The Division of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

History of the APS and Brazilian APS Office of Government Affairs How Undergrads 02│ Cavendish Laboratory 03│ Physical Society Connect 04│ Uses New Advocacy Software 08│ Can Stay Motivated

June 2020 • Vol. 29, No. 6 aps.org/apsnews

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MEMBERSHIP UNITS APS President Sends Letter to House Science The APS Forum on Education Committee Regarding COVID-19 Policy Initiatives BY ABIGAIL DOVE

BY TAWANDA W. JOHNSON he Forum on Education (FEd) is a home for APS s part of the American Bucksbaum said that APS talked T members interested in all Physical Society’s ongoing with researchers from a range of dimensions of physics education— A response to the COVID-19 institutions to assess their needs. from physics pedagogy at the K-12, pandemic, APS President Phil And based on that feedback and undergraduate, and graduate levels Bucksbaum recently sent a letter conversations among Society to the mentoring of early career to the House Science Committee leadership, in his letter he asked scientists to expanding appreci- outlining policy initiatives that Congress to take the following ation of physics in other scientific would help the physics community steps to help restore research after disciplines. overcome challenges posed by the labs reopen: Formed in 1992, FEd helps health crisis. • Provide partial- and full-grant members gain awareness of the The COVID-19 pandemic has cost extensions; many ways APS is involved in edu- Catherine Crouch impacted APS members in myriad • Provide ramp-up funding to cation. Additionally, three of FEd’s ways, including a severe reduction restart labs; four chair-line members (chair, “Our immediate concern was to offers mentorship and transition of research activity at many of the • Increase REU funding for chair-elect, and past chair) sit on ensure that our graduate students, programs to increase the number of nation’s laboratories and univer- summer 2021; the APS Committee on Education. post docs, and visiting researchers students from under-represented sities. And at the same time, APS • Prioritize students in visa Some of the many educational continue to be financially sup- minorities who pursue physics members are also juggling addi- processing; and initiatives within APS include ported from their grants during PhDs. More information about the tional responsibilities, including • Enhance domestic STEM PhysTEC (phystec.org), a project the crisis. Working with the APS full range of APS programs can taking care of their children who scholarships. to improve and promote the edu- Forum on Graduate Student Affairs be found here: aps.org/programs/ are out of school or relatives who Prior to sending the letter to cation of physics teachers, STEP (FGSA), we issued an advocacy education. may need extra help. the House Committee, Bucksbaum UP (engage.aps.org/stepup/), a alert, and hundreds of letters were Of particular note is the “I want APS members to know said that APS addressed concerns high-school level program that sent urging science agencies to Effective Practices for Physics that the Society is working hard from graduate students, post docs, encourages high school girls to respond. We quickly received con- Programs (EP3) Project (aps.org/ to help get our physics commu- and visiting scientists who are also pursue physics in their undergrad- nity through and beyond this grappling with negative impacts uate years, and the Bridge Program pandemic,” said Bucksbaum. from the pandemic. LETTER CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 (apsbridgeprogram.org), which FED CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

VIRTUAL APRIL MEETING VIRTUAL APRIL MEETING Physicists Mobilize to Combat Exploring the Cosmos with Nobel Laureates Coronavirus BY LEAH POFFENBERGER BY LEAH POFFENBERGER espite a sudden shift from in-person to online, this s scientists around the world D year’s April Meeting, which are using their expertise to took place from April 18 to 21, A combat COVID-19, physi- attracted thousands of attendees cists are no exception. A special and featured an exciting slate session at the 2020 April Meeting of speakers. In years past, the highlighted some of the ways the Kavli Foundation Keynote Plenary physics community is responding Session has kicked off the first to needs generated by the global day of the meeting with talks coronavirus pandemic. from high-profile physicists, and Eric Cornell Michel Mayor Sponsored by the APS Forum on this year was no exception: the Physics and Society, the session keynote session featured three included speakers discussing Nobel Laureates who have made three areas where physicists extraordinary contributions to are already making a difference. our understanding of the cosmos. Reiner Kruecken, deputy director at 2019 Nobel Laureates James TRIUMF (Canada’s national particle The Mechanical Ventilator Milano project seeks to make low-cost Peebles and Michel Mayor were accelerator laboratory), spoke on reliable ventilators for COVID-19 joined by 2001 Laureate Eric Cornell behalf of the Mechanical Ventilator patients. IMAGE: MVM for the Saturday morning session Milano (MVM) project, a large col- themed “Exploring the Cosmos.” Thais, a post-doc at Princeton laboration focusing on producing Didier Queloz, who shared the James Peebles Didier Queloz University, explored big data and low-cost and reliable ventilators Nobel Prize in Physics in 2019 with machine learning projects aimed at to meet a global shortage. Stephen Peebles and Mayor but was unable (CMB) in 1964, and the proposal ences between the distribution of mitigating effects of the pandemic Streiffer, Deputy Laboratory to attend the Saturday session, also of a theory of cold dark matter, a radiation and matter clumping in that physicists can get involved in, Director for Science (Interim) at spoke at the April Meeting during main focus of his talk. the early universe: cold dark matter. even from home. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) Tuesday’s plenary. Peebles recalled being urged by Two years later, he would add the discussed the ways in which DOE International Collaboration As a pioneer of theoretical his advisor Robert Dicke, another cosmological constant lambda (Λ) labs are lending their expertise Fights a Ventilator Shortage cosmology, Peebles, the Albert accomplished cosmologist, to to the theory to describe universe and infrastructure to projects such The MVM project (arxiv.org/ Einstein Professor Emeritus of pursue the question of a theory expansion due to dark energy, as modeling COVID-19 spread, abs/2003.10405) was born out of Science at Princeton University, of microwave radiation in the uni- creating the ΛCDM model. The imaging the virus in search of drug made early contributions that verse—a project he expected to simplicity of Peebles’ model led to discovery, and more. Savannah MOBILIZE CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 have influenced many aspects last a short time before moving on its popularity: “The CDM concept of cosmology research. In his to a new project. This led to their was much more popular than I ever talk “Exploring the Universe,” 1964 prediction of CMB radiation, thought sensible—after all, it had Peebles recounted the development a remnant from the early stages not taken me much time to put of theories and advances within of the universe, which was soon together the pieces,” he recalled. the field of physical cosmology, detected by Arno Penzias and The simplicity of the ΛCDM which seeks to explain the large- Richard Wilson, proving Peebles’ model in accounting for a number scale dynamics and origin of the and Dicke’s predictions. of properties in cosmology, like universe. Among his contributions In 1982, Peebles proposed the the structure of the CMB and the to the field are the prediction of existence of a new component of the cosmic microwave background matter that would explain differ- COSMOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 2 • June 2020

EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY NEWS Physics Department Chairs THIS MONTH IN Conference Goes Online Save the Date Physics History The free virtual APS/AAPT Physics Department Chairs Conference will take place June 18-19, 2020. Registration and June 16, 1874: Opening of the Cavendish further information are avail- rently under development, able at aapt.org/Conferences and set for initial release in Laboratory /depchairsprogram.cfm. December 2020. Possible topics The conference agenda will include: Recruitment/reten- he world-famous Cavendish Laboratory include: tion of students, guide for at the University of Cambridge has been • A town hall with NSF Directors new chairs, program review, T home to scores of renowned scientists and from the Division of Physics advising and mentoring of profound breakthroughs, garnering 30 Nobel Prizes and the Division of Materials students, and career preparation over the course of its history. Officially opened on Research • Session for new chairs (expe- June 16, 1874, the lab’s moniker honors the 18th century physicist and chemist Henry Cavendish. • “Restarting the research rienced chairs are encouraged Born in October 1731 to great wealth and status, enterprise” with APS Chief to attend and share strategies) Henry Cavendish had a noble lineage that traced Government Affairs Officer STEP UP Online Community back to the Norman era. His father was Lord Charles Francis Slakey STEP UP has launched an Cavendish, and his mother, Lady Anne de Grey, • Discussions about expe- online community (hosted on APS died when he was just two years old. Young Henry riences of these past few Engage)—sign up at my.aps.org/ attended a private school just outside of London, months on topics including: STEPUP. You can join using existing and studied at St. Peter’s College, University of labs, assessing student work, APS credentials, or sign up for a free Cambridge, although he left the school after assessing faculty in an online account. We have subcommunities three years, having never earned a formal degree. environment, synchronous for High School Teachers, Faculty/ Instead, he joined his father in London, and set vs. asynchronous teaching/ Professors, and Undergraduate up his own home laboratory. learning environments, etc. Students, plus a central board for It was Henry’s father who introduced him to • Pre-release discussions of the sharing ideas on encouraging young the meetings of the Royal Society, and Henry “Effective Practices for Physics women to pursue physics degrees. was elected as a member in 1760. He served on William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire, was a Programs” (EP3) Guide, cur- Join in the conversation today! numerous committees, and published his first member of Henry Cavendish's family and a funder of the Cavendish Laboratory. paper in 1766. He was well respected, but also a Accepting notoriously shy man, typically speaking only to Todhunter summed up the prevailing attitude submissions one person at a time, and largely avoiding women mid-2020 of the era when he opined, “Experimentation is entirely. (He left notes as instructions for his unnecessary for the student. The student should be female servants.) prepared to accept whatever the master told him.” Cavendish is perhaps best known for the dis- Attitudes began to shift in the mid-19th century, covery of hydrogen, which he dubbed “inflammable when William Thompson (Lord Kelvin) set up a PRX QUANTUM air,” produced when adding certain acids to specific physical laboratory in an old wine cellar for his A Physical Review journal metals. Other noted scientists like Robert Boyle students, although there was still very little in had produced hydrogen, but it was Cavendish the way of formal instruction. By 1869, Oxford who realized it was an element. He also correctly University had begun to build its Clarendon identified carbon dioxide as exhaled (or “fixed”) Laboratory, and a Cambridge committee issued a air, and produced it in the laboratory, along report calling for the establishment of a similar with other gases. He won the Royal Society’s physical laboratory. Copley Medal for his 1778 paper titled “General Unfortunately, there were insufficient funds to Considerations on Acids.” realize the committee’s vision, which called for When his father died, Henry began dividing “the founding of a special Professorship, and of his time between a house in London and a home supplying the Professor with the means of making in Clapham Common, which is where he kept his his teaching practical—in other words, of giving scientific instruments and performed most of his him a demonstrator, a lecture room, a laboratory, experiments. Neighbors told their children that the PRX Quantum will be a highly selective, open access and several class-rooms, with sufficient stock journal featuring quantum information science and house was “where the world was weighed,” because of apparatus.” technology research with an emphasis on lasting and that was Cavendish’s most famous experiment. Eventually the wealthy university chancellor, profound impact. He used a modification of the torsion balance the seventh Duke of Devonshire, donated the funds, built by geologist John Michell to determine Expanding on the excellence and innovation of Physical and a then-relatively unknown young physicist Review X (PRX), PRX Quantum will provide a home for and the density of the Earth, publishing his results named James Clerk Maxwell was selected as the connection between the numerous research communities in 1798. His experiment was so precise that the first professor of experimental physics. that make up quantum research, from pure science to value he obtained was within one percent of the Henry Cavendish died in 1810, having never engineering to computer science and beyond. current modern value. published the bulk of his scientific findings. But Article publication charges (APCs) will be waived for Home laboratories like Cavendish’s were the Maxwell took on the task of publishing the papers submissions in 2020. norm for centuries of science history, and there on the Cavendish electrical experiments in 1879, was little infrastructure for educating students, Learn more and sign up for updates: journals.aps.org/prxquantum apart from serving as an apprentice to a recog- nized scientist. The famous mathematician Isaac CAVENDISH CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY @PRX_Quantum

Series II, Vol. 29, No. 6 APS COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES 2020 General Councilors Particles and Fields), Stuart Henderson (Division of June 2020 Vivian F. Incera*, Andrea J. Liu*, Physics of Beams), Amitava Bhattacharjee* (Division President Robert McKeown, Robin L. B. Selinger* of Plasma Physics), Murugappan Muthukumar © 2020 American Physical Society Philip H. Bucksbaum*, Stanford University and (Division of Polymer Physics), Charles H. Bennett SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory International Councilors (Division of Quantum Information), Noah Finkelstein Ursula Keller, Marta Losada*, Ahmadou (Forum on Education), LaNell Williams (Forum on Editor...... David Voss President-Elect Wagué*, Enge Wang Graduate Student Affairs), Virginia Trimble (Forum Sylvester J. Gates*, Brown Theoretical Physics on the History of Physics), TBD (Forum on Industrial Staff Science Writer...... Leah Poffenberger Center, Brown University Chair, Nominating Committee and Applied Physics), Emanuela Barzi (Forum on Contributing Correspondents ...... Sophia Chen and Alaina G. Levine Nora Berrah*, University of Connecticut International Physics), TBD (Forum on Physics and Design and Production...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik Vice President Society), Philip R. Johnson (Mid-Atlantic Section), Frances Hellman*, University of California, Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Nora Berrah* (New England Section) Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Dan Dahlberg, University of Minnesota APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD Laboratory Senior Management Team monthly, except for a combined July-August 20740-3844, Email: [email protected]. Editor in Chief Mark Doyle, Chief Information Officer; issue, 11 times per year, by the American Phys- Past President Michael Thoennessen, Michigan State University Jane Hopkins Gould, Chief Financial Officer ical Society, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership David J. Gross*, Kavli Institute for Theoretical (on leave) Beth Gunzel, Chief Human Resources Officer MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It contains publication delivered by Periodical Mail Postage Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara Kate P. Kirby, Chief Executive Officer; news of the Society and of its Divisions, Topical Paid at College Park, MD and at additional mail- Division, Forum, and Section Councilors Matthew M. Salter, Publisher; Groups, Sections, and Forums; advance infor- ing offices. Chief Executive Officer Michael Coleman Miller (Division of Astrophysics), Francis Slakey, Chief Government Affairs Officer; mation on meetings of the Society; and reports Kate P. Kirby, Harvard Smithsonian (retired) David Schultz (Division of Atomic, Molecular, and James W. Taylor, Deputy Executive Officer and to the Society by its committees and task forces, For address changes, please send both the old Optical Physics), William Bialek (Division of Biological Chief Operating Officer; as well as opinions. and new addresses, and, if possible, include a Speaker of the Council Physics), Robert Continetti (Division of Chemical Michael Thoennessen, Editor in Chief mailing label from a recent issue. Changes can be Andrea J. Liu*, University of Pennsylvania Physics), TBD (Division of Condensed Matter Physics), Letters to the editor are welcomed from the emailed to [email protected]. Postmaster: TBD (Division of Computational Physics), Howard * Voting Members of the APS Board of Directors membership. Letters must be signed and should Send address changes to APS News, Membership Treasurer Stone (Division of Fluid Dynamics), Beverly Berger* include an address and daytime telephone num- Department, American Physical Society, One James Hollenhorst*, Agilent Technologies (Division of Gravitational Physics), John Fourkas ber. APS reserves the right to select and to edit Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. (Division of Laser Science), Samuel Bader (Division for length and clarity. All correspondence re- Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Corporate Secretary of Materials Physics), Baha Balantekin* (Division of garding APS News should be directed to: Editor, Jeanette Russo, American Physical Society Nuclear Physics), Elizabeth Simmons (Division of June 2020 • 3

