August/September 2015 • Vol. 24, No. 8

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY PhysTEC Grows Page 4 WWW.APS.ORG/PUBLICATIONS/APSNEWS

Roger Falcone Chosen as Vice President of APS for 2016

By Emily Conover ident-elect, Homer Neal, will APS members took to the polls assume the position of president. in May and June to select new The current vice president, Laura leadership, and the votes have been Greene, will become president- tallied. The majority of voters in elect, and Falcone will assume the annual general election chose the vice presidency. Falcone will Roger Falcone to fill the office of become president of the Society vice president beginning January in 2018. “I’m very pleased to be able to Roger Falcone James Hollenhorst Deborah Jin Johanna Stachel Bonnie Fleming 1, 2016. Falcone, a professor of Vice President Treasurer Chair-Elect International Councilor General Councilor physics at the University of Califor- serve the Society and the physicists Nominating Committee nia, Berkeley, is the director of the within APS,” Falcone said. “I will is carried out,” Falcone said in his horst, senior director of technology of the APS.” Advanced Light Source, an x-ray be spending a lot of time listening, candidate statement. for Agilent Technologies, will be In his candidate statement, synchrotron facility at Lawrence to understand the work of the APS The election is the first since the the first elected treasurer of APS. Hollenhorst cited sound financial Berkeley National Laboratory. more close-up, and also hearing corporate reform that was instituted Past president Malcolm Beasley is management as a top priority. Under the APS governance from people who are members of last year, which included amend- serving as interim treasurer. “Without it, none of the exciting structure, the vice president joins the Society.” ments to the APS Constitution & “I look forward to making a goals of APS will survive the test the presidential line, eventually Falcone also cited the impor- Bylaws and Articles of Incorpora- contribution to the Society,” Hol- of time.” ascending to the presidency after tant role that physicists can play tion. Members voted to adopt the lenhorst said. “It is a new role, and One important challenge is the one-year terms as vice president in influencing science policy in reform in November 2014. so what’s done by the first person changing face of scientific pub- and then president-elect. the nation. “APS can strengthen As a result of the restructuring, in that role will have an impact on lishing, Hollenhorst added. “Open In January 2016, the cur- the collective impact of physi- this year’s election marks the first what the definition of that role is access is the rallying cry from the rent president, Samuel Aronson, cists, and improve the educational, time APS members have voted for going forward. So it’s a responsi- government, the universities, and will step down to become past industrial, private, and government a treasurer, a position on the APS bility, but also an opportunity to president, and the current pres- institutions within which science Board of Directors. James Hollen- make the best of the new structure ELECTION continued on page 6

U.S. Physics Olympiad Team JOURNAL PUBLISHING Returns With Gold and Silver Getting Up to Speed on FASTR Legislation By David Voss lenge involved measuring complex By Emily Conover committee responsible for the bill Open-access proponents have In a four-way tie for second optical diffraction patterns and the A bill that would mandate public has yet to vote on it. come out in support of the leg- The bill is similar to a White islation. “The passage of the bill place overall, the United States diffraction of surface waves. access to federally funded research The U.S. team’s performance is House Office of Science and Tech- would be a step forward,” says Physics Olympiad team won four is now one step closer to becoming the best relative to other teams since nology Policy (OSTP) memo from Michael Eisen of the University gold medals and one silver medal at law. On July 29, the Senate Com- 2009, said Paul Stanley of Beloit February 2013; the memo requires of California, Berkeley, and a co- the International Physics Olympiad mittee on Homeland Security and agencies that fund more than $100 in Mumbai. College in Wisconsin, academic founder of the Public Library of Government Affairs unanimously million worth of research to fashion Three other countries — Russia, director of the team. “[There were] Science (PLoS), a nonprofit open- approved the Fair Access to Science plans to make peer-reviewed publica- Taiwan, and South Korea — also some remarkably creative solutions access publisher. But, he says, “My and Technology Research (FASTR) tions available to the public. Federal won four gold and one silver medal, by all of the U.S. Team, but unfor- hesitancy is that it doesn’t go far Act. This bill would require that agencies and some publishers have while China took home first place tunately the scoring system did not enough.” Eisen would rather see a peer-reviewed scientific publica- since begun arrangements to release with five gold medals. award extra points for creativity!” bill requiring papers to be imme- tions from federally funded research publications in accord with the OSTP At the Olympiad, top high school Stanley wrote in an email. diately available upon publication. The U.S. Physics Olympiad pro- be made freely available to the pub- mandate. (See page 4 for a related The current legislation originally physics students from around the lic within a year of publication. The article.) The new legislation would world face a challenging battery gram was started by the American called for a 6-month time limit Association of Physics Teachers bill will next move to the full Senate codify public-access policies into before publications must be made of tests: a five-hour theory exam for a vote. The bill has also been law, making requirements less likely and a five-hour experimental exam. (AAPT) and is co-sponsored by a introduced in the House, but the to shift with each administration. FASTR continued on page 6 The theory questions ranged from number of societies, including APS. the physics of neutrinos and pho- “Everyone at AAPT is very proud of tons emitted from the Sun, to the the second place position of the team Inclusive Astronomy Conference Confronts Diversity Issues engineering design of a nuclear and for each individual’s medals and By Emily Conover than one underrepresented group is welcome. “It’s not just having reactor. The experimental chal- OLYMPIAD continued on page 3 Astrophysicist Jedidah Isler — like African-American women people at the table, it’s making has not always felt welcomed by such as Isler. sure that they feel like they … are the scientific community. “Being But change is on the horizon. encouraged to be who they are,” part of a minority group can feel Isler and others recently convened Isler says. Paul Stanley very daunting and very lonely,” the inaugural Inclusive Astronomy Making science more inclusive says Isler, an African-American conference, held June 17 - 19 at is crucial for its success, the meet- woman and a postdoc at Vanderbilt Vanderbilt University, to explore ing’s participants say. “Talent is not University. And although scientific how to make astronomy accessible restricted to one group, so when you communities — physics and astron- to all. Following two influential limit yourself to one group, you’re omy included — have paid great Women in Astronomy meetings in necessarily excluding a lot of talent, attention to the status of women recent years, the group “felt that a lot of genius,” says Jesse Shana- in recent years, other underrepre- the field was really ready to think han, a graduate student at Wesleyan sented groups have remained in the about … diversity and inclusion University. “A lot of people in sci- shadows. Among those are scien- more broadly,” says Keivan Stassun, ence like to claim that this is a true tists who are members of racial or a professor of physics and astron- meritocracy, and that’s not true.” ethnic minorities, who are lesbian/ omy at Vanderbilt and the chair of Organizers designed the con- gay/bisexual/transsexual/intersex/ the local organizing committee for ference not only to help attendees queer or questioning (LGBTIQ), the meeting. understand the issues, but also to The 2015 U.S. Physics Olympiad traveling team brings home gold and sil- give them tools and strategies to ver medals: (l to r) Kevin Li, Saranesh Prembabu, Zachary Bogorad, Jason who are neuroatypical (e.g., have The goal is not just diversity, but Lu, and Adam Busis. autism), and who belong to more also an atmosphere where everyone INCLUSIVE continued on page 5 2 • August/September 2015

