Jailed for More Than Four Months, Physicist Faces Deportation Threat by Ernie Tretkoff

Inside This Issue NEWSFebruary 2004 Volume 13, No. 2 A Publication of The American Physical Society http://www.aps.org/apsnews

Jailed for More Than Four Months, Physicist Faces Deportation Threat By Ernie Tretkoff

In what he describes as a Kafkaesque nightmare, Branislav Djordjevic, a Serbian physicist and software engineer, recently spent over four months in jail in Virginia for an inadvertent immigration violation. Though he was released on bond in late December, he still faces possible deportation. APS leaders and its Committee on International Freedom of Scien- tists (CIFS) have written letters to immigration authorities on his behalf and continue to support his case, Free WYP Poster Inside but the outcome remains uncertain. Included in this month’s APS News is a poster advertising the Djordjevic, 48, came to the US World Year of Physics, which will take place in 2005. But it’s not from Yugoslavia in April 1991. Then early—there is good reason to display it in 2004. The whole idea of a PhD candidate in physics in the World Year of Physics is to get the word out about the impor- Belgrade, he planned to spend a se- tance and excitement of physics to the general public. And the only mester as a visiting scholar at Photo Credit: Ernie Tretkoff people who can do that are the members of the physics community, Michigan State University, working At home after his release from prison, Branislav Djordjevic holds his son Marko, who have to begin planning in 2004 if the effort is to succeed. with Michael Thorpe. while his wife Dragana, his daughter Milica, and Dragana’s uncle look on. The poster is attractive, and worth putting up for that reason alone. Soon after his arrival in the US, But its main purpose is to remind our members, whether they are in war broke out in Yugoslavia. industry, universities, or national labs, to participate in the 2005 cel- Djordjevic had been politically semiconductors. He developed a wife, Dragana, (whom he met in ebration. Much more information, and suggestions for how to active against Milosevic, and learned computer model of the material that Yugoslavia and married in the US), participate, are available at the WYP web site, www.physics2005.org. that military police had raided his was “the biggest model at the time, their two children, both of whom are home in Belgrade. Friends warned and still attracts a lot of attention,” US citizens, and Dragana’s disabled him not to return. With the help of he said. uncle, also a US citizen. an immigration lawyer in Michigan, After completing his PhD in 1996, In May 2002, Djordjevic was he filed for political asylum in the he went to work for a small com- granted an approval notice for an INSIDE THE BELTWAY: US. Djordjevic remained at Michi- puter software company in H1-B visa, which would have been gan State, studying amorphous Michigan, and then moved to the valid through 2004, but his former A Washington Analysis diamond, a carbon-based material Washington, DC area to accept a job attorneys never followed procedures that has properties similar to dia- as a telecommunications software for him to receive the visa. Verizon mond but is cheaper to produce and specialist with Verizon. also sponsored Djordjevic for a green Holding the Reins of Power is useful in many industries, includ- He bought a house in Falls card, and he was in the process of ing automobiles, razor blades, and Church, VA, and lived there with his See DEPORTATION on page 2 Doesn’t Mean You’re in Control By Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs Amy Flatten is New APS Director of It was supposed to be using parliamentary ma- International Affairs a slam dunk. The Repub- neuvers and filibusters to licans controlled the tie up legislation, block Amy Flatten, formerly with the beyond the scientific disciplines of Advisor. As OSTP’s lead on US- House, the Senate and the several key judicial ap- Office of Science and Technology her fiber optic PhD research to Russian scientific relations, she par- White House. And Presi- pointments and hold up Policy (OSTP), has joined the APS manage a breadth of international ticularly focused upon US-Russian dent Bush was riding selected Executive Branch as its new Director of International S&T initiatives involving govern- physics cooperation, where she pro- high after the March in- appointments. They suc- Affairs. ment, academia, and industry on moted new opportunities for vasion of Iraq toppled ceeded in their mischief Flatten begins her new position behalf of the President’s Science collaborative research and worked Saddam Hussein with few because Republicans held February 1, 2004, replacing with diverse government repre- American fatalities. a mere two seat advantage Irving Lerch, who established the sentatives at all levels to remove Washington was poised for a and, more often than not, Society’s international efforts obstacles to establishing a Memo- GOP Trifecta: getting the could not muster the 3/5 super ma- more than ten years ago and randum of Understanding in High President’s budget passed on time jority need to close off debate. retired in December [see APS Energy and Nuclear Physics. Her and intact, enacting long-awaited At the start of the session, con- NEWS, January 2004]. Since responsibilities have also required energy legislation, and seizing gressional leaders pledged to have receiving her PhD in Engineer- multiple trips to Moscow for meet- Democratic turf by fixing Medicare all thirteen appropriations bills ing Science and Mechanics from ings with Russia’s S&T Ministry to and making prescription drugs See BELTWAY on page 3 the Georgia Institute of Technol- establish high-priority scientific available to the elderly. ogy, Flatten has worked in issues for the US-Russia Joint By year’s end, the Republicans private industry, academia, and S&T Committee, co-chaired by had succeeded in achieving only HHighlights the Federal government. Since Russia’s S&T Minister and the US the last goal. The Energy Bill re- 1995, Flatten has also held a fac- President’s Science Advisor. mained stalled by regional ulty position with the Johns In addition to her bilateral differences over ethanol supports Hopkins Part-Time Engineering activities with Russia, Flatten was and MTBE indemnities. And most 12 and Applied Sciences Program, responsible for bringing together of the appropriations bills never The Back where she received the 2000 multiple Federal agencies to made it through the Senate. Page Excellence in Teaching Award. advance UNESCO’s S&T activi- Democrats, as might be expected, William A. Wulf on the impact of cur- Serving nearly five years with ties after President Bush offered little help. In the Senate, they rent visa restriction the OSTP, Flatten branched Photo Credit: Lalena Lancaster See FLATTEN on page 4 peppered their rivals with sniper fire, on national security. 2 February 2004 NEWS

This Month in Physics History February 9, 1990: Death of George de Mestral “You would never think going “Under the most favorable dis- home and turning on the faucet tribution model, we can say at the Sardonic talk show host David clothing and sports apparel real- that something so familiar could 95 percent confidence level that Letterman delighted millions ized the possibilities, and soon the contain so many stories.” this first generation of gravitational across the country when he company was selling over 60 mil- —Wendy Zhang, University of wave detectors could register a attached himself to a wall of lion yards of Velcro per year, making Chicago, on studying how drops drip, neutron star merger every one to Velcro as part of his late night de Mestral a multimillionaire. He The Baltimore Sun, December 1, 2003 two years,” antics, inspired by a quirky bar- died on February 9,1990, and was ✶✶✶ —Vicky Kalogera, Northwestern room pastime of tossing midgets inducted into the National “There are some indications that University, Times-Picayune (New onto similarly constructed walls. Inventor’s Hall of Fame in 1999. the X(3872) may be the first example Orleans, LA), December 4, 2003 Today, Velcro is everywhere, rival- From a purely scientific stand- ✶✶✶ of a new type of subatomic particle, ing the zipper in its ingenuity and point, Velcro belongs to a class of one where two more ordinary par- “We don’t basically know what the extent to which it has perme- materials called polymers, which ticles attach to each other, similar to 99 percent of the universe is. This ated our daily lives. But it wasn’t contain many chemically bonded the way atoms stick together to form mine is a telescope into that new your Uncle Milton (or Frank, or units