Tampa to Host 2005 April Meeting We Know, We Know...He's

January 2005 NEWS Volume 14, No. 1 A Publication of The American Physical Society http://www.aps.org/apsnews

Tampa To Host 2005 April Meeting We Know, We Know..... The 2005 APS April tion, Plasma Astrophysics, He’s German Meeting will be held in and Hadronic Physics. Pictured here is Wilhelm Tampa, Florida, April 16- Nine plenary talks are Conrad Röntgen, the discoverer 19. Approximately 1500 scheduled on a broad range of X-rays and the winner of the physicists are expected to of topics including rare iso- first Nobel Prize in Physics in attend. The meeting will also topes and thermonuclear 1901. He was born in Germany, serve as the divisional meet- explosions in the crust of an and educated in Holland and ing of the Division of accreting neutron star, the Switzerland. He spent his career Particles and Fields (DPF). collision between research in Germany, most notably at the Photo Credit: heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/rosat/rontgen.gif The scientific program, and teaching, fundamental Universities of Würzburg and for Physics. Both mistakes have which focuses on astro- Photo Courtesy of Tampa Bay CVB science and nanostructures, Munich. His career and achieve- been corrected in the online ver- physics, particle physics, nuclear Physics, Physics of Beams, Plasma probing subatomic matter with po- ments were correctly described sion of the column in the archives physics, and related fields, will con- Physics, and Computational Phys- larized electrons, mysteries of in the “This Month in Physics at http://www.aps.org/apsnews/ sist of three plenary sessions, ics; the Forums on Education, heavy quarks, envisioning particles History” column of November, index.cfm approximately 75 invited sessions, Physics and Society, International and fields, probing supernova 2001. However, we falsely iden- We thank Kurt Busch, Hristo more than 100 contributed ses- Affairs, History of Physics, and remnants, black holes and dark tified him as British in the Hristov, Rainer Weiss, Robert sions, and poster sessions. Graduate Student Affairs; and the matter with TeV gamma rays, the opening sentence of “This Weinstock, Jim Napolitano, Stan Beside DPF, APS units repre- Topical Groups on Few-Body Sys- standard model of cosmology: suc- Month in Physics History” for Kocimski, Klaus Rieckhoff, sented at the meeting include the tems, Precision Measurement and cesses and challenges, and the November, 2004. This was an Yongkang Chen, Joe Wong, Yong Divisions of Astrophysics, Nuclear Fundamental Constants, Gravita- black hole information paradox. inexplicable error that must Kong, Wolfgang Eisenmenger, Other special events include a have been caused by a mysteri- Rudolf Huebener and Udo high school physics teachers’ day, ous infestation of gremlins, who Pernisz for pointing out these The Twin Paradox, Redux a meet the editors of Physical Re- were also undoubtedly respon- errors. We also thank an inde- Two Einsteins mysteriously showed up at a December meeting of the National view session, and receptions for sible for another error in the terminate number of other Science Teachers Association in Richmond, Virginia, to advertise the World Year of students and minorities, women, st same column: Allan Cormack readers who stifled the impulse Physics. In the photo at left, one Einstein, dressed casually in 21 -century clothes, and industrial physicists. More in- and Godfrey Hounsfield to tell us that they, too, had had aged normally. The other one, formation about the APS April received the 1979 Nobel Prize detected our abysmal lack of his- dressed in clothes more typical of the Meeting can be found at http:// early 20th century, had been travelling for Physiology or Medicine, not torical accuracy. close to the speed of light. Furthermore, www.aps.org/meet/APR05. due to the Lorentz contraction, he was as thin as a piece of cardboard. APS Report says Moon-Mars Initiative Jeopardizes Important Science Opportunities Shifting NASA priorities toward The committee points out that and subsequently travel to Mars. risky, expensive missions to the the total cost of NASA’s ill-defined The program is in contrast to moon and Mars will mean neglect- Moon-Mars initiative is unknown recent, highly successful NASA ing the most promising space as yet, but is likely to be a substan- missions, including the Hubble science efforts, says the APS tial drain on NASA resources. As See MOON/MARS on page 7 Special Committee on NASA Fund- currently envisioned, the initiative ing for Astrophysics, in a report will rely on human astronauts who Almost as good as being released on November 22, 2004. will establish a base on the moon there… In the photo at right, the modern-day Follow the WYP Einstein (aka Marc Spiegel) explains the fine points of general relativity to Council Articulates Kickoff on the Web Logan Lee of Savannah, Georgia and APS News writer Ernie his father, Jason Lee. Photo Credits: Jessica Clark Vision for APS Tretkoff will attend the Interna- tional Year of Physics launch Under the leadership of Helen Quinn, who was APS President in conference, “Physics for Tomor- Joint Unit Neutrino Study 2004, the APS Executive Board and Council devoted a significant row,” in Paris, January 13-15, part of their meetings last year to discussing long-range issues for 2005. [See story on page 5 and Sets Research Priorities the society. announcement on page 7.] As one element of this activity, the Board and Council developed She plans to share her Top priorities for future neu- than expected from the nuclear fu- a vision statement for the APS. It was passed in final form at the thoughts, impressions, and trino physics research should be a sion that produces the sun’s energy. November meeting of Council. Quinn remarked that “no one comments about the kickoff program to search for neutrinoless We now know that this is due to argues about whether APS needs a clear vision for its future. But why event on a new World Year of double-beta decay, and a compre- neutrino oscillations: neutrinos do we need a vision statement? Physics weblog, hensive US program to study can change flavor on their way “The exercise helped us discuss and clarify some issues about the You can get the latest at neutrino mixing and to search for from the sun to the Earth. This roles of APS. The statement stresses the multiple roles that APS must http://www.physics2005.org/ CP violation among neutrinos, means that neutrinos must have play in order to serve our mission well. It provides a way to commu- wypblog. according to the final report of an mass. nicate succinctly what these roles are, both to members and staff, interdisciplinary study conducted Initiated in early in 2004, the and to those outside the society.” by four of the Society’s divisions: study’s primary purpose was to The text of the vision statement follows: astrophysics, nuclear physics, phys- help set priorities to answer some The American Physical Society strives to: HHighlights ics of beams, and particles and of the most vital open questions in 1. Be the leading voice for physics and an authoritative source of fields. neutrino physics. Since it is such a physics information for the advancement of physics and the benefit of Neutrinos are an ancient relic broad, interdisciplinary field, the humanity; of the Big Bang, and millions of study was divided into six working 2. Collaborate with national scientific societies for the advance- 8 them fill every corner of the groups: solar and atmospheric ment of science, science education and the science community; cosmos. But scientists have been neutrino experiments; reactor 3. Cooperate with international physics societies to promote physics, to puzzled by their true nature ever neutrino experiments; superbeam support physicists worldwide and to foster international collaboration; since the surprising discovery that experiments; neutrino factory and The Back Page 4. Have an active, engaged and diverse membership, and support the Outreach is an Orphan fewer neutrinos came from the sun See NEUTRINO STUDY on page 6 activities of its units and members. By Alan Chodos 2 January 2005 NEWS

This Month in Physics History “We have great ideas at what we on the possibility that objects in our Einstein and The Photoelectric Effect need to do. . . . But it’s an experi- solar system could have originated in mental science, so we have to go another solar system that collided with out there and measure things and ours, The New York Times, December Editor’s NoteNote: With the guished academic record, and to measure those things, we have 2, 2004 January 2005 issue of APS News, failed to obtain a university post to build facilities,” ✶✶✶ we begin a year-long series of teaching mathematics and phys- —Pier Oddone, remarks on being “Massive computing does not columns devoted to the work and ics. Instead, he worked as a appointed director of Fermilab, provide the answers so much as it legacy of Albert Einstein—our patent clerk in Bern, doing theo- Chicago Sun Times, November 21, provides an extension of our imagi- humble contribution to the World retical physics on the side, and 2004 nation. For some years there has Year of Physics. Columns will occasionally meeting with a ✶✶✶ been talk of computing as being appear in chronological order of group of friends to read and dis- “What physicists bring to eco- the third ‘leg’ of science: theory, Einstein’s work, regardless of the cuss books on science. They nomics is not new concepts but experiment, computer simula- month associated with the topic at called themselves the “Olympia rather the determination to put tions.” hand. Academy.” these concepts to quantitative —David Arnett, University of In March 1905, Einstein— tests.” Arizona, on a computer simulation of In 1887, German physicist still a lowly patent clerk in —Eugene Stanley, Boston University, a supernova, The New York Times, Heinrich Hertz noticed that Switzerland—published a