This Month in Physics History

“He would pull one rabbit out “He’ll be able to speak, you just of the hat, and another, and then wouldn’t be able to hear him, and August 1620: Kepler’s Mother Imprisoned for Witchcraft suddenly the rabbits would arrange if you could hear him you wouldn’t n 1615, Lutherus Einhorn, a local magistrate of Regardless of whether Kepler was correct in this themselves in a pattern and start be able to stop laughing.” ILeonberg, Germany, launched a series of witch assessment, the rumors about his mother intensified. dancing in a way you’d never seen James Kakalios, University of trials, part of a witch-hunting hysteria then sweeping In 1615, a local woman named Ursula Reingold, who before.” Minnesota, on what physics says across Europe that claimed the lives of thousands had also fallen out with Kepler’s brother, Christoph, Peter Freund, University of about the changes to the main of suspected sorcerers. In all, 15 local women were claimed that Katharina had poisoned her with a Chicago, Illinois, after the death character in the movie “Ant-Man,” accused of witchcraft on Einhorn’s watch; eight were potion. After Einhorn — a cousin of Reingold’s as of Yoichiro Nambu, who studied fivethirtyeight.com,July 17, 2015. executed. Among those caught up in the hysteria was well as magistrate — attempted to force a confes- broken symmetry, The New York the mother of one history’s greatest astronomers: sion at sword point while drunk, the fiery Katharina Times, July 17, 2015. “He knew I was a loudmouthed Johannes Kepler. countered by suing her accuser for slander. New Yorker. … He said, ‘Here’s Born Katharina Guldenmann in Stuttgart (part of This was a dangerous gambit. The witch-hunting “It would be incredibly naive of your chance to get back to New the Duchy of Württemberg) in 1546, she was raised hysteria was at its height in Europe during Kepler’s me to think that there aren’t people York.’ ” by an aunt who was later burned at the stake for day, so even a malicious rumor could put Katharina in who rely on my blog for a bit of Benjamin Bederson, former witchcraft. She married Heinrich Kepler, the son of a potentially mortal peril. Standard court procedure for help.” editor in chief of the APS, on his prominent merchant who served as mayor of the town examining an accused witch usually involved severe John Eric Goff, Lynchburg Col- commanding officer in the army of Weil. They had four children, one of whom was torture to elicit a confession; all were presumed guilty lege, Virginia, who has used physics telling him about the Manhattan Johannes. It was not a happy marriage: The family until proven innocent, and those found guilty were to accurately predict the outcome Project, The New York Times, July fortune was in decline, exacerbated by Heinrich’s summarily executed. Still a dutiful son, Kepler took of the Tour de France bicycle race, 26, 2015. volatile temper and heavy drinking. Kepler described the threat seriously enough to hire lawyers and take The Washington Post, July 25, 2015. him as “a man vicious, inflexible … and doomed to Katharina to Linz, commuting between the two cities. “Encouragement is always a bad end.” Katharina’s tempera- He set aside much of his scien- “The scientist in me rebels useful, but it’s not necessarily the ment wasn’t much better. One tific research for a time, although against that. We should start with rate-limiting step.” historical account describes her he still managed to complete his the technical facts of the agreement, Mildred Dresselhaus, Massa- as an “evil-tempered virago,” and “harmonic theory,” published and then proceed to a very compli- chusetts Institute of Technology, Kepler wrote that she was “small, in 1619 as Harmonices Mundi. cated diplomatic and psychological on the fact that her thesis advisor thin, swarthy, gossiping and quar- The suit dragged on for sev- judgment call of what the world didn’t think that women should be relsome, of a bad disposition.” eral years, and when a new, looks like if Congress does vote in science, arstechnica.com, July Heinrich bought a small tav- less sympathetic judge took on this agreement down.” 30, 2015. ern with what was left of his Katharina’s case, Reingold took Bill Foster, Democratic inherited wealth, and when that advantage of the switch to file congressman from Illinois, on par- “You don’t have to ask me. … failed, he abandoned his family a formal charge of witchcraft tisanship surrounding the proposed You can ask any of the more than entirely, enlisting in the Aus- against her. By then Katharina U.S. nuclear agreement with Iran, 30 scientific societies in the U.S. — trian army for the war against had returned to Leonberg, deter- realclearpolitics.com, July 27, 2015. the American Physical Society, the the Turks. By then, Kepler had mined to confront her accusers American Geophysical Union, the completed his studies at the Uni- face to face. It proved a serious “We really had the prejudice that American Meteorological Society. versity of Tübingen, settled in mistake. In August 1620, she was pentaquarks were fakes and that I could go on and on.” Linz, and gained the patronage Portrait of Katharina Guldenmann, taken from her daughter’s home nobody would believe it.” Michael Mann, Pennsylva- of the Duke of Württemberg. He mother of Johannes Kepler, by an un- by court order and found herself known painter in the 17th century. Sheldon Stone, Syracuse Uni- nia State University, when asked largely kept his distance from in prison, accused of 49 counts versity, New York, collaborator on whether global warming is settled his difficult mother. Katharina supported herself of practicing witchcraft. Along with hired lawyers, the recent discovery of two kinds of science, “Real Time With Bill in Leonberg as a local “wise woman,” concocting Kepler mounted a very effective defense, penning the five-quark objects, insidescience. Maher” broadcast on HBO, August herbal potions for common ailments, “augmented” bulk of the exhaustive 128-page statement demolish- org, August 10, 2015. 7, 2015. by spells and charms. Combined with her bad tem- ing the prosecution’s arguments. per and family history, it is small wonder that town In the end, the judicial college at the University of “[The program is] losing “What we try to do is ... keep gossips soon labeled her a suspected witch. Tübingen ruled that there was insufficient evidence patience with those of us who want the administration’s claims and the Some historians have speculated that Kepler may on either side. Rather than order her subjected to to understand the fundamentals.” claims of others a little bit more even have contributed to the rumors by virtue of an torture to induce a confession, or release her out- Robert Austin, Princeton honest.” allegory he wrote called Somnium (The Dream), right, the college decided she should be shown the University, on the direction of a John Gibbons, former head arguably the earliest work of science fiction, given instruments of torture — hot irons, pincers, long physical science oncology program of the U.S. Office of Technology its description of a trip to the moon and speculation needles, the rack, and a gallows used for drawing of the U.S. National Cancer Insti- Assessment, who passed away on on what astronomy would be like if practiced on and quartering — with a graphic description of how tute (he was not funded), Nature, July 17, in a 1989 interview, The another planet. The characters include a fictional each implement would be used. This was a practice August 5, 2015. Washington Post, July 30, 2015. wise woman named Fiolxhilde who sells magic known as territio verbalis meant to frighten the charms and communes with a demon in the moon accused into a confession. But Katharina was made — a strong resemblance to Katharina. The book of sterner stuff. She stubbornly refused to confess, wasn’t published officially until 1634, long after declaring, “Do with me what you want. Even if you Katharina’s trial, but a footnote Kepler added to were to pull one vein after another out of my body, the main text suggests a copy of the manuscript-in- I would have nothing to admit.” Then she recited a progress found its way to Tübingen around 1611, Pater Noster on her knees in a savvy display of piety. and he believed it had fueled suspicions of sorcery. Ultimately, Kepler’s defense was a success: Kath- “You would think a spark had fallen on dry wood,” arina was acquitted and released in October 1621 by he wrote. “My words had been taken up by dark order of the Duke of Württemberg, who ruled that Online at: aps.org/apsnews minds which suspect everything else of being dark.” her refusal to confess proved her innocence. An unre- KEPLER'S MOTHER continued on page 7

Series II, Vol. 24, No. 8 APS COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES 2015 International Councilors Director of International Affairs; Terri Gaier, Director Marcia Barbosa, Eliezer Rabinovici, Annick Suzor- of Meetings; Christine Giaccone, Director, Journal August/ September 2015 President © 2015 The American Physical Society Weiner*, Kiyoshi Ueda Operations; Barbara Hicks, Associate Publisher/ Samuel H. Aronson*, Brookhaven National Laboratory Director of Business Initiatives; Ted Hodapp, Director (retired) Chair, Nominating Committee of Education and Diversity; Dan Kulp, Editorial Patricia McBride Director; Trish Lettieri, Director of Membership; Editor...... David Voss President-Elect Darlene Logan, Director of Development; Michael Staff Science Writer...... Emily Conover Homer A. Neal*, University of Michigan Chair, Panel on Public Affairs William Barletta Lubell; Director, Public Affairs; Michael Stephens, Contributing Correspondent ...... Alaina G. Levine Director of Finance/Controller and Assistant Treasurer; Vice President Division, Forum and Section Councilors James W. Taylor, Deputy Executive Officer/Chief Art Director and Special Publications Manager...... Kerry G. Johnson Laura H. Greene*, University of Illinois, Champagne- Miriam Forman (Astrophysics), Timothy Gay Operating Officer Urbana Design and Production...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik (Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics), Jose Onuchic Proofreader...... Edward Lee Past-President (Biological), Amy Mullin* (Chemical), Frances * Members of the APS Board of Directors Malcolm R. Beasley*, Stanford University Hellman* (Condensed Matter Physics), Steven Gottlieb APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X yearly, Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publica- (Computational), Ann Karagozian (Fluid Dynamics), monthly, except the August/September issue, by the tion delivered by Periodical Mail Postage Paid at Col- Chief Executive Officer Gay Stewart* (Forum on Education), Eric Sorte, American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Col- lege Park, MD and at additional mailing offices. Kate P. Kirby*, Harvard Smithsonian (retired) (Forum on Graduate Student Affairs), Dan Kleppner* lege Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It contains (Forum on History of Physics), Gregory Meisner* news of the Society and of its Divisions, Topical Groups, For address changes, please send both the old and new Speaker of the Council (Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics), Young-Kee Sections, and Forums; advance information on meetings addresses, and, if possible, include a mailing label from Nan Phinney*, Stanford University Kim* (Forum on International Physics), Lowell Brown of the Society; and reports to the Society by its commit- a recent issue. Changes can be emailed to membership@ (Forum on Physics and Society), Nicholas Bigelow tees and task forces, as well as opinions. aps.org. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS Treasurer (Laser Science), James Chelikowsky (Materials), Wick News, Membership Department, American Physical Malcolm R. Beasley*, Stanford University (emeritus) Haxton* (Nuclear), Philip Michael Tuts (Particles & Letters to the editor are welcomed from the member- Society, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740- Fields), John Galayda (Physics of Beams), Cary Forest ship. Letters must be signed and should include an ad- 3844. Corporate Secretary Ken Cole, APS (Plasma), Mark Ediger (Polymer Physics), Nan Phinney dress and daytime telephone number. The APS reserves (California Section), Carlos Wexler (Prairie Section) the right to select and to edit for length and clarity. All Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 General Councilors correspondence regarding APS News should be directed Marcelo Gleiser, Nadya Mason, Gail McGlaughlin, Staff Representatives to: Editor, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College Keivan G. Stassun* Mark Doyle, Chief Information Officer; Amy Flatten, Park, MD 20740-3844, Email: [email protected]. August/September 2015 • 3

