. Nature: The prize consists of $10,000 FOR MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS cipient to the meeting of the society at and a certificate citing the contributions Endowed by the Heineman Foundation which the prize is bestowed. made by the recipient. for Research, Educational, Charitable, and 1997 GEORGE E. PAKE PRIZE Send the name of candidates, bio- Scientific Purposes, Incorporated through Send the name of candidates, bio- graphical information and supporting Sponsored by the Xerox Corporation. the American Institute of Physics. letters to: Alexander Pines, Chem Dept, graphical information and supporting Purpose: To recognize and encourage UCB, Berkeley, CA 94720, Ph: (510) letters to: George C. Schatz, Dept of Purpose: To recognize outstanding publi- outstanding work by physicists combin- 642-1220, Fax: (510) 486- 5744, email: Chemistry, Northwestern Univ, 2145 cations in the field of mathematical physics. ing original research accomplishments [email protected] or the APS Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL 60208, Ph: with leadership in the management of Nature: The prize consists of $7,500 and Home Page [http://aps.org] under the (708) 491-5657, Fax: (708) 491-7713, research or development in industry. email: [email protected]. a certificate citing contributions made Prize, Award and Fellowship button. Nominations must be received no later by the recipient. Nominations must be received no later Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and than 14 June 1996. Send the name of candidates, bio- than 14 June 1996. a certificate citing the contributions graphical information and supporting made by the recipient. 1997 JULIUS EDGAR letters to: Charles W Misner, Dept of Phys, 1997 OLIVER W. BUCKLEY Send the name of candidates, bio- LILIENFELD PRIZE Univ of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742- CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS graphical information and supporting 4111, Ph: (301) 405-5958, Fax: (301) PRIZE Sponsored by the Lilienfeld Trust. letters to: Charles B. Duke, 114-38D, 314-9525, email: [email protected]. Endowed by AT&T Bell Laboratories. Xerox Webster Research Center, 800 Purpose: To recognize a most outstand- Nominations must be received no later Phillips Road, Webster, NY 14580, Ph: ing contribution to physics. than 14 June 1996. Purpose: To recognize and encourage (716) 422-2106, Fax: (716) 265-5080, outstanding theoretical or experimen- email: [email protected]. Nature: The prize consists of $10,000, tal contributions to condensed matter a certificate citing the contributions 1997 I.I. RABI PRIZE Nominations must be received no later physics. than 14 June 1996. made by the recipient, and expenses Endowed by family, friends and col- for three lectures by the recipient given leagues of I.I. Rabi. Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 at an APS general meeting, a research and a certificate citing the contributions 1997 W.K.H. PANOFSKY PRIZE university, and a predominantly under- Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- made by the recipient. Sponsored by the friends of W.K.H. graduate institution. standing research in atomic, molecular and optical physics by a physicist within ten Send the name of candidates, biographi- Panofsky and the Division of Particles Send the name of candidates, biographi- years of receiving the Ph.D. degree. cal information and supporting letters to: and Fields. cal information and supporting letters to: Robert J Birgeneau, 6-123, MIT, 77 Massa- Purpose: To recognize and encourage Arthur Bienenstock, MS 69 SLAC, Nature: The prize consists of $7,500 chusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, Ph: outstanding achievements in experi- Stanford Univ, PO Box 4349, Stanford, and a certificate citing the contributions (617) 253-8900, Fax: (617) 253-8901, email: mental . CA 94309, Ph: (415) 926-3153, Fax: (415) made by the recipient. [email protected]. Nominations must be received no later than 14 June 1996. 926-4100. Nominations must be received Send the name of candidates, bio- Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 no later than 14 June 1996. graphical information and supporting and a certificate citing the contributions letters to: Sheldon Datz, Phys Div-MS 1997 DAVISSON-GERMER PRIZE made by the recipient. 1997 LARS ONSAGER PRIZE 6377, Oak Ridge Natl Lab, PO Box 2008 Sponsored by AT&T Bell Laboratories. Send the name of candidates, bio- Bldg 5500, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6377, Endowed by Russell and Marion Donnelly. graphical information and supporting Ph: (423) 574-4984, Fax: (423) 574-1118. Purpose: To recognize and encourage letters to: Gary J Feldman, Lyman Phys Purpose: To recognize outstanding re- Nominations must be received no later outstanding work in atomic physics or Lab, Harvard Univ, Cambridge, MA search in theoretical statistical physics, than 14 June 1996. surface physics. 02138, Ph: (617) 496-1044, Fax: (617) 495- including the quantum fluids. Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and 0416, email: FELDMAN@HUHEPL. Nature: The prize consists of $10,000 1997 TOM W. BONNER PRIZE IN a certificate citing the contributions made Nominations must be received no later and a certificate citing the contributions NUCLEAR PHYSICS by the recipient. This annual prize will than 14 June 1996. made by the recipient. Sponsored by Friends of Tom W. Bonner. normally be awarded alternatively for outstanding work in atomic physics one 1997 EARLE K. PLYLER PRIZE Send the name of candidates, bio- Purpose: To recognize and encourage year and for outstanding work in sur- graphical information and supporting outstanding experimental research in face physics the following year. The 1997 Sponsored by the George E. Crouch letters to: Joel L Lebowitz, Dept of Math nuclear physics, including the develop- prize will be awarded for outstanding Foundation. Rutgers Univ, Hill Ctr-Busch Campus, ment of a method, technique, or device work in atomic physics. Purpose: To recognize and encourage New Brunswick, NJ 08903, Ph: (908) that significantly contributes in a gen- notable contributions to molecular 932-3117. Nominations must be re- Send the name of candidates, biographi- eral way to nuclear physics research. spectroscopy. ceived no later than 14 June 1996. cal information and supporting letters to: Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 Mark J. Cardillo, 1D-358, AT&T Bell Labs, Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and and a certificate citing the contributions 600 Mountain Ave, Murray Hill, NJ 07974, 1997 ARTHUR L. SCHAWLOW a certificate citing the contributions made by the recipient. Ph: (908) 582-2418, Fax: (908) 582-3619, PRIZE IN LASER SCIENCE made by the recipient. email: [email protected]. Nominations Send the name of candidates, bio- Sponsored by the NEC Corporation. must be received no later than 14 June Send the name of candidates, bio- graphical information and supporting 1996. graphical information and supporting Purpose: To recognize outstanding con- letters to: Michael J Musolf, MS-12H2 , letters to: Kevin Keith Lehmann, Dept of tributions to basic research that uses CEBAF, 12000 Jefferson Ave, Newport Chem, Princeton Univ, Princeton, NJ 08544, lasers to advance our knowledge of the News, VA 23606. Nominations must 1997 HIGH POLYMER PHYSICS Ph: (609) 258-5026, Fax: (609) 258-6746, PRIZE fundamental physical properties of ma- be received no later than 14 June 1996. email: [email protected]. terials and their interaction with light. Sponsored by the Ford Motor Company. Nominations must be received no later 1997 HERBERT P. BROIDA PRIZE than 14 June 1996. Nature: The prize consists of $10,000 Purpose: To recognize outstanding accom- and a certificate citing the contributions Supported by friends and colleagues plishments and excellence of contributions (continued on top of next page) made by the recipient. of Herbert P. Broida. in high polymer physics research. 4 March 1996 APS News