CAVENDISH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

100 years after those experiments discovered the electron. APS Partnership With Brazilian Physical Society were first conducted. Cavendish had Thomson in turn was succeeded anticipated such central concepts by Ernest Rutherford, and it was Connects Young Physicists Worldwide as electrical potential (although under his leadership that James BY CARLOS HENRIQUE DE BRITO CRUZ he called it the “degree of electri- Chadwick discovered the neutron fication”); Ohm’s law; Coulomb’s in 1932, and his students, John ince 2015, the American law; Richter’s law of reciprocal Cockcroft and Ernest Walton, split Physical Society and the proportions; and the concept of the the atom. When Lawrence Bragg S Brazilian Physics Society dielectric constant of a material, took over, he focused on x-ray crys- (SBF) (the two largest physics among other discoveries attributed tallography and his research and societies in the Americas) have to other scientists. the later crystallographic work of been promoting joint meetings to Cavendish had even drafted a Rosalind Franklin eventually led foster connections among young manuscript describing his mechan- to the discovery of the structure of physicists from the US, Brazil, ical theory of heat that prefigured DNA in 1953 by Francis Crick and and other countries. The idea modern thermodynamics. Maxwell James Watson. came out of discussions by the was so impressed with the work Initially located in the center APS Committee on International that he renamed the laboratory of Cambridge, the Cavendish Scientific Affairs (CISA), making after Cavendish. It was particularly Laboratory grew so rapidly that use of funding from the São Paulo apt since the founding Duke of overcrowding became an issue, and Research Foundation (FAPESP) in Devonshire, William Cavendish, it was moved to West Cambridge São Paulo, Brazil. In its mission to was a member of the same family. in the 1970s. A third site is cur- develop science and technology in Maxwell died young, at 48, rently under construction. The the state of São Paulo, FAPESP has before the full revolutionary import research focus is now in such areas been pursuing a strong interna- of his work on electricity, magne- as nanotechnology, cold atoms, and tional agenda based on establishing tism, and statistical physics became ultra-low-temperature physics, and joint research collaborations, clear. (When Albert Einstein was no doubt there will be even more sending Brazilian researchers for Poster presenters discuss their latest research at a joint meeting of APS and told by a Cambridge host that he pioneering breakthroughs in the short (up to one year) stays abroad the Brazilian Physical Society. had accomplished great things laboratory’s future. and bringing talented young and by standing on the shoulders of Further Reading: experienced researchers to par- the APS March Meeting (March scopic-scale/). SAIFR (ictp-saifr. Newton, Einstein replied, “I stand Longair, Malcolm. Maxwell’s Enduring ticipate in research activities in on the shoulders of Maxwell.”) He Legacy: A Scientific History of the organizations in the state of São 12-13). It featured scientific presen- org), led by Nathan Berkovits, a was succeeded by another promi- Cavendish Laboratory. Cambridge: Paulo. tations by young physicists, defined professor at the Theoretical Physics nent physicist, J. J. Thomson, who Cambridge University Press, 2016. This partnership among APS, here as physicists employed in per- Institute at the Universidade SBF, and FAPESP has so far launched manent professional roles who had Estadual Paulista (UNESP), is an four international meetings that completed their PhD degrees within initiative put together by ICTP, have brought together young phys- 10 years prior to the Forum (sbfisica. FAPESP, and UNESP, to be a hub icists from across the globe—two org.br/v1/index.php?option=com_ for fundamental science in South have been held in Brazil and two in content&view=article&id=708). America. The Young Physicists Fundamental Physics the United States. These meetings There were 50 participants, 24 Forum on Biological Physics was Innovation directly support the goals of the from Brazil and 26 from the US. organized by Fernando Barroso All contributed scientifically (USP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) and AWARDS APS Task Force on Expanding International Engagement. (As through parallel sessions or the Ralf Eichhorn (NORDITA, Sweden). reported in the January 2019 issue poster session. Along with the sci- There were 67 participants, 45 from of APS News, the Task Force had entific sessions, participants gained Brazil, 4 from the US, 6 from other worked for 18 months to examine insights into career development countries in South America, 7 from how the Society could increase and were afforded the opportunity Europe, 3 from India, 1 from Canada its international engagement and to network with industry leaders and 1 from the Dominican Republic. better serve the international and distinguished physicists from In the opening session there was a the US and Brazil. Panel discussion talk by the President of the Brazilian Congratulations to the March 2020 Recipients physics community. [1] ) To develop these meetings, APS topics included university-industry Physics Society (Rogerio Rosenfeld) and SBF mobilized their mem- cooperation and broadening the and a session about APS in which VISITOR bership to jointly prepare and scope from a purely academic focus APS President Phil Bucksbaum par- Peter Graham, Stanford University submit proposals to FAPESP’s “São to introduce topics of interest to ticipated through a video recording, HOST Paulo Schools of Advanced Science industrial leaders from FAPESP, APS Director of International Affairs Surjeet Rajendran, Johns Hopkins University (SPSAS)” program, which offers APS, and SBF. Amy Flatten participated via Zoom, VISITOR funding to organize two-week The São Paulo Advanced School and I presented a deck of slides schools. These bring between 70 on Experimental Neutrino Physics about APS and the opportunities it CONVENING and 140 young scientists (early took place in December 2018, in offers for international members career, post-docs, last year PhD Campinas, SP (sites.google.com/ and students. (This was the last Sarah Shandera, Pennsylvania State University students) to São Paulo from any site/spsasen/home). It was orga- event at SAIFR before the restric- LEAD ORGANIZER country to attend the lectures pre- nized by Ettore Segreto and Ana tions due to the pandemic took Devin Walker, University of Washington sented by a team of experienced Amelia Machado, both from the place). LEAD ORGANIZER researchers from São Paulo and Physics Institute at the University The APS-SBF Joint Young Surjeet Rajendran, Johns Hopkins University from other countries. of Campinas (Unicamp). The school Physicists Forums are highly LEAD ORGANIZER In July 2015 Harry Westphal benefited from the fact that Ettore praised by the participants in the and Helio Tolentino (Brazilian and Ana Amelia are the creators post-event evaluations. They open National Synchrotron Light of ARAPUCA, an outstanding opportunities for lifelong interac- Apply today: go.aps.org/apsmoore Source) and Ercan Alp (Advanced neutrino detecting device to be tions and help advance research Photon Source, Argonne National used in Fermilab’s DUNE experi- in physics in Brazil, the US and Laboratory) organized the São ment, for which they received the worldwide. They fit well in the Paulo School of Advanced Sciences APS Early Career Instrumentation strategy to develop science and on Recent Developments in Award (news.fnal.gov/2019/12/ technology in the State of São Paulo, Synchrotron Radiation (pages. dune-scientists-win-aps-early-ca- Brazil, by bringing talented young cnpem.br/synclight2015/). The reer-instrumentation-award/) in researchers to visit the Brazilian school took the opportunity 2019. The school was attended by laboratories and institutions so that PhysTEC presented by the development 100 participants, 40 from Brazil, some of the visitors may consider and construction, in Campinas, 15 from Europe, 15 from the US, research in Brazil as an option for Regional Networks Brazil, of SIRIUS, a 4th generation 25 from Latin America, and 5 from the future. Through the APS-SBF 3.0 GeV synchrotron light source Asia. There were 22 lecturers, 9 Young Physicists Forums, partic- (see lightsources.org/2019/12/19/ from the US, 2 from Italy, 2 from ipants learn of many additional first-x-ray-microtomography-im- Spain and 11 from Brazil. Nobel opportunities for future collabo- Apply for funding to build your ages-obtained-at-sirius/) to offer Laureate Arthur McDonald gave a ration. Particularly, in the state of network of physics teacher educators. the participants the opportunity to keynote speech via web conference. São Paulo, FAPESP offers a Young learn about recent advances and see Focusing on experimental neutrino Investigator Award, which is a the light source during its construc- physics, the school had plenty of five-year grant for a person who Deadline: July 2, 2020 tion phase. Ninety-six participants hands-on activities. wants to start a research career attended, 48 from Brazil and 48 The most recent APS-SBF in the state. The grant includes Apply at phystec.org/rfp/ from 17 other countries including Young Physicists Forum was the funds for equipment, consumables, the US, France, Argentina, Iran, São Paulo School of Advanced fellowships for students, travel. Germany, Turkey, Canada, and Science in Biological Physics, held Each year between 50 and 80 young South Africa. (Details are at aps. at the South American Institute for scientists from all over the world org/units/fip/newsletters/201509/ Fundamental Research (SAIFR) in have such a grant approved (check sao-paulo.cfm.) São Paulo on March 9-15 (ictp-saifr. out the list of Young Investigator In 2016 the YPF was held in org/school-on-biological-phys- Baltimore, MD, the weekend before ics-from-molecular-to-macro- SBF CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 4 • June 2020