which are themselves bonded molecules. If so, this is the first world.” Harold, or any number of distant Photo Credit: Francoise and Charles together to form a solid. de Mestral glimpse of a whole new realm of —Jordan Goodman, University of relatives that seek to lay claim to Traditionally made of out George de Mestral, subatomic physics.” Maryland, on plans to develop an units origins) that invented this of nylon, Velcro can be —Stephen Olsen, University of derground laboratory in the holding a strip of unique little gadget. It was a Swiss Velcro® made out of other materi- Hawaii, The Honolulu Advertiser, Homestake gold mine, The Boston engineer named George de als as well, such as plastic, December 3, 2003 Globe, January 2, 2004 Mestral. of invention and, stainless steel and silver, ✶✶✶ ✶✶✶ Born in June 1907 in Lausanne, working on a small which provide unique “At the present moment, there “We’ll never go to these stars. Switzerland to working class par- loom by hand, properties, such as flame is to the best of my knowledge no These cosmic rays deliver the ma- ents, as a young boy de Mestral managed to weave retardance and the ability Photo credit: James Elstrom model that explains all of the data.” terial right to our doors.” was fond of both the great out- two cotton tapes to withstand higher tem- Velcro® under the microscope —Lawrence Cardman, Thomas —Bob Binns, Washington University, doors and coming up with new that, when pressed peratures. Today, Velcro is Jefferson National Accelerator on Trans-Iron Galactic Element inventions. In fact, at the age of together, fastened just as strongly as used in sneakers, backpacks, jack- Facility, on the possible discovery of a Recorder, or TIGER, a cosmic ray 12, he designed a toy airplane and the burrs did. Eventually de Mestral ets, wallets, watchbands, blood five-quark particle, New York Times, experiment in Antarctica, St. Louis received his very first patent for discovered that nylon, when sewn pressure cuffs, and toys like child December 30, 2003 Post-Dispatch, December 25, 2003 it. By working odd jobs, he paid under infrared light, formed nearly safe dart boards. It even helped for his studies at the Ecole indestructible hooks, and this hold a human heart together dur- DEPORTATION from page 1 Polytechnique Federale de eventually replaced cotton as the ing the first artificial heart surgery. Lausanne, focusing on engineer- primary material. But Velcro is more than just a adjusting to permanent resident immigration system is fraught with ing. After finishing school he took De Mestral called his invention convenient fastener for consumer status. problems. There’s not a lot in the sys- a job in the machine shop of a Velcro, from the French words goods. It is also an excellent Then in December 2002, the INS tem that’s clear.” Swiss engineering company, VELours (meaning “velvet”) and example of the emerging field of denied Djordjevic’s appeal for asy- During his months in jail, which still left him sufficient CROchet (meaning “hook”) and biomimicry, which studies models lum. The law requires applicants Djordjevic often felt discouraged by leisure time to pursue his first love applied for a patent with the Swiss and concepts found in Nature, and denied asylum to leave the country the seemingly endless legal battle and of inventing. government, which was granted in uses them as inspiration for new within 30 days or apply for a new uncertain outcome, and was most In 1948, de Mestral took a two 1955; he received subsequent pat- designs and processes to solve very judgment. Djordjevic’s former law- distressed by the separation from his week holiday from work to go ents in Germany, Great Britain, human problems. Sonar is another yer failed to notify him, and left the family, especially his two children, game bird hunting. While out with Sweden, Italy, Holland, Belgium, example: the technology was in- country, dropping his case entirely. ages 5 and 7, who were not allowed his Irish pointer in the Jura Moun- France, Canada and the US. The spired by the way whales and So the 30 days had long since ex- to visit him. tains, he was plagued by trademark name Velcro was offi- dolphins navigate in water, and pired by the time he learned of the “Every day I feel enormous pain cockleburs, which stuck relent- cially registered on May 13, 1958. how bats employ echolocation by denial. and stress from not being able to lessly both to his hunting pants, By then, de Mestral had quit his job emitting high pitched sounds to On July 30, 2003, at about 5 a.m., hug my kids for so long time, and and to his dog’s fur. It was so diffi- with the engineering firm and navigate in the dark. Some scien- when immigration authorities raided not even knowing when they will cult to disentangle the tenacious obtained a $150,000 loan to per- tists are studying spider silk, which the family’s house and arrested release me,” he wrote in a letter seed pods that de Mestral was fect the concept. He established his is ten times stronger than steel Djordjevic, he still did not know what from jail to Irving Lerch, then intrigued, and examined them un- own company, Velcro S.A., in Swit- would be at that thickness, in the problem was. Director of APS International der a microscope. He noticed that zerland to manufacture his new hopes of imitating those proper- He was taken to jail and held for Affairs, and now retired. the exterior of each burr was cov- hook and loop fasteners, which con- ties. The ultimate goal of months as legal proceedings dragged Describing the conditions in ered with hundreds of tiny hooks tained 300 hooks and loops per biomimicry is to create products, on, because the government consid- Hampton Roads Regional Jail, that “grabbed” into loops of square inch. processes and policies that are well ered him a flight risk. “That I was a Djordjevic wrote, “ For four and half thread or fur. Inspired by Nature’s Since mass production proved adapted to life on Earth in the long flight risk was really a ridiculous ar- months I have not seen the daylight, ingenuity, he conceived of a simi- problematic with existing manufac- term. gument,” said Djordjevic. “When I or taken a breath of fresh air. Neon lar man-made fastener based on turing technology, de Mestral Further ReadingReading: heard that, it was like someone tell- lights are always on in this place, so the design. designed a special machine to Official Velcro web site: ing me snow is black.” you feel like [you are] living in a deep He conferred with numerous duplicate the hooks and loops. By http://www.velcro.com Since Djordjevic’s immigration basement.” fabric and cloth experts in Lyon, the end of the 1950s, textile shuttle Freeman, Allyn, and Golden, troubles began in Michigan but he Officers allowed Djordjevic only France—then the worldwide cen- looms were able to mass produce Bob. Why Didn’t I Think of That? Bi- was being held in Virginia, the gov- the core of a ballpoint pen to write ter for the weaving industry —but the product. Introduced in 1960, zarre Origins of Ingenious Inventions ernment raised arguments over with. An air conditioner constantly most were skeptical that the idea Velcro was not an immediate suc- We Couldn’t Live Without. John which court had jurisdiction to re- blasted air directly into his face as he would work. In his early attempts, cess, but it was adopted by the Wiley & Sons, 1997. lease him on bond, complicating and tried to sleep. Authorities denied his the loops were too big for the aerospace industry as an aid to get- Roberts, Royston. Serendipity: delaying the case. requests for confession and com- hooks, or vice versa. But one ting in and out of bulky space suits. Accidental Discoveries in Science. Djordjevic’s lawyer, Douglas munion with a priest from his weaver shared de Mestral’s love But then manufacturers of children’s John Wiley & Sons, 1989. Wachholz, called the case one of the Eastern Orthodox church. most complicated he’d seen in 30 “I felt I was halfway to the grave,” years, though he added that “The See DEPORTATION on page 11