AWARDS querque, NM 87185-5800, Ph: Not Avail- awards ceremony at the Division of 1997 PRIZE TO A FACULTY able, Fax: (505) 844-4543, email: Physics of Beams Annual Meeting. MEMBER FOR RESEARCH IN AN [email protected]. Nominations must 1996 LEROY APKER AWARD be received no later than 14 June 1996. Send the name of candidates, bio- UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTION graphical information and supporting Sponsored by the Research Corporation. Endowed by Jean Dickey Apker, in letters to: Co-Chairs: Thomas Marshall, memory of LeRoy Apker. 1997 JOHN WHEATLEY AWARD 213 Mudd Bldg, Columbia Univ, New Purpose: To honor a physicist whose York, NY 10027, Ph: (212) 854-3116, research in an undergraduate setting Purpose: To recognize outstanding Endowed by Biomagnetic Technolo- achievement in physics by undergradu- gies and IBM, and friends in memory Fax: (212) 854-8257, email: has achieved wide recognition and con- [email protected] and John Na- tributed significantly to physics and ate students, thereby providing of John Wheatley. encouragement to young physicists tion, 325 Engr & Theor Ctr, Cornell who has contributed substantially to Purpose: To honor and recognize the who have demonstrated great poten- Univ, Ithaca, NY 14853, Ph: (607) 255- the professional development of un- dedication of physicists who have made tial for future scientific accomplishment. 8703, Fax:(607)255-3004, email: dergraduate physics students. contributions to the development of [email protected]. Nomi- Nature: The prize consists of a $5,000 Nature: Two awards may be made, one physics in developing countries. nations must be received no later than to a nominee from an institution that of- stipend to the recipient, a certificate cit- Nature: The award consists of $2,000 14 June 1996. fers a Ph.D. program in physics, the other ing the contribution of the recipient, and a certificate citing the contributions to a nominee from an institution that and a separate $4,000 unrestricted grant made by the recipient. MEDALS AND LECTURSHIP for the research of the recipient to the does not. The award to each recipiant awardee’s institution. consists of $3,000, an allowance for travel Send the name of candidates, biographi- to the meeting of the Society at which the cal information and supporting letters to: 1997 DAVID ADLER Send the name of candidates, bio- award is being presented, and a certificate Jorge G. Morfin, , MS220, PO Box LECTURESHIP AWARD graphical information and supporting citing the work and school of the recipi- 500, Batavia, IL 60510, Ph: (708) 840-4561, Sponsored by the friends of David Adler. letters to: Howard A Mizes, 114-22D, ent. Each of the finalists in the annual Fax: (708) 840-2950, email: Xerox Webster Res Ctr, 800 Phillips Rd, competition will receive an honorarium of [email protected]. Nominations Purpose: To recognize an outstanding con- Webster, NY 14580, Ph: (716) 422-5079, $1,000 and a certificate as an Apker Award must be received no later than 14 June 1996. tributor to the field of materials physics who Fax: (716) 422-2126, email: Finalist. Certificates and grants equal to is noted for the quality of his/her research, [email protected]. Nomina- 50 percent of the recipiant and finalist review articles, and lecturing. tions must be received no later than awards will be presented to the home 1997 FORUM AWARD FOR PROMOTING PUBLIC 14 June 1996. institutions. Nature: The award consists of an award UNDERSTANDING OF THE an honorarium for the lecturer, and a cer- Send the name of candidates, bio- RELATIONSHIP OF PHYSICS & tificate citing the contribution made by the SOCIETY 1997 ANEESUR RAHMAN PRIZE graphical information and supporting recipient. Sponsored by the IBM Corporation. letters to: Harry Lustig, Administrator, Purpose: To recognize outstanding ac- Apker Award Selection Committee, The complishment in the endeavor to Send the name of candidates, biographi- Purpose: To recognize and encourage American Physical Society, One Phys- promote public understanding of issues cal information and supporting letters to: outstanding achievement in computa- ics Ellipse, College Park, MD involving the interface between phys- J. Murray Gibson, Dept of Phys, UIUC, tional physics research. 20740-3844. Nominations must be re- ics and society. 1110 W Green St, Urbana, IL 61801, Ph: ceived no later than 14 June 1996. (217) 333-2997, Fax: (217) 244-2278, Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and Nature: The award consists of a certifi- email: [email protected]. Nominations a certificate citing the contributions cate citing the contributions of the must be received no later than 14 June made by the recipient. 1997 MARIA GOEPPERT-MAYER recipient and a sculpture to be held one 1996. AWARD Send the name of candidates, biographi- year and passed on to the next recipiant. Sponsored by the General Electric cal information and supporting letters to: Send the name of candidates, biographi- 1997 EDWARD A. BOUCHET Foundation. Warren E Pickett, Code 6604, NRL, 4555 cal information and supporting letters to: AWARD Overlook Ave SW, Washington, DC 20375- Purpose: To recognize and enhance Nina Byers, Dept of Phys, UCLA, 405 Sponsored by the Research Corporation. 5345, Ph: (202) 404-8631, Fax: (202) outstanding achievement by a woman Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024, 404-7546, email: [email protected]. physicist in the early years of her ca- Ph: (310) 825-3588, email: Purpose: The Bouchet award is in- Nominations must be received no later than reer, and to provide opportunities for [email protected]. Nominations tended to promote the participation of 14 June 1996. her to present these achievements to must be received no later than 14 June 1996. under-represented minorities in phys- others through public lectures. ics by publicizing the recipiants work and career development to the physics 1997 J.J. SAKURAI PRIZE FOR 1997 AWARD FOR THEORETICAL PHYSICS Nature: The award consists of $2,500, community, especially to young minor- plus a $4,000 travel allowance to pro- PHYSICS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST ity physics students. Endowed by the family and friends of vide opportunities for the recipient to J.J. Sakurai. give lectures in her field of physics at Purpose: To recognize outstanding accom- Nature: The lectureship consists of a plishments by a physicist in promoting the stipend of $3,000 plus support for travel Purpose: To recognize and encourage four institutions of her choice and at use of physics for the benefit of society in to an APS general meeting where the outstanding achievement in particle the meeting of the Society at which the such areas as the environment, arms con- recipient will receive the award and theory by a young physicist. award is bestowed. Nominee must be a female physicist having U.S. citizen- trol, and science policy. give his/her first address. In addition, Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and ship or a permanent U.S. resident and the recipient will be invited to lecture Nature: The award consists of a certifi- a certificate citing the contributions received her Ph.D. after Sept. 1, 1986. at least three academic institutions cate citing the contributions of the made by the recipient. where the impact of the visit on mi- Send the name of candidates, biographi- recipient and a sculpture to be held one nority students would be significant. Send the name of candidates, bio- cal information and supporting letters to: year and passed on to the next recipiant. graphical information and supporting Bunny C Clark, Phys Dept, Ohio State Send the name of candidates, bio- Send the name of candidates, letters to: Lawrence J Hall, Phys Dept Univ, 174 W 18th Ave, Columbus, OH graphical information and supporting biographical information and support- UCB, Berkeley, CA 94720, Ph: (510) 43210, Ph: (614) 292-1843, Fax: (614) 292- letters to: Jin-Joo Song, Ctr for Laser ing letters to: Nina Byers, Dept of Phys, 642-6536. Nominations must be re- 7557, email: [email protected]. Res, Oklahoma State Univ, 413 Nobel UCLA, 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, ceived no later than 14 June 1996. Nominations must be received no later Res Ctr, Stillwater, OK 74078, Ph: (405) CA 90024, Ph: (310) 825-3588, email: than 14 June 1996. 744-6403, Fax: (405) 744-6406, email: [email protected]. Nominations [email protected]. Nomina- 1997 ROBERT R. WILSON PRIZE must be received no later than 14 June tions must be received no later than 14 1997 SHOCK COMPRESSION 1996. Sponsored by friends of Robert R. Wilson. SCIENCE AWARD June 1996. Purpose: To recognize and encourage Sponsored by the friends of the Topi- DISSERTATION AWARDS outstanding achievement in the phys- cal Group on Shock Compression of 1997 JOHN H. DILLON MEDAL ics of particle accelerators. Condensed Matter Physics. Purpose: To recognize outstanding ac- 1997 AWARD FOR complishments by young polymer Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 Purpose: To recognize outstanding con- OUTSTANDING DOCTORAL physicists. and a certificate citing the contributions tributions to understanding condensed THESIS RESEARCH IN BEAM made by the recipient. matter and nonlinear physics through PHYSICS Nature: The prize consists of a bronze shock compression. medallion and a certificate. Send the name of candidates, bio- Supported by the Universities Research graphical information and supporting Nature: This award consists of a certifi- Association. Send the name of candidates, bio- letters to: Christopher Leemann, MS cate citing the accomplishments of the Purpose: To recognize doctoral thesis graphical information and supporting 12A2, CEBAF, 1200 Jefferson Ave, New- recipient and a cash award of $2,000. research of outstanding quality and letters to: Jeffrey T. Koberstein, Inst of port News, VA 23606, Ph: (804) achievement in beam physics and en- Material Sci U136, Univ of Connecti- 249-7554, Fax: (804) 249-7398, email: Send the name of candidates, bio- gineering. cut, Storrs, CT 06269-3136, Ph: (203) [email protected]. Nominations must graphical information and supporting 486-4716, Fax: (203) 486-4745. Nomi- be received no later than 14 June 1996. letters to: James Russell Asay, Div 5602, Nature: The award consists of $1,500 nations must be received no later than Sandia Natl Lab, PO Box 5800, Albu- and a certificate to be presented at an 14 June 1996.

