A P S N E W S APSAPRIL 1997 THE AMERICAN P HYSICALNews SOCIETY VOLUME 6, NO 4 Societies Call for 7% Funding increase in Joint Statement on Scientific Research

he APS along with 22 other organizations Scientific Societies that Tspanning the scientific and engineering community [see side bar] issued a Joint Statement on Scientific Research calling Endorsed Statement* for an increase in federal research budgets. At a press American Association of Physicists in Medicine conference held at the National Press Building in Washington, American Astronomical Society D.C. in March, APS President D. Allan Bromley joined with American Chemical Society other scientific society presidents in calling on Congress and American Geological Institute the Clinton Administration “to renew the nation’s historical American Geophysical Union commitment to scientific research and education.” Bromley and American Chemical Society President, Paul Anderson American Institute of Biological Sciences amplified the rationale in a nation-wide 15 minute C-Span American Institute of Physics interview. It is unusual for such a large number of scientific American Institute of Professional Geologists organizations, representing a cross section of scientific and American Mathematical Society engineering disciplines and about 1.5 million members, to APS President, D. Allan Bromley addressing press corps. The American Physical Society agree to a united position on funding. The text of the Joint American Society of Engineering Education Statement on Scientific Research follows: We strongly believe that for our nation to meet the chal- Association for Women in Mathematics “As the federal government develops its spending plans lenges of the next century, agencies charged with carrying Association for Women in Science for Fiscal Year 1998, we call upon the President and Mem- out scientific research and education require increases in Astronomical Society of the Pacific bers of Congress to renew the nation’s historical commitment their respective research budgets of 7 percent for Fiscal Year Council on Undergraduate Research to scientific research and education by providing the requi- 1998. These agencies include, among others, the NSF, NIH, Engineering Deans Council site funding for the federal agencies charged with these DOE, DOD, and NASA. The increases we call for strike a Federation of Materials Societies responsibilities. Our call is based upon two fundamental balance between the current fiscal pressures and the need Geological Society of America principles that are well accepted by policy makers in both to invest in activities that enable long-term economic growth The Institute of Electrical and Electronics political parties. and productivity. Such increases would only partially re- Engineers, Inc. store the inflationary losses that most of these agencies • The federal investment in scientific research is vital to four Materials Research Society suffered during the last few years. national goals: our economic competitiveness, our medical Mathematical Association of America Prudent planning argues for strengthening the respec- health, our national security and our quality of life. Optical Society of America tive activities of major research agencies, as already Society for Industrial & Applied Mathematics • Scientific disciplines are interdependent; therefore, a com- recognized in pending legislation. To constrain still further prehensive approach to science funding provides the federal spending on their scientific programs would jeopar- *by the Presidents (or the equivalent officer) greatest opportunity for reaching these goals. dize the future well-being of our nation.” Physical Review A Goes Online APS Helps Organize Networking Workshop in Ghana hysical Review A, the APS research • versatile search interface including P journal for all areas of atomic, fielded and Boolean search and ad- long with several other the President of the Society of African molecular, and optical physics and vanced search A international societies and organi- Physicists and Mathematicians (SAPAM), related fundamental concepts, is the • flexibility in sorting search results zations, the APS contributed to the Francis Allotey; the Chair of the GNC, latest addition to the rapidly growing list by relevancy ranking, chronologi- organization of a three-week advanced Christine Kisiedu and Irving Lerch for of APS research journals available on the cal order, or journal title networking workshop at the University the American Physical Society; and by World Wide Web. As an introductory offer, Physical of Accra, Legon, Ghana, beginning Janu- phone, representatives