Education News from APS International News Top Physics Degree Producers Ranked APS generates tables showcasing the top institutions (by number of phys- Working Together Towards a Future Circular Collider ics degrees granted) in a variety of categories. These tables are freely available for your use. Access the tables here: aps.org/programs/educa- By Frank Zimmermann come from proton-proton collisions strategy update, the international tion/statistics/topproducers.cfm High energy physics has a at 13 and 14 TeV during the LHC Future Circular Collider (FCC) century-long tradition of large Run-2 (2015-18), which has just study was launched in February An APS website enables U.S. institutions to see how they compare nation- international projects, providing begun, and from a future planned 2014. The goal of this global study, ally in terms of producing physics graduates and increasing the diversity collaboration models for numerous upgrade, the High Luminosity LHC hosted at CERN, is to deliver, by of these graduates. Check it out here: aps.org/programs/education/sta- other fields of physics. The scale of (HL-LHC). the time of the next update of The tistics/compare.cfm its proposed next facility is likely to To go further we may need a European Strategy for Particle require an ever more global imple- new collider. Recognizing that cir- Physics, a conceptual design, along Save the Date for the 2016 PhysTEC Conference mentation, including international cular proton-proton colliders are with a preliminary cost estimate, of the only experimental tools avail- a future highest-energy circular col- The Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC) Conference is the governance structures from the very able in the coming decades for lider complex. The focus of the FCC nation’s largest meeting dedicated to physics teacher education. The 2016 outset. As scientists and policy mak- exploring particle physics in the study is a 100 TeV proton-proton PhysTEC Conference will be held March 11-13 at the Royal Sonesta Har- ers alike seek ways to serve both collider (FCC-hh) in a new tun- bor Court, in Baltimore, MD, preceding the 2016 APS March Meeting. national and international interests, energy range of tens of TeV, the nel of 80 to 100 km circumference Faculty from minority-serving institutions are eligible to apply for travel grants. I would like to inform APS mem- 2013 update of The European Strat- bers about the unfolding journey egy for Particle Physics requested (see figure on page 7), with a peak luminosity of 5-30 × 1034 cm-2 s-1. Save the Date for Upcoming Faculty Workshops towards a future facility for particle CERN to “undertake design stud- physics. ies for accelerator projects in a A key enabler of FCC-hh will be Fall 2015 Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshop In 2012 the Higgs boson was global context with emphasis on the availability of 16 T arc dipole The fall New Faculty Workshop will be held November 19-22 at the discovered by two experiments at proton-proton and electron-posi- magnets on an industrial scale. American Center for Physics in College Park, MD. Over the last two decades Nb Sn CERN’s Large Hadron Collider tron high-energy frontier machines 3 (LHC), straddling the Franco-Swiss … [which] should be coupled to high-field-magnet technology has Fall 2015 Physics and Astronomy Experienced Faculty Workshop border. This discovery concluded a vigorous accelerator R&D pro- made great strides forward, thanks The fall Experienced Faculty Workshop will be held October 9-11 at the almost 80 years of theoretical and gramme, … in collaboration with to ITER conductor development, American Center for Physics in College Park, MD. experimental efforts. All elements national institutes, laboratories and U.S. and European R&D activi- of the so-called “Standard Model” universities worldwide” in order to ties for an LHC upgrade, and the be ready “… to propose an ambi- U.S. high-field magnet core devel- OLYMPIAD continued from page 1 of particle physics are now experi- mentally validated. However, the tious post-LHC accelerator project opment program. The HL-LHC, placement,” said Beth Cunningham, the overall individual winner of Standard Model is not a complete … by the time of the next Strategy which is expected to be completed executive officer of AAPT. the Olympiad. Sol Kim of South theory, as it does not provide any update” (around 2019). In 2014 the by about 2025, includes a few tens of Nb Sn dipole and quadrupole U.S. team members Zachary Korea garnered the top experimen- answers to numerous fundamental International Committee for Future 3 Bogorad (Solon High School, tal score, and gold medal winner questions, such as the composition Accelerators stated that it “… sup- magnets. The HL-LHC, thereby, Ohio), Adam Busis (Montgomery Thao Thi Huong Dinh of Vietnam of dark matter, the cause of the ports studies of energy frontier prepares the technology base for Blair High School, Maryland), was recognized as the top female universe’s accelerated expansion, circular colliders and encourages the FCC-hh. Saranesh Prembabu (Dougherty participant. the origin of the observed matter- global coordination…”, and the Since February 2014, a total of Valley High School, California), and “This is an incredibly important antimatter asymmetry, the origin U.S. Particle Physics Project Priori- 58 institutes from 22 countries and Kevin Li (West Windsor-Plainsboro opportunity for these students to get of neutrino masses, the reason for tization Panel (P5) confirmed that four continents have joined the FCC High School, New Jersey) won gold together and learn much more about the existence of three families of “A very high energy proton-proton collaboration, which also includes medals and Jason Lu (Adlai Steven- physics than they can on their own, quarks and leptons, the lightness collider is the most powerful tool 8 U.S. universities. In parallel, a son High School, Illinois) returned and to bring back excitement about of the Higgs boson, or the weak- for direct discovery of new par- separate design effort hosted at with a silver medal. Stanley, and engaging in physics to their friends ness of gravity. Operating at 7 and ticles and interactions under any IHEP Beijing aims at designing and David Fallest of North Carolina and classmates,” Cunningham said. 8 TeV in 2010-12, the LHC has not scenario of physics results that can constructing a similar, but domes- State University, led the team. Editor’s Note: Team Director yet uncovered any clear evidence be acquired in the P5 time window tic, Chinese collider with a smaller Taehyoung Kim of South Korea Paul Stanley is the author of this for physics beyond the Standard [10-20 years] …” circumference of 50-70 km, called had the top score in theory and was issue’s Back Page (see page 8). Model. New information might In response to the 2013 European COLLIDER continued on page 7

APS PUBLIC OUTREACH Comic-Con Embraces Science Amid the Fantasy By Emily Conover diffract — even play CDs! Spec- from our hands. A few readers even A squadron of Stormtroopers tra and her band of friends fight came back the next day to tell us marches past; Wolverine flexes his off bad guys such as the evil Miss how much they enjoyed them. And Alignment, the authoritarian Gen- many attendees remembered APS muscles and bares his claws; and an eral Relativity, and the shy, elusive from past years, proclaiming that oversized Care Bear gives out free Quantum Mechanic (who can be their kids loved Spectra. hugs. Such sights are all in a day’s in multiple places at one time), all Science-themed events and pan- work for the APS Public Outreach while demonstrating the physics els abound at Comic-Con. This year, team at Comic-Con International in of optics, gravity, fluid mechanics, two panels about NASA research San Diego, California, the annual and more. drew a crowd that packed a large convention that unites fans of com- Each day of the event, we staffed room in the convention center. ics, animation, science fiction, and the APS booth in the exhibit hall, During the NASA panel “Turning related popular arts. handing out free physics comics Science Fiction into Science Fact,” The convention, held this year to anyone who wanted them. This there was thunderous applause from July 9 to 12, is wildly popular, work was no picnic — I found from the audience as astrophysi- with attendance topping 130,000 in myself working as fast as I could cist Amber Straughn of NASA’s recent years. But what is APS doing to keep throngs of kids, parents, and Goddard Space Flight Center dis- there? I tagged along with the APS science lovers supplied with comics. cussed the Kepler Space Telescope Outreach team — on my first trip to According to Rebecca Thompson, and the discovery of over 1,000 Comic-Con — to find out. head of APS Public Outreach and confirmed exoplanets. “NASA’s APS has exhibited at Comic- author of the Spectra comics, the Kepler Telescope has completely The APS Comic Team in San Diego. (l-r) Stephen Skolnick, David Ellis, Becky Thompson, Brian Jacobson, Emily Conover, and James Roche. Con for the past six years, to crew gives out three comic books revolutionized our understanding distribute and promote its line of a minute on average. With so many of planetary systems,” she said, to I quickly became convinced that the up for PhysicsQuest!) Each year, physics comic books for middle people in attendance at the con- cheers from the crowd. Comic-Con crowd enthusiastically APS sends PhysicsQuest kits, with school students. The APS flagship vention, fans pack the aisles of the While passing out our comics, we embraces science. accompanying comics, to 15,000 comic series is Spectra: The Origi- exhibit hall — especially when Bat- not only met physics fans, but also The Spectra comics, as part of middle school classrooms through- nal Laser Superhero, which now man shows up and causes gridlock. full-fledged physicists in various APS’s PhysicsQuest program, also out the country. comprises seven issues. This year, One might wonder whether stages of their careers — undergrads come with a teachers’ guide and a Spectra is not all that APS offers. for the first time, APS staff members superhero-worshippers are really studying for their degrees, gradu- kit of science experiments that let We also distributed copies of a participated in two panel discus- the right crowd for physics out- ate students, professors, and even kids help Spectra fight the scientific PhysicsQuest comic about Nikola sions about educational comics at reach. But I was impressed with a scientist sporting an APS baseball evil-doers. During the convention, Tesla, which recounts his infamous the convention. the conference-goers’ enthusiasm cap. And science-loving kids drifted many teachers stopped by the feud with Thomas Edison during Superhero Spectra is the alter for science. As we hawked our over to our booth, impressed with booth and asked how they could the War of the Currents that pitted ego of Lucinda Hene, a girl who wares, calling out, “free science the cover of Spectra Issue #7, with get materials for their classrooms. AC against DC in the 19th Century. discovers she has laser powers. She comics!” many eagerly replied, “I Miss Alignment’s villainous face (The answer: Go to PhysicsCen- APS participated in two panels can cut metal, pass through glass, love science!” and grabbed copies towering over Spectra and her crew. tral at physicscentral.com and sign COMIC-CON continued on page 6 4 • August/September 2015