Series II, Vol. 13, No. 02 Department, American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Editor-in-Chief Cargill*, III (Materials), Bunny C. Clark (Nuclear), February 2004 College Park, MD 20740-3844, [email protected]. Martin Blume*, Brookhaven National Laboratory John Jaros (Particles & Fields), Stephen Holmes Past-President ©2004 The American Physical Society For Nonmembers—Circulation and Fulfillment (Physics of Beams), James Drake (Plasma), Timothy P. NEWS Division, American Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 Myriam P. Sarachik*, City College of New York - CUNY Lodge, (Polymer Physics), Gian Vidali, (New York Huntington Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. General Councillors Section), Joe Hamilton (Southeast Section) Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Allow at least 6 weeks advance notice. For address Jonathan A. Bagger*, Janet Conrad, Frances Houle, Evelyn changes, please send both the old and new addresses, Hu, Gerald Mahan, Cherry Ann Murray*, Arthur Ramirez, ADVISORS Editor ...... Alan Chodos and, if possible, include a mailing label from a recent Laura Smoliar Representatives from Other Societies Associate Editor ...... Jennifer Ouellette issue. Requests from subscribers for missing issues will International Councillor Jim Nelson, AAPT; Marc Brodsky, AIP Special Publications Manager ...... Elizabeth Buchan-Higgins be honored without charge only if received within 6 Sukekatsu Ushioda months of the issue’s actual date of publication. Periodical International Advisors Design and Production ...... Stephanie Jankowski Postage Paid at College Park, MD and at additional mailing Chair, Nominating Committee Héctor O. Murrieta Sánchez, Mexican Physical Society, Forefronts Editor ...... Neville Connell offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS News, John Peoples Bela Joos, Canadian Association of Physicists Proofreader ...... Edward Lee Membership Department, American Physical Society, APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X The APS reserves the right to select and to edit for length One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Staff Representatives yearly, monthly, except the August/September issue, or clarity. All correspondence regarding APS News should Arthur Bienenstock Alan Chodos, Associate Executive Officer; Amy Flatten, by the American Physical Society, One Physics be directed to: Editor, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, APS COUNCIL 2004 Director of International Affairs; Fredrick Stein, Director Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209- College Park, MD 20749-3844, E-mail: [email protected]. President Division, Forum and Section Councillors of Education and Outreach; Robert L. Park, Director, 3200. It contains news of the Society and of its Helen R. Quinn*, Stanford University (SLAC) Edward “Rocky” Kolb (Astrophysics), Kate Kirby (Atomic, Public Information; Michael Lubell, Director, Public Divisions, Topical Groups, Sections and Forums; Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership President-Elect Molecular & Optical Physics), Robert Eisenberg Affairs; Stanley Brown, Editorial Director; Charles advance information on meetings of the Society; publication delivered by Periodical Mail. Members Marvin L. Cohen*, University of California, Berkeley (Biological), Sylvia Ceyer (Chemical), Moses H. Chan Muller, Director, Journal Operations; Michael Stephens, and reports to the Society by its committees and residing abroad may receive airfreight delivery for a fee Vice-President (Condensed Matter Physics), Richard Martin Controller and Assistant Treasurer task forces, as well as opinions. of $15. Nonmembers: Subscription rates are available John Bahcall*, Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton (Computational), Harry Swinney (Fluid Dynamics), Peter Council Administrator at http://librarians.aps.org/institutional.html. Executive Officer Zimmerman (Forum on Education), Gloria Lubkin (Forum Ken Cole Letters to the editor are welcomed from the Judy R. Franz*, University of Alabama, Huntsville (on leave) on History of Physics), Patricia Mooney (Forum on membership. Letters must be signed and should Subscription orders, renewals and address changes should Treasurer Industrial and Applied Physics), James Vary (Forum on include an address and daytime telephone number. be addressed as follows: For APS Members—Membership Thomas McIlrath*, University of Maryland (emeritus) International Physics), Philip “Bo” Hammer (Forum on * Members of the APS Executive Board Physics and Society), J. H. Eberly (Laser Science), G. Slade NEWS February 2004 3

Editor’s Note: Please send ethical questions for Jordan Moiers or comments The Sleep-Retardant Properties of My Ex-Girlfriend to: [email protected], or by mail to Jordan Moiers, c/o APS News, One Physics By Ryan Shaun Baker Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Contributors should identify themselves, but their names and addresses will be held strictly confidential unless they request The importance of a good I would like to con- otherwise. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of night’s sleep cannot be overes- Seeking the Right Balance clude by encouraging either the APS or APS News. ✶✶✶ timated. Getting more than 7 Lately our Zero Gravity columns have been over- others to embark on this hours of sleep a night helps in whelmingly male-oriented. The current one is an sort of data-collection Here’s a real dilemma, and how I handled it (not quite right). retention and deep encoding example, as was last month’s which had 3 physicists activity in their own lives. While waiting for a referee’s report on a paper of mine, I received (from of information, which is essen- talking baseball. In November we reprinted a New By helping me identify the same journal) for review a paper with substantial overlap (but obviously tial in graduate school. Also, Yorker column by Woody Allen so stereotypically and eliminate the fore- independent of mine). The subject was [a field of theoretical physics] in getting sufficient amounts of male that we received a number of letters in protest. most factor reducing the which reviewing is notoriously capricious and often malicious. I was afraid sleep results in a better mood We need help. We’d love to print humor about amount of sleep I get, it that my paper would be rejected, while I knew, based on a casual glance, that and a greater level of happi- science written from a female point of view. But we’ve has enriched my life. I I would write a favorable review of the paper submitted to me. In that event, ness. Given this, I decided to had a hard time finding any. Readers with examples believe it will enrich your the author of the other paper would receive priority and all the credit, even conduct a study on those fac- they’d be willing to share can simply send them to life as well. though we had both done similar work, independently and simultaneously. tors which influenced the [email protected]. We will be very grateful. What should I have done? Should I have withdrawn as referee of the paper amount of sleep I was getting, Ryan Shaun Baker is sent me (relieving me of the conflict of interest, but exposing the other in order to determine how to with the Human-Computer author to a possible negative review, and myself to the risk that he would get more sleep. One factor which I She proposed that, instead of Interaction Institute at Carnegie receive a favorable review and myself a negative one)? predicted would have especially taking hasty action, we conduct an Mellon University. What I actually did was to delay reviewing the paper sent me until I large effects was my girlfriend at the experimental study where we flip received a review of mine, which turned out to be favorable. Then I immedi- time, Hermina. a coin each night to determine References ately wrote a (justified) favorable review of the paper sent me. How could I Over the course of 28 consecu- whether I would sleep at her apart- 1. Are You Getting Enough Sleep? ensure that both papers were published promptly, so that credit would be tive nights, I collected data on the ment or my own, in order to prove [pamphlet], University of Iowa shared, without exposing either myself or the other author to the risks of an number of hours of sleep I a causative effect. Student Health, 2001. unpredictable review? obtained, and on a number of fac- Obviously, I rejected this sug- 2. Wellness: A Lifetime Commit- (Name and address withheld) tors that might potentially affect the gestion. Although this study is ment, Patricia A. Floyd, et al., Hunter amount of sleep obtained. These insufficient to conclusively prove Textbooks, 1991. Jordan Moiers responds: variables included: Hermina’s causative role, this 3. Uncoupling: Turning Points in As you point out, the way that you handled your dilemma was not quite • Whether or not I had read in strong a correlation, and the Intimate Relationships, Diane right. I understand your concerns; peer review is hardly perfect, and may bed that night. importance of getting enough Vaughan, Vintage Books, 1990. indeed be capricious and malicious on occasion. But the best way to ensure • Whether it was a weeknight sleep, are sufficient together to sug- ©Copyright 2002 Annals of the integrity of a system based on mutual trust