5 APS News March 1996 OPINION

APS VIEWS LETTERS Preparations Are Well Underway for Centenary Celebration in 1999 Don’t Blame Foreigners for Job Problem by Brian Schwartz, Chair, APS Centenary Planning Committee I have read with great interest the re- Let me move on to economic incen- view of David North’s book, Soothing tives for U.S. citizens to study science. The APS is having a party and everyone is invited. the Establishment: The Impact of For- People don’t study science primarily be- eign-Born Scientists and Engineers on cause they will get rich. Those who In 1999, the Society will celebrate its Centenary Year, having been founded in America, by Brian Schwartz (APS want to get rich go into business. It is on 20 May 1899 at . Preparations are well NEWS, December 1995). Speaking as a terrible mistake to compare physicists underway for the formal celebration, which will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, one of those FBSEs, I hope you will with lawyers, accountants and physi- in conjunction with a combined March and April Meeting, 20-26 March 1999. All allow a rebuttal to the theme and the cians. The latter are professions. As APS members and units are invited to contribute and participate in the celebra- contents of the book. long as we are taught to maximize the tion. Those APS units that hold their own (or secondary) meetings separately ratio of income/work, we are not go- may continue to do so, and have agreed to make a special effort to plan a The central theme of the book as reviewed ing to attract the best students to significant program and encourage their members to attend the general meeting in APS NEWS is the cheap labor smell of physics. In spite of billions spent an- and celebration. foreign scientists. Although the credentials nually on schools only 2 percent of of foreign born scientists are impeccable, high school graduates are proficient in A task force was appointed in 1993, chaired by (MIT), with by agreeing to work for lower wages they algebra, 5 percent are able to write a the assistance of APS Treasurer Harry Lustig, to prepare a report on how the APS are taking away jobs which legitimately job application without making gram- should celebrate the Society’s centenary. The report was presented to the APS belong to U.S. scientists. Several sugges- matical errors. Instead of blaming Executive Board, Council and units for comments and improvements. After con- tions are put forward, including further foreigners perhaps one should look siderable discussion, it was agreed that the major celebration would combine study by the National Academy of Sciences elsewhere for the cause of the dismal the 1999 March and April meetings in Atlanta, and that the pomp and circum- and the National Science Foundation. If level of education of our citizens. stance of the Centenary Celebration would begin on the weekend prior to the this study were to be carried out using pub- usual five- weekday general and scientific meeting. In addition, the program and lic funds, allow me to suggest the inclusion There are serious problems but money celebration would be international in character, involving the leadership of physics of foreign born scientists such as Fermi, is not the solution. Those who want to and the science policy community around the world, and the Society will de- Szilard, Einstein, Bethe, Chandrashekhar, study physics should be prepared to velop and implement strategies to widely disseminate the history and Weisskopf, Yang, Lee, Patel, Bloembergen, work hard for long hours, low pay and accomplishments of physics and the APS over the past 100 years. A Centenary Wannier, Dyson, etc. If the thesis of the to accept job insecurity. This is a de- Planning Committee was appointed last year to handle the details, with myself book is viable these scientists must have scription of an immigrant’s work. as chair. lowered the wages of U.S. scientists. If according to the reviewer the book The celebration in Atlanta, although not yet finalized, will include one weekend As for anecdotal information that has is not xenophobic, then I don’t know day devoted to a symposium on the international nature and economic impor- been quoted, let me pass along what I what xenophobia is. tance of physics. This will be followed by a banquet including the leadership know: that the standards of Ph.D. quali- and members of physical societies throughout the world. A second weekend fying exams are occasionally lowered Munawar Karim date will feature attending Nobel laureates discussing personal moments of dis- to allow U.S. students to pass in order St. John Fisher College covery which affected their careers. This will be followed by a gala event at the to preserve balance. Rochester, New York local science museum. In addition, there will be a plenary two-hour session celebrating the accomplishments of physics in the 20th century on Monday and I had to re-read the book review of situation, decided to take no action, Tuesday of the general meeting. Individual APS units will celebrate the accom- Soothing the Establishment by David viewing it as a non-problem. plishments within their own fields with symposia and other events. North to believe my eyes. There seems to be no highly organized For those unable to attend the week-long celebration in Atlanta, two major As recently as April 1995, a small graph group lobbying for recommendations outreach programs are being planned for the Centenary Year. In collaboration of the annual citizenship breakdown like those in Mr. North’s book. (Most with APS units, the Society will prepare a Centenary Speakers Bureau booklet of annual physics Ph.D. graduates of the immigration reform groups, such for distribution to educational, governmental and industrial institutions encour- since 1971 drew an irate letter in the as FAIR or SOS in California, target the aging the recipients to schedule one or more colloquia or seminars. The topics June 1995 issue of APS NEWS. Yet re- low-skilled labor market segments.) would include the historical, societal, scientific and technological accomplish- viewer Brian Schwartz seems to have Conversely, there is an odd coalition ments of physics in the 20th century. A second planned major project is the broken a taboo by calmly recognizing of immigrants rights groups and high- development of an attractive illustrated and annotated “time line” wall chart (1) that an oversupply of Ph.D.’s leads technology manufacturers (the latter depicting the impact of physics, physicists and technology on the culture and to unemployment and depressed naturally favoring cheap labor) fight- development of the 20th century. wages; (2) that foreign-born scientists ing any limitations. Contrast this and engineers (FBSEs) have something situation with the medical profession, To have a successful Centenary celebration, the APS will need the input, partici- to do with the oversupply; and (3) that which is about to cut back on doctor pation and talents of all its members and subunits. The Society has developed an adjusting the immigration of FBSEs and training and reduce the number of po- interactive Centenary page on its World Wide Web site. To keep up with the cutting industry’s use of foreign non- sitions for graduates of foreign medical planning and to make suggestions or volunteer, please access the APS Cente- immigrant labor may be necessary. schools to counter the oversupply of nary Web page at http://aps.org. Startling news, but it comes a little late. M.D.s and the declining median phy- sician income. The large increase in annual admis- sions of scientists and engineers — The bottom line: be prepared for more allowed by the 1990 Immigration Act whining about the dismal employment in response to the National Science prospects in physics. It has taken too Foundation’s forecasted “shortfall” of long for the APS even to acknowledge these professionals — is unlikely to implicitly through the publication of be lowered. The report of the recent Schwartz’s book review that U.S. immi- Jordan Commission on Immigration Re- gration policy has an adverse economic form leaves “skill- based” immigration impact on a large segment of its mem- around the 100,000 level. Some immi- bership. Unfortunately, in the words of gration “reform” bills now in Congress John Locke, “Hell is truth seen too late.” would actually increase that number. Even the National Academy of Sci- William E. Murray, Jr. ences, which also studied the FBSE Portola Valley, California

APS Should Eschew Political Partisanship

I am responding to the letter of Samuel physicists, provoked by my sentiment Park in the December 1995 issue, which decrying political partisanship in an was in response to my letter in the Oc- APS forum. tober 1995 issue responding to a back page article by Dana Rohrabacher (APS I attempted to express two ideas. First, NEWS, July 1995). Park’s letter ex- that discourse and debate in any Soci- [Reprint from BAPS, Vol. I, No. 1, Pg. 2 (1899)] pressed a plea for humility among ety forum should be judged by the

6 March 1996 APS News OPINION We Must Protect U.S. Investment in Scientific Knowledge by Mark B. Boslough

n northern , signs along I-40 the big hole (one does not have to be And that is exactly what happened. satisfied merely to reject science for it- Iread: “Meteor Crater... the planet’s a scientist to think scientifically). Ge- Gilbert had overestimated the amount self, but it now has an active campaign most penetrating natural attraction.” ologists offered two more scientific of speeding iron that would be needed to remove scientifically validated sub- South of the interstate a low ridge rises guesses involving volcanic processes. to blast out such a big hole: jects — such as evolution — from the from the flat desert. An earlier A fourth hypothesis was the radical idea hypervelocity impacts are much more classroom and have them replaced by generation called the ridge “Coon that a had hit the Earth. powerful than he realized. Further- their own unscientific opinions, such Butte”, not realizing that it was the rim more, most of the meteorite was as creationism. of a deep crater. The cavity is so Gilbert traveled to Arizona and made vaporized by the impact, leaving few expansive that it changes the wind measurements to test the various ideas. traces. It had been a mistake to think And science is now under attack by a patterns and attracts raptors that soar Little was known about the physics of that the impact would leave a lot of budget-cutting Congress to whom dol- in the updrafts. This big hole is truly meteorite impacts, and he predicted buried iron. Many years later, scientists lars have measurable value but one of the natural wonders of the that such a cosmic collision would have would discover rare new minerals in scientific knowledge does not. They world. left a very large piece of buried iron. the rocks at the crater—minerals that think that spending on science is like His tests failed to find it, so Gilbert re- had been predicted to form from an throwing money into a big hole in the Meteor Crater was also once the sub- jected the impact idea. The iron objects impact—finally settling the controversy. ground. They do not realize that a dol- ject of a great scientific controversy, and on the surface turned out to be mete- lar saved is a dollar saved, but it may was a focal point for defining the sci- orite fragments (ruling out Armijo’s Science is sometimes slow, but it al- be two dollars (or more) worth of entific method and promoting scientific hypothesis that they came out of the ways involves making educated knowledge lost. research. A century after that debate, ground) but Gilbert concluded that guesses that eventually lead to testable Meteor Crater is a reminder of the im- they were not related to the hole. predictions. If the predictions turn out G.K. Gilbert closed his address 100 portance of science to our way of life. to be incorrect, the test is still success- years ago by explaining that “fertility Of the two volcanic ideas, one pre- ful if scientists learn enough to modify of invention implies a wide and varied G.K. Gilbert, one of the top scientific dicted that volcanic rocks would be the theory, find a better one, or dis- knowledge of the causes of things,” that thinkers of his time, gave an address found in the crater. But the crater had cover mistaken assumptions. deep understanding of nature through on this subject in Washington on De- none, so there was only one hypoth- scientific research is essential, and that cember 11, 1895. At the center of the esis left that had not been eliminated: Unfortunately, even after the successes our “material, social, and intellectual scientific method, he said, is the hy- some type of volcanic steam explosion. of 20th-century science, there are a lot condition” directly depends on our sci- pothesis, or “the scientific guess.” Gilbert accepted that explanation, even of people who still don’t like (or don’t entific knowledge. He compared Gilbert used the crater to illustrate how though he had arrived at the crater understand) the scientific method. Sci- science to an investment: “Knowledge science works. thinking it was formed by an impact (a ence is now under attack from many of Nature is an account at [the] bank, good scientist does not allow personal directions. where each dividend is added to the Four scientific guesses to explain the feelings to get in the way of evidence). principal and the interest is ever com- crater’s origin had been made at the However, he recognized that new facts On the left are those who twist legiti- pounded...” time. The first came from a shepherd might be discovered about mate multiculturalism by going way named Mathias Armijo, who found and impacts that would overturn his beyond it. They dogmatically assert that Our scientific bank account has led to pieces of iron near the crater and rea- conclusion. all ways of seeking knowledge are inventions that Gilbert’s audience could soned that an explosion had hurled the equally valid, but still insist that science not have imagined. It has swollen with metal out of the ground and formed is flawed because they view it as a the advances we associate with mod- “Eurocentric” white male endeavor. Such ern living, with medical discoveries that thinking has encouraged belief in have given us longer, healthier, hap- pseudoscientific and unscientific ideas pier lives, and with unsurpassed LETTERS (continued from page 6) ranging from healing in Taos to national security. flying saucers in Roswell. Even worse, it cogency of the logic, integrity and ap- educational system is failing two-thirds has turned some women and minorities We should again ask those in Wash- plicability of the facts or data. Political of the participants, we do not forsake away from careers in science, to their ington to pass along the American partisanship, being a hybrid of advocacy our children because the economic re- detriment and to that of society. tradition of a strong investment in sci- and marketing, has its place, but that turn on investment is sub-par. The entific knowledge, and trust in the place is in Congress, political conven- return on the investment in education Science is also under attack from the scientific method, to future generations. tions, and pep rallies. And no, physicists is worth far more to citizens and to this religious right, whose literal interpre- And we should remind them that re- do not have “comprehensive knowledge society than mere dollars. tation of the Bible supersedes scientific search spending is money in the bank, of all issues.” However, that does not evidence, logical reasoning, and com- not money in a hole. mean that we cannot speak passionately I am not quite clear why these ideas are mon sense. To fundamentalists, any about intellectual integrity and principled so threatening and why they are per- fact that is at odds with their beliefs Mark B. Boslough is an Albuquerque sci- debate. Further, it does not forbid us ceived as somehow being arrogant or must be ignored. This faction is not entist who specializes in impact physics. from crying foul when advocacy is mas- lacking in humility. I believe that the APS queraded as rationality and popular membership can bring intellectual hon- opinion is proffered as fact. esty and disciplined thinking to funding arguments. I believe that the politically My second point was that the value and partisan arguments currently in vogue worthiness of funded projects must not do not comprehend these tenets and be judged solely on the accrual of short- therefore should be eschewed in the term benefits or its ultimate profitability. halls of this Society. If these sentiments This does not mean that fiscal irrespon- lack humility, then humility is no virtue. sibility is acceptable; rather, it means that there are other values in addition Douglas Verret to economic ones. For example, if our Texas Instruments