Letters PhysTEC Coalition Grows to Over 300 Institutions Members may submit letters to [email protected]. APS reserves the By Bushraa Khatib right to select letters and edit for length and clarity. According to APS program staff, the Physics Teacher Educa- Guns on Campus tion Coalition (PhysTEC) now has grown to over 300 member institu- The right of individuals to carry ently a faculty member of any tions. The Coalition is part of the Source: PhysTEC project guns onto the campuses of Texas Texas university I would now be PhysTEC project, a partnership colleges and universities is now the looking for a job elsewhere. There between the APS and the American law of the land. By this one act, the are many much higher-paying jobs Association of Physics Teachers government of Texas has guaran- available for physicists outside of (AAPT) that works with college teed that the recruitment of first-rate academia, and I would have no dif- and university physics departments faculty for its universities will be ficulty finding a job where guns are to increase the number of well pre- essentially impossible. No expe- not allowed. pared high school physics teachers. rienced qualified potential faculty The stupidity of the politicians With support from the National prospect would consider any offer who have foisted upon us the law Science Foundation, APS member from any state higher education that allows people other than law donations, and partner society con- institution. Bright people do not enforcement personnel to carry tributions, the PhysTEC project has The map shows U.S. member institutions, which are located in 49 states, put themselves at risk on purpose. guns onto the campus of any state grown dramatically since its incep- the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (and there are a few international During my 36-year career as a university is beyond belief. The tion in 2001. Coalition college and members as well). The map was also featured in the 2014 NSF Budget Re- quest to Congress, which highlighted only 13 NSF-funded programs. university professor, if any student damage done is not repairable as university members can apply to would have shown up carrying a long as we are ruled by stupidity become a “supported site” with fund- grams for future high school physics multi-year programs to strengthen gun into my classroom, I would instead of reason. ing from PhysTEC in order to build teachers. The project now has funded physics teacher education. have had him removed by campus and improve undergraduate pro- 46 sites to develop and carry out PHYSTEC continued on page 6 security and permanently banned Tom Gray him from my class. If I were pres- Corpus Christi, Texas JOURNAL PUBLISHING APS Begins Release of Public Access CHORUS Papers Careers Report By Emily Conover In February 2013, the White accessible in the context of the peer- As the clamor for open access to House Office of Science and reviewed journals in which they Technology Policy (OSTP) issued were published,” says APS Chief Raising Student Awareness of scientific research has intensified in a memo requiring federal agencies Information Officer Mark Doyle, recent years, a group of scientific that spend more than $100 million co-chair of the technical working Non-Academic Career Paths publishers — of which APS is a on R&D to fashion plans that would group for CHORUS. By Crystal Bailey can display on screens in common member — responded in 2013 by make published research freely One year ago, DOE unveiled areas around your department. creating the Clearinghouse for the Whether at the bachelor’s, mas- available to the public within a its response to the OSTP memo, Physics InSight is a free, down- Open Research of the United States ter’s, or Ph.D. level, most physics one-year embargo period after pub- a website called the Public Access loadable PowerPoint slideshow that (CHORUS), which connects users graduates will find permanent lication. The memo also called for Gateway for Energy and Science features physicists in various degree careers in the private sector rather with publicly accessible research on public-private partnerships between (PAGES). PAGES is a searchable paths working in diverse sectors. It than in academia (Careers Report, publishers’ websites. Now, APS is agencies and scientific journals, to database that links to DOE-funded also includes up-to-date information APS News, June 2015). releasing the first wave of articles, avoid duplication of effort. CHO- research available on publishers’ on physics employment and salary To enable students to map out making papers funded by the U.S. RUS takes on that role. websites, or if none is available, statistics, opportunities for students their future possible careers, a men- Department of Energy (DOE) freely “Publishers are providing a ser- to a version in DOE’s repository. — and also cool, cutting edge phys- tor can help educate them about the available through CHORUS effec- vice across the community to help CHORUS provides a portal that ics topics! A new version of the full range of career options avail- tive August 1, several months ahead agencies and researchers meet the allows users to search for federally able to them — and these efforts slideshow goes up about twice per of the department’s official October OSTP mandate, but at the same time should begin years before students semester; it’s a great diversion for 1 start date. are making these papers publicly CHORUS continued on page 5 are nearing graduation. Even the students (majors and non-majors most organized students need time alike) who are waiting in hallways for self-assessment, skill-building, for their classes to begin. You can and networking before they start download the most recent edition focusing in earnest on the next steps at aps.org/careers/insight/. APS Liquid Helium Purchasing Program Progress of their careers. Students also benefit greatly from one-on-one contact with By Tawanda W. Johnson Fortunately there are a number Liquid Helium Purchasing Program physicists working outside of aca- Scientists at West Texas A&M of ways that you as an academic off to great start with seven universities demia. Consider holding special University used to worry about mentor can do this, without adding 7 much to your own or your students’ seminars in which a non-academic gaining access to the liquid helium Thanks to a new APS Liquid 5 workload. One is to utilize the Phys- speaker visits the department to talk necessary to operate their nuclear Helium Purchasing Program, 2 magnetic resonance spectrometers. seven universities have been able ics InSight slideshow, which you CAREERS continued on page 6 to buy helium that is affordable 6 “We were concerned because and reliable, ensuring that 1 we are both a new customer and a researchers’ experiments can be conducted in a timely manner. 4 PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS small customer,” recalled Catherine The colleges/universities enrolled include: 3 F. M. Clewett, assistant professor of 1. Stanford University Palo Alto, CA Physicists Find Fulfillment Outside of Academia physics at the university. “We had 2. Boise State University Boise, ID never ordered liquid helium and 3. West Texas A&M University Canyon, TX Source: Data from Liquid Helium Purchasing Program By Emily Conover physicists find their careers reward- were finding it difficult to begin a 4. University of Memphis Memphis, TN ing and intellectually stimulating. 5. Amherst College Amherst, MA For more information about the program, contact: Physics students who contem- relationship with the major helium 6. Worcester Polytechnic Univ. Worcester, MA Mark Elsesser, APS Senior Policy Analyst “We were really pleased to find [email protected] plate private sector jobs are often companies.” 7. University of New Hampshire Durham, NH out that the vast majority of the at a loss; their academia-immersed Those concerns have abated, Source: Data from Liquid Helium Purchasing Program Ph.D.s we could track down who advisors may know little about the thanks to the Liquid Helium Pur- Federal Helium Reserve in Ama- versity, Boise State University, West were working in the private sector opportunities available outside of chasing Program developed by rillo, Texas. The agency secures Texas A&M University, University in the U.S. were really happy with the ivory tower, and data on physi- the APS Office of Public Affairs the liquid helium via the federal of Memphis, University of New their careers,” says Roman Czujko, cists in private sector careers has (OPA). Last year, after learning of in-kind program on behalf of any Hampshire, Amherst College, and director emeritus of AIP’s Statisti- been sorely lacking. But a new academic users’ concerns about liq- federal grantee. The agency cur- Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In cal Research Center, and first author report from the American Institute uid helium price fluctuations and rently purchases liquid helium and general, academic researchers who of the report. of Physics (AIP) provides good reliability issues, the OPA partnered other chemicals for research groups are not participating in the program news — most private-sector Ph.D. FULFILLMENT continued on page 6 with the Defense Logistics Agency at approximately 30 universities. pay between $7 per liter and $30 (DLA) to pilot-test a liquid helium “The program has ensured that per liter, depending on their loca- “brokerage,” enabling academic we can get the helium when we need tion and usage. However, program users to obtain helium in a timely it at a stable cost,” added Clewett. enrollees are saving an average of manner and at a reasonable cost. “We also don’t have to worry about 15 percent. One enrollee is saving Recognizing that the issues were being the last customer to have our as much as 27 percent. not exclusive to physicists, the OPA order fulfilled when helium is in The pilot program is slated for also partnered with the American short supply.” expansion in the fall, and new