of professionals is to strive to or weekend night. gest that action needs to be taken Improbable Research (AIR). Reprinted maintain our individual integrity. Although the outcome in this particular • Whether I had gone drinking. expeditiously. (in shortened form) with permission. case was benign, in delaying your review you potentially exposed yourself • Whether I had attended a to the temptation to commit even greater transgressions. After all, what social event. BELTWAY from page 1 would you have done if your own paper had been rejected while you sat on • Whether I had been feeling ill the paper your were asked to referee? Would you have been tempted to the previous day. ready for the President to sign by almost $40 billion worth. Without a write an unfavorable review of a paper (which you believed should have • Whether I had an academic October 1, the beginning of Fiscal doubt this left bean counters at the been published) in order to level the playing field? Pardon me for pointing deadline. Year 2004. But by June it became Office of Management and Budget out the obvious irony, but the very act of delaying your response effectively • Whether I was returning a clear that, although the House fuming. And it exploded the myth contributed to the capriciousness and maliciousness that concerned you in graded homework assignment in might be able to meet the dead- that only Democrats are big spend- the first place. There are, however, better reasons than my nagging for you the class I TA the next day. line, the Senate surely wouldn’t. ers, especially when it comes to to approach the dilemma differently than you did, as Ask the Ethicist discov- • How late in the day my first As the dog days of August ap- parochial district and state projects. ered in a recent interview with Stanley Brown, editorial director of APS meeting or class was. proached, a new deadline was set: The first session of the 108th journals. “Simultaneous submissions of papers with significant overlap are • How much sleep I had gotten November 11, Veterans’ Day, when Congress might not have been the fairly rare,” says Brown. “Sometimes we learn about the overlap from the the night before. Congress planned to adjourn for exemplar of good government, but authors themselves. Usually the journal editors discover the similarity.” There • How much sleep I had gotten the year. That, too, turned out to science came out of the legislative is no guarantee that journal editors will catch every instance, but Brown the previous two nights. be a dose of misplaced optimism. chaos in far better shape than most believes that they catch most of them. In the case of Physical Review Letters in • Whether or not I had slept at Fiscal Year 2004 began with Beltway pundits thought it would. particular, editors are assigned to oversee submissions based on subject Hermina’s apartment or my own. only three appropriations bills Many of us were convinced that matter, and they are very likely to notice similarities between papers. I used these variables in order signed into law: Defense, Home- Congress, faced with a tsunami of Once they identify papers with significant overlap, editors will often arrange to develop a regression model to land Security and the Legislative red ink, would heed White House to send the submissions together to the same referees, ensuring that the papers explain the amount I slept. The Branch. The rest of the govern- demands for discretionary budget get consistent treatment. Assuming that similar papers are final regression model was ment went onto a month-long restraint and trim science funding. accepted for publication the same issue of a Physical Review journal, the papers S= -2.018 H + 7.47 Continuing Resolution. For civil- That did happen in the case of the are generally published back-to-back in order of the submission date. The dis- In essence, what this model ian science, that meant that no new Defense Department’s 6.1 basic covery of the top quark at Fermilab was one notable instance in which means is that I got an average of projects could be started. research program which took a simultaneous, similar submissions were published adjacently. Should you have two hours and one minute less On October 31, Congress was 0.9% hit, the NIST labs operating recused yourself from refereeing a paper similar to your own? “No,” says Brown. sleep when I slept at Hermina’s forced to pass another Continuing budget which lost 2.0% and USDA “Referees should certainly make us aware of potential conflicts, but it doesn’t apartment rather than my own. Resolution, since Senate appropria- research programs, which absorbed necessarily pose a problem. We have had referees step down of their own accord This is clear evidence for Hermina’s tions action remained stalled. a 5% cut. for that reason, although it’s not very common. We can potentially coordinate sleep-retardant properties. Legislators would repeat the process Elsewhere, though, science budgets things to ensure that the process is equitable.” Historically, there have been many After obtaining these results, the three more times, before both houses expanded modestly: by 3.1% at NIH, occasions that independent scientists have proposed theories or announced appropriate course of action adjourned at the beginning of 3.6% in the case of the DOD’s 6.2 discoveries essentially simultaneously. If anything, the frequency of simultaneous became clear. I spoke to Hermina December. By then, the President applied research program, 3.8% at the submissions of similar works seems likely to increase thanks to the rapid commu- and explained my study and its had signed only three more appro- DOE’s Office of Science, 5.0 % at NSF nication that is the hallmark of the information age, as well as the free flow of ideas results, as well as the importance priations bills: Military Construction, and 5.7% at NASA Science, Aeronau- promoted by conferences and workshops. I hope you take some comfort in the of getting sufficient sleep. Interior and Energy and Water. And tics and Exploration. fact that Stanley Brown and the other APS journal editors are prepared to handle I concluded by explaining that, congressional leaders had given up One big loss occurred on the au- such events as fairly as possible. due to her sleep-retardant proper- all hope of passing the remaining thorization side. The R&D portion Finally, you should bear in mind that while a single referee’s opinion is ties, I could not continue to sleep seven bills individually. of the Energy Bill would have set the highly influential, you cannot guarantee that a paper will or will not be with her, an act she termed “break- On November 25, House Sen- DOE Office of Science on a doubling published based on your actions. Nor can you ensure that either your own ing up.” ate conferees announced a deal on path, mimicking the NSF authoriza- paper or one that you are refereeing will not be subject to an unpredictable I should mention that Hermina an Omnibus Bill to fund all of the tion legislation that the President (i.e. unfavorable) review by another referee. That’s the great thing about the suggested that my data, being from programs left hanging. The House signed into law in December 2002. peer review system when it’s working properly—no single person has abso- an observational study rather than returned from an extended Whether Congress will be able to lute control over the decision to publish. On the other hand, by making the an experimental study, only shows Thanksgiving recess for one day on break the Energy log jam during the journal editors aware of the situation you can improve the likelihood that correlations rather than causation, December 9 and adopted the mea- second session and establish the prin- both papers will be addressed in a uniform fashion. In the event that you and that it was quite possible that I sure, leaving it ready for January ciple that the interdependence of the again find yourself reviewing a paper that you believe has substantial over- had only chosen to sleep at her Senate consideration. sciences demands parity in funding lap with another paper under review (whether it’s yours or someone else’s apartment on nights when I was less Apart from setting a record for research across disciplines remains that you may be familiar with), you should let the journal editors know tired, or that I had actually chosen deficit spending, the $373 billion bill to be seen. What seems more likely about it as early as possible. You’ll keep your conscience clear while helping to get less sleep on nights when I established a new mark for congres- is that legislative chaos will be the to make sure that the occasionally imperfect peer review process is a little had come to her apartment. sional pork, by some estimates, norm once again during 2004. less capricious and malicious. 4 February 2004 NEWS LETTERS