Ph.D. Benefits Go Beyond Research Skills

I very much enjoyed Geoff Heuter’s story presents these tips in the correct sequence, in the “Career Corner” of the December corresponding to their priority: getting fa- 1995 APS NEWS. As a physics Ph.D. whose miliar with, and appreciating, the mind-set career has strayed far from traditional sci- of the business world is the most impor- ence, I really appreciated the part where tant. he talked about the benefits of his Ph.D. training: not the specialized skills, such as The next step: how can we get univer- gamma-ray astronomy, but the other skills, sity faculty to recognize and encourage such as basic physics and math, writing these values in their students, so that proposals, and planning experiments (i.e., the students will be better prepared to measurement and analysis of just about succeed in the current environment? anything). I have often felt the same way, but Geoff put it into words very well. I Peter Heimann also agree with his four tips. I think that he AT&T Bell Laboratories

7 APS News March 1996 ANNOUNCEMENTS

Members Elected to APS Margaret J. Geller Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Fellowship in 1995 For her pioneering contributions to mapping the nearby universe and elucidating the large-scale General structure in the distribution of galaxies. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Henry Don Isaac Abarbanel James Conway Higdon University of California, San Diego The Claremont Colleges The American Physical Society is seeking a successor to the current For his important work on interplanetary and in- For contributions to the understanding of com- Editor-in-Chief who is retiring. The Editor-in-Chief is one of the three plex, chaotic signals and their analysis for dis- terstellar turbulence and his innovative studies of covering new properties of a broad range of gamma ray bursts, cosmic rays, pulsars, novae, operating officers of the Society and has responsibility for the research physical systems. supernovae, and galactic nucleosynthesis. journals published by the Society. Since the Editor-in-Chief is respon- Richard Alfred Matzner sible for the large editorial and journal support staff located in Ridge, NY, Vernon J. Ehlers University of Texas at Austin near Brookhaven National Laboratory, nominees should be prepared to Congressman from Michigan For his analyses in general relativity of a wide spend a substantial amount of time there. Among the responsibilities of For contributions to atomic physics research, phys- range of astrophysical phenomena, especially ics education, and dynamic leadership in the pur- his numerical simulations of strong-field gravi- the Editor-in-Chief are preserving and enhancing the quality of APS jour- suit of bettering the health and welfare of science tational systems and the gravitational radiation nals, leading APS efforts in electronic publishing, working with senior in the United States. they produce. editors to set journal policies, and handling appeals and ethics cases involving authors. Jay N. Marx Samuel Harvey Moseley, Jr. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center For his leadership of the successful construc- For his contributions to instrumentation in as- Applicants or nominees should be physicists with significant reputations tion of the Advanced Light Source (ALS), the trophysics, especially his conception and de- and demonstrated organizational and managerial skills. Editorial experi- velopment of the X-ray microcalorimeter and first of the third generation synchrotron light ence is desirable. The initial appointment is for five years with renewal sources in the U.S. his studies of the SN1987A fine structure lines of iron with long-wavelength infrared detectors. possible after review. Salary is negotiable. The desired starting day is Joseph Rotblat January 1, 1997. The APS is an equal employment opportunity employer PUGWASH Richard Eiseman Rothschild and specially encourages applications from or nominations of women University of California, San Diego For forty years of dedicated effort to alert the and minorities. Inquiries, nomination, and applications should be sent world to the dangers of nuclear weapons and For his seminal work in determining the spec- to bring together scientists and citizens of many tra and time variations of cosmic X-ray sources, by March 30, 1996 to: nations in this endeavor. and for his innovative development of instru- mentation for these studies. Professor Astrophysics Joseph I. Silk Chair, Search Committee University of California, Berkeley The American Physical Society Gerald J. Fishman For his pioneering role in understanding the cos- One Physics Ellipse Marshall Flight Center mic microwave background radiation and the For pioneering advances in gamma-ray as- College Park, MD 2074. formation of large-scale structure in the uni- tronomy, particularly his important observations verse, and in recognition of the bridges he of gamma-ray bursts that suggest a possible helped establish between particle and nuclear cosmological origin. physics and cosmology. (continued on of page 9)

AIP Issues Study on Ph.D. Physicists in Announcing National Laboratories 1996 APS Congressional Visits

A study released in December by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) found that 4,500 Ph.D. physicists are employed in 29 major federally funded research ARE YOU ABOUT TO BE DOWN-SIZED? and development centers (FFRDCs). Of these, about 3,450 have permenant ISN’T IT TIME YOU TALKED TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE positions and the remainder are postdoctoral, visiting, or temporaty. A total of AND SENATORS ABOUT THE SCIENCE BUDGET? 20,000 Ph.D. physicists were employed to do physics in 1995 in the FFRDCs and three other sectors: 10,000 in academe, 3,200 in industry, and 2,300 in govern- ment and other areas. The APS Washington Office has helped over 600 APS members meet- ing with their representative and senators. Let us help you. The study was produced by Jean M. Curtin and Christine Cassagnau of AIP’s Education and Employment Statistics Division. The four-page report is the first In early April, Members of Congress will be in their local districts. released by the division on employment at the national laboratories, with an- Starting in March, The APS Washington Office will assist APS mem- other survey to be conducted in about two years. The FFRDCs surveyed included bers to set up home district meetings. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, MITRE Corporation, and the Space Telescope Science Institute. THE APS WASHINGTON OFFICE PROVIDES: REVIEWS OF KEY When asked what the short-term future might look like for their laboratories or POLICY ISSUES; SCIENCE BUDGET BREAKDOWNS FOR units, many respondents were uncertain. However, the majority of contacts indi- YOUR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT; BIOS OF YOUR cated that the most they could hope for was to maintain the “status quo.” In REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS. assessing the future, respondents predicted a fairly stable economic outlook with continued inhibitions to growth. But one person responded: TO PARTICIPATE, CONTACT: “Dismal…foresee a continual slow attrition unless policy change occurs.” APS/Congressional Visits APS Washington Office Early retirement programs resulted in a retirement rate of 4.3 percent in 1993 and 1050 National Press Building 1994. The report estimates the retirement rate will drop to 3.7 percent in 1995 Washington, DC 20045 and 1996. The estimated gross turnover rate of permanent, Ph.D.-level physicists (202) 662-8700 in the national laboratories increased from 4.3 percent in 1994 to 4.6 percent in email: [email protected] 1995. This translated to a projected 160 openings in 1995. The report estimated DEADLINE: APRIL 5, 1996 that in 1995 the labs had about 270 postdoctoral positions to fill. The postdoc turnover rate is approximately 45 percent per year.

The outlook for 1996 shows little, if any, growth in the estimated number of employees with physics Ph.D.s. Postdoctoral appointments may increase from Change… 600 to 620. Visiting scientists and other temporary positions may go from 430 HARRY WU TO BE HONORED AT CIFS RECEPTION to 440. Utilization of Ph.D. physicists varies among employment sectors. More As reported in the February edition of APS News, the Committee on the than 70 percent of Ph.D. physicists at the national laboratories work in physics. International Freedom of Scientists will hold a reception to start off its signa- This compares to less than one-third of Ph.D. physicists similarly employed by ture drive for a petition on behalf of colleagues in the People’s Republic of industry. China whose rights are being violated. The reception will feature and honor human rights activist Harry Wu and be held on Tuesday, March 19, 1996 at The survey also found that 87 percent of the surveyed laboratories participate in 5:30 p.m., not Sunday, March 17th as it was originally scheduled. Please one or more Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs). A check the event directory at the Adams Mark hotel or the Bulletin of The free copy of the report may be obtained by contacting [email protected] or by American Physical Society to learn the exact location of the reception. You calling (301) 209-3071. are invited and encouraged to attend, and to sign the petition!