AIP Statistical Resource Center AIP Chemical Society (ACS). Enrollees The OPA and ACS pilot-tested enrollees will be asked to commit began ordering their liquid helium the program with researchers at to the program by December 2015. on June 1, 2015. seven colleges and universities that They would begin receiving their DLA contracts with vendors who had diverse liquid helium delivery helium on June 1, 2016. Percent of Ph.D.s whose job was intellectually challenging purchase liquid helium from the and cost challenges: Stanford Uni- HELIUM continued on page 7 August/September 2015 • 5

INCLUSIVE continued from page 1 improve the inclusiveness of their women.” Furthermore, she says, Despite the hiccups, the meet- Washington Dispatch communities. It was also a chance “Although APS has not focused on ing “was incredibly supportive,” to introduce people to one another, intersectional issues, I think this is Shanahan says. “People were really POLICY UPDATE allowing attendees to meet and learn an area of great opportunity for us.” willing to learn.” Appropriations Stall from people of different underrep- In traditional academic spaces, Talking about racism, sexism, The House has now passed all twelve appropriations bills (legislation that resented groups and connect with Shanahan says, “When there is an ableism, and other exclusionary sets aside money for government agencies and programs) out of com- astronomers like themselves. issue, people don’t feel like they practices was a challenge, par- mittee, and six have seen final floor action. The Senate has passed only One issue the conference partici- can speak up.” But the Inclusive ticipants say. “One of the ground nine out of committee, and none have seen floor action. In both chambers, pants tackled was how to promote Astronomy meeting was different. rules they put up was ‘it’s okay to few Democrats have supported them. And the president, asserting that access for underrepresented groups. “The organizers worked incredibly be uncomfortable,’” says meeting the pending bills are all based on sequestration caps that he believes “One of the most important and hard to create a space where people attendee Meredith Rawls, a gradu- should be eliminated, has threatened to veto every one. very concrete barriers that we talked would be respected, listened to, and ate student in astronomy at New about is the use of standardized tests a space that would accommodate Mexico State University. “As the The defense appropriations bill is the only one that breaks the caps, using — for example, the GRE — as part as many people as possible,” says conference went on, people would the Department of Defense’s Overseas Contingency Operations fund as of admission to graduate programs,” Shanahan. actually call each other out in a very an off-budget vehicle to get around the legal restrictions. And it is the says Stassun. Research has shown Shanahan participated in a panel friendly way,” if they were exclud- disparity between the Republican treatment of defense and non-defense that the GRE is a poor predictor of on establishing inclusiveness in ing someone, Rawls says. spending that triggered a Democratic rebellion on the Senate floor. The performance, Stassun says, and also astronomy, in which she focused One aim of the Inclusive Astron- FY16 defense bill easily cleared the appropriations committee on a 27-3 that it is biased: “If you rank-order on disability issues. Shanahan, who omy meeting was to produce a vote, but it failed to receive enough votes (50-45) to bring it to the floor applicants to your program even just is disabled and often walks with a concrete set of recommendations for for consideration. in part based on their GRE scores, cane or wears braces, says, “I feel improving diversity and inclusion in you will systematically exclude like I’m excluded kind of on a daily the field, following in the footsteps Looking ahead to the culmination of the FY16 budget negotiations, it is women and minorities.” basis because a lot of people don’t of previous Women in Astronomy appearing more and more likely that yet another Continuing Resolution Participants also discussed the think about including people with meetings. Conference organizers is in the offing. concept of intersectionality — the disabilities.” are collecting and synthesizing idea that people who fall under Transgender scientists as well feedback from the meeting’s 160 The American Research Investment Fund more than one underrepresented still face many hurdles, says attendees for a report that they will As federal investment in fundamental science wanes, APS has been group can’t be treated as if they fall astronomer Jessica Mink of the share with the community and the exploring other possible funding avenues for basic research (“Thinking solely under one group alone. “The Smithsonian Astrophysical Obser- American Astronomical Society Big and Outside the Box,” APS News, July 2015). One possibility is the lived experiences of people with vatory, a transgender woman and (AAS) leadership in 2016. creation of the American Research Investment Fund (ARIF). In order to intersectional identities don’t fall one of the organizers of the meeting. AAS President Meg Urry, who create ARIF, Congress would have to first pass comprehensive corporate along one particular facet, because “There’s still a prejudice that people also attended the meeting, noted tax reform that would encourage repatriation of money held overseas by they live all of them,” says Isler. have that doesn’t come to the surface that the AAS leadership is looking large corporations. Currently money held overseas, largely by high-tech “It’s unfair to ask me to identify very easily,” she says. And there can forward to seeing the recommen- companies like Google and Microsoft, totals more than $2.1 trillion. If a either as a woman or a black person, be negative career repercussions for dations. “The AAS supported this deal is struck to repatriate the money at a relatively low tax rate, 5 percent when the fullness of my identity young scientists. “If you’re early meeting because we believe deeply to 15 percent for example, it would create a one-time net recovery of $100 is seated in both.” And while the in your career you’re dependent in equity and inclusion, and in mak- billion to $300 billion for the federal government. Congress could then percentage of female astronomers on what a lot of people think about ing sure that qualities that aren’t authorize the use of $100 billion to endow ARIF. ARIF would invest the has grown over the years, female you,” which can make coming out relevant to the practice of astron- money and use the interest to sustain itself and to fund research. ARIF African-American astronomers are as transgender a scary prospect. omy not be used in determining would be a public-private partnership and would be able to nimbly fund still few and far between. The meeting had its snags. A one’s suitability for it,” Urry wrote scientific research in a number of ways, from encouraging Congress to Although scientific organiza- banquet was held on the other in an email. boost science budgets by providing matching funds, to supporting midscale tions like APS have paid significant side of campus, an unmanageable The meeting left a big impression activities that currently fall through the federal budget cracks. attention to addressing the under- journey for some attendees with on attendees in how they viewed representation of racial and ethnic disabilities. And other types of diversity and inclusion. “The more America COMPETES minorities, says APS Diversity exclusion cropped up along the you are aware of this stuff, you start The House version of the America COMPETES Act, which APS opposed, Programs Administrator Arlene way. Mink, who does not have a seeing it everywhere,” says Rawls. passed the House. There is no full COMPETES bill in the Senate; rather, Modeste Knowles, “I think those Ph.D., pointed out that much of the “When I first learned calculus it there is a separate Energy title, and Senate Science Committee has put efforts have still been limited in discussion centered on the academic changed the whole way I saw the out a request for stakeholders to weigh in on the crafting the science scope, and the commitment to racial pipeline. It is also important, Mink world,” she says. “Learning about all portion of COMPETES. APS supports the Senate Energy title of COM- and ethnic diversity in the scientific says, to appreciate the contributions this — how inclusivity is necessary PETES and has sent a letter urging lawmakers to use the Energy title as community does not seem to be as of scientists who have not followed to do good science … that realization a blueprint for crafting the science portion of COMPETES. widely held as the commitment to the traditional path. was equally big in my mind.”

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act As this issue of APS News is being prepared, the Elementary and Sec- ondary Education Act is being debated on the Senate floor, with a large number of amendments offered by both Republicans and Democrats. If the Senate bill passes, it will then be conferenced with the House bill, which passed the House the first week of July. Don Pickert, Vanderbilt University Don Pickert, Vanderbilt Of interest to physicists, a major difference between the two bills is that the House bill contains very little mention of science, technology, engineer- ing, and mathematics education, whereas the Senate bill would maintain funding for the Math-Science Partnerships programs.

WASHINGTON OFFICE ACTIVITIES Media Update The Houston Chronicle published an op-ed on June 30 by Chris Jeffrey, a recent graduate of the University of North Texas. Jeffrey made the case for supporting the Energy Title of the America COMPETES Reauthoriza- tion Act of 2015 — legislation that would bolster energy research, reduce the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels, and enable the development of energy- Attendees at the first Inclusive Astronomy conference at Vanderbilt University in June 2015. efficient technologies. Read the op-ed: bit.ly/1INAG3u. CHORUS continued from page 4 U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-11th) opined about “maintaining America’s global funded open-access research across according to an agreement made now on about 150 to 200 articles scientific leadership” in the May edition ofCapitol Hill Quarterly, a news- the participating publishers and sci- last spring. As part of CHORUS, will be released each month as their letter produced by the APS Office of Public Affairs. Read the op-ed: aps. entific societies, which include APS, publishers submit funding infor- embargoes expire. This is around org/publications/capitolhillquarterly/201505/backpage.cfm. the American Association for the mation and other metadata to 10% of the average number of Advancement of Science, AIP Pub- CrossRef, a nonprofit that catalogs articles APS publishes monthly. Panel on Public Affairs lishing (the journal publishing arm information about academic pub- In January 2016, APS-published Panel on Public Affairs (POPA) members read through the overwhelmingly of the American Institute of Phys- lications, provides Digital Object articles funded by other federal supportive comments of the APS membership on the proposed APS ics), the American Astronomical Identifier (DOI) registration, and agencies will begin to become avail- Statement on Earth’s Changing Climate. POPA is now making minor edits Society, Elsevier, IOP Publishing allows reliable linking in citations able. However, the available version in response to those comments and will present the final statement to the (part of the Institute of Physics), across journals. PAGES can then of the article may not be its “version APS Council for a vote this fall. If approved, it would become an official and others. CHORUS also provides use CrossRef to link to content on of record,” (the final version that statement of APS. a set of tools that show publishers’ publishers’ websites and access will appear in the journal). Instead, progress in making research pub- articles funded by DOE. the articles may be provided in the The POPA Physics & the Public Subcommittee will be working with the licly accessible. On August 1, APS began releas- “accepted manuscript” state — American Institute of Physics on a survey this summer focused on over- DOE will work with CHO- ing DOE-funded papers that were before copyediting and formatting DISPATCH continued on page 7 RUS to fulfill the OSTP mandate, published one year ago, and from have taken place. 6 • August/September 2015