MOBILIZE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS the need to ensure ventilator access impacts. ORNL is also one of several APS OGA Begins Using Phone2Action, a New, User- for those who need them during labs involved in addressing supply the COVID-19 pandemic. One way chain issues by applying advanced Friendly Advocacy Software Platform of meeting this need is increased manufacturing techniques to BY TAWANDA W. JOHNSON production of high-capacity mod- produce critical medical supplies. erate-cost (that is, cheaper than DOE user facilities, like the he APS Office of Government advocacy,” said Callie Pruett, Senior taining to current science policy typical high-end intensive care unit Advanced Photon Source at Affairs (APS OGA) is moving Strategist for Grassroots Advocacy. issues. These issues are chosen equipment) ventilators, a design Argonne, have been employed to T to a new advocacy software Pruett added, “By placing based on input from APS members specification met by MVM. From study the structure of the SARS- platform called Phone2Action to a focus on accessibility and and the Society’s leadership. For conceptualizing the MVM to man- CoV2. According to Streiffer, using provide APS members a more user- mobile-friendliness, Phone2Action each campaign, advocates will be ufacturing a working production the Advanced Photon Source for friendly way to impact change in gives us the platform to create given the option to write a letter, model only took the collaboration this kind of research is not new, science policy. those opportunities and engage a tweet, or make a call to their con- four weeks, kicking off March 19 as about a third of the facilities’ “Many of our members are larger portion of our membership. gressional representatives’ and (see physics.aps.org/articles/v13/58). users were already conducting busy teaching classes, conducting Through Phone2Action, APS OGA senators’ offices, and they can “There was a tremendous life-science research. research, or even finishing PhDs, will continue to advance the most choose to take any or all of these effort to bring this forward,” said The National Virtual and APS OGA wanted to ensure modern and effective ways for APS steps. Kruecken at the April Meeting. “We Biotechnology Laboratory is also our advocacy software is as acces- members to engage in advocacy.” When APS members click on a are now in the final stages of getting tackling computational drug dis- sible and user-friendly as possible. Pruett explained that an Action campaign in the Action Center, they the system approved by the FDA, covery by mobilizing artificial We want to further expand our Center is housed on the APS OGA will be taken to a screen to view and plan on starting manufacturing intelligence capabilities to find impact on Congress and grow our webpage and features the office’s as soon as we have approval—real- molecules that can interfere with base of members participating in active advocacy campaigns per- PHONE2ACTION CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 istically in early May.” The MVM one or more of the coronavirus’ received FDA approval on May 5. 28 proteins. Using data-mining The MVM was conceived as a with machine learning, about 30 low-cost, easy to operate venti- potential therapeutic molecules lator, based around readily available have been identified for further parts. To achieve this, clinicians testing. and experts in Italy, the United “The work that we are doing… States, and Canada, along with is only in many cases a minor manufacturers, gave their input on pivot away from work the DOE the final design, especially keeping was already doing, and we’ve been needs of COVID-19 patients in mind. able to apply that really quickly to While some ventilators operate by the COVID-19 pandemic without pushing a certain volume of air really redirecting work that people into the lungs, MVM belongs to the would’ve been doing otherwise,” pressure control class of ventilators, said Streiffer. “The DOE plans to which is more suitable for patients continue this work—it’s one of with lungs damaged by COVID-19. the reasons they established the During the design period, National Virtual Biotechnology pre-production models were Laboratory to have a framework sent to five different locations that could be sustained after the for testing and improvements: current crisis.” Naples, Valencia, Fermi National Open Science Recruits Physics Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Expertise Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, and To conclude the session, Thais TRIUMF. The final MVM design, provided an overview of open which can be operated in two modes, science initiatives that will allow one for patients who are sedated physicists to apply their skills In the new APS Action Center, APS members can sign letters to Congress on key science policy issues in an ICU and another for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. who are transitioning off of the As most of these projects require ventilator, is estimated to cost just familiarity with large data sets, Signal Boost is a monthly email video newsletter around $5000—substantially less advanced analysis models, and alerting APS members to policy issues and identifying than regular ICU ventilators. distributed computing, many phys- opportunities to get involved. Past issues are available at go.aps.org/2nr298D. Join Our Mailing List: visit the Kruecken attributes the rapid icists already have the skills to sign-up page at go.aps.org/2nqGtJP. development of the MVM ventilator provide support. These open science to the power of collaboration across projects range from epidemiologic nine time-zones and the ability to modeling to non-invasive diagnos- leverage physics expertise in gas tics to projects aimed at fighting FYI: SCIENCE POLICY NEWS FROM AIP and electronics systems used in the spread of misinformation about particle physics projects. the virus. “People want to help, and people Thais mentioned several bring whatever expertise they have modeling projects to track the ‘Physics of Living Systems’ Survey to Delineate New to the table,” said Kruecken. “The spread of COVID, like HealthMap Subfield end product ... demonstrates how and CDC Flu Models that help predict that expertise, taken together with hospital burdens. Other expanded BY ADRIA SCHWARBER a large international effort, can ... modeling projects like COVID-Care he National Academies is accelerate development in a mar- integrate hospital resources into nevertheless scattered across the currently undertaking the velous way.” disease models to better predict physics decadal surveys prepared first-ever decadal survey National Lab Infrastructure risks in a specific area. Non-invasive T for the 2010s, such as the reports of the “physics of living systems.” Supports Coronavirus Research diagnostics projects are applying on atomic, molecular, and optical The study committee will review The Department of Energy (DOE) technology to lessen testing physics and condensed matter recent accomplishments of the field national labs are also applying their burdens, such as using audio data physics. and identify emerging research expertise and infrastructure in a to distinguish COVID-like coughs “What's new in this cycle is directions, while also making the number of areas, from structural with a phone app. that we're being asked to review case for it being a true subdisci- biology research to epidemiological Other projects Thais highlighted the physics of living systems as a its scope based on that program. pline of physics, rather than a mere modeling. Each of the 17 national include: leveraging AI to improve subfield of physics that stands on its It more generally instructs the application of physics tools and labs, which focus on areas from telehealth to at-risk populations, own, along with elementary particle committee to consider ways NSF techniques to biological phenomena. basic science to national security, supporting hospital systems by physics, condensed matter physics, and other funding agencies could At a town hall event in April, have members participating in a giving them a model to predict how astrophysics, nuclear physics, and “overcome traditional boundaries” committee chair William Bialek, new initiative: the National Virtual supplies will be utilized (CHIME), so on,” he continued. “I think this to support research on the physics professor of physics at Princeton Biotechnology Laboratory. This and “info-demiology,” tracking the is an incredibly exciting thing for of living systems. University, traced the evolution consortium of the national labs is spread of unreliable public health our field. And we, as a community, Committee members have made of how past surveys have treated using DOE user facilities to tackle a information online. have a great opportunity to sort clear, however, that the survey research at the intersection of variety of challenges in responding Thais urged attendees to of stake our claim to this part of is not intended to cover the field physics and biology. to COVID-19. consider ways where their skills physics and to the idea that what of biophysics as it has generally “If you go back to the early ANL, Oak Ridge (ORNL), Los might plug in to projects—even we do is firmly a part of physics.” been defined. Bialek noted that decadal surveys of physics, the Alamos, and Sandia National Labs if not in a “super technical” way. Notably, the National Science the study’s title refers jointly to interaction between the physics are all collaborating on modeling She also encouraged “thinking Foundation, which is sponsoring “biological physics/physics of community and the phenomena of COVID-19 spread in an effort to locally and globally” to identify the survey, already has a “Physics living systems,” which he said life was very clearly categorized as address key questions about the what needs exist both in one’s of Living Systems” program that suggested that “even the people an application of physics to things pandemic. By utilizing supercom- community and in dealing with funds research at scales ranging who are asking for advice are a outside the field,” he said. Although puting capabilities, these models the pandemic at-large. from single-cell dynamics to little unsure about how to describe can anticipate how changes in the physics of living systems gained the collective behavior of animal this enterprise.” behavior, like adhering to stay- For more about the Virtual April recognition in the early 2000s, he populations. However, the study’s at-home orders, modify pandemic Meeting visit april.aps.org. added, discussion of its work was statement of task does not define SURVEY CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 June 2020 • 5