UC Campus Maintains Commitment to Physics What Really Happened That Morning in Georgia? We are writing regarding the Earlier this year the department article “California Physics Depart- successfully recruited National Acad- Regarding the letter from Trinity explosion at Macon, been seen at Macon. ments Face More Budget Cuts in an emy of Science member Zach Fisk Berol Robinson in the November Georgia. Some of the brilliant light Uncertain Future” [APS News, De- in condensed matter experiment and APS News, under the heading Macon is approximately 23 from the explosion may have cember 2003] to correct some also completed its Cosmology Initia- “Saw Flash Two Time Zones degrees of longitude and 1,400 traveled upward to the altitude confusion regarding UC Davis and tive, highlighted by the recruitment Away”, I must disagree with the miles from the Trinity Site. A “back- of 330 miles and in principle to convey the campus’s commitment of NAS member Tony Tyson. conclusion that the writer saw of-the-envelope” calculation have been viewable from Ma- to its physics department. On the heels of the Cosmology Ini- light from the first nuclear bomb (aided by a pocket calculator) con. But there is effectively The article’s Science magazine tiative, the department launched the explosion at Trinity, New Mexico. shows that the horizontal line-of nothing at that altitude to scat- quote regarding UC Davis’ poten- High Energy Frontier Theory Initiative As a person who has seen a sight from Macon passes approxi- ter the light into a path toward tially losing 72 faculty slots actually (HEFTI). It is recruiting now for HEFTI ship with a mast 50 feet high mately 330 miles above the earth’s Macon. Ninety-nine percent of refers to the College of Agricultural and for a high energy experimentalist disappear over the horizon at a surface at Trinity site. the atmosphere is below 31 and Environmental Sciences, which to prepare for the LHC discovery era. distance of 20 to 25 miles, I Neither the explosion itself miles altitude. suffered a state-targeted 30% bud- When Zach Fisk and Tony Tyson intuitively felt that it would be nor the light reflected from Bernard D. Kern get cut. The general campus fared come onboard in 2004, one junior- impossible to see light from the clouds over Trinity could have Lexington, KY much better as enrollment growth faculty slot each will be allocated in has so far been funded in full and their respective areas. Even in these Berol Robinson replies: UC Davis is in a growth phase—its difficult budget times, UC Davis To interpret this unique ob- American in June, 1963. All scat- in every field of view. An artifi- freshman class is the largest in the remains committed to strong sup- servation, I assumed a light path tering layers above about 50 km cial guide star was developed for UC system this year and has been port and growth for our physics from Trinity to my eye somewhat are now called mesospheric. the Lick Observatory by Claire for the past several years. department. different from that suggested by Sunlight reflected from mesos- Max and her co-workers at Because of this growth phase and Barry Klein, Professor Kern. I imagined for- pheric clouds has even been seen Lawrence Livermore National because the administration recog- Winston Ko ward scattering in/on a layer at from above, according to the re- Laboratory (see p.1649 in the nizes the importance of the quality Davis, CA altitude H, about halfway be- ports of Soviet Cosmonauts. September 12, 1997 issue of Sci- of the physics department to the The authors are respectively Vice- tween Trinity and Warner Robins Gary Thomas published an ence). campus as a whole, the department Chancellor for Research and Dean of (over eastern Texas, between extensive review paper in Reviews Laser light, at the wavelength is being allowed to maintain the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Dallas and Texarkana). H comes of Geophysics in November, 1991 of the sodium D line, is projected momentum of its current buildup. at UC Davis. out to be about 85 km. (pp. 553-575). upwards through an auxiliary tele- What is up there? There is in fact a practical scope fixed to the main telescope; Hungarian Ruler not a Fascist Dictator The body of reported application of the mesospheric it is resonantly absorbed by so- In “This month in physics history” months suffering of the country dur- sightings of light-scattering lay- layer in astronomy. Reflecting tele- dium in the mesospheric layer at [APS News, November 2003 ] we are ing a “Proletarian Dictatorship” ers at high altitude dates from scopes with adaptive optics (in about 95 km and re-emitted to told that in the 1920’s “Hungary was preceding Horthy’s coming to before the turn of the 20th Cen- which the shape of the parabola is form the artificial guide star. ruled by a virulently anti-semitic fas- power). tury; they were invoked continuously modified in an effort When viewed from the side, cist dictator”. In fact, the first two years of his originally to explain the after- to minimize the effect of atmo- the artificial guide star is about This is false. reign were marked by some low-level twilight phenomenon called spheric turbulence) require a three kilometers long (thickness Admiral Nicolaus Horthy was populistic folk-violence, which he “noctilucent clouds”. relatively bright “guide star” to drive of the mesospheric layer), but it elected according to internationally eventually put under control. He was An early review by Robert K. the adaptive optics system. But a varies from night to night in in- accepted and constitutional rules to never “virulently anti-semitic”. In Soberman appeared in Scientific suitable guide star is not available tensity, in height and in length. become Regent of Hungary, and he fact, during the apocalyptic year led the country by a then acceptable 1944 he saved the lives of about (but imperfect and occasionally re- 200,000 Jews in Budapest. Despite Stuyvesant Teachers Definitely Above Average pressive) form of parliamentary his many shortcomings and errors, democracy from 1920 to 1944 he was never a “fascist” and never a Regarding the Viewpoint by from the truth in this respect. All each of chemistry, biology, and (when he was arrested and impris- “dictator”. History should not be re- Howard Greyber on Stuyvesant of the teachers with whom I inter- physics. Where else could one oned by the German Nazis). written by journalists — nor indeed High School [APS News, December acted were of a very high caliber; have such an experience? Certainly He was autocratic and an avid by anybody else. 2003]: for the most part, it was a they were extremely dedicated not at Bronx Science or at Brook- anticommunist (quite understand- Paul Roman pretty good overview of my time educators and always spent much lyn Tech. Our program was as full able considering the terrible six Ludenhausen, Germany spent at Stuyvesant (Class of Feb- of their own time with us (after as we wanted it to be and our ruary, 1951), but I am disappointed hours) to be sure we understood teachers motivated us as no oth- Not Wise to Ignore Engineering by the claim that the teachers were and absorbed everything they ers could do. I would like to comment on the problems forced the cancellation average. threw at us. Jack Cazes report of the Energy Department of that program after only a few One could not be any further In my own case, I took two years Boynton Beach, FL 20 year plan on the back page of years, but even so it absorbed a your December 2003 issue. I am not insignificant portion of the Air concerned that the top priority was Force R&D budget. Suppose that FLATTEN from page 1 given to the subject of fusion power. technical problems had not announced that the US would paign, “Global Science and Technol- government, Flatten held private It is customary in R&D projects stopped the project. It might have rejoin. ogy Week (GSTW).” Here she sector positions with high-tech that involve major future engineer- gone on for years, finally culminat- She also led OSTP’s management recruited and led over 40 public and corporations in Washington, DC, ing problems to work on the present ing in a first flight test airplane. of US agency participation in the private organizations, including es- including Booz-Allen Hamilton technical problems and delay the Now is the time to cross that bridge. Global Science Forum of the Orga- sentially every Federal S&T agency, and AT&T Solutions. In January consideration of the engineering. We can always hope for break- nization of Economic Cooperation