San Jose Mercury News, November November 9, 2004 shining a beam of ultraviolet Photo Credit: The American Institute of Physics paper explaining the photo- 26, 2004 ✶✶✶ light onto a metal plate could Einstein in the Patent Office years. electric effect. Five years ✶✶✶ “For the first time, we will be cause it to shoot sparks. It wasn’t earlier, Max Planck had solved “Look at light, electricity, TV observing [bursts] when they are the emission that was surpris- of formal education, with its the problem of black body waves, and X-ray. Everything we really bright. Swift is fine-tuned to ing. Metals were known to be emphasis on memorization and radiation by showing that each enjoy comes from basic research. quickly locate these bursts and good conductors of electricity, blind obedience to an arbitrary atom making up the walls of the But the return of a basic research study them in several different because the electrons are more authority. He preferred to study cavity could only absorb or emit is sometimes 20 to 30 years. wavelengths before they disappear loosely attached to the atoms at home with books on math, radiation in discrete “quanta” Industries are now turning to forever.” and could be dislodged by a physics and philosophy. “It’s such that the energy of each projects that can make profits in —Neil Gehrels, NASA, on Swift, a sudden burst of incoming almost a miracle that modern quantum is an integer multiple three or five years. The government recently launched telescope for observ- energy. teaching methods have not yet of its frequency times a new should make more investment to ing gamma ray bursts, Los Angeles What was puzzling was that entirely strangled the holy curi- fundamental constant. support basic researches.” Times, November 21, 2004 different metals required bursts Planck thought his —Jerome Friedman, MIT, The ✶✶✶ of different minimum frequen- concept of quanta was Korea Herald, November 23, 2004 “The thing that matters is not cies of light for the electron INCOMING just a mathematical ✶✶✶ the mass, it’s the mass times the emission to occur, while increas- PHOTONS “trick” to get theory to “I’ve got big plans. I’m going to velocity squared. You never get ing the brightness of the light match experiment. But change the way everyone learns past three or four yards per produced more electrons, with- Einstein extended science.” second when you’re a lineman. out increasing their energy. And Planck’s quanta to light —Carl Weiman, University of With a running back you’re up to increasing the frequency of the itself. (Planck had Colorado, on being named Professor 10 yards per second. So right there light produced electrons with assumed that just the of the Year by the Carnegie Founda- you’re talking 10 times more higher energies, but without vibrations of the atoms tion for the Advancement of Teaching kinetic energy. It’s that V-squared increasing the number pro- were quantized.) Light, and the Council for Advancement and that’s a killer.” duced. This became known as Einstein said, is a beam Support of Education, Denver Post, —Timothy Gay, University of the photoelectric effect, and it Illustration: http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/quantumzone/photoelectric.html of particles whose November 18, 2004. Nebraska, explaining why relatively would be understood in 1905 Einstein noted that careful experiments involving the energies are related to ✶✶✶ lightweight running backs and receiv- by a young scientist named photoelectric effect could show whether light consists their frequencies “We have always been open to ers tend to be injured in collisions more Albert Einstein. of particles or waves. according to Planck’s proposals that have scientific merit often than huge linemen, The New York Einstein’s fascination with sci- formula. When that as determined by peer review. We Times, November 16, 2004 ence began when he was 4 or 5, osity of inquiry,” he later said. beam is directed at a metal, the have never closed the door to cold ✶✶✶ and first saw a magnetic com- “For what this delicate little plant photons collide with the atoms. fusion proposals.” “It’s beyond most people’s imagi- pass. He was enthralled by the needs more than anything, If a photon’s frequency is suffi- —James F. Decker, DOE, on the nation that we can support invisible force that caused the besides stimulation, is freedom.” cient to knock off an electron, DOE’s review of cold fusion, The New something that weighs over 50 needle to always point north, Einstein found both when he the collision produces the pho- York Times, December 2, 2004 tones on something as soft as a and the instrument convinced attended a local Swiss school in toelectric effect. As a particle, ✶✶✶ pillow.” him that there had to be “some- Aarau, having failed the entrance light carries energy proportional “This was a very, very scientific, —Sheldon Weinbaum, City College of thing behind things, something exam for the more prestigious to the frequency of the wave; as very levelheaded, review by every- New York, on his study showing that it deeply hidden.” He spent the Swiss Federal Institute of Technol- a wave it has a frequency deter- body,” But “I don’t think we’ve made is possible to overcome friction by rest of his life trying to decipher ogy. For the first time, he had mined by the particle’s energy. much progress since ’89 in really exploiting the properties of porous the arcane mysteries of the teachers who gave him the free- Einstein won the 1921 Nobel nailing down the parameters that surfaces, New Scientist, November 13, universe. dom and latitude to pursue his Prize in physics for this work. But make it reproducible.” 2004 Today, the name Einstein is own ideas, and he threw himself it was just the beginning. —Kirby Kemper, Florida State Uni- ✶✶✶ synonymous with genius, but into studying the electromagnetism Next month: special relativity. versity, on the DOE review of cold And finally, some comments on for years his parents thought theories of James Clerk Maxwell, fusion (Kemper was one of the review- the American Institute of Physics their son was a bit “slow” which were rarely taught at See an online exhibit about ers), The New York Times, December list of top physics stories of the year because he spoke hesitantly universities at the turn of the cen- Albert Einstein by the 2, 2004 (see http://www.aip.org/pnu/2004/ and wasn’t a stellar student. tury. Then he studied physics at the American Institute of Physics at ✶✶✶ split/711-1.html) in the San Fran- Einstein was just plain bored Institute of Technology in Zurich, http://www.aip.org/history/ “I don’t think anyone has con- cisco Chronicle, December 6, with the rote teaching methods but graduated with an undistin- einstein/. sidered that extrasolar planets 2004: would be in our own solar system.” —Scott J. Kenyon, Harvard- “The detection of large galaxies Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, See IN THE MEDIA on page 6

Series II, Vol. 14, No. 1 College Park, MD 20740-3844, [email protected]. Past-President (Particles & Fields), Stephen Holmes (Physics of Beams), January 2005 For Nonmembers—Circulation and Fulfillment Division, Helen R. Quinn*, Stanford University (SLAC) James Drake* (Plasma), Timothy P. Lodge, (Polymer ©2004 The American Physical Society American Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 Huntington Physics), Gianfranco Vidali, (New York Section), Paul NEWS Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. Allow at least 6 weeks General Councillors Wolf (Ohio Section) advance notice. For address changes, please send both the old Janet Conrad, Frances Houle*, Evelyn Hu, Gerald Mahan, Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 and new addresses, and, if possible, include a mailing label Ann Orel, Arthur Ramirez, Richart Slusher, Laura Smoliar* ADVISORS from a recent issue. Requests from subscribers for missing Representatives from Other Societies Editor ...... Alan Chodos issues will be honored without charge only if received within International Councillor Richard Peterson, AAPT; Marc Brodsky, AIP Associate Editor ...... Jennifer Ouellette 6 months of the issue’s actual date of publication. Periodical Sukekatsu Ushioda Special Publications Manager ...... Patti Mascone Postage Paid at College Park, MD and at additional mailing International Advisors Design and Production ...... Stephanie Jankowski offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS News, Chair, Nominating Committee María Esther Ortiz, Mexican Physical Society, Forefronts Editor ...... Craig Davis Membership Department, American Physical Society, One Philip Bucksbaum Michael R. Morrow, Canadian Association of Physicists Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Proofreader ...... Edward Lee Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Staff Representatives APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X yearly, clarity. All correspondence regarding APS News should be APS COUNCIL 2004 Frank Von Hippel Alan Chodos, Associate Executive Officer; Amy Flatten, monthly, except the August/September issue, by the directed to: Editor, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College President Director of International Affairs; Theodore Hodapp, American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, E-mail: [email protected]. Marvin L. Cohen*, University of California, Berkeley Division, Forum and Section Councillors Director of Education and Outreach; Robert L. Park, Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It contains President-Elect Edward “Rocky” Kolb (Astrophysics), Kate Kirby (Atomic, Director, Public Information; Michael Lubell, Director, news of the Society and of its Divisions, Topical Groups, Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publication John Bahcall*, Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton Molecular & Optical Physics), Robert Eisenberg* Public Affairs; Stanley Brown, Editorial Director; Charles Sections and Forums; advance information on meetings delivered by Periodical Mail. Members residing abroad Vice-President (Chemical), Moses H. Chan (Condensed Matter Physics), Muller, Director, Journal Operations; Michael Stephens, of the Society; and reports to the Society by its committees may receive airfreight delivery for a fee of $15. John J. Hopfield*, Princeton University Richard M. Martin (Computational), Harry Swinney* Controller and Assistant Treasurer and task forces, as well as opinions. Nonmembers: Subscription rates are available at http:// Executive Officer (Fluid Dynamics), Peter Zimmerman (Forum on Education), librarians.aps.org/institutional.html. Judy R. Franz*, University of Alabama, Huntsville (on leave) Gloria Lubkin (Forum on History of Physics), Patricia Council Administrator Letters to the editor are welcomed from the Treasurer Mooney (Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics), James Ken Cole membership. Letters must be signed and should include Subscription orders, renewals and address changes should Thomas McIlrath*, University of Maryland (emeritus) Vary* (Forum on International Physics), Philip “Bo” * Members of the APS Executive Board an address and daytime telephone number. The APS be addressed as follows: For APS Members—Membership Editor-in-Chief Hammer (Forum on Physics and Society), J. H. Eberly reserves the right to select and to edit for length or Department, American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Martin Blume*, Brookhaven National Laboratory (emeritus) (Laser Science), Bunny C. Clark* (Nuclear), John Jaros NEWS January 2005 3 Cohen to Stress Outreach, Continuity in 2005 Marvin Cohen, University Profes- working with the students, even if other scientific organizations. sor at the University of California, they use different methods, the fact I think it would be of great Berkeley, and Seniors Scientist at the that they’re involved and care “If we could get importance if we could do more Lawrence Berkeley National Labora- makes an enormous difference. members to go to expand our opportunities to tory, assumed the APS presidency on The trouble is that the effort in this give advice to government. We January 1, 2005. In the following area isn’t big enough. We really have to K-12 schools need to strive to give absolutely interview with APS News, he outlines to do much more. One way to get and levitate a the best advice with the highest his concerns and priorities for the year. more dedicated teachers would be magnet or credibility. I hope that over the next to raise the salary of teachers. This something, we four years that the Bush adminis- Q: What are your priorities for would indicate to the public and tration will work closely with the your presidential term? also to the teachers themselves that really think these scientific community, and that we A: I think I would separate my society values them. We also need