8 March 1996 APS News

Thomas A. Weaver Shiyi Chen atomic ions, as well as contributions to undergradu- ture superconductivity. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory IBM T.J. Watson Research Center ate science education. For his crucial contributions to our understand- For outstanding research in lattice gas meth- David Lawrence Griscom ing of massive stars and their evolution, super- ods involving creative analysis and massive Randall G. Hulet Naval Research Laboratory novae, and the origin of the chemical elements. computations at the frontiers of high perfor- Rice University For contributions to the analysis and interpre- mance computing; and for contributing funda- For his contributions to a broad range of impor- tation of electron spin resonance spectra of tran- Biological Physics mental advances in the theory of turbulence. tant problems in atomic and optical physics in- sition-group ions, radiation-induced point de- cluding cavity quantum electrodynamics, quan- fects, and ferromagnetic precipitates in glass. Carlos J. Bustamante Ching-Yao Fong tum jumps, ion storage, and laser cooling of University of Oregon University of California, Davis atoms. Robert Cort Haddon For pioneering the application of optical methods For pioneering work in developing theoretical mod- AT&T Bell Laboratories els and applying them to computational studies of Eric H. Pinnington For work on organic electronic materials, in- and scanning probes in measurements of the prop- University of Alberta erties of single DNA molecules. the fundamental electronic and vibrational prop- cluding the prediction and discovery of super- erties of semiconductor systems. For his extensive studies of highly ionized and conductivity in alkali-doped carbon-60. excited atoms and the development of new Rodney Elbert Harrington Harvey Allen Gould techniques for the precise determination of life- William P. Halperin University of Nevada Clark University times and oscillator strengths of cosmological Northwestern University For elucidating DNA structure in chromatin, and For his work in statistical and computational significance. For contributions to our understanding of liquid the sequence basis of DNA bending. physics, specifically his studies of clusters and and solid 3He, particularly the discovery of mag- the dynamics of first-order phase transitions, Stephen Turnham Pratt netic order in solid 3He, and fundamental in- Larry S. Liebovitch and for his work on introducing computer simu- Argonne National Laboratory vestigations of collective excitations in the su- Florida Atlantic University lations and computational methods into the un- For fundamental contributions to molecular perfluid phases. For advancing the physics of fractals and chaos dergraduate curriculum and to a wider scien- physics through imaginative and innovative and using these methods to analyze and un- tific audience. studies that probe electron-nuclear coupling, Russell Julian Hemley derstand biological systems and, in particular, for his elegant experiments Carnegie Institution of Washington Dale D. Koelling on molecular photoionization, predissociation, For advancing ultra high-pressure of condensed Jose Nelson Onuchic U.S. Dept. of Energy autoionization, and excited-state reactions. and for discovering new materials, tran- University of California, San Diego For seminal contributions to the computational sitions, and properties at high pressures. For advancing our understanding of electron theory of the electronic properties of crystalline Mordechay Schlesinger transfer in complex molecules. materials, especially rare earths and actinides, and University of Windsor Kai Ming Ho for providing direction and leadership to the DoE For the development of the unitary group ap- Iowa State University George W. Rayfield computational science community. proach to the theory of complex spectra and In recognition of his contributions to electronic University of Oregon pioneering studies of impurity ion spectra in structure calculation for the study of surface For definitive experimental proof for quantized Henry Krakauer crystals. geometry’s and lattice dynamics, and for his work vortex rings in superfluid helium; for high preci- College of William & Mary on photonic band gap materials. sion studies on phase transitions in monolayers; For outstanding accomplishments in formulat- Dieter Herbert Schneider for extensive studies on the optical and electrical ing and implementing the all-electron descrip- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Evelyn Lynn Hu properties of bacteriorhodopsin, and ensuing de- tion of the electronic structure and related physi- For his contributions to the understanding of University of California, Santa Barbara vice applications. cal properties of complex crystalline solids and ion-atom collisions through electron spectros- For contributions to the fabrications and study their surfaces. copy and for his experiments elucidating the of low dimensional structures. Chemical Physics collision dynamics of very highly charged ions. Peter Sejersen Lomdahl Thomas Albert Kennedy Los Alamos National Laboratory John Bailey West Max L. Berkowitz Naval Research Laboratory For his outstanding work on the development and Daresbury Laboratory University of North Carolina For advances in the identification and proper- application of large-scale Langevin and Molecular For seminal contributions to understanding of For penetrating theoretical contributions to our ties of defects in semiconductors. Dynamics simulation techniques to problems in electron correlation effects and resonant phe- understanding of aqueous systems in bulk and nonlinear condensed matter physics and materi- nomena in photoionization of atoms and mol- at interfaces, and to our understanding of aque- Stephen D. Kevan als science. ecules, through pioneering work in the application ous clusters. of photo-ion and angle resolved photo-electron University of Oregon Peter James Reynolds spectroscopy. For his pioneering work in the use of high-reso- Kit Hansell Bowen (Jr.) Office of Naval Research lution photoemission spectroscopy (synchro- The John Hopkins University For his pioneering work on combining the DCMP (Condensed Matter) tron radiation) to elucidate the interplay between For his pioneering fundamental contributions to renormalization group method with Monte Carlo electronic properties and structure at surfaces. our knowledge of negative ion solvation, the elec- simulations in the study of statistical problems, Punit Boolchand Barry M. Klein tronic structure of metal clusters, the stability and for his contributions to quantum Monte Carlo University of Cincinnati University of California, Davis structure of negative ions and the science of simulations, and for his service to the physics For Mossbauer studies of chalcogenide glasses For his contributions to the theory of electronic nanostructured materials. community through his activities as a Program that elucidate coordination, cluster formation, and vibrational properties of solids, and for build- Officer at the Office of Naval Research. and incipient phase separation. Wilson Ho ing and leading dynamic research groups. DAMOP (Atomic, Molecular, Optical) Ludwig W. Bruch For his pioneering contributions to the field University of Wisconsin Mel Philip Levy of photophysics and photochemistry on solid Tulane University Miron Ya Amusia For contributions to the theory of physical ad- surfaces, especially in the elucidation of the For contributions to the understanding and ad- For the discovery of the collective nature of atomic sorption and interactions of physically adsorbed fundamental mechanisms and photochemi- vancement of the mathematical foundations of photoionization and prediction of the collectiviza- atoms on surfaces. cal dynamics. density functional theory, and for revealing key tion of few electron shells under the action of many- Barbara Hope Cooper properties of the exact density functional. electron neighboring shells. William Morgan Jackson Cornell University Tsuneyoshi Nakayama University of California, Davis For her innovative studies of fundamental ion- James Samuel Cohen Hokkaido University For his fundamental contributions to experimen- surface interactions in the hyperthermal energy Los Alamos National Laboratory For contributions to our understanding of the dy- tal chemical dynamics and his original use of range, including experiments and simulations For pioneering contributions to the application namics of fractal structures by large-scale com- lasers in pioneering work in astrochemistry. of techniques of theoretical atomic and molecu- to develop accurate interaction potentials and comprehensive studies of ion-surface charge puter simulations and of the Kapitza resistance at lar physics to formation of muonic atoms and millikelvin temperatures. Kevin K. Lehmann molecules, their interactions with normal spe- transfer dynamics. cies, and muon-catalyzed fusion. Risto Matti Nieminen For fundamental contributions to our knowledge Michael C. Cross California Institute of Technology Helsinki University of Technology of molecular dynamics. In particular, by means Lee A. Collins For developing and applying theoretical and com- of eigenstate-resolved spectroscopy and rig- Los Alamos Laboratory For contributions to the theory of superfluid 3He, magnetic order in solid 3He, pattern formation putational techniques in several areas of con- orous theory, he has dramatically advanced For distinguished theoretical research in atomic densed matter and materials physics. our understanding of intra-molecular vibrational and molecular physics, notably on novel ap- near non-equilibrium instability and quantitative energy redistribution. proaches to electron-molecule scattering, electron- understanding of spatiotemporal chaos. Michael Ray Norman atom scattering in intense fields, and the simula- Harry William Deckman Argonne National Laboratory Paras N. Prasad tion of dense plasmas. Exxon Research & Engineering Co. For studies of correlated and their State University of NY at Buffalo For developing an innovative, new approach to magnetic and superconducting properties by For pioneering work on phonon-phonon and George Csanak modeling of real materials using ab-initio cal- Los Alamos National Laboratory microlithography using self-organized mask electron-phonon interactions and phase tran- structure, and for using this approach in devel- culations. sitions in molecular solids and especially on the For development of many-body Green’s function techniques of bound-state and scattering proper- oping the hardware for x-ray micromography Robert N. Shelton study, modeling and design of nonlinear optics and in other novel applications. of molecular and polymeric materials. ties of atomic and molecular systems; significant University of California, Davis contributions to the theoretical foundation and Howard Dennis Drew For his contributions to low temperature, high Harvey Scher physical interpretation of electron- coinci- University of Maryland pressure studies of superconducting and mag- The Weizmann Institute dence experiments, and for contributions to the For his contribution to the study of the - netic materials. For inaugurating the field of time scale invariant understanding of electron scattering by laser ex- dynamic response of superconductors in mag- Michael S. Shur transport in disordered systems which has since cited targets. netic fields, and collective effects in semicon- University of Virginia impacted other areas such as reaction, energy Reiner Martin Dreizler ductor heterostructures. For his contributions to physics of ballistic trans- transfer and glassy relaxation. Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University Donald M. Eigler port in semiconductors. For important contributions to the development Michael C. Zerner IBM Almaden Research Center and applications of density functional theory and Haskell Joseph Taub University of Florida For his achievements in the field of atomic ma- to the theory of atomic collision processes. University of Missouri, Columbia For development of semi-empirical theory of nipulation using a scanning tunneling microscope. For his studies of the structure and dynamics electronic structure of large molecules, and its Ilya I. Fabrikant Theodore Lee Einstein of adsorbed monolayer and multilayer films, with application to determination of molecular struc- University of Nebraska particular focus on the influence of dimension- ture and spectra. University of Maryland For his studies of electron collisions and For his contributions to the theory of interac- ality and molecular shape on melting and crys- Rydberg atom collisions involving the forma- tal growth. Computational Physics tions between chemisorbed atoms, their con- tion of temporary negative ions, and for sequences for two-dimensional phase transi- photodetachment of negative ions in the pres- tions and to the theory of measurable proper- Dale J. Van Harlingen Larry Lee Boyer ence of external static fields. ties of vicinal surfaces. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Naval Research Laboratory For his investigation of the phase coherence For the formulation, development, and imple- Donald Christian Griffin Nigel David Goldenfeld and quantum phenomena in superconductors mentation of novel methods of modelling the Rollins College University of Illinois and the experimental determination of the sym- mechanical and thermodynamic properties of For theoretical developments in the fields of rela- For his contribution to theory of non equilibrium metry of the pairing state, in high-Tc supercon- ionic materials. tivistic atomic structure and electron collisions with ductors. systems, and pairing states in high tempera- (continued on page 10) 9 APS News March 1996