FULFILLMENT continued from page 4 ELECTION continued from page 1 AIP’s Statistical Research Center their most rewarding experiences from the readers and authors of becoming chair of the committee. the Constitution & Bylaws. surveyed more than 500 physicists and job duties.” our journal articles; but someone Two council positions were on The position of international who had completed their Ph.D.s 10 Unsurprisingly, those employed has to pay for the added value that the ballot in this year’s election. The councilor will go to Johanna Sta- to 15 years earlier, and who had in physics-related industry jobs APS brings.” APS Council of Representatives chel, a physicist at the University of since entered the private sector. The found their degrees most relevant, Voters elected Deborah Jin of the comprises four general council- Heidelberg. Stachel has previously study cataloged information about but physicists working in finance National Institute of Standards and ors, four international councilors, served as president of the German the physicists’ salaries, job satisfac- also felt their work was well suited Technology and the University of the presidential line, the treasurer, Physical Society, and is currently tion, and the fields in which they to their level of education, due to the Colorado, Boulder to the position of councilors representing APS serving as vice president. were employed in 2011. importance of mathematical model- chair-elect of the APS Nominating committees, and councilors repre- Bonnie Fleming, a physicist Most survey participants worked ing and development of algorithms Committee. “It’s an honor to be cho- senting the divisions, forums, and at Yale University, was elected as in science-technology-engineering- in their field. In fact, many physi- sen. I’m excited to participate in this sections. The Council’s respon- general councilor. Fleming is the co- mathematics (STEM) fields, which cists working in finance noted that way in APS governance, to help out, sibilities include joint oversight spokesperson of the MicroBooNE tapped the scientific and technical they regularly worked with other and also just to learn more about of Society publications with the neutrino experiment, and has served knowledge they had gained through physicists. what’s going on at APS,” Jin said. Board of Directors, approval of on a number of APS committees, their physics training. And even for Another private sector bonus? The Nominating Committee pre- science policy statements, elec- including the Division of Particles those who did not work in a STEM Better pay. Many of the surveyed pares a roster of candidates for APS tion of APS fellows, prizes and and Fields (DPF) Coordinating Panel field, problem-solving and math physicists raked in higher earnings elections each year. Jin will serve awards bestowed by APS, and for Advanced Detectors, and the skills were essential, the report than those that went the academic for one year as chair-elect before final approval of amendments to APS DPF Nominating Committee. indicates. route, and more than three-quarters In written comments, physicists pocketed six-figure salaries in 2011. described the perks of their jobs, Nonacademic career data FASTR continued from page 1 which included intellectually stim- have been in short supply, as accessible, but this was amended will we have to go to another kind work. “The future could be one in ulating work, collaboration with physicists who have left aca- to 12 months to more closely align of financial model for supporting which science publishing looks very smart colleagues, and being on the demia usually aren’t included in with the OSTP policy and to respond the work that we do to maintain similar to the one we have today, it’s cutting edge of their fields. And 71 physics career studies. Private- to requests of academic publishers. a high-quality peer-reviewed pub- just paid for differently,” he says. percent of physicists in all private sector physicists also tend to be Publishers are concerned about lication?’” says Kate Kirby, chief But physicist Paul Ginsparg sector jobs reported that their jobs more difficult to track down than the bill’s potential impact on sci- executive officer of APS. of Cornell University, creator were intellectually challenging, ris- their academic peers. ence and on their business model. The new model might be one in ing to 87 percent for those working The report bolsters the avail- of the preprint server arXiv.org, If articles are freely available which the author pays, an approach takes a different view. “Until you directly in industrial physics (see ability of data on alternative career online, university libraries would that carries a price tag of a few thou- have a good financial model for graphic on page 4). paths, which should help graduate be less likely to pay for access, the sand dollars per article. However, open access it doesn’t make sense “The report clearly shows that students and postdocs identify their main funding source for scientific this cost, if borne by scientists’ to push it, burn bridges, and all physicists in the private sector enjoy best options. And those options publishers, says Michael Lubell, grants, would further squeeze tight the rest.” And he draws a distinc- diverse and stimulating careers,” look promising, Czujko says. director of the APS Office of Public research budgets, Kirby argues. The said APS Industrial Physics Fel- “There’s life after a Ph.D. outside Affairs (OPA), especially if the time APS OPA is currently asking some tion between large, commercial low Steven Lambert. “I’d especially of academe.” limit for open-access publication members of the House to amend publishers and small nonprofits. encourage students to read the com- For more information, see aip. shrinks in the future. “You can see their bill to require a Government “This isn’t the right way to address ments from the respondents about org/statistics where this is heading,” Lubell says. Accountability Office study on the [open access], if it across-the-board Journals will have to adapt in impact of an author-pays model on impinges on the ‘good guy’ pub- order to support their editorial science budgets and on research. lishers.” The twelve-month time operations in this new landscape. Still, Eisen contends that open- limit, Ginsparg says, is probably “The question is, ‘At what point access scientific publishing can a “good compromise.”

PHYSTEC continued from page 4 CAREERS continued from page 4 The project has also increased its charge for membership in the Phys- PhysTEC programs. Monica Plisch, about his or her work. An event (aps.org/careers/lectureship/). reach (see map). Coalition member TEC Coalition. PhysTEC Project Director at APS, like this not only provides students Another way you can bring stu- institutions now include 40% of all Each summer PhysTEC orga- said that these numbers speak to the with information and insight about dents, faculty, and physicists in physics departments in the U.S., nizes the largest annual conference fact that “We have members who are non-academic work, but also gives industry or national labs together is and collectively educate over half of physics educators in the country. critically engaged in teacher edu- them an invaluable opportunity to to start an APS Local Link in your of all new well-prepared U.S. phys- There, participants share innovative cation, and not members in name network with potential employers. area. APS Local Links are small, ics teachers — defined as certified ideas, learn from national leaders in only.” Where colleges or universities grassroots gatherings of local phys- teachers who also have a degree the field, and promote awareness of Go to www.phystec.org for more are near industry, it is a common icists in a concentrated geographic in physics. To become a Coalition the importance of improving phys- information about the program and practice for companies to look to area (such as a city), who meet on member institution, physics depart- ics and physical science teacher www.phystec.org/join to join the their local universities as a source a regular basis to network, build ments are asked to provide a letter education. Next year’s conference of new talent. Your institution’s relationships, and discover new of support from their chair and will be held March 11 - 13, 2016 Coalition as a PhysTEC member alumni office can help identify opportunities for employment and endorse the American Institute of in Baltimore, MD. institution. good potential speakers — or you collaboration. Physics-Member Society Statement Nearly all Coalition member The author is Outreach & Com- can use the APS Industrial Speak- Local Links benefit employers on the Education of Future Teach- institutions have sent one or more munications Specialist at the A.J. er’s List, which is available at aps. and students as recruitment oppor- ers. Membership benefits include people to the above-mentioned Drexel Autism Institute in Philadel- org/careers/advisors/speakers.cfm tunities, and they also encourage reduced fees for conference atten- PhysTEC conference or to Phys- phia. Until a few months ago, she (be sure to open “more options” new collaborations among national dance and eligibility for PhysTEC TEC workshops, and over 180 was on the staff of the APS Depart- and check “industrial careers” labs, industries, and academic funding and awards. There is no have applied for funding to develop ment of Education and Diversity. before you do the search). research facilities. APS provides You could also enlist the help of each Local Link with some admin- physicists who have won the APS istrative and logistical support, COMIC-CON continued from page 3 Distinguished Lectureship on the and helps boost the visibility of on science and comics at Comic- know when they’re being pandered art and comics. Applications of Physics (DLAP). Local Links meetings by sending Con. Thompson spoke at a session to,” Thompson said, “so we tried “We would try to sneak in ways This award recognizes physicists in announcements about upcom- on “Comics for Impact: STEM Edu- not to do that.” to teach about the spectrum and industrial or nonacademic careers ing events to local membership. cation.” The panel featured other And the plot is the priority. optics visually instead of beating the for significant technical, industrial, If you’re interested in learning prominent science comic book Rather than awkwardly bombard- kids over the head with a lot of word or entrepreneurial contributions. more about the APS Local Links artists and writers, including Jorge ing kids with science facts through balloons,” Ellis said. To achieve The award is co-sponsored by program, please visit.aps.org/mem- Cham of PhD Comics, the popular the comic, “We really tried to make that, the pair worked together on a the APS Forum on Industrial and bership/locallinks/. web comic about grad student life. the story first and [then] make sure daily basis, panel by panel, to make Applied Physics and the Commit- Building students’ awareness Speaking to a room teem- the physics was there,” Thompson the art and the science align. “It tee on Careers and Professional of non-academic careers can seem ing with teachers of elementary, said. The focus on the story keeps really has to be done in a way where Development. daunting — but with a modest middle, high-school, and college kids reading, she said, and it means the script and the art merge together Each lectureship winner gives amount of energy you can build a students, Thompson discussed how “you’re going to learn without pay- without being physically incorrect,” at least three talks at venues such solid program that will both benefit the team designed Spectra to appeal ing attention.” as APS section meetings, annual your students and help make your to middle school-aged kids, and A second panel, “Teaching Thompson said. meetings, and individual depart- faculty colleagues aware of career girls in particular. Thompson con- Comics,” was part of the Com- Over four days, we distributed ment colloquia during his or her paths and research opportunities sulted with the staff of the website ics Arts Conference, an academic 7,000 comic books — more than term; all travel costs associated outside of the academic sphere. girl-wonder.org, which promotes conference that takes place during two tons’ worth. “The fact that we with talks are covered by APS. It’s Such efforts can improve students’ positive representation of women Comic-Con. This panel featured are in 7,000 people’s hands now is an easy way to get someone with a confidence about — and prepared- in comics. Per their advice, Spectra Thompson and David Ellis, illustra- really important,” Thompson says. rich and interesting perspective on ness for — their own future career is a multi-dimensional, believable tor for Spectra Issue #7. The pair “Comic-Con is a good place for us non-academic careers to visit your prospects. middle school girl: She has a love discussed the teamwork necessary to bring science and bring some real department. For more information Crystal Bailey is APS Careers interest; she has fights with her to communicate complex scientific superhero physics to people that please visit the DLAP homepage Program Manager. friends; and she’s not perfect. “Girls principles through the medium of already like comic books.” August/September 2015 • 7