efforts could all work together for security, for priorities into two parts. One is to to support good research on edu- bring great economic development, for edu- continue major thrusts started by cation in science to create better rewards.” cation, and for the general welfare the past three presidents who I programs. In addition, the coun- of society. have worked with. For the other try as a whole has to have the part, I think it’s likely that the larg- expectation that there is a certain Q: Recently it has been suggested est component will be a focus on level of math and science that the American Physical Society can between fields, I hope that I can that the US might be “losing its outreach, partly because 2005 is everybody ought to know—boys, counsel government and can do a keep this effort alive, and further dominance” in science. How do the World Year of Physics. girls, whites, African Americans, really first-rate job of analysis is her work on bringing physicists in you view the issue? Alan Chodos is directing our Hispanics, everyone. important. I think Bill did an excel- developing countries into the fold. A: I think that’s a hard ques- efforts in the WYP. He and his staff At the college level, I hope to lent job, and I would like to keep Helen Quinn’s emphasis has tion, because it is hard to quantify. are doing an excellent job. I’ve been see an expansion of some of the my eye on how we can continue to been on planning. She made us take If you look at numbers, it’s clear partly involved with this project successful experiments in broad- interact effectively and counsel a closer look at ourselves and ask that in some of our best journals, since 2003, and now it’s here! I ening the physics major. There are government. hard questions about where we are the number of papers coming from think that the WYP activities are new programs where undergradu- Myriam Sarachik focused on and where we’re going. She asked Asia and Europe has gone up, while going to be a big part of my activi- ate majors have the opportunity diversity and inclusiveness. She is us to examine what our values are, the number of papers from the US ties in 2005. to take not only the standard phys- still very active in trying to help our and what our vision is. This was has remained almost constant. ics courses but can use courses in African colleagues get into the not just a simple task of creating a On the other hand, I think that Q: What do you hope the World other fields to satisfy requirements modern age of physics and science. mission statement. Helen’s ques- we have attracted some of the best Year of Physics will accomplish? tions had ramifications related to talent worldwide to the United A: We’re hoping to bring more the kind of committees that we States. A major reason is because talented students into physics and Fun Facts about Cohen have and the types of programs that education at the graduate level in to enhance our efforts to promote we support. this country is excellent. Although diversity and inclusiveness. Pro- • Completed PhD in physics from University of Chicago in 1963. Led by Helen, we did a lot of we’re still the unchallenged leader grams to attract more women to • Joined the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley in soul-searching. Even though one in this arena, this may change if choose physics careers are doing 1964 after one year as a postdoctoral researcher at Bell laboratories. doesn’t come out of these the visa problems continue. For- quite well. But the African Ameri- • Senior Faculty Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Labora- exercises with a few final state- eign graduate students and can and Hispanic components of tory since 1965. ments of purpose, it gets you postdocs have enhanced the the American Physical Society are • His research covers a broad range of subjects in theoretical thinking and acting in a more con- whole picture of American sci- too small. There’s a lot to be done if condensed matter physics. He is known for his work with structive and effective manner. ence. Having foreign graduate we plan to achieve an APS popula- pseudopotentials with applications to electronic optical and struc- I hope not to drop the balls students has been a win-win situa- tion which more closely represents tural properties of materials, superconductivity, semiconductor handed to me by Bill Brinkman, tion. If they come here for an the diversity in our country’s popu- education and stay, that’s great. physics and nanoscience. “I have arrested development—I still think Myriam Sarachik, and Helen lation. Quinn. And if they come and then go my best work is ahead of me.” With the World Year of Physics, home, that’s great too because they • Recipient of the APS Buckley Prize and the APS Lilienfeld Prize. APS and other organizations hope Q: What role can APS play in often remain our friends and col- to bring the message to students • Received the National Medal of Science in 2002. public policy? laborators for life. Having said that, that physics is an exciting field, and • Hobbies include playing the clarinet and running. A: I think it’s important for us we still want to encourage Ameri- that a physics education is valuable • Has been interested in physics since childhood. “I have thought to develop the best possible rela- can students to choose physics for even if they choose another field about physics every day for the past 50 years.” tionships with the various agencies their career. It’s worrisome that we for their ultimate career. We will of government. It’s very hard to went through a period where the try to get the message out about avoid politics, but we have to be number of undergraduate physics the current developments in mod- for their major in physics. For I think that’s very important. She aware that the polarization that majors went down, but that’s turn- ern physics. example, subjects such as biology, also took on the task of trying to comes from politics can be dan- ing around. Hopefully we’ll get In our outreach to the general chemistry, materials science, psy- bring the various subareas of con- gerous because it affects funding more Americans going into phys- public, we want as many members chology, sociology, engineering, densed matter physics together. for future science and future sci- ics. I think it’s inevitable that as of APS as possible to get involved. computer science and history have Condensed matter is the largest entists. I think we have to proceed the economies in countries like If we could get members to go to been “mixed” with physics success- branch of physics, and it is prob- in an orderly, ethical, and thought- China and India get better, more K-12 schools and levitate a magnet fully. One important objective is to ably the most diverse. It is also ful manner. One of the recent of their people will be going into using a superconductor or to give allow students to prepare for strongly coupled to hybrid fields successes, which I hope will be science and engineering. More public lectures, we think these careers in fields like biological like nanoscience. Myriam has maintained, is that the visa situa- worldwide competition in science efforts could bring great rewards. physics and nanoscience where organized workshops and discus- tion is getting better, and that’s due is inevitable; hopefully this will fos- The WYP is an international one needs training in chemistry sions to try to strengthen in no small part to the efforts of ter better progress in science. event. We will have opportunities and biology and materials science. interactions within the field and the American Physical Society and See COHEN on page 7 to maintain and expand the won- The physics major is an excel- derful international cooperation lent background for many fields and goodwill physics has had in the because of its emphasis on prob- Fellows and Board past. Even when governments have lem solving. If one of the Members Mix It Up had limited communication, by-products of loosening up on the scientists have continued to com- major is ending up with lawyers When the APS Executive municate and collaborate. who know physics, physicians who Board met in Seattle in I hope that we can foster even know physics, and people in all November, they hosted a more collaborations in the future. walks of life, particularly govern- reception for APS Fellows in During the World Year of Physics ment, who know physics, I think the area. we can communicate the interna- that’s a step in the right direction. In the top photo, Board tional flavor of science to the public So I hope we think and act along member Jerry Mahan and world governments. Hopefully, those lines. (center) and his wife Sally the importance of this aspect of sci- chat with Fellows Lonnie ence will be appreciated. Q: You said that one of your Edelheit and Fred Brown. priorities would be to continue the In the bottom photo, Q: One of the American Physical work of the past three APS presidents. Fellows (right to left) David Society’s missions is education. What What were some of the important Bodansky, Robert Williams, needs to be done to improve science aspects of their work? Isaac Halpern, Vitaly Efimov, education? A: When I first joined as Vice Ernest Davidson, and Hans A: For K-12 education, part of President, Bill Brinkman was Past Bichsel enjoy the refresh- our concern is the training of sci- President. One of the important ments and each other’s ence teachers. It’s been my achievements of his term was the company. experience that when you get dedi- boost phase missile defense study cated, well-trained teachers initiative. I think that the fact that Photo Credit: Ken Cole 4 January 2005 NEWS LETTERS

More to “Einstein in the 21st Century” than Science ID, OEC and YEC: Beware Them All In an article on the front page of tific investigation from political The letter from Douglas Keil science classes, ID was invented ter, but a paper by Davies (same the October issue of APS News, Ernie manipulation—could not be more in the October APS News is rep- as a less overtly religious (they journal same year) discusses the Tretkoff discusses a list of speakers timely. He courageously opposed the resentative of the views of avoid naming the Designer unless question of the large of amount available from GGR and FHP to fear-mongering in the 50’s that cul- Old-Earth Creationists (OEC), they are speaking to sympathetic of information needed to start present a broad range of topics minated in the McCarthy hearings. who are similar to the advocates audiences) alternative. Since at- life. Conflating the origin of life regarding Albert Einstein, including The social aspects of the theme of Intelligent Design (ID). Many tempts to inject ID into curricula with its evolutionary develop- “Einstein the person”. Richard Price “Einstein in the 21st Century” are physicists have the incorrect idea have been generally rebuffed as ment is another, probably is quoted as saying, “Anything that’s arguably at least as significant for that all creationists advocate a well, they are now focusing on deliberate, confusion. associated with Einstein is something this “World Year of Physics 6,000 year-old Universe based “teach the controversy” or “in- It would be valuable for many that we can cover.” I wonder if this 2005" as the implications of on Biblical lineages. troduce critical thinking to physicists to support the National includes his sociopolitical beliefs and relativity theory or photons. First, many are merely evolu- science students”. For some rea- Center for Science Education writings. Ted Einstein tion deniers, who take issue with son this kind of critical thinking (http://ncseweb.org/) who are the While it may run counter to APS’s College Park, MD one or more portions of biologi- practice is focused on evolution. only national organization prima- nonpartisan status, discussion of his cal evolution. Many others are The idea of having a “debate” rily focused on defending the open and fervent endorsement of [Ed. Note: A session on “Einstein Young Earth Creationists, or helps elevate ID to the level of a teaching of evolution and cosmol- civil liberties, democratic rights, eco- and social responsibility” has been YECs, but have agreed to be quiet competing theory in the eyes of ogy in K-12 public schools. nomic justice, world federalism, organized by the APS Forum on Phys- about it, under the “Big Tent” the public, including students. Adrian Melott etc.