VIRTUAL APRIL MEETING VIRTUAL APRIL MEETING Going Deep into Black Holes Supporting Early Career Physicists BY SOPHIA CHEN Virtually BY LEAH POFFENBERGER ecent telescope and gravi- tational wave observations have enabled researchers or students and early career R physicists, deciding on a to characterize black holes in new CAREERS ways and perform tests of general F career path can be stressful relativity in the most dramatically in the best of times—and this stress 2020 has only increased during the coro- warped spacetime environments CAREER PATHWAYS & ADVICE EMPLOYER DIRECTORY yet. Even as collaborations suspend navirus pandemic. To help counter observing runs due to the ongoing some of that stress, the APS Careers pandemic, researchers still have a team hosted a panel on non-aca- rich backlog of data to sort through demic careers at the 2020 Virtual for new insights, some of which April Meeting that included a virtual were presented at the Virtual April networking event, allowing job Meeting. seekers to tap into the some of the same resources they might find at Making Waves an in-person meeting. Download it at At the meeting, researchers go.aps.org/careers2020 physicsworld The Sunday afternoon session from the Laser Interferometer “Meet Your Future: Career Panel For more on physics career opportu- Gravitational-Wave Observatory and Networking,” featured four nities, the APS Careers 2020 guide is (LIGO) and Virgo announced an speakers who shared their own available free online at aps.org/ca- unusual new signal, observed on experiences, offered career advice, reers. A new edition will be available April 12, 2019, from two black holes later this year. Artist's rendition of Schwarzschild precession of a star's orbit around a black and answered audience questions. merging 2.5 billion light years away. hole. IMAGE: ESO Elizabeth Goldschmidt, Shannon Notably, this event involved a bigger Swilley Greco, Apriel Hodari, and up, and moving to the next thing.” black hole, 30 times the mass of Jenna Walrath brought diverse Many questions during the the sun, and a smaller black hole, replicate Fishbach’s statistics. While This measurement was an epic expertise to a lively panel discus- session touched on various aspects about eight times the mass of the 11 gravitational wave signals make undertaking that began as early sion, moderated by Crystal Bailey, of choosing graduate schools, how sun. This contrasts with the 10 black for a small data set currently, the as 2002, when Genzel and his Head of Careers Programs at APS. to build up new skills while in hole mergers previously detected collaboration has 56 candidate colleagues discovered that at its After the panel, attendees and school, and whether graduate school by the US-based LIGO and Italy- signals to potentially add to the mix. nearest approach, the star orbits speakers were able to mingle and is even necessary. Bailey reminded based Virgo, which involved black The current statistics support just 17 light hours away from the network via Zoom. attendees that 50 percent of phys- hole pairs around the same size. the idea that black holes of a certain black hole with an orbital period Goldschmidt is currently a pro- icists enter the workforce directly Because this event looks so dif- mass range don’t exist, the so-called of about 16 years. Determined to fessor at the University of Illinois after receiving a bachelor’s degree, ferent from the others, it deepens pair-instability mass gap. In par- observe the star’s subsequent revo- Urbana-Champaign, but also has with Walrath adding that many researchers’ questions about how ticular, researchers have not found lution, the group prepared for over worked at the National Institutes for people she works with at Intel don’t black holes pair up. In particular, intermediate-mass black holes a decade to develop and install new Standards and Technology and the come in with advanced degrees. On this signal defies a previous con- between 50 and several hundreds infrared instruments at the Very US Army Research Lab. Greco, the choosing a graduate school, Hodari clusion that black holes are likely of thousands solar masses. It Large Telescope in Chile. Evaluating Science Education Senior Program encouraged prospective students “picky partners,” as Maya Fishbach, could be that stars of a certain the star’s orbit in 2018, they saw Leader at Princeton Plasma Physics to find out about the culture of an a member of the LIGO collabora- mass become so-called pair-insta- that its position had shifted. Laboratory, and Chair-Elect of institution and to talk to people tion, calls them. “From the first bility supernovae, which produce The magnitude of this shift, the APS Forum on Outreach and about what their everyday life is ten detections, it looked like they electron-positron pairs that com- which they measured to more Engaging the Public, was on hand to like. Greco offered similar advice were very picky and only pairing pletely blow apart the star, leaving than 5.5 sigma, matches general talk about science education. Hodari on choosing an advisor who will with similar mass partners,” says no remnants. relativity predictions to about 15 is currently a principle investigator support career goals and projects Fishbach, a recent PhD graduate of percent. For a more precise mea- A Wobbly Orbit at Eureka Scientific Inc, researching outside of a thesis: “It’s important the University of Chicago. “With this Reinhard Genzel, Director surement, they “need a star which equity in STEM. She also has a when you’re selecting an advisor to latest one, it looks like there are of the Max Planck Institute for is still closer [to the black hole],” says Genzel. background in science policy and see how much they’re invested in some systems that aren’t so picky.” Extraterrestrial Studies in Munich she offered advice on breaking into their graduate students—are they It’s an open question how this and leader of the GRAVITY collab- In 2019, the group also reported a that field during the panel. Walrath, supportive of their development?” system could have formed. One oration, reported recent studies of test of a general relativity assump- a Senior Process Engineer at Intel she said. potential strategy for solving this the galactic center. Just two days tion called local position invariance Corporation, shared her experiences One participant asked the pan- mystery involves studying the prior to his talk, they published using observations of this same working in industry as a physicist. elists how they found their current statistics of observed black hole the first measurement of the pre- star. They monitored light emitted Despite holding very different opportunities, and a similar theme mergers. For example, Fishbach has cession of the star S2 around the from the star’s hydrogen and helium types of jobs, the speakers agreed emerged: picking an advisor—and built simple models that describe supermassive black hole Sagittarius atoms. As the star approached closer that the most important skill friends and partners—that sup- the mass distribution of the black A* at the center of the Milky Way. to the black hole, the stronger students need to build for achieving ported them. Greco and Walrath holes in the 11 detected events thus This so-called Schwarzschild pre- gravity redshifted the frequency a career in their areas is communi- agreed that talking to people, far. These models may help illu- cession, in which the star’s orbital of the light more. The collabora- cation. “There isn’t a single career seeking out opportunities, and minate how these objects form: path shifts slightly with every rev- that wouldn’t benefit from com- taking risks were integral to their Researchers simulating black hole olution, confirms a prediction by munication skills,” said Walrath, careers. “In terms of discovering formation check if their models general relativity. BLACK HOLES CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 adding that her line of work often opportunities, it’s important to do involves problem solving and the some reflection on what you want,” ability to explain those solutions added Bailey. “You can change to stakeholders. Goldschmidt said your plans.” that another valuable skill, espe- cially for those pursing research COVID-19 The Virtual April Meeting session careers is to “learn how to fail. “Meet Your Future: Career Panel and New Webinar Series for Students and Early Career Get good at trying [something], Networking” can be viewed at go.aps. Members realizing it doesn’t work, giving org/36aMnpx.

PS is actively working on Webinars held so far and FGSA and FECS in May about profes- ways to help the physics archived for viewing: sional development topics they might A community during the • May 13: Building Your be interested in pursuing. Taking COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort Professional Path During into consideration the results of the to continue supporting our students COVID by Crystal Bailey, Head survey and feedback from members, and early career scientists, we have of Careers we will be offering webinars on launched a new webinar series this • May 19: International Students preparing and applying for posi- summer. The webinars are designed & the APS Response to the tions in academia, industry, and to provide the information and Pandemic by Francis Slakey, national laboratories; on publishing resources you need to deal with Chief Government Affairs your research in peer-reviewed some of the challenges this new Officer, and Amy Flatten, journals; and on conducting virtual era presents. For example, we’ll Director of International Affairs workshops on negotiation, commu- Summer cover topics such as the impact • May 28: Panel: Adjusting Lab nication, mentor/mentee training, of new visa policies on interna- Practices During a Pandemic, and other topics. WEIAR SERIES tional members, best practices organized by the APS Forum For more information, please visit our for conducting research safely, on Graduate Student Affairs MAY – AUGUST 2020 webpage and sign up for the email list and navigating your career during (FGSA) and Forum for Early to learn about upcoming webinars. All Join the mailing list and watch recordings a pandemic. Additionally, these Career Scientists (FECS) lead- recent webinars can also be found on webinars will offer attendees pro- ership, with panelists from the same page. Additionally, if you at go.aps.org/summer-webinars fessional development opportunities academia and national labs would like to see a topic we did not list, to better prepare for future careers. We also surveyed the members of please email us at [email protected]. 6 • June 2020