David Vanderbilt Francisco de la Cruz Natalia Kalfe Meshkov contributions to nonlinear dynamics and chaos Rutgers University Centro Atomico Bariloche Argonne National Laboratory in lasers. For contributions in condensed matter theory, For his contributions to our understanding of For her use of scientific approaches to envi- including pseudo potential, polarization theory, the vortex state in the High Tc superconduc- ronmental problems and for her pioneering work Richard Alan Haight surfaces stress, and structural phase transi- tors and no less importantly for his impact on in establishing programs for women in science. IBM, T.J. Watson Research Center tions. our community as an exceptional teacher of For the development of laser photoemission young scientists. Joel A. Snow spectroscopy and for innovative applications of Zeev Valentine Vardeny Iowa State University the method to investigate electron dynamics at University of Utah Malcolm Golby Haines For leadership in formulation and analysis of sci- surfaces and interfaces. For his pioneering work on the application of Imperial College ence policy, effective communication of science photomodulation techniques and picosecond For his leadership of a research group at Impe- to the public, accomplishments in science man- Dennis Gene Hall spectroscopy to the study of conducting poly- rial College Group and his major contributions agement and administration, and support of University of Rochester mers, fullerenes, amorphous semiconductors to Z-pinches, theta pinches, cusp confinement, women and minorities in physics. For his contributions to the understanding of and high temperature superconductivity. inertial confinement and magnetic fields, and optical phenomena in thin metal films, in semi- stability theory. Fundamental Constants conductors, and in optical waveguides. Alice Elizabeth White AT&T Bell Laboratories Pertti J. Hakonen Timothy Edward Chupp Anthony M. Johnson For contributions to the study of transport phe- Helsinki University of Technology University of Michigan New Jersey Institute of Technology nomena in metallic thin films and for her work For his experimental investigations on vortex For his ingenious use of optical pumping tech- For his contributions to ultrafast optoelectron- on buried silicide films formed by ion implanta- structures in superfluid 3He and studies of niques to produce high-density samples of po- ics and nonlinear optics, including high speed tion. nuclear ordering in metals at positive and nega- larized noble gas nuclei, and his exploitation of semiconductor sampling gates, optical pulse tive subnanokelvin temperatures. these samples for precision measurements in compression and tunable ultrafast laser Few Body Systems atomic, nuclear, and particle physics. sources. Bretislav Victor Heinrich Bradley D. Keister Simon Fraser University Gabriel Luther Howard Michael Milchberg Carnegie Mellon University For the elucidation of loss in ferromagnetic Los Alamos National Laboratory University of Maryland For important contributions to the development of resonance; for the contribution to the inven- For his ingenious and precise measurements For his research on high-temperature, ultra- relativistic descriptions of few body systems. tion of ferromagnetic antiresonance; for of the Newtonian gravitational constant and for dense plasmas and studies of X-ray emission adapting molecular beam epitaxy to studies contributions to the determination of the veloc- and optical guiding by laser generated plasma Richard Guy Woolley of exchange interactions and anisotropies in ity of light. structures. The Nottingham Trent University the highest quality ultrathin magnetic films. For fundamental advances in the proper quan- Terence John Quinn Thomas W. Mossberg George Francis Imbusch tum description of molecules and their interac- Bureau Intntl des Poids et Mesures University of Oregon University College - Galway tion with radiation. For his high accuracy measurements of the val- For his work on optical resonance and cavity For his contributions to our understanding of ues of important fundamental constants of phys- quantum electrodynamics, including the imagi- the static and dynamical processes which af- Fluid Dynamics ics and for his seminal contributions to ther- native use of dressed-atom effects to control fect the optically excited states of luminescent mometry, absolute radiometry, and mass me- atomic dynamics and create new mechanisms materials. Philip A. Blythe trology. for optical gain. Lehigh University Peter I.P. Kalmus For consistent work of outstanding originality High Polymer Physics Jin-Joo Song in fluid mechanics and chemically reacting Queen Mary & Westfield College Oklahoma State flows. Specifically for seminal contributions to For his many contributions to experimental par- For her pioneering nonlinear optical mixing experi- Guy C. Berry non-equilibrium nozzle flows, shock and deto- ticle physics, to teaching, to international co- ments in condensed phases and for contributions Carnegie Mellon University nation processes and buoyancy driven motions. operation in science and to the public under- to semiconductor quantum well characterization For his fundamental studies using rheo-optical standing of physics. through innovative laser spectroscopy. Nagi Nicholas Mansour methods on dilute and concentrated solutions Yoshiaki Kato of flexible branched and rigid-rod liquid crystal- NASA - Materials Physics For his leading role in the use of numerical simu- Osaka University line polymers. lations to investigate fundamental problems of For development of beam smoothing techniques Robert M. Briber James Whitman Davenport fluid mechanics including turbulence and drop and high power lasers and demonstration of their University of Maryland Brookhaven National Laboratory and bubble flows. effectiveness for irradiation uniformity improvement and plasma instability suppression; and for his con- In recognition of fundamental work on the elu- For the development of new techniques for com- cidation of the effect of crosslinking on the ther- puting the electronic structure of molecules and Moshe Matalon tributions to x-ray lasers. modynamics and phase separation behavior of solids and for applying them to adsorbed mol- Northwestern University polymer blends. ecules, metallic alloys, and liquid metals. For fundamental contributions to the mathemati- Syamal Kumar Lahiri cal theory of flame propagation including the Nanyang Technological University Robert Allen Bubeck Marcos Hugo Grimsditch dynamics and stability of flame fronts, and to For his pioneering contributions in elucidating Dow Chemical Co. Argonne National Laboratory the mathematical modeling of diverse combus- stress relaxation properties of thin films and in For his pioneering synchrotron X-ray scattering For significant insights into elastic properties, tion problems. the development of thin film materials for the studies of technologically important polymer de- magnetic excitations and phase transitions of study and application of high quality Joseph- formation and processing problems. solids and their heterostructures obtained Philip John Morris son tunnel junctions. through a skillful application of inelastic light Penn State University Patricia Metzger Cotts scattering techniques. For contributions to the aeroacoustics and sta- Bernard Sapoval IBM Almaden Research Center bility of supersonic jets, the hydrodynamic sta- Condensed Matter Physics Laboratory For her contributions to the understanding of Warren Bruce Jackson bility of compliant wall boundary layers and the For his outstanding work, on semiconductors, the role of chemical architecture on polymer Xerox PARC modeling of large scale structures in turbulent on disordered systems and fractals - diffusion flexibility using static and dynamic light scat- For pioneering research in the fundamental prop- free shear flows. fronts, interfaces in electrochemistry and ca- tering. erties of amorphous semiconductors, including talysis, vibration modes of fractal drums; and seminal studies of the intrinsic electronic density Robert Louis Powell for his leadership in fostering scientific collabo- Lewis John Fetters of states and metastable mechanisms and pro- University of California, Davis rations worldwide. Exxon Research & Engineering Co. cesses, and for the application of photothermal For contributions to the fluid mechanics of sus- For developing controlled syntheses of numer- deflection spectroscopy to address a wide range pensions and the development of experimen- Douwe Alle Wiersma ous model polymers, and for providing exquis- of problems in hydrogenated amorphous silicon. tal techniques. For his outstanding contributions to chemical phys- itely tailored materials essential for the critical evaluation of polymer theory. ics, non-linear spectroscopy and ultrafast dynam- Jeffrey S. Lannin Forum on Education ics of complex molecular systems. Peter Fitzroy Green Penn State University Sandia National Laboratories For pioneering contributions toward the un- David Orlin Hestenes Forum on Physics & Society For significant contributions to the understand- derstanding of the structure and dynamics of Arizona State University ing of the dynamics of block copolymer, ho- liquids, amorphous solids and fullerenes as For elucidating the relevance of cognitive sci- Pierce S. Corden mopolymer melts and polymer blends and to deduced from Raman and scattering ence to physics education, establishing the de- US Arms Control & Disarmament Agency the behavior of block copolymers near surfaces. methods. ficiency of standard lecture methods, develop- For steering the American course towards the ing superior pedagogy, and constructing a new goal of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty from Instrument & Measurements Charles M. Lieber mathematical language for research and edu- the earliest negotiations to the threshold of cation. completion of the accord. Jack W. Ekin For innovative contributions to the synthesis and NIST characterization of transitional metal chalco- Forum on International Physics Nancy M. Dowdy For his discovery of the superconductor strain genides, carbon nitrides, and high temperature For her role on treaty verification at the close scaling law, and his development of low specific superconductors. Ved Prakash Bhatnagar of the Cold War, for research accomplish- resistivity interfaces for oxide superconductors and JET Joint Undertaking ments and leadership in the development of a superconducting dc transformer. Carmen Ortiz For significant contributions to the understand- synthetic fuels instrumentation, and for lead- IBM Research Division ing of both theory and experiment of tokamak ership and service in behalf of women in phys- Donald G. McDonald For her sustained contributions to the under- reactor-relevant fast-wave antenna design, ics. NIST standing of the materials science underlying heating and current drive in the ion-cyclotron For contributions to submillimeter wave and in- the thin films essential to optical and mag- range of frequencies. Gerald E. Marsh frared applications of superconductivity. netic applications. Argonne National Laboratory Helmut Rainer Brand For more than fifteen years of technical-policy Roger L. Stockbauer Ian Keith Robinson University of Bayreuth contributions to nuclear arms control issues, Louisiana State University University of Illinois For his elucidation of novel phenomena in driven including the comprehensive test ban, strate- For outstanding contributions to atomic, molecu- For contributions to the science of surfaces complex condensed matter systems, and for gic defense, nuclear-naval strategy, and infor- lar, optical, and condensed matter physics through and interfaces studied with X-ray scattering his extraordinary success in motivating quanti- mation-security reform, all in addition to contri- the design and implementation of sophisticated techniques and in particular for increasing our tative experiments relevant to his theoretical butions in various areas of theoretical and ap- instrumentation that has served as the understanding of important Si surfaces and in- work. plied physics. for new fields of research. terfaces.