—let alone the freedom of scien- ics and Society at the March Meeting.] strategy of the Discovery Insti- Keil’s letter is an example of this Lawrence, Kansas tute, the well-funded (http:// strategy. Need more Anti-Matter than NASA Thinks www.geocities.com/lclane2/ It also shows some other Correction “This Month in Physics History” Earth’s gravitation is zero. Thus, the discovery.html) national coordi- familiar buzzwords and charac- In the November “Members (August/September 2004) states: antimatter mass m must provide at nator of the ID movement. teristics. A paper by Davies is in the Media,” Jeffrey Hangst “In 2000 NASA scientists announced least the energy 2mc2 =PR. This strategy is to avoid dis- mentioned with regard to mac- is described as being from early designs for an antimatter engine In the case of 100% efficiency cussion of issues such as a young roevolution. Macroevolution is CERN. His correct institutional that might be capable of fueling a such energy will fuel a spaceship Universe in order to focus on get- a word emphasized by creation- affiliation is the University of spaceship for a trip to Mars using only of weight P=2mc2/R. So, a mil- ting the teaching of evolution ists in the pretense that many Aarhus in Denmark. APS News a millionth of a gram of antimatter”. lionth of a gram of antimatter watered down in public schools. small changes cannot add up to regrets the error. The total energy of a weight P allows for P~3 tons maximum. Isn’t Having creation science ruled big changes. The Davies paper is at rest on the Earth’s surface is it too little for a spaceship? as religion and inappropriate for not at the place given in Keil’s let- U=-PR, where R is the Earth’s Mark Azbel radius. The total energy outside the Tel Aviv, Isreal Cormack Spent Career at Tufts INSIDE THE BELTWAY: Celebrating the invention and the impression that Cormack development of the CAT scanner returned as a faculty member to Washington Analysis and Opinion in the November “This Month in South Africa upon graduation from Physics History” underscores the Cambridge, he, in fact, spent the bal- essential contributions to medi- ance of his career as a faculty cine made by those trained in the member at Tufts University—from Time for Building Bridges physical sciences. 1958 until his retirement in 1998. By Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs Allow me, however, to make two The two [Journal of Applied Physics] corrections: First Cormack and papers alluded to in the article were In a few weeks George W. Bush woman’s right to choose, The voters to whom the Housfield did not win the 1979 published while he was at Tufts, and will be sworn in as president of the which he was, and the President was appealing on Nobel Prize in Physics; their prize he constructed apparatus at Tufts to United States for another term. To choice of the “Hollywood the basis of religion firmly was in the category of Physiology or show tomography proof of principle. many on the left that is nothing amoralists” (except for believe that one of theirs is Medicine. [see story on page 1—Ed.] Robert P. Guertin short of a supernatural disaster. Ahnold) was dead meat. On in the White House for four Second, through the article leaves Medford, MA But if liberals are in a funk, the election night Democrats more years.

heartland of America is celebrat- asked how it was possible Michael S. Lubell The election results Caltech Ivy Stays on the Ground ing. for an incumbent president should cause scientists to Whether W chooses to govern to be reelected with a 3.5 million consider their own image. In many While speculating on the rea- www.bhsi.org/images/palbert.jpg) from the center or the right during vote margin when he was mired ways, it mirrors Kerry’s: elitist, sons for the appearance of was taken in 1933 while Einstein his second term will become evi- with approval ratings that barely arrogant, hopelessly liberal and Einstein’s field equations at the be- was visiting Caltech. dent to every American in a matter broke 45%, a public that had Democratic, seemingly dismissive ginning of “The Triplets of Belleville” At least that’s the story I’ve of months. To Beltway denizens, become disillusioned with a $100 of religiosity and out of touch with in the October APS News, Harold heard, supported by the Caltech the signs are already becoming billion a year war in Iraq, an middle America. Cohen referred to “the famous copyright on the poster and the clear. My advice to any of you economy that couldn’t produce For a White House that is tilting photo of Einstein riding his bike lack of ivy on the walls. (Unlike poker players out in the hinterland, enough employment to keep pace right and that owes its electoral around the Princeton campus.” Princeton, Caltech keeps its ivy on go all in on the right. with population growth, health success to religious conservatives, Possibly there is more than one the ground.) As W said in his first post-vic- care and energy costs that were scientists may well be viewed as the famous photo of Einstein on a bike; Mark Jackson tory press conference, he gained a skyrocketing and job-outsourcing political enemy. That’s bad for the one I’m familiar with (http:// Webster, NY lot of political capital, and he overseas that his former economic science and bad for the nation. st intends to spend it. Translation: advisor said was good for America. It was the right thing for scien- Einstein in the 21 Century conservatives put him into the Some Kerry apologists argued tists to get political, as the late White House, and he won’t forget the case that the public didn’t want Representative George Brown them. My prognosis: Democrats to change its commander-in-chief argued they should, but science, will be wandering in the desert for in the midst of a war. But then, itself, should not be a partisan at least the next four years. Unfor- how to explain the Republican enterprise, as he reminded his col- tunately, so too will scientists pickup of four seats in the Senate leagues in the House. Senators unless they learn to speak the lan- and five in the House. Domenici (R-NM), Alexander guage. The exit polls conducted on (R-TN), Reid (D-NV) and Bingaman Among pollsters there is little Election Day provided the (D-NM) and Representatives argument that regular church answer—“moral values”. More Hobson (R-OH), Biggert (R-IL)and goers, in general, and evangelicals, than one voter in five said that was Visclosky (D-IN) proved that with in particular, played a major role the key issue, and most of them their unswerving support for in electing George W. Bush to a sec- voted for George W. Bush. On all Department of Energy’s Office of ond term. Karl Rove, who is a saint other major issues—the economy Science, which against all odds to his admirers and evil incarnate and jobs, health care, terrorism posted a four percent gain in the to his detractors, laid out the and the war in Iraq—the public FY 2005 appropriation. President’s campaign strategy early split its vote between the two can- The election is over, and it’s time on: turn out the Christian right didates, giving Kerry the nod on for building bridges: to the White base and the president wins reelec- healthcare and Bush the advantage House and to middle America. Too tion. Present a secular centrist on terrorism. But on “moral val- much is at stake nationally for the image the way Bush Senior did, and ues”, the Christian right, in scientists who supported Kerry to W joins his daddy as a one-termer. particular, weighed in dramatically, remain in a political funk. And the John Kerry, saddled with an as Karl Rove had predicted it President must accept the reality image as a gay marriage advocate, would if W played up his faith- that science knows no partisan which he wasn’t, a supporter of a based beliefs. province. NEWS January 2005 5

APS, AAPT and AIP Sponsor Plasma Window ‘Force Field’ Students at WYP Kickoff Event Featured at 2004 DPP Meeting

APS, the American Association hoping to graduate in 2007 or New wakefield acceleration because the electron guns that pro- to be particularly interesting, with of Physics Teachers, and the 2008. techniques for electrons and X-ray duce the beams cannot function much higher frequency and lower American Institute of Physics are Benjamin SchwartzSchwartz: movies of Z-pinch explosions were in normal atmospheric conditions. energy, and therefore delivers much sponsoring four former members Schwartz attended Staples High among the research highlights at EBW, therefore, has not typically weaker punches than the more stud- of the US Physics Olympics Team School, CT, and participated in the 46th annual meeting of the APS been an option for welding of large ied varieties. Multiple ultra-fast to attend the kickoff for the the Physics Olympiad competi- Division of Plasma Physics, held structures such as cars, airplanes, high-resolution cameras (up to one International Year of Physics tion in 2001 and 2002. In the November 15-19, 2004 in or ships. Researchers with million frames per second), infrared 2005. This launch conference, fall of 2002, he enrolled at MIT Savannah, GA. The DPP meeting is Brookhaven National Laboratory cameras, spectrometers, edge “Physics for Tomorrow,” will be and expects to graduate in 2006 the world’s largest yearly gathering and Acceleron Inc. have devel- probes, fast gas puffs, and modern held at the UNESCO headquarters with a double major in physics of plasma physicists, with more oped a novel plasma window that computing and modeling codes in Paris, France, January 13-15. with electrical engineering and than 1500 attendees presenting separates the vacuum of EBW helped reveal the detailed nature and Over 1,000 people are math. Schwartz is spending 1425 papers covering the latest beam sources from ambient pres- conditions of these bursts. An expected to attend, including this year at Fitzwilliam College advances in plasma-based research sures while allowing electron advanced diagnostic using atomic Nobel laureates, political leaders, in Cambridge University, and technology. beams to pass through. lithium beams has been developed established scientists, and several Cambridge, UK. In his spare In addition to the technical pro- The plasma window is formed of to provide information on our un- hundred students from over 60 time, Schwartz rows for the MIT gram, the conference included a electric and magnetic