of the United Physical Review A online offers the Review A online will be available free ary 31. The course began with a UNIX Nations Development Program’s Sustain- following features, among others: of charge to all APS members until May workshop and was followed by two able Development Networking Program • easy and logically designed navi- 1, 1997, and to all APS members who weeks of intensive training to orient (UNDP’s SDNP). The participants agreed gation pathways have a fiscal year 1997 subscription to node managers and programming staff to collaborate on an advanced network- • access to each journal issue before Physical Review A until July 1, 1997. with respect to server set-up, router pro- ing workshop for Ghana to take place the print version becomes available To access Physical Review A online, go gramming, note management and in either late 1996 or early 1997. • browsable and searchable tables of to http://ojps.aip.org/prao/ and type network maintenance. Other students re- According to Irving Lerch, APS di- contents for current and previous “apspra” for username and “welcome” ceived user training and orientation on rector of international scientific affairs, issues for password. the Internet and World Wide Web. Ap- the APS and SAPAM agreed to collabo- • advance listing of accepted papers As part of our continuing efforts to proximately 40 students are being trained rate on the effort and SAPAM scheduled for upcoming issues provide our members with high-qual- in this first course. The Ghanaian Na- subsequently signed a reciprocal soci- • a PDF file of the full article, en- ity service and products, we need to tional Committee (GNC) will organize ety membership agreement with APS. abling users to print articles with hear from you, so please do not hesi- additional courses at the conclusion of UNDP’s SDNP agreed to provide the same look and feel as the print tate to drop us a note at the current program. The bulk of the stu- $50,000 for equipment and interna- version of the journal [email protected]. dents are recruited from the three main tional instructor support for the training (continued on page 5) universities in Ghana: the University of course. UNESCO provided the GNC Accra at Legon, the University of Cape with support for planning and devel- Coast and the Technical University in opment and ITU provided support for IN THIS ISSUE Kumasi. Not quite two years ago, the literature and student subsistence. UNESCO Informatics Program proposed Lerch recruited the chief instructor for Societies Call for 7% Funding increase in Joint Statement on a telecommunications initiative in Ghana the program, Brian Candler (UK) who Scientific Research ...... 1 and asked the Ghanaian government to had served as chief instructor in St. Pe- Physical Review A Goes Online ...... 1 organize a GNC to plan a development tersburg and had been a senior instructor APS Helps Organize Networking Workshop in Ghana ...... 1 program and to prepare proposals for for the Internet Society’s annual devel- Physicists to be Honored at 1997 Spring Meeting ...... 2 funding. On May 28-29, 1996, a plan- oping country training program. Other Lopez Heads APS Efforts in Science Education Reform ...... 3 ning workshop was held in Paris to instructors came from the university and IN BRIEF ...... 3 develop an advanced networking work- private sector in Ghana and other parts Opinion ...... 4 shop similar to ones held in Kiev in of Africa. Considerable technical support Nominations for 1998 APS Prizes and Awards...... 7 September 1995 and St. Petersburg in is being provided by the Ghanaian The Back Page ...... 8 October 1996. Internet Service Provider, Network Com- APS Meeting News ...... Insert Attending the workshop in Paris were puter Systems, run by Nii Quaynor who representatives of UNESCO; the Interna- developed Ghana’s point-of-presence on tional Telecommunications Union (ITU); the Internet. APS News April 1997 Physicists to be Honored at 1997 Spring Meeting