Robert Woodhouse Crompton Michael M. May Laser Science Jan Frederick Schetzina Australian National University Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory North Carolina State University For his extended and penetrating analysis and For high scientific quality and demonstrated per- Ennio Arimondo For his extensive contributions to the develop- use of the swarm method for studying the be- sonal integrity devoted to the cause of decreasing Universitá degli Studi di Pisa ment and understanding of II - VI materials and havior of slow electrons in gases, and his tire- the threat of nuclear war and developing an inter- For the interpretation of “dark resonances” in devices. less work for improving physics in Australia. national regime of arms control. terms of coherent population trapping, and for (continued on page 11) 10 March 1996 APS News

Jeffrey Y. Tsao of the strong interactions. His development of theo- metry breaking and many interesting calcula- Christopher E. Clayton Sandia National Laboratories retically based phenomenology and its compari- tions in the standard model. UCLA For fundamental contributions to the thin film son with experiment have allowed rapid testing of For outstanding contributions to the understand- and surface science underlying semiconduc- theoretical ideas. Physics of Beams ing of relativistic wave-particle interactions and tor epitaxy and processing. demonstration of electron acceleration by beat- Guenter G. Baum William A. Barletta excited plasma waves. University of Bielefeld Nuclear Physics Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory For his important contributions to electron and For his contributions to the combination of Joel Fajans muon deep inelastic scattering, particularly with Cyrus Baktash plasma devices and electron beams, free elec- University of California, Berkeley polarized beams and targets to study QCD sum Oak Ridge National Laboratory tron lasers, and conventional accelerators, as For important basic experiments with free elec- rules and determine the ’s internal spin For discoveries of identical bands at normal de- well as to the wise direction of beam physics tron lasers and nonneutral plasmas. structure. formation of band termination in heavy nuclei, programs during the last decade. Taik Soo Hahm superdeformation in the A = 80 region and for Sally Dawson Swapan Chattopadhyay Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory seminal studies of shape evolution with spin Brookhaven National Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory For outstanding contributions to progress in un- and temperature. For outstanding work in particle phenomenol- For his pioneering studies of fluctuations, co- derstanding anomalous transport and enhanced ogy, including the effective W approximation and Martin D. Cooper herence and phase-space cooling and his con- confinement regimes in toroidal plasmas Higgs physics. Los Alamos National Laboratory tributions to the accelerator physics foundation through nonlinear analysis of microinstabilities For contributions to the study of lepton number Lance Jenkins Dixon of PEP II, an asymmetric B-factory collider for and the development of the toroidal gyrokinetic conservation in the decay of the muon and stud- Stanford University CP-violation studies. formalism. ies of nuclear structure in pion scattering. For his elucidation of the general principles which Pisin Chen Brian James MacGowan connect the theory of superstrings to concrete Thomas M. Cormier SLAC Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory models of elementary particle physics. Wayne State University For his contributions in novel accelerator con- For developing and demonstrating short wave- For pioneering research that provided the first di- Steven Michael Errede cepts including the Plasma Wakefield Accel- length x-ray lasers and for optimizing and charac- rect experimental evidence for 12C-12C nuclear University of Illinois erator and the self-focusing plasma lens, and terizing the plasma x-ray amplifier. molecular resonances and for the development of For contributions to the understanding of the for contributions to the understanding of the Janardhan Manickam the first practical recoil mass spectrometer for use nature of the weak gauge bosons. beam-beam interaction in linear colliders, in- in nuclear studies. cluding the discovery of beamstrahlung coher- Princeton University Kenneth Jefferson Heller ent pair creation. For his extensive contributions to the under- Cary N. Davids standing of -hydrodynamic plasma pro- Argonne National Laboratory For his contributions to the discovery and explo- Luis R. Elias cesses, discovery of the “infernal mode,” and For contributions to nuclear astrophysics and in ration of inclusive hyperon polarization and the use University of Central Florida stewardship of the PEST code - a universal tool particular for the experimental determinations of of this phenomenon to make precise measure- For the development of Free Electron Lasers, for assessing tokamak stability properties. important reaction rates associated with nuclear ments of the hyperon magnetic moments. based on electrostatic accelerators, and for processes that power the stars. demonstrating that electrostatic accelerators Michael E. Mauel Rudolph C. Hwa can operate on a quasi-continuous basis using Columbia University John Jacob Domingo University of Oregon beam-charge and beam-energy recovery. For investigations of new, high poloidal beta CEBAF For contributions to the study of soft hadronic tokamak operating regimes using modified cur- For sustained scientific and technical contribu- processes in high energy collisions, signatures Shoroku Ohnuma rent profiles and for the investigation of tions to intermediate energy nuclear physics at of quark gluon plasma, fractal structure in mul- Houston University collisionless instabilities of magnetically- the Swiss Institute for Nuclear Research (SIN), tiparticle production and phase transition. For development of the theory and practice of trapped, hot electron mirror plasmas. and for leading the design and construction of magnet selection according to measured field the three experimental facilities at the newly John Alan Jaros errors resulting in suppression of nonlinear be- Bruce A. Remington completed Continuous Electron Beam Accel- Stanford University havior and highly predictable operation of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory erator Facility (CEBAF). For his pioneering contributions to the develop- Fermilab Tevatron. For exceptionally thorough experiments clearly ment, construction, and use of precision second- demonstrating the ablative stabilization of the Geoffrey L. Greene ary vertex detector for the study of the properties John Theodore Seeman Rayleigh-Taylor instability in x-ray accelerated NIST of short-lived elementary particles. SLAC targets and for quantitative comparison with For contributions to precision measurements For his contributions to the physics of electron- theory. on the free neutron, in particular, the determi- Paul Blanchard Mackenzie colliding beam machines, both stor- Charles Wayne Roberson nation of the neutron lifetime. Fermilab age rings and linear accelerators. For his substantial contributions to the applica- Office of Naval Research Blayne Heckel In recognition of his seminal contributions to tion of lattice field theory to the solution of par- Kenneth Wayne Shepard University of Washington free electron laser beam quality, stellarator fo- ticle physics problems. Argonne National Laboratory For performing precise tests of fundamental cusing of intense beams and outstanding beam For seminal contributions to the development symmetries, especially parity and time rever- William Anthony Mann plasma experiments. sal, using , nuclei, and atoms, and for Tufts University of superconducting niobium radio-frequency ac- carrying out sensitive searches for new forces For two decades of outstanding contributions to celerating structures and associated cryogen- Ned Robert Sauthoff of macroscopic range. the study of neutrino interactions at accelerators ics and controls leading to the successful con- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and the properties of cosmic-ray neutrinos using struction of the first superconducting ion accel- For seminal contributions to the application of Kirby Wayne Kemper large underground detectors. erator. X-ray diagnostics to the study of sawteeth and Florida State University disruptions in tokamaks, and for distinction in For sustained contributions, using Lithium-in- William R. Molzon Plasma Physics the leadership and management of important duced nuclear reactions and scattering, to the University of California research projects. understanding of exotic highly excited states in For contributions to the study of K-meson in- Steven Lynn Allen light nuclei, including vector and tensor spin- teractions, including a leading role in initiating Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Ker-Chung Shaing dependent effects. and executing the most sensitive search for For scientific leadership in the physics of tan- Oak Ridge National Laboratory muon and electron number violation in de- dem mirrors, generation of intense microwave For his seminal theoretical contributions to neo- James Paul Miller cays. pulses and their absorption in tokamak plas- classical transport in non axisymmetric toroidal Boston University mas, and in the development of the radiative plasmas, to the connections between neoclassi- For the development of a high resolution NaI Tetsuji Nishikawa divertor. cal and turbulent transport and to the theory of L- detector and the performance of pioneering ex- Science Univesity of Tokyo H transitions in toroidal plasmas. periments on nuclear Compton scattering and For technical contributions and leadership in Ian Gordon Brown radiative kaon capture utilizing this device which Japan’s high energy physics and other scien- Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Edward J. Strait paved the way for the design and construction tific programs. For significant contributions to applied plasma General Atomics of other high resolution calorimeters. physics, particularly its use in materials sciences For his contributions to the understanding and Robert Steell Orr and surface modification as well as development improvement of the stability of high beta toka- Paul Anthony Quin University of Toronto and study of vacuum arc ion sources. mak plasmas. University of Wisconsin For co-discovery of B° - B° mixing, contribu- For numerous contributions to symmetry tests tions to the understanding of charged and neu- in nuclear beta-decay and critical assessment tral current neutrino scattering and for leader- of the field. ship in the development of the and SDC experiments. Wolf-Udo Schröder University of Rochester Probir Roy For contributions to an understanding of the dy- Data Inst. of Fundamental Research namics of energetic nuclear collisions in terms For his many original contributions to Particle of microscopic transport processes, and in par- Physics and specifically for the exclusion of a CAUGHT IN THE WEB ticular the demonstration of the relevance of light on the basis of sound theoretical multi-nucleon exchange in heavy-ion reactions. arguments. Notable additions to the APS Web Server for the Paul Stoler Serge Rudaz month of February. The APS Web Server can Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University of Minnesota be found at http://aps.org For many important experimental contributions, For original and influential contributions to the using electromagnetic and hadronic probes, to phenomenology of heavy quarks, our understanding of the properties of pions, supersymmetry and grand unification, and par- Access Information: • 1996 Joint APS/AAPT Meeting Ride Board and excited baryons and their inter- ticle astrophysics. • Improved instructions for accessing the • 1996 International Sherwood Fusion actions in nuclei. APS News Online Theory Conference Julia A. Thompson • Improved instructions for accessing the • 56th Annual Conference on Physical Elec- Stephen A. Wender University of Pittsburgh Membership Directory tronics Los Alamos National Lab. For her contributions to our understanding of a For development of innovative techniques and broad range of particle physics phenomena Miscellaneous unique facilities for studying scattering and cap- through experimentation and instrumentation New/Updated Links: ture reactions with polarized and unpolarized development, and for her continued efforts to APS News Online (latest edition) • Link to AAPT added fast neutron beams. encourage participation in physics by high • 1996 Committee On International school students and under represented groups. Units Scientific Affairs (CISA) Members Particles & Fields • News of the Division of Biological Physics • Chinese Physical Society Joint Scientific York-Peng Yao • FIAP Call for Volunteers Workshop James Stutsman Ball Edward University of Michigan • Call for support of NSF University of Utah For his important contributions to the quantiza- Meetings • Physics Graduate Education For For contributions to the theoretical understanding tion of gauge theories with spontaneous sym- • 1996 March Meeting Program Diverse Career Options