fields, effec- derstanding of when these bursts countries. Varsity Lightweight Crew Team free Plasma Sciences Expo on tively leading to something arise. Maintaining the proper fusion “We wanted students with good and sings with the Chorallaries November 18, open to teachers, resembling “force fields” trapping a plasma conditions now holds the physics knowledge and insights, of MIT, an a Capella group. students, and the general public. plasma that separates an evacuated potential of taming these “astro- and we also wanted students The objective was to introduce electron beam source from the physical” bursts to ensure the fusion who would represent the United Sean MarkanMarkan: Markan the local community to the excite- atmosphere. chamber survival. States on a very interactive level, attended Roxbury Latin School, ment of plasmas and the benefits Taming Plasma BurstsBursts. Creat- Progress in Direct-Drive Iner- so they would be able to discuss MA, and participated in the of plasma research. Scientists from ing a fusion “sun” on Earth, in tial Fusion ResearchResearch. Significant the future of physics, which is one Physics Olympiad competition around the country and the world plasma fusion machines such as advances on the route to inertial of the purposes of the confer- in 2002. In the fall of 2002, were there, ready to engage par- tokamaks, will provide a critically confinement fusion have been ence,” said AAPT Executive Markan enrolled at MIT and ticipants in lively hands-on needed, environmentally accept- achieved by researchers at the Uni- Officer Bernard Khoury. expects to graduate in 2006. He demonstrations and explorations. able long-term source of energy. versity of Rochester’s Laboratory More information about the has been studying physics, math Those attending were able to cre- However, the task is complicated for Laser Energetics (LLE). Laser World Year of Physics launch and computer science. This past ate arcs of lightning, observe their by the bursts from the 100-million- inertial confinement fusion con- conference is available at summer, he worked at CERN fluctuating body temperature on a degree plasma that reach and sists of heating and compressing www.wyp2005.org/unesco. with the group building the data special monitor, manipulate a glow- threaten the life of the chamber fuel in millimeter-sized capsules acquisition system for one of ing plasma with magnets, watch an surrounding the man-made sun. irradiated with powerful laser The four students sponsored the detectors that will be part electromagnetic wave demonstra- International teams of scientists at beams. In a series of papers pre- by APS, AAPT and AIP are: of the Large Hadron Collider. tion, and confine a plasma in a the PPPL National Spherical Torus sented at the meeting, LLE tokamak video game. Experiment (NSTX) and the Gen- researchers reported on tests at Natalia Toroo: Toro attended Chintan HossainHossain: Hossain Compact Particle Beams for eral Atomics DIII-D National the OMEGA, 60-beam laser facil- Fairview High School , CO, and attended The Charter School of Science and MedicineMedicine. New tech- Fusion Facility carried out a series ity that are helping to set the stage participated in the Physics Olym- Wilmington, DE, and partici- niques for accelerating electrons of investigations of these bursts, for the National Ignition Facility— piad competition in 1998 and pated in the Physics Olympiad are producing tightly focused, their varieties, and their depen- the nation’s premier fusion laser 1999. Toro was one of the young- competition in 2002 and 2003. energetically uniform beams in dence on the plasma conditions. facility scheduled to be completed est female students on the US At the 2003 competition in compact devices that will be ideal A new type of burst is identified See DPP MEETING on page 7 Physics Team. She brought home Taipei, Taiwan, he ranked 19th for numerous scientific and medi- a silver medal. Toro enrolled at among all the students and re- cal applications. The accelerators, AIP Reports Upturn in Number of MIT and graduated with a ceived a gold medal. Hossain is known as laser wakefield devices, bachelor’s degree in physics and enrolled in MIT and expects to are only meters in length and could Physics Graduate Students math in 2003. She is currently graduate in 2007 with a double replace accelerators that are cur- enrolled in the physics PhD pro- major in physics and brain and rently miles long. Because of their By Ernie Tretkoff gram at Harvard University and is cognitive science. compact size, laser wakefield The number of first-year physics undergrad program sometimes, accelerators are likely to find and astronomy graduate students rather than entering the work applications in laboratories that climbed to 3,076 in 2003, the high- force, seek shelter in a graduate lack space for conventional accel- est number since 1994, according program,” said Mulvey. The num- APS California Section erators. In laser wakefield to a report released in October by ber of students receiving machines, electrons in a plasma are the American Institute of Physics bachelor’s degrees in physics has accelerated when they ride the Statistical Research Center. While the also been increasing in recent Holds Fall Meeting wake of an intense laser pulse, total number of new physics and years, which may explain some of much like dolphins riding the wake astronomy graduate students has in- the increase in first-year graduate The APS California Section ate new nearly spherical colloi- of a ship on the ocean. Typically, creased, the number of foreign student numbers, Mulvey added. held its annual fall meeting dal particles that promote the the laser pulses in such machines students declined in the past two In the past several years, the December 3-4, 2004 at Harvey growth of crystals or glasses spread out as they pass through a years, according to the report. percentage of incoming graduate Mudd College in Claremont, with those same local symme- plasma, leading to diffuse beams The report surveyed first-year students who are US citizens has California. Topics covered in the tries. Pine calls such clusters with few energetic electrons. graduate students for the academic increased, to 54% in 2003, up from technical program included “colloidal atoms.” Researchers at the Lawrence years ending in 2002 and 2003. a low of 47% in 2001. This upturn exploring the quantum vacuum In addition, the Jet Propul- Berkeley Laboratory have First-year students were defined comes after a nearly 30-year through the Casimir effect, par- sion Laboratory’s Dayton Jones improved the quality of laser as those entering a particular de- decline in the percentage of stu- ticle physics and dark energy, described some of the expected wakefield beams by injecting pre- partment for the first time, dents who were from the US, from nanoscale applications for scan- advances in fundamental phys- liminary pulses into a gas to create including those who had com- a high of 80% in 1976. ning tunneling microscopy, and ics and astronomy research that a plasma channel that guides a sub- pleted previous graduate study at The report points out that while satellite navigation and the iono- could be achieved using the new sequent, accelerating laser pulse. another institution and transferred it might be tempting to attribute sphere. Square Kilometer Array (SKA). The result is a nearly uniform, 100 to their current department. this change to the impact of the Friday evening’s banquet SKA is an international million electron volt bunch of elec- First-year graduate student events of September 11, 2001, the speaker was Gregory Benford of radio astronomy instrument trons only 10 femtoseconds long. enrollment has been rising steadily shift actually started with students the University of California, planned for the next decade, The devices should fulfill applica- in the past few years. The number who entered graduate school be- Irvine, who spoke of his experi- which will be nearly 100 times tions in research and medicine that of graduate students fluctuates fore that date. ences as a scientist in Hollywood, as sensitive as any existing rely on accelerators to produce over time, the report points out. Visa difficulties may have had attempting to adapt his own radio telescope or array. pulses of x-ray and infrared radia- “The enrollment has never been an impact on the number of for- novels for film and television. Among the questions SKA tion, including high resolution steady. It has always been on the eigners studying in the US, but Among the other invited could help resolve are the equa- imaging and treatments for certain rise or on the fall. It’s a roller according to the report the full speakers was David Pine of the tion of state of the dark energy types of cancer. coaster,” said Patrick Mulvey, one effect may not show up until the University of California, Santa Bar- and its possible evolution with Plasma Window Leads to New of the authors of the report. class that entered in the fall of 2003, bara, who described new time, as well as the distribution Welding Techniqueechnique. Electron Several factors, including eco- which was not included in this data methods for making small clusters of matter in the universe Beam Welding (EBW), which relies nomic outlook and the ease with set, because of delays in imple- of colloidal particles with very during the early stages of large- on beams of electrons to melt and which foreign students can enter menting new regulations. “The well-defined symmetries, ranging scale structure formation. join metal pieces, provides the high- the US, influence graduate student report doesn’t really address en- from tetrahedral and Strong-field gravity will be est quality welds currently enrollment, the report says. rollment changes due to visa octahedral to more exotic clusters probed through the discovery achievable. However, the tech- “Frequently, increasing graduate issues,” said Mulvey, “Because the with very complex symmetries. and timing of pulsars orbiting nique requires parts to be kept student enrollment coincides with report only goes up to the fall of Such clusters can be used to cre- stellar mass black holes. under vacuum during welding poor economy. Students exiting an See GRADUATE on page 7 6 January 2005 NEWS Insect Flight, Modeling Blood Flow Highlight 2005 DFD Meeting Lights, Camera, Action… Insect flight, granular mixing, new knowledge could lead to and new models of blood flow that improved interventional devices could lead to better understand- and an increase in patient survival ing of the cause of aneurysms were rates. among the featured highlights at Insects Flex Their WingsWings. The the annual fall meeting of the APS largest flying insects manage to stay Division of Fluid Dynamics, held airborne by relying on their ability November 21-23, 2004, in Seattle, to flex their wings, according to Washington. Thomas Daniel of the University of This year’s technical program Washington. This ability to instan- included three award lectures, taneously reshape their wings has, seven invited lectures, five mini- in turn, a profound effect on the Photo Credit: Vinaya Sathyasheelappa symposia, and a special session in airflow forces they can generate. honor of physicist Bill Reynolds, But to what extent is the surface In November, a film shoot took place on the University of Maryland campus for a video that will be distributed as who coined