Thirteen APS prizes and awards will be pre- the first full reconstruction of a B meson at a issues involving the interface between physics intended to honor a physicist who has exhib- sented during a special ceremonial session at hadron collider and development of creative and society. ited extraordinary qualities in such areas as the Society’s general meeting in Washington, and effective educational programs for under- Martin Gardner education, the improvement of the quality of DC, 18-21 April 1997, held in conjunction with prepared university students and science life in our society, and fostering international the American Association of Physics Teachers. outreach programs for Philadelphia schools.” Journalist and Writer cooperation in physics. Citations and biographical information for each Gladney received his PhD in physics from Citation: “For his popular columns and books Li-Zhi Fang recipient follows. Stanford University in 1985. He spent the next on recreational mathematics which introduced three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the generations of readers to the pleasures and University of Arizona 1997 TOM W. BONNER PRIZE University of Pennsylvania before joining the uses of logical thinking; and for his columns Citation: “For his courageous struggle for de- faculty there. He is currently an associate pro- and books which exposed pseudoscientific and mocracy and human rights in China over the The Tom W. Bonner Prize was established in fessor of physics and astronomy. His research antiscientific bunk and explained the scien- past four decades; for his continued commit- 1964 to recognize and encourage outstanding centers on the elucidation of symmetries tific process to the general public.” ment to teaching and his outstanding experimental research in nuclear physics, in- among the fundamental particles, focusing on Gardner received his BA from the Univer- leadership in physics research despite difficult cluding the development of a method, the determination of properties of hadrons con- sity of Chicago in 1936. His career as a journalist circumstances; and for his continuing support technique, or device that significantly contrib- taining a bottom quark. and writer includes stints for the Tulsa Tri- and dedication to students, colleagues, and utes in a general way to nuclear physics bune, public relations staffer for the University those fighting for human rights.” research. 1997 HERBERT P. BROIDA PRIZE of Chicago, contributing editor to Humpty A native of Beijing, China, Li-Zhi received R.G. Hamish Robertson Dumpty magazine from 1952 to 1962, and serv- his diploma from Beijing University in 1956 Established in 1979, the prize is intended to recog- University of Washington ing as a writer for the mathematics games and immediately joined the Chinese nuclear nize and enhance outstanding experimental department for Scientific American. His skill project as a junior researcher. He was dismissed Citation: “For his intellectual and experimen- advancements in the fields of atomic and molecu- in combining mathematics, science, philoso- for speaking out in favor of freedom of thought tal leadership in seminal experiments testing lar spectroscopy or chemical physics. phy and literature has produced more than 30 and expression and transferred to the Univer- charge symmetry and independence, determin- William Happer books, including In the Name of Science, an sity of Science and Technology of China ing fundamental properties of nuclear reactions Princeton University entertaining account of cults and fad sciences (USTC). During the Cultural Revolution (1966 having cosmological and astrophysical signifi- in numerous fields. His avocational interests to 1976), he was sentenced to hard labor in cance, and establishing stringent limits on the Citation: “For his pioneering contributions to atomic include magic, chess, and playing the musical the coal mines, but returned to USTC, becom- mass of the electron antineutrino.” and chemical physics, in particular for his devel- saw. ing vice president in 1984. He was dismissed Robertson earned his PhD in nuclear phys- opment of optical pumping and laser-polarized in 1986 for supporting the student democratic ics from McMaster University in 1971 and noble gases whose uses include nuclear targets & 1997 JULIUS E. LILIENFELD PRIZE movement and moved to the Beijing Astro- received a postdoctoral fellowship at Michi- magnetic resonance imaging.” nomical Observatory. gan State University, eventually joining the Happer received his PhD in physics from The Lilienfeld Prize was established in 1988 under Following the massacre in Tiananmen Square faculty as a professor of physics. During that Princeton University in 1964 and promptly the terms of a bequest of Beatrice Lilienfeld in in 1989, Li-Zhi sought refuge in the U.S. Em- time he made the first observation of an iso- joined the faculty of Columbia University, memory of her husband, Julius Edgar Lilienfeld. It bassy in Beijing. He left China in 1990, and baric quintet of states in nuclei, and carried where he became a full professor and direc- is intended to recognize outstanding contributions has been a professor of physics and astronomy out experiments on parity violation and nuclear tor of the Columbia Radiation Laboratory. In