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He also contrasted the types your physics colleagues.” firmation that science agencies will Department, whose staff confirmed Government Affairs Officer, said of research that are presented at “And so there is a distinction cover those salaries and benefits. that they had “heard from the sci- he was proud of the Society’s meetings of the Biophysical Society between biophysics as a branch of Thanks to FGSA and our APS Office entific community” and would response and added that physicists versus those of the APS Division of biology and the physics of biological of Government Affairs (APS OGA), prioritize international students are enabling a global—and more Biological Physics. “I think many systems or the physics of living that effort benefited students in all in the visa process. APS members equitable and effective— response of us find fantastically interesting systems as a branch of physics, disciplines, all across the country.” had a significant impact by sending to the pandemic through roles in things in both programs, but if and we are in a very deliberate Tiffany Nichols, chair of FGSA, 2,240 letters to their members of various innovations that are aiding you look statistically, you'll see sense charged with studying the said the advocacy alert was crucial Congress, urging lawmakers to in combating the virus. that those are very different cross latter,” he added. in getting the word out to Congress support the recommendations in “APS will continue to partner sections through or rather different about how graduate students, post Bucksbaum’s letter. with our members to ensure pieces of the field,” he said. The author is a science policy analyst docs, and visiting researchers have “APS members mobilized in 47 that the physics community gets for FYI. Speaking broadly about the evo- been impacted by COVID-19. states plus the District of Columbia, through and beyond this pandemic. lution of the relationship between Published by the American “By providing a mechanism reaching 56 percent of all House Physicists have played a critical physics and biology, he said that Institute of Physics since 1989, FYI through which many voices can offices (243) and 94 Senate offices role, not just in advancing effective around the turn of this century, is a trusted source of science policy be elevated, this advocacy effort with this letter—a truly representa- policy responses, but also in devel- “it became clear that if you came news that is read by congressional was able to ensure that graduate tive sample of our membership and oping technology that’s critical to from the physics community and staff, federal agency heads, and students, under federal grants, a broad swath of the country,” said combating the virus,” Slakey added. were interested in the phenomena leading figures in the scientific will continue to receive funds that Callie Pruett, Senior Strategist for To keep APS members updated of the living world, then you could community. Sign up for free FYI cover their living expenses and Grassroots Advocacy in APS OGA. on its overall COVID-19 response, still be a physicist, as judged by emails at aip.org/fyi wellbeing—which is especially Still, Bucksbaum pointed out, including information related to critical during this pandemic,” said “there is more to do, and we will its meetings, journals and sup- Nichols, who is also an attorney and continue to work with agencies, porting educators, the Society has a doctoral candidate in the history Congress, and our organizational a COVID-19 response page, which of science at Harvard University. partners to get this done. And of can be accessed at aps.org/about/ APS has received positive course, we’ll continue to work covid-19/. responses from congressional and with APS members and keep them agency staff on several of its other updated on our progress.” The author is the APS Senior Press requests, including from the State Francis Slakey, APS Chief Secretary.

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issue details and edit or personalize will still be counted to that point. offered kudos to Pruett, office a pre-written message that will be The entire process should only take intern Sam McCormick, as well sent to their members of Congress. a few minutes, and there are also as the APS Communications and A personalized message has proven options to share the campaign on Information Technology depart- to have a greater impact and gives social media or opt-in to receive ments for being instrumental in the advocate an opportunity to emails or text messages about that bringing the platform to fruition highlight a unique story about a particular issue in the future,” for the Society. particular issue. explained Pruett. “Switching platforms wasn’t a After the advocate clicks “send,” The technology embedded simple task. This new and improved a page opens with the option to within the platform is designed advocacy platform for APS members tweet the advocate’s members of to get fast results. is the result of the hard work and Congress. APS OGA staff is excited to have dedication of APS staff across Finally, the software provides a the new Phone2Action platform multiple departments during the single phone number to call. After available for APS members to use past few months,” he said. listening to a short introduction during this year’s DAMOP meeting Added Francis Slakey, Chief from APS OGA, callers are auto- (June 1-5). Government Affairs Officer, “We matically connected to each of “Phone2Action provides the best are thrilled to use Phone2Action their Representative’s and Senators’ service possible to our members, and look forward to keeping our offices, one at a time. A script is and our office looks forward to using members on the cutting edge of provided on that screen to help the platform to partner with APS ways to effectively advocate for the advocate communicate the members who are committed to issues that are important to the issue’s key points when calling a using their voices to effect change physics community.” congressional office. in science policy,” said Pruett. “In other words, you can stop Mark Elsesser, Associate The author is the APS Senior Press when you want to, and your actions Director of Government Affairs, Secretary.

PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY BLACK HOLES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

tion confirmed that gravity shifted plane, which means its light does down their facilities at the end of Maximize the visibility of your research the helium frequency the same not have to travel through much March, ending their observing run amount as the hydrogen frequency, interstellar plasma before it reaches a month earlier than planned. with 50% off as predicted. Earth. Not so with Sagittarius A*. These shutdowns leave con- Observations of such stars as S2 “We’re peering through our own spicuous gaps in their observing give astrophysicists the ability to galaxy, and it’s like looking through data. Unfortunately, the shutdowns ul on a n test their hypotheses about extreme frosted glass at the black hole,” coincided with the month of April, o ru an gravitational environments. “All says Johnson. which is usually the optimal time journal n of a sudden, we are using distant In addition, our black hole is far for observing the galactic center, objects like tests in the laboratory,” more dynamic than M87, making says Genzel. “We’re not going to To celebrate 0 years of enduring discoveries says Genzel. it harder to reconstruct a clear have data in 2020,” says Johnson, in Physical Review , and , we are offering 0 off article publication charges More Donuts, Please image. “A day in the life of M87 is of the EHT collaboration. a minute in the life of Sagittarius (APCs) for any manuscript, submitted during After the Event Horizon Prior to the shutdowns, the EHT A*,” says Johnson. 2020, published in Telescope (EHT) collaboration pub- collaboration had been planning The team is also studying other to coordinate observations at 11 Physical Review ettes lished the first image of a black hole objects observed during 2017 and different sites this year, three Physical Review last year, fans have hotly antici- pated their follow-up release, an 2018. In April, they released an more observatories since the first Physical Review lie black hole image was taken. “It’s image of Sagittarius A*. It’s a top image of the quasar 3C 279, 5 billion Physical Review luis priority for the group, and they light years away, which spews jets heartbreaking,” says Johnson. Physical Review ateials have amassed plenty of observa- of plasma powered by a central “We schedule these observations supermassive black hole. In their months and months ahead of time. In addition, APCs will be waived for any tions on this black hole already. manuscript submitted by une 0, 2020, “It’ll be hopefully within the next analysis, the team traced the jet We were right at the point of sending and subsequently published in year,” says Michael Johnson of the back to its launch point with spatial people to sites and finishing all Physical Review Reseach resolution finer than a light year. the preparations when we had to Harvard-Smithsonian Center for make the call.” Astrophysics, a member of EHT. Earthly Limitations Learn more at For now, researchers will make go.aps.org/openaess Although our galaxy’s black hole Despite the flurry of black hole is a mere 25,640 light years away, research, the worldwide pandemic do with the data that they have. imaging it has proven significantly has made its mark on the com- “The good news is that we’re used i iscveies to telecons,” says Johnson. ws avaces more difficult compared to M87, munity. Many ground-based the orange donut published last observatories have been closed year that is 55 million light years this spring. To protect the health The author is a freelance writer based away. M87 is outside of the galactic of their staff, LIGO and Virgo shut in Columbus, Ohio. June 2020 • 7