the term “large eddy shape of the wings controlled by part of the World Year of Physics PhysicsQuest project for middle school students. Portrayed in the video are Jessica simulations” 30 years ago and pio- structural mechanics versus fluid Clark of APS, played by Sarah Fox, and Albert Einstein, played by Marc Spiegel (see photos on page 1). In the photo neered the proper mathematical dynamic loading? at left, “Jessica” (back to camera) watches as (l to r) Ernie Tretkoff of APS, Martha Heil of the American Institute of field definition of the large scale Daniel and his colleagues used Physics, and James Riordon of APS demonstrate some of the PhysicsQuest experiments. In the photo at right, director field, as well as critical numerical a variety of methods to explore of photography Jeff Baker and director Chris Andersen work out some fine points of lighting and camera angles as simulation techniques to model insect flight performance. They Ernie Tretkoff stands in for Sarah Fox. Clips from the video will be available for viewing on the World Year of Physics turbulence physics. have demonstrated that for certain web site, www.physics2005.org, sometime in February. A special conference reception combinations of wing stiffness, was held at the world-famous wing motions, and fluid density, Museum of Flight. In addition, the fluid pressure stresses play a rela- NEUTRINO STUDY from page 1 meeting featured the 22nd annual tively minor role in determining Gallery of Fluid Motion. The gal- wing shape when the insect is mov- beta beam experiments; of the future of neutrino physics program to improve our under- lery features aesthetically pleasing, ing in the air. Using this approach, neutrinoless double beta decay and along three overarching themes: standing of neutrino mixing, as insightful displays of still pictures, they have demonstrated that even direct searches for neutrino mass; the impact of neutrino research well as to determine the nature of computer graphics, and video clips modest levels of passive elasticity and what cosmology and astro- on the Standard Model; the fact the neutrino mass spectrum, and submitted by meeting attendees. can affect thrust for a given level physics and neutrino physics can that neutrino physics has been to search for CP violation among A panel of referees selects the of energy input. Insects appear to teach each other. marked to date by anomalous neutrinos. Such a program would most outstanding entries, based be able to tune their wing elasticity “It’s more than just arguing for unexpected results; and the include several experiments, on artistic content, originality for optimal flight performance. some experiments,” study co-chair potential of neutrinos to probe including one located a few kilo- and the ability to convey infor- Granular MixingMixing. It is well Stuart Freedman (University of the cosmos, including the genera- meters from a nuclear reactor and mation. Winning entries will be known that granular mixtures seg- California, Berkeley) said of the tion of the sun’s energy. a beam of accelerator-generated displayed at the upcoming 2005 regate under flow, according to neutrino study’s purpose. “It’s an The report’s first recommenda- neutrinos directed towards a APS March Meeting in Los Julio M. Ottino of Northwestern attempt to provide background tion calls for a phased program of detector several hundred kilo- Angeles, California, and will be University, who described his information to people who would sensitive searches for neutrinoless meters away. published in the September 2005 recent work modeling the dynam- be in a position to argue to the double beta decay, a rare process Future plans should also issue of Physics of Fluids. ics of segregation, mixing, and higher levels of government that in which one atomic nucleus turns include a neutrino “superbeam” Understanding AneurysmsAneurysms. coarsening of granular matter. this is important science. This study into another by emitting two elec- program using a megawatt proton Our understanding of the factors At a fundamental level, all such will help the people who do the trons. This is the only way to accelerator. New technologies will that contribute to the development effects are due to particle-level funding to get a coherent view of determine if the neutrino is its own also be needed, including massive and rupture of aneurysms has interactions. But how does the the field, especially since there are antiparticle, and is also critical to new detectors capable of produc- developed rapidly over the last 15 entire ensemble behave? He is so many facets, because the field is our understanding of the origin of ing the largest and most precise years, accompanied by the devel- applying a wide range of modeling so cross-disciplinary.” mass. samples of neutrino data yet opment of new materials and approaches to explore this ques- According to Freedman, the A second high priority should recorded, and a new neutrino fac- devices for treatment. tion, including such discrete study members framed their view be establishing a comprehensive US tory with very pure neutrino For instance, scientists from the models as cellular automata and beams. University of California, San Diego, particle dynamics simulations that Less pressing, but still impor- described their recent clinical provide “realistic” details of the APS Seeks Endowment for tant, is the need to develop an study of multiple Neuroform stents particle interaction processes. experiment to make precise mea- to regulate blood flow in the aneur- Vortex Rings in Biological Sakharov Prize surements of the low-energy ismal sac. The team used a digital Propulsionopulsion. Caltech’s Morteza neutrinos from the sun. Thus far, particle image velocimetry tech- Gharib is looking to squid and By Ernie Tretkoff only solar neutrinos with relatively nique to measure how fast blood jellyfish—as well as cardiac blood In November 2003 the APS Andrei Sakharov spent about high energy have been studied in flowed at the entrance and inside transport—for insight into the Council approved a new prize 20 years working on the Soviet detail, and that’s only a small frac- the sac. They found that the use of dynamics of vortex formation and named for Andrei Sakharov, in top-secret nuclear weapons tion of the total. Being able to stents can effectively reduce the how it can be used as an underlying recognition of his work on behalf of project, and became known as the precisely measure lower-energy strength of the vortex forming principle for biological propulsion. human rights. A fund-raising com- father of the Russian hydrogen solar neutrinos could help us bet- inside the sac, with a subsequent Both species employ “pulsed-jet mittee is currently seeking bomb. Though he initially believed ter understand how they change decrease in the magnitude of the swimming” methods, which rely donations to secure an endowment his work on nuclear weapons was their flavor. It may also enable sci- shear stresses acting on the aneur- on the generation of vortices to for the prize. The first Sakharov necessary for the balance of entists to predict how bright the ismal wall. maximize thrust and/or propulsive Prize will be awarded once they power, he became increasingly sun will be tens of thousands of Other speakers described new efficiency. Gharib plans to extend have finished their work. aware of the dangers of nuclear years from now. modeling and computer simulation his studies to organisms, such as The Sakharov Prize is named fallout and atmospheric testing. Freedman emphasized that techniques to study the dynamics fish and birds, that generate more “in recognition of the courageous He advocated for nonprolife these three primary recommenda- of blood flow in aneurysms. The complex vortical structures. and effective work of Andrei ration, and was instrumental in tions assume continued strong Sakharov on behalf of human convincing the Soviet Union to sign support of the existing neutrino IN THE MEDIA from page 2 rights, to the detriment of his own the partial test ban treaty of 1963. programs still in progress. And located at a very early period in the “We have as yet no idea what ... scientific career and despite the Sakharov also worked to because neutrino interactions are history of the universe was over- 95% of the universe is made of or loss of his own personal freedom.” defend human rights and in 1968 extremely rare, many of the pro- hyped” in original news coverage. what its properties are. This means The purpose of the prize is “to wrote an essay entitled “Reflection posed experiments will need to be —Joel Primack, UC Santa Cruz that all of the physics we know — recognize outstanding leader- on Progress, Coexistence and carried out in a deep underground ✶✶✶ and this includes all the ... subjects ship and/or achievements of Intellectual Freedom,” which was laboratory facility. The study “I have the impression that phys- selected by the (institute)—are scientists in upholding human published in The New York Times. report also stresses the impor- ics is actually accelerating. This is only the properties of 5% of the rights.” The prize normally will In 1975, Sakharov was awarded tance of international cooperation because of powerful new tools that universe. It is a sobering and excit- be awarded to one or more physi- the Nobel Peace Prize for his with the neutrino programs of are becoming available, such as the ing thought, how much we still cists, but scientists in other fields efforts for human rights. The cita- other nations and geographical magnetic resonance force micro- have to learn.” may be eligible if the selection tion called him the “conscience of regions. scope used in the (list’s) top —Gerson Goldhaber, Lawrence committee feels their qualifica- mankind.” The full text of the joint unit discovery. ... On the theoretical side, Berkeley National Laboratory tions are appropriate. After speaking out against the neutrino study can be found at powerful new computers are en- ✶✶✶ The stipend will consist of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in http://apsreactor.uchicago.edu/ abling physicists to solve problems “Many of the stories (on the list) $10,000, and it is intended that the 1980, Sakharov was arrested and archive/0045.html. The full text of that were previously intractable.” are about things I don’t under- prize will be awarded in alternate exiled to Gorky. He returned to the reports from each of the six —Chris McKee, University of stand—physics is a very large field years, beginning after the endow- Moscow in 1986, and continued working groups can be found at California, Berkeley nowadays.” ment has reached a level sufficient to push for democratic reforms in http://www. interactions.org/ ✶✶✶ —Richard Taylor, Stanford University for supporting the prize. the Soviet Union. He died in 1989. neutrinostudy NEWS January 2005 7

ANNOUNCEMENTS