to physics by an individual who has also demon- at the University of Arizona since 1992. His astrophysics. In 1981 he joined the Los Alamos 1980 he joined the faculty of Princeton Uni- strated exceptional skills in lecturing to diverse research has covered nuclear physics, laser National Laboratory, where he investigated versity. In 1991 he was appointed Director of audiences. The prize includes expenses for three physics and numerous topics in theoretical as- neutrino mass via tritium beta decay and solar Energy Research in the U.S. Department of lectures to be given by the recipient at an APS trophysics and cosmology. He has served on neutrino experiments. In 1994 he became a Energy, returning to Princeton in 1993. He is general meeting, a research university, and a pre- many scientific committees and human rights professor of physics at the University of Wash- presently the Eugene Higgins Professor of dominantly undergraduate institution. organizations. ington, where he is continuing his work on Physics and Chairman of the University Re- Michael S. Turner neutrinos. search Board. Happer is a specialist in modern optics, optical and radiofrequency spectros- University of Chicago 1997 W.K.H. PANOFSKY PRIZE 1997 EDWARD A. BOUCHET copy of atoms and molecules, and Citation: “For his pioneering contributions to Established in 1985 by the friends of W.K.H. AWARD spin-polarized atoms and nuclei. He has also the field of particle-cosmology, particularly the Panofsky and the Division of Particles and had a strong interest in applied physics, serv- exploration of non-baryonic dark matter, and Fields, this prize is awarded annually in rec- Established in 1994, the Bouchet Award (for- ing as a scientific consultant to numerous firms for his ability to communicate the excitement ognition of outstanding achievements in merly the Visiting Minority Lectureship) is and government agencies, including co-found- of the field.” experimental particle physics. sponsored by the Research Corporation. It is ing Magnetic Imaging Technologies (MITI), Turner received his PhD in physics from Yuri Mikhailovich Zaitsev intended to promote the participation of un- which specializes in the use of laser polarized Stanford University in 1978 and currently holds der-represented minorities in physics by publicizing gases for magnetic resonance imaging and mi- appointments at the University of Chicago as a Moscow Physical Technical Institute the lecturer’s work and career development to the croscopy. professor of physics and of astronomy and as- Henning Schröder physics community, especially to young minority trophysics. He is also a staff scientist at the Fermi University of Dortmund, Germany physics students. 1997 FORUM AWARD National Accelerator Laboratory. His research concerns the earliest history of the universe and Citation: “For their leading role in the first dem- Larry Donnie Gladney O O Established in 1974 by the Forum on Physics onstration of mixing in the B -B system. The University of Pennsylvania the application of elementary particle theory to and Society, the Forum Award is intended to cosmology. unexpectedly large value of the mixing param- Citation: “For his contributions to elementary recognize outstanding accomplishments in the eter provided indirect evidence for a large top particle physics and to education, including endeavor to promote public understanding of quark mass and has greatly enhanced the pos- 1997 MARIA GOEPPERT-MAYER sibility for studying CP violation in B meson AWARD decays. This capability has encouraged a world- APS COUNCIL 1997 Established in 1985 by the General Electric wide effort to determine whether the small CP Foundation to recognize outstanding achieve- violation in K decay is a reflection of a funda- President mental parameter characterizing transitions of APS News D. Allan Bromley, Yale University ment by a woman physicist in the early years President-Elect of her career, the Maria Goeppert-Mayer Award quarks among the three generations.” Andrew M. Sessler, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Vice-President includes a generous travel allowance to pro- Zaitsev graduated from Moscow Engineer- Series II, Vol. 6, No. 4 April 1997 Jerome Friedman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology ing Physical Institute in 1960 and earned his © 1997 The American Physical Society vide opportunities for the recipient to present Executive Officer PhD in 1968. He has spent most of his career Judy R. Franz, University of Alabama, Huntsville her achievements to others through public lec- Editor: Barrett H. Ripin Treasurer tures at four institutions of her