FED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 COSMOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 programs/education/ep3/), a col- expansion rate of the universe, has “most important point: is there life more context to the new ideas laboration between APS and the led to it being a prevailing model in other places in this cosmos?” sparked by their findings in his American Association of Physics within physical cosmology, even To continue the exploration of talk “The Exoplanet Revolution.” Teachers (AAPT) to document evi- without the direct detection of dark the cosmos, Cornell introduced “The The technology developed for the dence-based recommendations and matter. Three-Legged Stool,” his metaphor search that identified this exoplanet best practices for undergraduate “We can only probe those aspects for combining three approaches and the existence of such a planet physics education. Recognizing that of nature that circumstances allow… to better understanding the early with a large mass and close orbit what makes for a thriving physics maybe non-baryonic dark matter in universe and new particle physics: to its star launched a change in program at a private university is its largest components will never telescopes and “telescope-like- the understanding of how planets not necessarily the same as that for be detected—that would be frus- things,” which includes LIGO; form and behave within their solar a liberal arts college, a large state trating,” said Peebles, to conclude accelerators like the LHC; and systems. school, or a community college, his talk. “But let us celebrate how precision measurement. Cornell, The discovery of 51 Pegasi B, EP3 is developing a resource that Gerald Feldman deeply we’ve been able to probe a professor at the University of made possible by a combination of will help a wide variety of physics the world on a vast range of scales Colorado Boulder and an atomic, a high-resolution spectrograph and programs strive for excellence given and just how much there is left to molecular, and optical (AMO) the availability of mini-computers cation, including resources for their particular opportunities and explore.” physicist—he received his 2001 for image processing, came as a physics teachers and professors, constraints. Mayor, a Swiss astrophys- Nobel Prize for the first synthesis surprise. According to Queloz, the reports from recent conferences At a time when a scientifically icist and Professor Emeritus at of a Bose-Einstein condensate— discovery was first met with skep- and working groups on physics literate population is so crucial, the University of Geneva, shared described the ways in which AMO ticism: “In a way, the planet was pedagogy, and perspectives many APS members have a greater the 2019 Nobel Prize for his dis- physics can help traditional particle impossible,” he said. Queloz and on engaging more women and stake in education than first meets covery, alongside Queloz, of the physics searches for new physics Mayor postulated that the planet’s under-represented minorities in the eye. first extrasolar planet orbiting a through precision measurement. unexpected properties came from the field. FEd chair Gerald Feldman “Physicists who aren’t teaching sun-like star in 1995. His plenary Cornell likened particle physics planetary migration and stripping (George Washington University) undergraduates are still mentoring talk, “Exoplanet: Twenty-five years to the baby of AMO physics—which of the planet, two things further pointed out that the forum also and training graduate students of discoveries,” detailed the past was once the physics of the smallest research have revealed do play a sponsors two education-related and post-docs, or new hires in century of exoplanet research, from known particles—and emphasized part in structuring solar systems. awards: the Excellence in Physics industry,” explained FEd chair- a time when very few exoplanets how this relationship translates Further searches for exoplanets Education Award, for a “sus- elect Catherine Crouch (Swarthmore were expected to exist to today’s into fruitful research. “Our baby have produced a wide-range of tained commitment to excellence College). “Also, maybe as a taxpayer search for Earth-like planets beyond has grown to be big and strong, and planets with varying sizes and in physics education,” and the in a school district, or as the parent our solar system. we are very proud of it…but these masses, with different orbital dis- Reichert Award for Excellence in of school-age children, you would According to Mayor, a big days we sense that our baby needs tances from the sun, but exoplanet Advanced Laboratory Instruction, like to know what APS is doing to question in early 20th century us again” said Cornell. “And when searches have failed to turn up for “outstanding achievement in support the development of excel- astronomy was how many plan- your baby needs you, who can say an “Earth twin.” Queloz says the teaching, sustaining, and enhancing lent high school physics teachers. etary systems exist in the Milky no?” AMO and particle physics have detection of planets with Earth- an advanced undergraduate labo- There are many reasons for APS Way, and it wasn’t until the last teamed up in the past for searches like regimes is difficult due to ratory course.” members to care about education half of the century that it became for the electron’s magnetic moment instrumental limits as well as noise Looking forward, the FEd even if they aren’t directly involved apparent that the number is huge. and studies of the Lamb shift. produced by stars. But the search Executive Committee hopes the in instruction.” The development of new ideas in A current AMO-particle physics for such planets within other solar future holds continued membership Furthermore, in the age of coro- the 1980s and 1990s for exoplanet project, which Cornell is working on, systems continues. growth and opportunities for even navirus many APS members may research techniques and the first is an attempt to find evidence of CP “The objects we’ve found forces greater engagement with the APS be thinking especially deeply about direct images of accretion disks violation—which explains why there us to rethink where we’re sitting in community as a whole on educa- physics education–particularly the from stars—which were indicative is more matter than antimatter terms of systems, and then there’s tion-related issues. The forum’s urgent issue of how to optimize of possible planetary formation— present in the universe—through a related question: how likely is it large membership base of 4,000 still pedagogy for the remote online paved the way for the identification efforts to precisely measure the to have an [Earth-like] planet, and represents only seven percent of all circumstances so many now find of 51 Pegasi B, a Jupiter-like planet electron’s electric dipole moment. does that mean that we have to have APS members–a “surprising” sta- themselves in. “Human interac- orbiting a solar type star. Cornell also discussed the applica- [such a] planet to also have life?” tistic, according to Feldman, given tion is a very important part of In the past 40 years, since the tions of AMO physics to searches said Queloz. “All these questions the number of APS members who learning,” noted Crouch. “What first spectrograph for exoplanet for dark matter, and the potential are bubbling into the community have a stake in education as uni- we’ve learned about physics edu- research was employed in 1977, pre- for new precision measurement because we have so much diversity versity faculty, advisors to graduate cation in general is that student/ cision spectroscopy has improved to results in particle physics. “I see in planetary systems…trying to students, post-docs, and early-ca- faculty interaction is a precious the point where exoplanet searches this as the third leg of the 3-legged understand [these systems] and reer scientists, and as products of resource. We need to know how can identify lower mass planets. stool that we use to look for new or what...helps systems to be like our education themselves. “APS has to most effectively maintain as Other advances in exoplanet surveys better cosmology, and new particle home. That’s what I think the big an impressive array of educational much as we can of the quality of enable investigations in a number physics,” he said. challenge is for the next 20 years.” activities that maybe members in-person instruction over video of areas including the constraints Queloz, who shared half of the aren’t aware of,” he noted. “People conference.” of planetary formation, analysis Nobel Prize in 2019 with Mayor for should want to know about what’s FEd has a strong presence at of the chemistry of planets, and their discovery of 51 Pegasi B while For more about the Virtual April happening in education, and we the annual APS March and April answering what Mayor called his he was a PhD candidate, provided Meeting visit april.aps.org. want to hear from them!” Meetings, where it sponsors Joining FEd, like all APS forums, sessions to update the community is free of charge. “What I would love on the many APS education initia- SBF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 to see is for FEd to be an oppor- tives, as well as a range of timely tunity for all APS membership issues in the education arena. For grants in Physics and Astronomy at national physics community, a key dations, and Implementation; to recognize the many different example, recent FEd-sponsored bv.fapesp.br/50421) and the grant goal of the APS Strategic Plan [2]. November 2018, aps.org/programs/ dimensions of physics education, sessions have addressed challenges opportunity is open to persons of This is essential to the advance- international broadly speaking, and find their and best practices for preparing any nationality (as long as they ment of physics research in the 2. APS Strategic Plan: 2019; p. 7, aps. spot within it,” noted Crouch. future physics teachers, compu- are willing to move to a research US and for this reason APS highly org/about/strategicplan/ “What is the dimension of education tation in the physics curriculum, institution in São Paulo to lead the values the international nature of they’re involved in, that they care and teaching physics to biologists. research project for 5-years… or science and international scientific about, and how can they leverage Several FEd-sponsored sessions more if they like it here). cooperation demonstrated by these what APS offers to be part of it?” The author is at the Physics Institute, from last month’s social-dis- For the APS, the APS-SBF Joint Young Physicist Forums. Overall, FEd stands out as an University of Campinas, Campinas, tancing-friendly APS April Virtual Young Physicists Forums foster SP, Brazil. He is a member of the APS important opportunity for physi- References Meeting are still available to reg- connections and strengthen 1. Task Force on Expanding International Committee on International Scientific cists to share ideas and resources istered attendees to watch at the relationships throughout the inter- Engagement, Report, Recommen- Affairs. about education, and a valuable meeting website, featuring topics conduit for APS members to learn such as data science in physics about and contribute to the work education and the necessity of of APS in the educational domain. supporting equity and inclusion More information on this unit can in physics.

be found here: aps.org/units/fed. TM Beyond stimulating content at APS meetings, FEd publishes a regular newsletter detailing a The author is a freelance writer in 2020 History of Physics Student Essay Contest variety of topics in physics edu- Stockholm, Sweden. The Forum on the History of Physics is holding its 2020 History of Physics Essay Contest for undergraduate and graduate students. The contest is designed to promote interest in the history of physics among those not, or not yet, professionally engaged in the subject.