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TM Editor, Physical Review X

The American Physical Society (APS) is conducting an international search for the Lead Editor of Physical Review X (PRX). PRX is APS’s highly selective, online-only, fully open access journal, and its aim is to publish a limited number of key papers from all areas of pure, applied, and interdisciplinary physics, that merit broad dissemination and high visibility. The Lead Editor is responsible for providing intellectual leadership in executing PRX’s mission: in particular, in calibrating the journal’s editorial standards, modifying existing editorial policies and developing new ones, and identifying the growth dimensions of the journal as well as raising its visibility to the international physics community. The Lead Editor must interact regularly and directly with a dedicated team of scientific editors and also with a distinguished, international, and topically broad Editorial Board as its chair. The ideal candidate should possess many of the following qualifications: • strong belief in and commitment to APS’s non-profit publishing ethos; stature in a field of research within PRX’s scope and within the APS author community; • broad and open-minded view of physics research across all subfields; • publishing (and desirably, editorial) experience with scholarly journals; • management and interpersonal skills to deal effectively with an international array of authors, referees, and editors and with APS; professional integrity, objectivity, and wisdom. The Lead Editor must be firmly committed to acquiring on the job a functional understanding of the journal’s editorial operation. The Editor may maintain his/her present appointment and location and devote at least 20% of his/her time to the position. A higher level of commitment would be desirable in the initial year of service; several possible levels of long-term commitment, from 20% to 50%, are possible. Candidates who can be physically present at the APS editorial office (Long Island, New York — adjacent to Brookhaven National Lab and near Stony Brook University) at least once a month are preferred. The initial appointment is for three years with renewal possible after review. Salary is negotiable and dependent HELIUM continued from page 4 on time commitment. The desired starting date is 1 January 2016. However, APS will consider the Mark Elsesser, APS senior become an existential issue — as the possibility of a later date for the right candidate. policy analyst, who oversees the price has gone up, they have been program, is elated about its success. forced to choose between abandon- APS is an equal employment opportunity employer and especially encourages applications from or “I was apprehensive at the start ing a research project or laying off nominations of women and minorities. The search is not limited to residents of the United States. because we were trying something employees and students,” he said. different; but for all enrollees to In addition to informing law- Inquiries, nominations and applications should be sent by 1 November 2015 to: see immediate savings and have makers about the purchasing Peter D. Johnson, PRX Search Committee Chair, [email protected] reliable delivery is a huge win for program, Halperin told them the community,” said Elsesser. “I’m APS is partnering with the ACS excited to work with DLA on the and the Materials Research Soci- program expansion this fall.” ety to determine the best path for COLLIDER continued from page 3 Added Laura Greene, a con- “transitioning as many academic CEPC/SppC. European Community’s Enhanced R&D efforts at the four leading U.S. densed matter physicist and vice researchers as possible to systems In early 2015 the FCC study European Coordination for Accel- magnet laboratories (BNL, FNAL, president of APS: “It is remarkable that recycle helium.” was recognized by the European erator Research & Development LBNL, and the NHMFL at Florida what the OPA has done on behalf Although the Helium Stew- Commission through the funding FP7 EuCARD2 project, and several State University) with the goals of on the scientific community.” ardship Act of 2013 extends the of the FCC technical design study superconductor manufacturers. It the FCC study. An implementa- Notwithstanding the success of lifetime of the Federal Helium (EuroCirCol) via the program of covered all aspects of the study, tion plan for joint magnet R&D is the program, the scientific commu- Reserve to 2021, the long-term HORIZON2020 (the largest Euro- e.g., designs of 100 km hadron and being drawn up. First demonstrator nity remains concerned about the supply of liquid helium is still a pean Union research and innovation lepton colliders, infrastructures, magnets could be ready by 2017 or future availability of liquid helium. concern. Therefore, Halperin added funder). The nuclear study institute technology R&D, experiments, 2018, both in Europe and in the U.S. William Halperin, a low-tem- that another step should be taken: KEK in Japan and sixteen benefi- and physics. The FCC Week 2015 also perature physicist at Northwestern “This subcommittee should care- ciaries from the European featured a plenary meeting University and chair-elect of the fully consider possible legislative Research Area commit- of the FCC Gender Equality APS Division of Condensed Matter fixes to shutting down the reserve.” CERN ted to perform the core of Working Group, where per- Physics, testified about those chal- For more information about the the FCC-hh collider ring sonal experiences of women lenges during a Capitol Hill hearing OPA Liquid Helium Purchasing design and the 16 T mag- physicists were reported on July 8, 2015, before the House Program, contact Mark Elsesser at net R&D. The four key Energy and Mineral Resources [email protected]. from all around the world. themes addressed are the arc At this meeting, Director of Subcommittee. “For some scien- The author is Press Secretary, design, led by CEA Saclay tists, purchasing liquid helium has APS Office of Public Affairs. APS Education and Diversity (CEA is the French Atomic Theodore Hodapp, represent- Energy Commission), the ing both the APS committees interaction-region design on the status of women in (John Adams Institute in KEPLER'S MOTHER continued from page 2 physics and on minorities in the United Kingdom), the physics, gave an intriguing pentant Katharina promptly filed never went to trial; Katharina died cryo-beam-vacuum system presentation on how to sup- another lawsuit insisting Reingold the following year. (CELLS consortium), and port women physicists, which should cover the costs associated Further Reading: the high-field magnet design 1. James A. Connor. Kepler’s Witch: An Astron- triggered lively discussions. with her trial as recompense for (CERN). Four major U.S. omer’s Discovery of Cosmic Order Amid R&D progress will be making a false accusation. That suit Religious War. San Francisco: Harper, 2004. laboratories, Brookhaven reviewed at the next FCC National Laboratory (BNL), Week, to be held in Rome from National High Magnetic Sketch of a future 80-100 km tunnel in the Lake Field Laboratory (NHMFL), Geneva basin, which would allow for an energy- April 11 - 15, 2016. Further + - Fermi National Accelerator frontier hadron collider and an e e Higgs factory. information about the global DISPATCH continued from page 5 Laboratory (FNAL), and FCC study is available at cern. coming the obstacles to recruiting teachers in the physical sciences. The Lawrence Berkeley National Labo- The Washington meeting began ch/fcc (general FCC), eurocircol.edu project is being carried out in partnership with the American Chemical ratory (LBNL), are associated with with an exciting presentation by (EuroCirCol), and cern.ch/fccw2015 Society and the Computing Research Association. the EuroCirCol high-field magnet U.S. Congressman Bill Foster, who (FCC Week 2015). design. encouraged the high-energy physi- Frank Zimmermann, a senior A workshop intended to address the long-term challenges of helium sup- In March 2015, some 340 physi- cists in the audience to “never be shy scientist at CERN and an APS fel- ply and pricing will be held this fall. A study committee has been assembled cists, engineers, science managers, in standing up for the unique nature low, is the FCC deputy study leader. and planning for the two-day meeting has begun. This project is being and journalists gathered in Wash- of their field and never be afraid He also serves as the editor of the carried out in partnership with the American Chemical Society and the ington, DC for the first annual of big numbers.” A special session APS journal Physical Review Materials Research Society (see the article in this issue on page 4). meeting (FCC Week 2015) of the was devoted to FCC-related efforts Special Topics - Accelerators and global FCC collaboration (APS in the U.S. Importantly, James Beams. Portions of this article pre- A template for study proposals can be found online, along with a sugges- News, May 2015). This meeting Siegrist from the U.S. Department viously appeared in CERN Courier tion box for future POPA studies: aps.org/policy/reports/popa-reports/ was jointly organized by CERN and of Energy (DOE) pointed the way (http://cerncourier.com/cws/article/ suggestions/index.cfm. DOE, sponsored by the IEEE, the for aligning the high-field magnet cern/60865). 8 • August/September 2015