choice. working at the ITEP facility in Moscow, and is Newswriter: Jennifer Ouellette Thomas McIlrath, University of Maryland also a professor at the Moscow Physical Tech- Editor-in-Chief Margaret Mary Murnane Production: Elizabeth Buchan-Higgins Martin Blume, Brookhaven National Laboratory nical Institute. He has participated in Adrienne Vincent Past-President University of Michigan experiments on high-energy particle interac- Robert Schrieffer, Florida State University Coordinator: Amy Halsted Citation: “For her pioneering work in experi- tions with nuclei, backward particle production General Councillors mental ultrafast optical physics, including the in proton-nuclei interactions, and on the DASP APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X yearly, monthly, Daniel Auerbach, Virginia Brown, Jennifer Cohen, Charles Duke, except the August/September issue, by The American Physical Elsa Garmire, S. James Gates, Donald Hamann, William Happer, development of sophisticated ultrafast tech- II collaboration. At DESY in Germany, he led Society, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) Anthony M. Johnson, Zachary Levine, Paul Peercy, Susan Seestrom, niques in both x-ray and visible regions of the the design, creation and operation of muon 209-3200. It contains news of the Society and of its Divisions, Virginia Trimble, Ronald Walsworth, Sau Lan Wu Topical Groups, Sections and Forums; advance information on spectrum. Her work has opened up a new field systems for the ARGUS detector. He is cur- meetings of the Society; and reports to the Society by its com- Chair, Nominating Committee of high density, high-temperature plasmas cre- rently working on the HERA-B collaboration mittees and task forces, as well as opinions. Gerard Crawley ated by ultrashort laser pulses.” as a coordinator of muon systems. Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Letters to the editor are welcomed from the membership. Letters Murnane received her PhD from the Uni- Schröder received his PhD in 1973 from the must be signed and should include an address and daytime tele- Robert M. White University of Freiburg, Germany, where he phone number. The APS reserves the right to select and to edit versity of California, Berkeley, where she for length or clarity. All correspondence regarding APS News should Division and Forum Councillors remained for a one-year postdoctoral program served as a scientific assistant until 1976, and Frank C. Jones (Astrophysics), Eric Heller, Gordon Dunn (Atomic, be directed to: Editor, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College before joining the faculty at Washington State as a postdoctoral fellow at the MPI fur Park, MD 20749-3844, email: [email protected]. Molecular and Optical), Robert Callender (Biological), Stephen Leone (Chemical), Joe D. Thompson, David Aspnes, Lu J. Sham, University in 1990. In 1996 she and her hus- Kernphysik in Heidelberg. Since 1977 he has Zachary Fisk (Condensed Matter), Warren Pickett (Computa- been a staff member at DESY, and also teaches Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publication de- tional), Guenter Ahlers (Fluid Dynamics), James Wynne (Fo- band joined the faculty of the University of livered by Periodical Mail. Members residing abroad may receive rum on Education), Albert Wattenberg (Forum on History of Phys- Michigan and the NSF Center for Ultrafast at the University of Dortmund and the Uni- Nonmembers: airfreight delivery for a fee of $20. Subscription ics), Ernest Henley (Forum on International Physics), Dietrich versity of Rostock. His early work was in light rates are: domestic $160; Canada, Mexico, Central and South Schroeer (Forum on Physics and Society), Andrew Lovinger (High Optical Science. A past recipient of the APS America, and Caribbean $180; Air Freight Europe, Asia, Africa Polymer), Daniel Grischkowsky (Laser Science), Howard Simon Ramo Award, Murnane’s work has been nuclei and hypernuclei, and he held a leading and Oceania $210. Birnbaum (Materials), John Schiffer, Peter Paul (Nuclear), Henry position with DESY’s ARGUS collaboration, Frisch, George Trilling (Particles and Fields), Hermann Grunder part of a revolution in ultrafast phenomena. Subscription orders, renewals and address changes should (Physics of Beams), Roy Gould, William Kruer (Plasma) Visible and x-ray pulses can now be simply investigating quark decays. He is now a mem- be addressed as follows: For APS Members—Membership De- and reliably generated, and powerful new tech- ber of the HERA-B experiment to study CP partment, The American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, ADVISORS College