11 APS News March 1996 THE BACK PAGE

RESOURCES AND POPULATION: A WAGER Julian L. Simon

any natural scientists such as went from 30 miles an hour to Economists think that the whole world The following theory fits the data: Mphysicists Murray Gell-Mann, the speed of an electrical impulse. is just a market system, and that free Population growth and increase of in- William Shockley, and Andrei Sakharov goods are infinitely supplied. They are come expand demand, forcing up have worried about human population • Income and wealth rose above sub- a discipline built on transparent mis- prices of natural resources. The in- size and growth. Henry Kendall, sistence for more than a small takes, from the point of view of a creased prices and the opportunities for speaking for the Union of Concerned minority for the first time in human physicist or a biologist. productive research trigger the search Scientists (including 99 Nobelists), asks history, beginning 200 years ago. for new supplies. Most seekers fail, nations to “stabilize population In the economics of population growth, but eventually some succeed, and new growth.” A 1993 Science Summit on Many assert that these benign trends as in physics, common sense can lead sources and substitutes are found. World Population, organized by the cannot continue indefinitely because one astray. Indeed, common sense is These discoveries leave humanity bet- U.S. National Academy of Sciences with of some physical limit. One supposed ter off than if the 59 other scientific academies (including limit is the land area for agriculture. shortages had not Albania, Cuba, and Mongolia) stated: But this constraint may well be loos- occurred. Hence “Humanity is approaching a crisis point ening rather than tightening, and less “To epitomize the matter, I have a human beings with respect to the interlocking issues land may be needed even as popula- create more than of population, environment, and tion continues to grow, making more standing offer to wager a week’s or they destroy, on development” because “The Earth is land available for recreation and wil- month’s pay that any trend in material balance. finite.” derness. Best commercial practice now human welfare will improve rather than uses land millions of times more effi- Bob Park asked: Yet, almost every measure of material ciently that did early humans. On a get worse. You pick the trend, the coun- “Doomsayers of- and environmental human welfare in single acre (0.4 hectare) a hydroponic try, and the future year. Anything I win ten preface their the United States and in the world farm using artificial light raises a ton of warnings with ‘if shows improvement rather than food every day, enough to feed a thou- goes to fund research.” we don’t take sand people. And if land steps to prevent were to become more ex- it.’ Is it possible pensive, one could choose that their warn- to build the factory 100 sto- more dangerous here than in physics ings have helped produce a better ries high rather than a because one is less willing to acknowl- environment?” I answer: Those who single story, and multiply edge that one’s daily experience does warn against real trouble help. Even if the output per acre by 100. not apply than with respect to high the warning is wrong, I do not criticize And so on, without practi- speeds or small particles. With natural unless the warner is willfully ignorant cal limit. resources, for example” it makes per- or dishonest. But some forecasts are fect sense that there is a fixed stock of knowingly exaggerated or false. Atmo- Another candidate limit is them; as some are used up there must spheric scientist Stephen Schneider says: the quantity of raw mate- be less left. Yet, the economic scarcity rials such as copper. of a resource is defined by its price — “Scientist should consider stretching the Biologists deride as “al- and natural resources become less and truth to get some broad base support, chemy” the notion that less scarce economically with every to capture the public’s imagination. these quantities could be passing decade and century. That, of course, entails getting loads of augmented by transmuting media coverage. So we have to offer one element into another. The theory of impending scarcity is fal- up scary scenarios, make simplified, But physicists know that sified by all the data from the past. And dramatic statements, and make little there is no physical impos- across-nations comparisons do not mention about any doubts we might deterioration. The long range trends sibility, only a cost factor. Besides, the show a negative effect of population have... Each of us has to decide what are examined in 50 articles in The State declining real costs of all raw materials growth upon economic growth; popu- the right balance is between being ef- of Humanity (Basil Blackwell, 1996). make transmutation unnecessary in the lation density is even correlated fective and being honest.” These are some of the findings: foreseeable future. positively with economic growth. If physicists will inspect and respect the I know of no evidence that false warn- • On average, people throughout the Another commonly-mentioned limit is data, perhaps they will reject the dis- ings of doom on balance are beneficial. world live longer and eat better energy, and the Second Law of Ther- credited common-sense theory - And in the absence of such evidence, I than ever before. After a millen- modynamics is cited. But the Second first-edition based on continue to believe that professing the nia of almost no improvement, Law is only meaningful within some fixed physical limits, a theory that truth is humanity’s best hope. things began improving 200 years bounded space. And it is quite clear Malthus himself abandoned in his sec- ago in rich countries, 50 years in that the relevant bounded space in- ond and subsequent editions. As the Julian L. Simon is a Professor in the poor countries. cludes our sun, whose lifetime is not great 19th century economist F.Y. College of Business and Management relevant on an human time-scale. Edgeworth noted: “The treating as at the University of Maryland, College • Fewer people die of famine than constant what is variable is the source Park. He is editor of The State of Hu- in earlier centuries. To epitomize the matter, I have a stand- of most of the fallacies in Political manity (Basil Blackwell, 1996). ing offer to wager a week’s or month’s Economy.” • The real prices of food and other pay that any trend in material human raw materials, showing increased welfare will improve rather than get natural-resource availability rather worse. You pick the trend, the coun- than scarcity, began dropping rap- try, and the future year. Anything I idly in the last 200 years. win goes to fund research.

• The major air and Some ecologists criticize economists’ in the advanced countries has thinking about limits because it seems been lessening rather than wors- to violate common sense. “[To] a sci- ening, particularly in the last 40 entist [these ideas] are in the same class years. as the idea that Jack Frost is respon- sible for ice-crystal patterns on a cold • Maximum transport speeds have window,” writes Paul Ehrlich. He la- zoomed upwards in the last 200 ments the “blunders... economists... years, and in the mid-19th cen- commit when they attempt to deal with tury, maximum message speeds problems of population, resources, and environment.”

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