to develop new educational materi- 1998, she joined the Office of In- In effect saying “Lets cross those throughs that will minimize a and Development (OECD). This als, high-profile events, and national ternational Affairs at the National bridges when we come to them”. The problem, but gravity will not likely involved building and maintaining activities to excite K-12 students Telecommunications and Infor- purpose of this note is to say that go away. Human error and human relations with the scientific commu- across the United States about the mation Administration, which procedure is not always wise. inability to see the future are prob- nity, industry and academia for a global nature of science. GSTW con- operates under the auspices of My illustrative example stems lems that will not go away. At that broad range of projects, such as the veyed to young Americans that by the US Department of Com- from the Air Force Nuclear Air- time an assessment of probabilities OECD’s Task Force on Radio studying math and science in their merce. There, she collaborated plane program many years ago. of a crash and the resultant dam- Astronomy and the Radio Spectrum local communities, they are also part with government and industry for The Navy had found successful age to the environment would have to protect scientific research oppor- of a larger international science and telecom policy development in applications for nuclear power in almost certainly led to the final tunities while supporting the satellite technology enterprise. She also multinational settings such as the the Nuclear Submarine and the cancellation of the program. communications industry’s commer- designed and directed GSTW’s suc- International Telecommunica- Nuclear Carrier. The Air Force de- I am aware that various groups cial interests. cessor, “Excellence in Science, tions Union (ITU) of the United cided to explore the possible have given some consideration to Flatten has served in OSTP during Technology and Mathematics Edu- Nations. applications to its mission. A sub- the future engineering problems of both the Clinton and Bush Administra- cation Week (ESTME Week).” A year later, she was recruited stantial team of scientists and fusion power, often from an tions, and has joined the US President’s ESTME Week was recently desig- to OSTP. “Having the chance to engineers was assembled in several adversarial viewpoint. It seems to Science Advisor for ministerial-level nated by OSTP as a national priority serve in the White House Office of different technical areas. Early in me that it is appropriate at this time meetings throughout the world. Her that should be permanently institu- Science and Technology Policy was the program someone remarked for the Department of Energy to international career opportunities and tionalized under the National a tremendous opportunity. I now that of course the Nuclear Airplane assign some group to make an hon- personal interests have entailed exten- Science and Technology Council. look forward to applying my expe- must not crash. The reaction of the est and thorough assessment of sive travel to both developed and Flatten is hoping to bring this expe- riences from government, participants in the program was those problems with the same developing countries on 5 continents. rience with outreach to bear on the academia, and private industry to that the problem lay far in the fu- vigor that is being put into solu- As one of her major accomplish- APS’ planned activities for the up- the international interests of the ture and not an appropriate tion of today’s technical problems. ments while serving with OSTP, coming World Year of Physics in American Physical Society and to consideration at the time. Phillip R. Carlson Flatten designed, directed and 2005, among other areas. serving its membership as the It is fortunate that technical Pasadena, CA launched a national awareness cam- Prior to joining the Federal Director of International Affairs.” NEWS February 2004 5 ANNOUNCEMENTS DRAFT WORDING APS Bylaws Amendment Prize & Award New Job Web Site for APS Regarding Electronic Approval of Council Resolutions Nominations If you’re looking to fill or find a job, the new APS Online Job Center at http://careers.aps.org is your one-stop shop. Jobseekers and employers Passed: First Council Vote: November 2, 2003 Otto Laporte Award alike will find the APS Job Center, which now receives over a million hits from DEADLINE: 02/10/04 20,000 unique visitors monthly, to be an invaluable resource. In 2003, the Council had two occasions to consider issues that were Established as an APS award in 1985, but The APS Job Center contains hundreds of new jobs posted monthly and brought before it between meetings. It became clear that some sort of existed as a division lectureship prize for offers a database of thousands of resumes. It covers all physics fields plus procedural guidelines were necessary to govern electronic discussion and twelve previous years. The award is to related fields such as materials science, computing, biology, chemistry, and voting on issues under these circumstances. recognize outstanding contributions to fluid engineering. The APS Constitution and Bylaws Committee met via telephone confer- dynamics and to honor Otto Laporte. ence call to draft such guidelines and have approved the following wording EMPLOYERS JOBSEEKERS of an article to be added to the APS Bylaws. The draft wording of this Purpose: To recognize outstanding Whether you’re an HR manager Jobseekers have access to a vari- amendment was approved by the Council on November 2, 2003, with the research accomplishments pertaining or a member of technical staff look- ety of services that take the hassle ing to hire, you can take advantage out of finding a job that’s tailored to to the physics of fluids. provision that the following changes be included: “… a statement that the of valuable services for a low cost. their skills. Executive Officer will attempt to communicate with Council members regard- For example, you can: As a job seeker you can: ing votes using all reasonable means and the three days indicated in paragraph Fluid Dynamics Prize • Post multiple job descriptions • Create your online profile once 5 be changed to read “three working days”. • Receive job applications online and allow prospective employers to DEADLINE: 02/10/04 APS members may address their comments on this amendment to: • Track how often your job is find you, or; Established in 1979 with support from the [email protected]@aps.org. viewed • Maintain confidentiality until Office of Naval Research. • Fill out an Employer profile you are ready to apply for a position section, which allows company in- • Search jobs by multiple criteria ARTICLE XV — Electronic Approval of Council Resolutions Purpose: To recognize and encourage formation to appear at the bottom • Apply for jobs directly online Time sensitive items of some urgency may be brought to the Council outstanding achievement in fluid of each ad you post. to save time and paper electronically for discussion and vote between scheduled meetings. dynamics research. • Create automatic resume • Store multiple copies of alerts—when the perfect person for resumes for different kinds of jobs In such cases, the following procedures should be used: the job posts her resume • Create automatic job alerts— 1. Upon approval of the President, a resolution may be sent to Marshall N. Rosenbluth • Search the resume database you’ll be contacted as soon as your Council members for discussion and action. by keyword and geographic loca- dream job is posted. 