The winning essay will be published as a Back Page in APS News, and its author will receive $1,000, plus support for travel to an APS annual meeting to deliver a talk based on the essay. Read online Deadline: September 1. aps.org/apsnews Learn more at go.aps.org/FHPessay2020 8 • June 2020 THE BACK PAGE Staying Motivated and Productive During COVID-19 as an Undergraduate Student BY JACK MOODY

ocial distancing, college campus shutdowns, and the professional you developed a rapport with, or your academic transition to online learning have left most of our advisor or PI. Making a list of people who can vouch for you S routines in tatters. But as the school year comes to a is paramount [9]. close, how do we budding physicists continue pursuing our Develop that network. With everyone working from personal and professional goals? What can we do during the home, now is a great time to reach out to professionals you summer to help us get ready for the fall? find inspiring to learn more about their careers and conduct Below is a list of thirteen topics we young physicists can short informational interviews. Informational interviews work on to take control of our situation and keep moving are a great way to learn about grad schools, jobs, careers, forward regardless of social distancing or the uncertainties or types of research. These can be done over the phone or we now face. Our goal should be to make incremental progress video and can provide some context and perspective on a on these suggestions in hopes of maintaining momentum potential project or career aspiration [10]. That person can during these difficult times. also possibly help you get in contact with other professionals Take care of yourself. First and foremost, make sure who could help foster future learning opportunities. you are taking care of your physical and mental health. No As always, the GRE is looming. Despite the uncertainty progress can be made if you aren’t up for the task. It’s okay right now of when the GRE will occur, it is important to to take a step back from everything and take time to process prepare as if it is still going to happen [11]. You can begin current events. Do not let anyone make you feel the lesser by finding resources online: the 1996 Physics GRE Subject for needing to take time for yourself. Everyone processes Test is the usual go-to. There are also plenty of practice things differently. However, once you are feeling up to it, books online. You can also try reaching out to friends or there are definitely some questions most undergraduates grad students in your lab to see if you can borrow their copy can tackle during the summer to keep progressing as young (but be sure to treat it well). physicists. Start thinking about full-time jobs. Did you know that Begin updating your resume and LinkedIn profile.The about 50% of physics bachelor’s degree recipients go straight summer is a good time to do some self-reflection on all into the workforce? [12]. If this is your path, the summer is you’ve accomplished during the last academic year. During a good time to explore the APS Careers Website [13]. Once that self-reflection, write down all the new skills you’ve there, you can find great resources on career types [14], learned. Maybe it’s soldering, programming in C++, or physicist profiles [15], and see available jobs [16] that you 3D printing. Regardless, you can update your resume and can use to determine a future career to pursue. LinkedIn with these new skills and other relevant classes Once you are ready, begin chipping away at these things. you’ve taken in the last year. You never know who looks at to your advisor and get their thoughts on adding the class. A great way to make steady progress on these topics is by your LinkedIn profile or when you may need to send a copy Having even an introductory grasp of a broad range of topics establishing SMART goals [17]. Beginning this adventure with of your resume to a potential principal investigator (PI) is a great way to stay engaged and expand one’s horizons. If Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound or employer, so updating it regularly is a good habit [1, 2]. you can’t find room for it or don’t want to be graded for it, goals will allow you to stay on track and make sustained Brush up on and bolster new skills. The summer downtime try emailing the individual professor and seeing if you can progress throughout the summer. For example, it could be is a good opportunity to begin either learning new skills or sit in on the lectures, it’s still a great way to learn about a looking at two graduate programs on Monday from 9 to 11 strengthening current ones and there are plenty of online new topic and you never know when the knowledge could am, completing a chapter of an MIT OpenCourseWare class resources to help in that process. Take coding for example: come in handy. As an important aside, if you experience about Python coding by Wednesday at 6 PM, and reaching there are tons of free resources online to learn new coding added stress due to COVID-19, it is okay to drop a class and out to three potential professionals for an informational languages and delve into interesting projects. Some good take it at a later time. interview by Friday morning at 9 am. Making clear and starting resources are MIT OpenCourseware, Codecademy, Get involved in research or teaching in the fall. No specific goals helps you complete them more easily and faster. Coursera, and YouTube [3]. matter where you are in your physics journey, it is never We will get through this pandemic. All of us can make Find research data online and do computational work too late to get involved in research. It’s a great way to learn progress; it is important we stay connected as a community for the summer. A way to get a direct application of those new skills, support your resume, learn to work in teams, and rely on each other during these unprecedented times. skills is by reaching out to professors at your university to and collaborate with new groups of people. Begin on your We can all use this time to do some self-reflection and self- try and participate in some computational research. A PI college website, there is more than likely a “research” tab study on what we can do during and once this is all over. could potentially send you a dataset from their lab to do some at the top of the screen, click on that, and begin reading Resources self-study on. However, there are also many websites that through the different subfields your university offers and 1. Broad Institute Resume Help (go.aps.org/2y5UEON). offer datasets for free like Google Trends [4]. This could be then what each professor does specifically. This is a great 2. APS Resume Help (go.aps.org/2LJ2ktL). a great way to strengthen computational skills, make new way to learn about your university and different fields of 3. Entrepreneur Article on Coding Teaching Resources (go.aps. contacts, and possibly learn some new physics. physics. Once you figure out four or five professors you’d org/3bDjwLs). Set aside time for finding REUs.One of the most common be interested in working with, reach out to them! [6]. If 4. Example Sites with Free Datasets (go.aps.org/3bAZwcg). concerns for an undergraduate is finding research oppor- your university doesn’t have research, maybe try finding a 5. NSF Physics REU Website (go.aps.org/2Z8D7Rc). tunities during the summer. Research is a great way to teaching assistantship, join a physics outreach club, or a prepare for graduate school and get some real-world physics local Society of Physics Students (SPS) chapter. These are still 6. AIP Grad school shopper (go.aps.org/2uJJaeX). experience. One way to prepare for this is to start looking good resume building opportunities that can help provide 7. Ohio State Undergrad Research Guide (go.aps.org/2Z9uiqe). for Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) programs a new perspective on the world of physics. 8. APS April Meeting Lunch with the Grads Panel Session [5]. Be sure to bookmark ones you like or make a running Start looking at MS or PhD programs. The summer (youtube.com/watch?v=qdYgFPYl1ww). list in a spreadsheet with the program name, school, URL, is another great time to start planning for the next big 9. Stanford’s Guide on How to Ask for a Letter of Recommenda- PI name, and projects being offered. Most deadlines for education goal in your physics career. Maybe it’s a PhD or tion (go.aps.org/3fRBJID). REUs aren’t until January or February, so you have time to master’s degree. If so, you can start looking at websites like 10. Harvard Business Review on Conducting Informational Inter- work on this. However, making an ongoing list of projects the AIP grad school shopper to start finding programs [7]. views (go.aps.org/3bvkrgV). you find interesting can help make applications easier once You can also watch the Lunch with the Grads Panel session 11. Stanford SPS Chapter GRE prep (go.aps.org/2WTIqBi). it’s time to start applying. from the APS April Meeting for further advice from current 12. APS Physics Bachelors 1 Year Later (go.aps.org/3cw4EzQ). Stay connected to your community. It can be hard to graduate students [8]. Some things to consider: the kind of 13. APS Careers Website (aps.org/careers/). maintain new or even old friendships when not on campus. research done at the institution, geography (are you okay 14. APS Job Prospects for Physicists (go.aps.org/3bwMi0t). But thankfully this is the age of technology! Make group living far from home, or living in a city or rural area?), size 15. APS Physicist profiles (go.aps.org/2y46w3N). chats and message each other at least once a week. You could of the department, stipend and benefits, student union, 16. APS Job Seeker (go.aps.org/3bzwbPy). set up a group where you play virtual board games, host a career assistance programs, funding opportunities, specific 17. University of California SMART Goal Guide (go.aps.org/3b- Netflix party, or even set up an informal seminar series with opportunities like working with industry or national labs, CofNy). you and your friends to learn about each other’s research etc. You can follow the same recommendations as the REU and other summer projects. That way you can figure out paragraph to catalog schools you find interesting. what everyone else is up to and continue fostering your Begin thinking about your professional network. Whether friendships. you are applying to an REU, grad school, internship, or full- The author is a senior physics and It’s okay to make last-minute class changes. Hopefully, time job, the institution you are applying to will probably applied math major at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is you have met with your advisor and added all the classes ask to speak to someone that knows you well or they will a member of the American Physical you plan on taking in the fall. But is that one-off modern request a letter assessing your performance. It’s best to start Society and a SPS Careers Intern for art history class still nagging in the back of your head? Or making a list of those people as soon as possible. Perhaps APS during the summer of 2020. He maybe that solid-state physics class? If so, reach back out it is a professor whose class you did particularly well in, a is also an Army ROTC Cadet.

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