APS CONGRESSIONAL SCIENCE APS Mass Media Fellowship Program FELLOWSHIP 2005-2006 Applications are now being accepted for the 2005 summer Visit APS Mass Media Fellowships. In affiliation with the popular THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY is currently accepting ap- AAAS program, the APS is sponsoring two ten-week fellowships APS plications for the Congressional Science Fellowship Program. Fellows for physics students to work full-time over the summer as report- serve one year on the staff of a senator, representative or congres- ers, researchers, and production assistants in mass media News sional committee. They are afforded an opportunity to learn the organizations nationwide. Information on application requirements legislative process and explore science policy issues from the law- Online makers’ perspective. In turn, Fellows have the opportunity to lend can be found at http://www.aps.org/public_affairs/massmedia/ scientific and technical expertise to public policy issues. index.html. http:// www.aps.org/apsnews/ QUALIFICATIONS include a PhD or equivalent in physics or a DEADLINE: JANUARY 15, 2005 closely related field, a strong interest in science and technology policy, and, ideally, some experience in applying scientific knowl- edge toward the solution of societal problems. Fellows are required to be US citizens and members of the APS. APS Council and TERM OF APPOINTMENT is one year, beginning in September of 2005 with participation in a two-week orientation sponsored by Committee Position AAAS. Fellows have considerable choice in congressional assign- ments. Nominations A STIPEND of $50,000 is offered in addition to allowances for relocation, in-service travel, and health insurance premiums. VICE-PRESIDENT; GENERAL APPLICATION should consist of a letter of intent of approximately COUNCILLOR (2); NOMINATING two pages, a list of key publications, a two-page resume, and three letters of reference. Please see the APS website (http://www.aps.org/ COMMITTEE; public_affairs.fellows.html) for detailed information on materials re- Vice-Chairperson-Elect • Members; quired for applying and other information on the program. PANEL ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS; Vice- Chairperson-Elect • Members • ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS MUST BE POSTMARKED International Councillor BY JANUARY 17, 2005 AND SHOULD BE SENT TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: Please send your nominations to: APS Congressional Science Fellowship Program c/o Jackie Beamon-Kiene American Physical Society; One Physics APS Executive Office Ellipse; College Park, MD 20740-3844; Attn: One Physics Ellipse Ken Cole; (301) 209-3288; fax: (301) 209- College Park, MD 20740-3843 0865; email: [email protected]. A nomination form is available at http://www.aps.org/ GRADUATE from page 5 exec/nomform.html. DEADLINE: JANUARY 31, 2005 2002, it doesn’t deal with all that with about 10% of US students. post-9/11 stuff.” Among US students, the most Asia sends far more students to popular subfields were DPP MEETING from page 5 the US than any other region, with astronomy and astrophysics later in the decade. pinches begin as a cylindrical radio waves used to heat the plasma China and India sending the most (16%), followed by condensed X-Ray Vision for the Z-PinchZ-Pinch. X- array of wires, each thinner than a can spontaneously convert into students. In 2002 and 2003, 29% matter (14%), and particles and ray movies of wire-array z-pinch human hair, that are vaporized into short wavelength waves. It’s impor- of foreign first-year graduate stu- fields (11%). Condensed matter implosions on Sandia National Labo- plasma by 20 million amperes of tant to identify where and how these dents came from China, up from was the most popular subfield ratories’ Z-machine have been made current. This plasma is then waves convert to understand heat- 25% in 1999 and 2000. The per- among foreign students (22%), for the first time, revealing a rich “pinched” to the axis of the array ing in machines such as tokamaks, centage of foreign students coming followed by particles and fields array of implosion phenomena. where it rapidly heats up and radi- which are likely to lead to the first from Europe declined during that (10%) and astronomy and astro- Wire-array z-pinches at Sandia ates soft x rays. Until now, very little practical fusion energy sources. time period, from 37% to 25%. physics (7%). Almost a quarter National Laboratories’ “Z-machine” information existed for the earli- Researchers at MIT have now suc- The report also found that of first-year students have not are the world’s most powerful labo- est stages of the z-pinch implosion. ceeded in simultaneously measuring women are increasing their repre- yet chosen a subfield. ratory x-ray sources, producing 1-2 Each stage of this process has now both the short wavelength and long sentation among physics and The vast majority (93%) of million Joules of x-rays in 100-200 been imaged, providing quantita- wavelength waves in a tokamak for astronomy graduate students. In students entering physics or TW bursts. tive information about the mass the first time on the Alcator C-Mod 2003 women made up slightly more astronomy graduate school say Researchers presenting at the distribution of the plasma that is tokamak. The experimental results than 20% of first- year students, up they are aiming for a PhD. APS meeting successfully took being used to constrain existing are consistent with theoretical pre- from about 16% in 1995. “Though such a large propor- x-ray pictures of z-pinch plasmas physical models and simulations of dictions, bolstering physicists’ Over 90% of first-year physics tion may set their sights on a PhD, on the Z facility using a special crys- z-pinch implosions. confidence that they are on the right and astronomy graduate students every year at least a third of the tal imaging diagnostic. New Measurements in Plasma track in developing models for the reported that they considered graduate degrees are masters, Now, for the first time research- HeatingHeating. In plasmas that include complex interactions in plasma themselves at least adequately most exiting from PhD depart- ers are able to study the growth and multiple species of ions, like those fusion machines. prepared for graduate work, and ments, indicating that a evolution of plasma instabilities expected in potential fusion devices, — James Riordon, Ben Stein and most considered themselves “well significant number of students during the z-pinch implosion. Z the long wavelength, penetrating Phil Schewe contributed to this story. prepared” or “very well prepared.” do not reach the goal they had Foreign students rated their when they began their graduate preparation for graduate school studies” the report says. MOON/MARS from page 1 slightly higher than US students Most students who plan to earn Space Telescope, the Mars Rover, important scientific questions. And To accommodate the Moon- did. Almost half of the foreign stu- a PhD hope to work in academia and Explorer missions, which have while human exploration has a role Mars initiative, NASA has already dents surveyed had completed (70%) followed by industry (17%) revolutionized our understanding to play in NASA, it should be within begun to reprogram its existing some graduate study in physics or and government or national labs of the universe while relying on a balanced program in which allo- budget, resulting in indefinite astronomy before entering their (9%). The full report is available at comparatively cheap, unmanned cated resources span the full postponement or serious delay of current departments, compared www.aip.org/statistics. and robotic instruments. spectrum of the space sciences and science programs that were It is likely that such programs take advantage of emerging scien- assigned high priority by the COHEN from page 3 will have to be scaled back or elimi- tific opportunities and synergies. National Academy of Sciences Q: In recent years, biology has century, this will be a non-ques- nated in the wake of much more “Astronauts on Mars might (NAS) decadal studies. been called by some the “science of the tion as the fields will be so expensive and dangerous manned achieve greater scientific returns The APS report includes three 21st century,” while physics is viewed intertwined. space exploration, according to the than robotic missions, but they recommendations regarding the as the science of the past I can predict that there are committee. would come at such a high cost that Moon-Mars initiative: century. Do you think this is true? going to be a lot of discoveries in The report concluded that these scientific grounds, alone, would 1. NASA should continue to be AA: No! First of all no one knows physics in the next 95 years. That’s recent spectacular successes probably not provide a sufficient guided by the priorities recom- where the big scientific discover- a safe prediction. The 21st century amply demonstrate that we can use rationale,” says Joel Primack of UC mended in the NAS decadal studies ies are going to come. Biology has like the 20th is going to be a great robotic means to address many Santa Cruz, who headed the com- for its science programs. had tremendous growth and century for physics, too. mittee. 2. Before the US commits to the extremely exciting science is being The committee maintained that Moon-Mars proposal, a review of produced. As biology develops, Q: Why did you decide to take or that I have chosen to do with the the scope of the proposed initia- the initiative’s science impact should there may be more in the way of on the task of being APS president? APS has impressed me as important. tive has not been well-defined, its be carried out by the National underlying principles discovered. A: It’s a question of giving some- One of the main reasons for this long-term cost has not been Academy of Science. Perhaps the observed science will thing back. I care about physics, the is the marvelous trio, Marty Blume, adequately addressed, and no bud- 3. Before the US commits to the be interpreted in terms of physics. welfare of physicists, physics edu- Judy Franz, and Tom McIlrath. They getary mechanisms have been Moon-Mars proposal, the likely I think it is possible that there cation, and students. I’m happy to are extraordinary. They are the established to avoid causing major budgetary impact should be will be more coalescing of the report that up to now, almost every- secret of the success of this organi- irreparable damage to the agency’s estimated by the Government fields, so maybe by the end of this thing that I have been asked to do zation. scientific program. Accountability Office. 8 January 2005 NEWS The Back Page Outreach is an Orphan FIGURE 1 By Alan Chodos