2. Members of the Council should be given 5 days for discussion Outstanding Doctoral tion to find someone ideal for the position before any vote is taken. Thesis Award 3. If 10% or more of the Council members object to conducting a DEADLINE: 04/01/04 Established in 1985 (originally as the vote on the resolution electronically, the procedure will be suspended If you have any questions about any of the services, Simon Ramo Award) and endowed in please contact us at [email protected]. and the item placed on the agenda for the next regularly scheduled 1997 by General Atomics Inc. Council meeting. APS SEEKS HEAD OF MEDIA RELATIONS 4. If the President deems that the issues raised during the discus- Purpose: To provide recognition to sion period merit it, he or she may appoint a small committee to exceptional young scientists who have revise the resolution in keeping with the discussion. performed original thesis work of The APS seeks a media relations professional to promote physics in the popular media. Based at APS Headquarters in College Park, MD, this 5. The resolution, in its original or revised form, will then be sent outstanding scientific quality and achievement in the area of plasma position will develop and coordinate all media relations for APS. to the members of Council, who will have 3 working days to vote. physics. Responsibilities include working as part of a team that identifies physics The Executive Officer shall use all reasonable means to contact news stories, locates press contacts in the physics community, and pitches every Council member. For the electronic vote on the resolution to Contact Information: the stories to the national media. be valid, at least 60% of Council members must vote, and the major- http://www.aps.org/praw/ Opportunities to travel exist. ity of those voting must approve it. The qualified applicant will have at least a bachelor’s degree in science, and preferably additional scientific work experience (physics a plus). Considerable experience interacting with the media is necessary. APS Membership Department News Excellent oral and written communication skills are required. Competi- tive starting salary and outstanding benefits package offered. Visit our New Member Benefit for 2004 2004 APS Member Directory APS Bulletins website at: www.aps.org. APS will offer a new journal ben- Members will be contacted at the end Starting in 2004, the APS Member- To apply, send cover letter including salary requirement, efit to members in 2004. APS Member of the year and asked to request either a ship Department will no longer be resume, and contact information for three professional references via e- Article Packs will be available for $50, paper or CD-ROM copy of the 2004 Di- processing orders for APS Bulletins. The mail, fax or conventional mail to: allowing members 20 APS journal ar- rectory. Members will have to notify paper version will be distributed onsite ticle downloads (excluding PROLA and APS of their choice by February 23, at meetings to attendees. Open access to RMP). This is a considerable savings 2004, to receive one of the available all APS Bulletins (current and archived) American Physical Society on single APS article downloads. Look versions. Online directory access is al- will be available online at http:// One Physics Ellipse for more information in your 2004 ways available at http://www.aps.org/ www.aps.org/meet/. College Park, MD 20740-3844 Renewal Packet. memb/enter-directory.html. In addition, APS members can Attn: Joe Ignacio, Director of Human Resources already purchase AIP Journal Packs E-mail to: [email protected] at a 50% discount on http:// Contact Information: Fax to: (301)699-8144 store.aip.org/articlepacks/. 301-209-3280 ´ [email protected]

DEPORTATION from page 2 he said in an interview at his house that Djordjevic was a productive thankful for all the support he Djordjevic worries about the pos- to Congress, and to the DHS. in January. “It was another world. I member of society, whose talents were received. “I am just without words to sibility of being sent back to Serbia, “People need to stand up,” he said. don’t wish this experience to my very much needed in the US. express gratitude for the help I’ve al- which would mean uprooting his “I think there’s a greater threat to worst enemy. It was painful, stress- Edward Gerjuoy, chair of CIFS, ready received from the APS and my family, harming his career, and leav- our liberties from our own govern- ful, and humiliating, especially the was also active in trying to help colleagues, and also from neighbors. ing the community he has become ment than from the terrorists.” separation from family.” Djordjevic. “The argument I’ ve I had support from everyone but the part of. “All major events in my life While Djordjevic was extremely Soon after Djordjevic’s arrest, been trying to make, and we did government. They expressed com- happened in this country. We feel unfortunate, more cases like his may Thorpe and other physicists who had make in our letters, is that here is a passion for me. That’s what I see as this country is our home,” he said. arise, said Lerch. “There are other known Djordjevic in graduate PhD physicist, educated in this the greatness of this country.” “I feel really blessed that I’ve met people at risk because of the Patriot school alerted the APS to his case. country, at public expense. He has Finally, on December 23, after he so many good people here. I feel Act. There are a lot of people in jail APS President Myriam Sarachik been gainfully employed. The gov- had spent 146 days in jail, the 6th cir- even more attached to this coun- who should not be. I think that this wrote a letter to Secretary of Home- ernment has made no allegation cuit court ordered Djordjevic released try, in spite of my experience in jail.” is going to continue to be a problem land Security Tom Ridge asking him that he was involved in terrorism, on bond. “I feel like I came back from After spending time reflecting and may even grow as more and to support Djordjevic’s release, and or that he has a criminal record,” dead,” he said. “When I got out, I on the case, Djordjevic does not more people get caught up in this.” CIFS wrote letters to the Bureau of said Gerjuoy, who is both a lawyer found myself in a paradise. When you see anything he could have done Lerch pointed out that half of Immigration and Customs Enforce- and a physicist. “Why are we come out, you really understand the to prevent what happened. “I can- physics doctorates granted in the US ment. Friends and supporters also deporting this guy? He has some beauty of this world. I still feel very not think how I could do better. I went to foreign-born scholars. set up a website, which includes extremely specialized skills that are strange. It’s hard to explain.” did my best to comply with all the “Clearly this immigrant talent is news of the case, a petition to Tom very important to the US.” Djordjevic’s children, who had laws. I was simply another victim absolutely central to the health and Ridge, and a request for contribu- But all the letters APS sent “have been told he was on a business trip, of the stressful period after 9/11,” welfare of our enterprise,” he said. tions to Djordjevic’s defense fund. gone into the void,” said Gerjuoy. also perked up when he returned. said Djordjevic. “Every academic research com- [People can contribute to the Either there was no response, or “The kids started laughing like nor- People can help Djordjevic most munity should monitor its Djordjevic defense fund at http:// the response was a form letter that mal kids again only when I came now by publicizing his case, said members,” Lerch said, “When a www.freedjordj.org]. essentially said the government home. They’re so happy I’m here Gerjuoy. “Essentially it’s important case comes before them, they Lerch said he sent letters to various could give out no information about that they won’t leave me alone.” that the government realize that this should do everything they can to officials, especially immigration the case because of privacy issues. Still, Djordjevic’s battle is not is an unpopular action, and one support their colleagues and their authorities and the Department of “We got no useful response from over. An appeals court must now which is not only inhuman, from families. Very often, they can pro- Homeland Security. He also attended a any government person we wrote decide whether to deport him. His Djordjevic’s standpoint, but also con- vide expert testimony to the courts. hearing in the Virginia Eastern District to on this case.” wife gets nervous every time the trary to the best interests of the US.” There’s a great deal that any com- Court, and wrote an affidavit arguing Nonetheless Djordjevic felt phone rings, fearing bad news. Wachholz suggests people write munity can do.” 6 February 2004 NEWS The Back Page The Impact of Current Visa Restrictions on National Security By William. A. Wulf In the last few years the Presi- There is also a host of anecdotal Finally, there is also considerable been done. We also need to rec- dents of the National Academies1 evidence of other unintended side evidence that the implementation of ognize that the visa situation is have issued joint statements on vari- effects of the current policy that policy is not consistent around the not occurring in a vacuum. ous subjects. Three of these may be damaging the US innova- world. Some embassies, for Together, the visa policies and statements2, 3, 4 have dealt with dif- tion system. At least some example, hold passports while the implementation, the USA Patriot fering aspects of maximizing our international research confer- process is being adjudicated, mak- Act, the SEVIS (Student and Ex- national security by achieving the ences, for example, are being ing