magine an international sport where eager Approximately 20% of the almost five thou- Ihigh school students who share a passion sand initial test-takers are women, as are 16% for problem-solving compete with peers from of those on the U.S. Team. Since 2003 seven around the world to demonstrate quick prow- women have represented the United States at ess and the ability to work independently to A Passion for Problem Solving the IPhO. find solutions, and then gain recognition for A decade ago many of the U.S. Team mem- By Paul Stanley their efforts; a program with provision for bers came from private high schools or special friendship and networking across national science high schools. This has changed: Several lines; a chance for students to do what they public high schools throughout the nation have enjoy with others who are like-minded. That active preparation programs and now regularly event is the International Physics Olympiad send a student or two to the training camp. (IPhO), a competitive physics program first established among The training program for the U.S. team involves lectures, the former Soviet eastern block countries in 1967. experiments, exams, and problem-solving practice. Exam History of the Olympiads questions are kept secret, as good questions can take weeks Paul Stanley The program was likely a response to the already suc- to develop despite the fact that it sometimes takes the stu- cessful International Math Olympiad that had begun eight dents only minutes to figure out a correct path to the solution. years earlier, except that it would include both a theory-based Recently a coach commented that the internal training program examination and an experiment-based examination. The early had reached such a level that we were scouring the graduate physics Olympiads were relatively informal affairs that were level texts of Jackson and Goldstein to find problems that organized by host nations somewhat hastily; now planning were hard enough to challenge these high school students. begins several years in advance. Olympiad outcomes and differences in preparation A decade-long ranking of the top teams is independent of the choice of measure. China, Taiwan, and South Korea "Imagine an international sport where eager high are ranked first through third. The U.S. is ranked fourth. school students who share a passion for prob- Thailand and Russia are fifth and sixth. The most commonly lem solving compete with peers from around the used measure of national performance is the medal count: world..." how many gold and silver medals each country wins. Less common is the aggregate point score of a team, and even less common is the aggregate ranking of the members of a team. By the time of the third Olympiad in 1969, a set of statutes Though the statutes of the IPhO are careful to point out that had been drafted, and in 1972 the first western country, France, this is a competition among individuals, the team leaders, participated. There were rough patches: Efforts to politicize as well as the national organizations that back the training various academic Olympiads in 1977 into socialist events of the teams, do watch overall team performance and how it resulted in several years without any physics Olympiads. True relates to other nations, in a friendly and supportive manner. international participation began when the Federal Republic of All five of the U.S. Team travelers have won medals Germany hosted the IPhO, and the program has been hosted every year since 1991. Though the U.S. Team has secured by various nations around the world every year since 1981. 2015 Physics Olympiad Participants four golds and a silver on five different occasions, it has yet In 1984 a permanent leadership program was established, the mass of the contained ball with a series of measurements to acquire the coveted five-gold status, a privilege held only and the Polish physicist Waldemar Gorzkowski became the made possible with a timer and an optical detector. In Iran by China, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Still, first president of the IPhO. With the support of active members the task was examining the band gap in ferrous oxide using U.S. Team travelers have won special recognition in top of the international board, he solved the problems of hosting a mechanical spectroscope. theory, top experiment, top overall, top female participant, the IPhO. Gorzkowski served as president of the IPhO until Participation of the United States and best solution. he passed away during the 38th IPhO in Iran, doing what he The United States began competing in 1986 and hosted One complaint about the program is that it does not train enjoyed most: supporting a friendly competition amongst the the event in 1993. Since then, the U.S. has selected a Physics students to do real-world physics as a physicist would do it. world’s best high school physics students. Team of 20 to 25 high school students that trains every year This is true, but that is not the point of the program. Part of The international competition for a week to ten days at the University of Maryland, with the training camp does develop problem-solving and labo- The current IPhO comprises two five-hour exams: a additional training hosted by George Washington University ratory skills outside the realm of the IPhO, but the focus is theory exam that accounts for 60% of the total score, and during 2014. The American Association of Physics Teach- on competitive techniques. Even so, the playful conceptual an experimental exam that accounts for the remaining 40%. ers, the American Institute of Physics (AIP), and the AIP problems that students enjoy are often similar to the problems The allowed topics are drawn from a syllabus that is similar member societies (including APS) are the primary sponsors posed by Newton, Einstein, or Feynman. to algebra-based AP Physics. The use of calculus to solve of the U.S. Team. All members of the U.S. Team have fun doing physics: problems is permitted, but is expected to be minimal. Each The U.S. Team selection process is managed through two One of their favorite activities is competing against the nation is allowed to bring five high school competitors and exams: a 25-question multiple-choice exam that covers New- coaches to solve “Fermi problems” — order-of-magnitude two leaders; the leaders help moderate the exams. tonian mechanics is given to some 5,000 students. The top back-of-the-envelope physics calculations. It is, in fact, this There are three theoretical questions, but the level of 400 or so are invited to sit a six-question long-answer exam playfulness that likely enables the U.S. Team to over-perform difficulty of the exam has grown over the past four decades that covers mechanics, thermodynamics, modern physics when compared to countries with considerably more extensive to the point that each question is usually composed of many (including relativity), and electrodynamics. Exam ques- training programs. parts. These questions are set by the host country, but then tions are designed to test fundamental physics as well as The U.S. Team has 10 structured days of training followed debated and approved by the international board, which is problem-solving techniques, and often require the competi- by several weeks of independent study. The other top-per- composed of two leaders from each of the represented coun- tors to construct analytical, numerical, or graphical solutions. forming nations have training programs that consist of a mix tries. These board discussions take place after the opening Ordinarily the top 20 eligible competitors are invited to the of supervised and independent work that takes place over ceremony and after the leaders are removed from contact ten-day training camp. the course of many months, and some for longer than a year. with the competitors. The IPhO enables current high school students who love Host countries are expected to draw from the entire syl- "Exam questions are designed to test fundamental problem-solving to do just that: solve problems. The students labus, and often select problems of relevance to the host physics as well as problem-solving techniques...." relish rising to the challenge and engaging in intellectual nation. In Vietnam, a problem was devoted to the physics of competition, and the degree of difficulty of the problems has a rice pounder; in Denmark, one was devoted to Greenland. increased over the years to reflect that. Though the Olympiad Sometimes the problems are farfetched, such as the problem As with most nations, the U.S. Team struggles with suc- is not a program for creating future Ph.D. physicists, U.S. from Singapore: What would be seen by a pinhole camera cessful recruitment of underrepresented groups. Several Team members go on to careers in the STEM fields and also observing an object that is moving at relativistic speeds? years ago the U.S. Physics Olympiad publicized the names in economics. Former team members have become professors Preparing the experimental portion of the IPhO is prob- of all the competitors (rather than just those selected for the in a multitude of disciplines, Wall Street analysts, medical ably the most difficult, requiring some 400 pieces of reliable team). This public recognition increased interest in the exam, doctors, engineers in Silicon Valley, and yes, even physicists. and accurate experimental apparatus. Moreover, unforeseen but also resulted in the challenging of exam scores by the For more information, visit www.ipho.org and www.aapt. problems with room lighting, room temperature, or floor competitors, their teachers, and their parents. org/physicsteam/2015. vibrations do sometimes arise. The demographics are interesting. First-generation Asians Paul Stanley is professor of phys- Some exams have had some particularly interesting experi- have a strong presence in the U.S. Team, a pattern that goes ics at Beloit College and the holder ments. In Mexico competitors assembled an optics table back at least a dozen years; often more than half of the team of the Dobson Endowed Chair of using cabinetry parts in order to measure the wavelength of is composed of such students. The racial diversity of those Physics. He has also served as chair light with a millimeter scale, taking advantage of the fringes current and former U.S. Team members who were not first of the natural sciences since 2012. produced when circularly diffracted light interferes with light generation Asians is much closer to that of the U.S. population He has been involved with the U.S. diffracted off of a single straightedge. Korea developed a as a whole, but the presence of African-American or Hispanic Physics Team since 2003, and he mechanical spring system that was enclosed in a tube. Com- students, while not zero, is lower than the corresponding has been academic director of the petitors determined the spring constants of the springs and percentages of the population. program since 2008.

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