In the 1990’s, physics was in the annual “Highlights of Physics” pro- other resources that were available doldrums in Germany. Enrollments grams in Germany following 2000, at APS, AAPT and AIP. A more in physics among college students and years structured similarly to interesting question relates not to had been declining throughout the the Year of Physics devoted to the quantity of funding, but rather decade. As the millennium other sciences. Most importantly to the funding pathways, or lack approached, the German physics for other countries, the Year of thereof, that this country possesses community resolved to do some- Physics inspired the European to support outreach activities. thing about it. Physical Society to suggest that The two major activities of the The German Physical Society, 2005 be declared the World Year physics community are research and working with the Federal Ministry of Physics, celebrating the centen- education. Outreach plays an impor- for Education and Research, nial of Einstein’s miraculous year tant supporting role for each of these, declared 2000 to be the Year of Phys- of 1905. This has been taken up but it is a special case of neither. In ics, in part commemorating the by the International Union of Pure thinking about where outreach good reviews. But in a tight budget children. An important part of the centennial of Max Planck’s quantum and Applied Physics, by UNESCO, belongs, it is useful to catalogue the environment, the proposal will be goal might be to reach as large a hypothesis. Five major events were by the Congress of the United benefits that, ideally, it brings to both competing directly with research, group of students as possible. But planned, in Bonn and Berlin, and a States, and by the General Assem- the physics profession and the wider which is, after all, the core mission the funding agency would rather budget of roughly half a million dol- bly of the United Nations, which community: of the agency. It is only natural, spend less money to reach a large lars per project was allocated. The declared 2005 the International most of the basic research and then, for outreach proposals ask- group, and more to collect data five projects were titled: “Beyond the Year of Physics last June. many of the educational programs ing for substantial sums to be the from a smaller group on the edu- Milky Way”; “Trip to the Big Bang”; The goal of the World Year of in physics are funded by the fed- first victims of budget pressures. cational benefits of the activity. The “Tamed Light”; “The Philosopher’s Physics, in the United States and eral government. By informing the On the other hand, these agen- investigator finds that the project Stone” [referring to silicon, as used elsewhere, is to reach out to the public about recent developments cies do recognize the value of has been skewed away from out- in computers and information tech- public in much the same way as in physics, outreach helps the tax- outreach. In fact, all NSF propos- reach and toward a study of the nology]; and “The Discovery of the Germans did in 2000. payers understand what they are als require the investigator not only educational outcomes. This is not Chance”. In addition to the main As readers of APS News know, paying for; to address the “intellectual merit” necessarily bad—it is just periph- events, over 200 satellite activities in in the US the APS is spearheading outreach oriented toward stu- of the proposal, but also the eral to the interests and aims of the schools, universities and laboratories much of the activity, together with dents can be an important “broader impacts”, which includes original project. brought the year of physics to the its sister societies, the American motivator. Students find a subject answering questions like “Will the In the current system, outreach entire country. Association of Physics Teachers more interesting when they appre- results be disseminated broadly to has no natural home. It is an A description provided by the (AAPT) and the American Institute ciate what the larger questions are, enhance scientific and technologi- orphan. There are many examples German Physical Society of one of of Physics (AIP). Considerable and what the potential applications cal understanding? What may be of good projects that struggle or the main events, “Tamed Light”, effort has gone into publicizing the may be. Well-designed outreach the benefits of the proposed activ- that are never realized because of gives a good idea of how these World Year in the physics commu- can bring these issues vividly to life; ity to society?”—questions that lack of even minimal funding. Phys- projects were conducted and what nity, with the goal of stimulating at least one Nobel Prize win- suggest outreach as a part of the ics on the road teams, based mainly they achieved: “ ‘Don’t wait for the local activities analogous to the ner in physics was attracted to the proposed activity. at universities but also at science people to come to us, go to where “satellite events” that occurred in subject by a “physics on the road” Attempts have been made to museums and other institutions, they are’ was the motto of the physi- Germany in 2000; these could be demonstration. Those with the incorporate outreach into some of operate on a shoestring, getting by cists organizing the year’s third public lectures, open houses, talent to become outstanding the regular research grants. Inves- on the enthusiasm and dedication event, held in June. They erected a Saturday morning physics demon- physicists often possess equal tigators have been required to of the team members. A small marquee on Bonn’s market square stration shows, physics on the talents in other directions. Out- show that a specified fraction of amount of extra support would go and filled it with experiments on road activities, science cafés, and reach can inspire them to consider their time has been spent on some a long way to increasing the num- lasers and quantum physics. They did similar activities that local physics as a career; type of education or outreach. ber of teams and the level of their not have to wait long for visitors. The organizers think would be most outreach geared to the public Sometimes this works out well: sci- activity. But there is no place for first ones came even before the effective in their communities. and to legislators and other deci- entists who would not otherwise them to apply for funds. exhibits were ready and the idea of APS is also working hard on four sion makers can enhance the do so are forced to think about In my opinion, a necessary step attracting passersby from the city of its own projects, roughly analo- support that physics is likely to communicating their results to a is to bring outreach out from center was wildly successful. A total gous to the five major projects in receive in the budget process. general audience, and some of under the umbrella of research and of 15,000 people visited the Germany listed above. Two of these To summarize: outreach aids them find the experience enjoyable education, where it doesn’t belong. exhibition tent in three days. are aimed at middle school and high research by informing the public and the outcome successful. But The funding agencies each need a “As at the other Year of Physics school respectively. about the results of research, and often the effort is wasted because separate office for outreach, with an events, the research staff was there In addition, at least 16 Physics conversely by encouraging support the investigators are focused on independent budget. This budget (up to 16 hours a day) to explain the on the Road teams will be funded for the research enterprise. Out- their research and resent the will, of course, be vastly smaller than exhibits. Young undergraduate as to undertake special World Year reach aids education by raising mandated diversion of their ener- the corresponding ones for research well as graduate students joined with of Physics programs, and the dis- students’ interest in and enthusiasm gies from their primary task. and education. But its independence full professors, talking themselves tributed computing project for physics, and by inspiring tal- If funding through a research will allow proposals to be reviewed, hoarse to explain the mysteries of Einstein@home will use LIGO data ented students to pursue the subject agency can lead to problems, why and their outcomes to be evaluated, their branch of science to the visi- to search for gravitational waves. in more depth. Given these ben- not try an agency whose primary according to criteria that are relevant tors. These never ceased to marvel All these projects are described on efits, however, one finds that in this interest is education, such as the for outreach. Funds can be chan- at the fact that the scientists were the US World Year of Physics web country, unlike the situation for Education and Human Resources neled to those who have the taking the trouble to bring their site, www.physics 2005.org. research or education, there is no Directorate of the NSF? This can enthusiasm and the talent to do the knowledge and enthusiasm literally But there is a pronounced dif- dedicated program of support for be a bumpy ride if one is accus- outreach effectively. to the marketplace.” ference in scale. The four APS outreach activities. tomed to the standards and As the German experience shows, The impact of the Year of Phys- projects have received federal The way the system is struc- protocols that prevail in the world outreach can be a powerful tool to ics can be seen in the dramatic funding totaling a little over half a tured, outreach must be funded of research. Education proposals enhance enrollments and to raise the increase in physics and astronomy million dollars, whereas in either from within programs that must incorporate rigorous pro- visibility of physics dramatically. The enrollments among first-year uni- Germany the funding was half a primarily fund research, or those cesses of evaluation, according to World Year of Physics is an excellent versity students, as shown in the million dollars for each of their five that primarily fund education. criteria that are relevant to educa- opportunity to bring the excitement graph in Figure 1. projects. We hope that the APS Because outreach is a distinct tion, and more particularly to and importance of physics to the According to data provided by projects will be very successful, activity that is neither research nor innovation in education. The inves- public, but to sustain that effort and the German Federal Statistical but since the population of the US education, this system functions in tigator must put in place to produce significant results, we Office, the number of freshmen is more than three times that of an ad-hoc manner. Despite the best procedures that will measure the need a system in this country in enrolled in physics doubled from Germany, they probably will not of intentions, excellent programs quality and quantity of information which outreach joins research and 1998 to 2003, with the biggest have quite the impact that the can be left unfunded, while, para- that has been transmitted to the education as a recognized indepen- annual jump occurring between Germans achieved in 2000. doxically, outreach funds can be target audience. While this may be dent activity within the physics 2001 and 2002. The graph also That is not to say that the APS awarded to recipients who did not the primary goal of an experimen- profession. shows the total number of fresh- projects should have received ask for them and may not have any tal educational project, it is often As Associate Executive Officer of men taking all kinds of science dramatically more funding. The interest in using them. not so for one dedicated to out- APS, Alan Chodos is heavily involved (including medicine and engineer- level of support provided, prima- If a proposal for outreach is sub- reach. The investigator may want in the US plans for the World Year of ing) in each year, for comparison. rily from NSF and DOE, with a mitted to what is primarily a to spend his or her time designing Physics. The opinions expressed in this As a result of the success of the smaller amount from NIST, was research agency, the proposal may a project to excite enthusiasm for article are his alone and do not reflect Year of Physics, there have been commensurate with the staff and well get a sympathetic hearing and physical science in middle school any official position of the APS.

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