it impossible for that person to change Visitor Information right balance between apparently shifted to sites in other countries leave the country until the process is System) program, etc., are pro- conflicting goals. because of the perceived hassle of complete jecting a collective image that is There is no question that the the present visa system. To help with difficult cases, the not inviting. balance point between openness Specifically, for example, the National Academies have created Recent testimony at hearings and secrecy, for example, needed International Astronomical Union an International Visitors Office sponsored by the Senate For- to be re-examined subsequent to and the International Union for (IVO). The cases monitored by the eign Relations Committee the attacks on the World Trade Pure and Applied Physics are con- IVO show a similar trend to that indicated that restrictive visa Center and the Pentagon. The bal- cerned enough about the problem reported by the AAU et. al. policies are taking a severe toll ance that made sense for the cold to recommend that their meetings Overall, our sense is that the pro- on the tourist industry. Wit- war and involving two technologi- William. A. Wulf not be held in the United States. cess of getting a visa has nesses spoke about the image of cally advanced superpowers was Similarly, there is fear that improved slightly, and that those “fortress America.” The hassle not appropriate for the asymmet- stricter visa regulations on the future major international instru- people with sufficient time and of showing up in person for a ric relation between a superpower travel of scholars into the US. The mentation will not be sited in the patience will eventually prevail in cursory interview (in Beijing, five and a terrorist network. But it still head of the consular affairs office US because they will become inac- obtaining a visa. The IVO is seeing overworked consular officers needs to be a balance! Our security at the Department of State has tes- cessible to foreign researchers. more and more long-term cases conduct 700 interviews per depends on both protection of cer- tified before congress that 90% of Certainly some existing collabo- getting cleared each week as the day!), being subjected to tain sensitive information and on the cases are being cleared within rations between US and foreign communication between agencies, fingerprinting, and paying a non- continual advances in science and 30 days. researchers have been strained. such as State and the FBI, improves. refundable application fee of technology—and those advances At the same time, however, the Alas, we have in turn depend upon an appropri- Department of State statistics show no data on the ate open exchange of information. that the number of visas issued for extent of these In much the same way, we need all visitors to the United States has problems. to re-examine the balance point for dropped from 6.9 million to 4.9 At least the ease with which foreign scien- million, since 2001. There is no some of the tists and engineers can travel to this way to know whether the decline problem arises country. As with openness it is a for scientists and engineers is as much from balance point. As the Academies’ greater or smaller than this implementa- Presidents said in our December approximately 30% overall decline. tion as from 2002 statement: “To make our It’s also impossible to know policy. If a con- nation safer, it is extremely impor- whether the decline is due to dis- sular officer tant that our visa policy not only couragement with the process, a grants a visa to keep out foreigners that intend to feeling that the US may not be the an individual do us harm, but also facilitates the free, open society that we have who later com- acceptance of those who bring us claimed to be, or something else. mits a terrorist considerable benefit.” The survey conducted by The act, that officer Recognizing that some mea- Association of American Universi- may be subject sures may need to be taken to ties (AAU), NAFSA: Association of to department review and serious Nonetheless, the average time to $100 causes many people to reduce the possibility that a terror- International Educators, and the disciplinary action. There are no clear these “difficult” cases is more conclude that coming to the ist will be admitted to the country, National Association of State Uni- offsetting incentives to facilitate sci- like 6 months than 30 days. United States is simply not worth we need to also recognize that versities and Land-Grant Colleges entific or technical exchanges. Some improvements in the sys- it—even if we can reasonably keeping everyone out would (NASULGC) shows that the visa Thus, there is a strong incentive tem are worth mentioning, assure success once the applica- deprive us of the many contribu- application and granting processes for the consular officer to be con- especially the State Department tion is in the works. tions that immigrants have made dictated by the government are be- servative even though that might not decision on 7 October 2003 that The goal should be to maximize to our security and prosperity. ginning to have a discernable maximize the national interest. Com- allows security checks to be good our national security! The only Without people like Einstein, impact on the number of interna- pound this with the fact that the State for one year. In other words, way to do that is with a sensible Fermi, von Braun—all immigrants tional students on US campuses Department has not been given ad- those who have successfully gone policy balance that keeps out —we would not have become a and could lead to a significant equate resources to meet the through a “Visas Mantis” security those that would do us harm while superpower, nor would we enjoy decline in the decades-long in- increased workload, so the treat- check (the process by which the admitting those that will enhance the scientific and engineering lead- crease in international students ment of applicants is sometimes given government reviews visa appli- our security. We haven’t achieved ership from which our prosperity and faculty on US campuses. short shrift. cants whose work or studies that balance yet. It is urgent that flows. More recently, students have involve sensitive technologies) we do so. At risk is our country’s come to our major research uni- may now leave the country and leadership in education and re- versities, stayed, and become return without undergoing a new search in science and technology. leaders of academia and technol- Sorters Tackle Record Mantis review for a period of one Also at risk is our economy and ogy-based industry. Those that year. national security. return to their home countries and Another positive trend is the William Wulf is the president of the attained leadership positions are Number of Abstracts willingness of government offi- National Academy of Engineering, also among our best ambassadors. cials to begin to work with the and vice chair of the National Re- Although there is some evidence National Academies on a system search Council. of improvements in processing that will recognize foreign scien- visas, the list of those that have tists who are participating in Footnotes been prevented from entering the international, government-spon- 1.The National Academy of country is, at best, embarrassing. sored research collaborations Sciences, The National Academy of It includes eminent scholars that and provide these scientists with Engineering, and the Institute of have been to the US many times long-term, multiple-entry visas. Medicine. before, including foreign members These discussions are just begin- 2. Balancing Openness and Secrecy of the Academies. Large numbers ning and but we are pleased with at the US Weapons Laboratories, of outstanding students who con- the positive reactions we have November 19, 1999 tribute to both our research received so far. 3. Science and Security in an Age enterprise and our economy have Photo Credit: Lalena Lancaster Despite these potential of Terrorism, October 18, 2002. also been excluded. Legions of dedicated volunteers are shown hard at work at APS headquarters improvements, however, we need 4.Current Visa Restrictions Unfortunately, the data is still in- in December as they sort the record-breaking 6100 abstracts for the March to recognize that damage to the Interfere with US Science and Engi- adequate to make an accurate meeting in Montréal, March 22-26. US reputation as an open and neering Contributions to Important assessment of the impact of the new, welcoming country may have National Needs, December 13, 2002.

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