Park, MD 20740-3844, [email protected]. For Non- niques have been developed for obtaining violation in beta decays. members—Circulation and Fulfillment Division, American In- Sectional Representatives accurate information on the exact shape of stitute of Physics, 500 Sunnyside Blvd., Woodbury, NY 11797. John Pribram, New England; Peter Lesser, New York; Perry P. Yaney, Allow at least 6 weeks advance notice. For address changes, Ohio; Joseph Hamilton, Southeastern; Stephen Baker, Texas ultrashort pulses. Together with her husband 1997 I.I RABI PRIZE please send both the old and new addresses, and, if possible, and a team of students, she is developing the include a mailing label from a recent issue. Requests from sub- Representatives from Other Societies Established in 1989, the prize is intended to recog- scribers for missing issues will be honored without charge only Ronald Edge, AAPT; Marc Brodsky, AIP next generation of intense lasers for efficient if received within 6 months of the issue’s actual date of publi- nize and encourage outstanding research in atomic, Staff Representatives x-ray generation, laser-based particle accelera- cation. molecular and optical physics. Barrett Ripin, Associate Executive Officer; Irving Lerch, Director of tion, and to explore previously inaccessible International Affairs; Robert L. Park, Director, Public Informa- extreme states of matter. Periodical Postage Paid at College Park, MD and at additional tion; Michael Lubell, Director, Public Affairs; Stanley Brown, Ad- Eric Allin Cornell mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS News, ministrative Editor; Reid Terwilliger, Director of Editorial Office NIST/JILA/Univ. of Colorado Membership Department, The American Physical Society, One Services; Michael Stephens, Controller and Assistant Treasurer Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. 1996 DWIGHT NICHOLSON MEDAL Wolfgang Ketterle Established in 1993, the Nicholson Medal is Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Continued on page 7) 2 April 1997 APS News Lopez Heads APS Efforts in Science Education Reform IN BRIEF or the last all kids in a school district. It’s working F two years, APS with scientists and school districts to • Led by the American Chemical Society, the scientific community has come involvement in na- affect the way that the school district out strongly for the Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty. In a letter to tional reform of K-12 does business overall. So we’re not members of the Senate, APS President Allan Bromley supported the ACS science education talking about a single teacher or school, position to ratify the treaty, which was spelled out in a letter from then has been spear- but an entire district and its the ACS President, Ronald Breslow. The treaty was signed by President George headed by Ramon administrative, budgetary, and Bush in 1993 and seemed headed for ratification until Bob Dole raised it Lopez, a magneto- professional development structures — as a campaign issue last fall. Jesse Helms (R-NC), the Foreign Relations spheric physicist at all of which are part of helping teachers Committee chair, vows to block the CWC until he gets his way on other the University of Maryland, College Park do quality hands-on integrated science legislation, although Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) could decide to who concurrently serves as the Society’s in the classroom. overrule Helms. director of education and outreach pro- • In February, President Clinton announced the appointment of a co-chair What is the conceptual model grams. As such he is responsible for and 19 members to a new Advisory Committee on High-Performance for the TSA program? organizing High School Teacher Days at Q Computing and Communications, Information Technology, and the Next Society meetings and planning and imple- There are essentially four Generation Internet. The Advisory Committee will provide guidance and menting efforts to involve more research Acomponents: regional institutes for advice on all areas of high performance computing, communications and scientists with elementary and high school school districts; one-week institutes for information technologies. Co-chaired by Dr. Kenneth Kennedy, Director teachers. scientists like the one we hosted in of the Center for Research on Parallel Computation at Rice University, the Lopez knew he wanted to be a Washington in January; one-day local committee members include Larry Smarr, Director of the National Center physicist by the age of 11, when he workshops for scientists; and broader- for Supercomputing Applications and an APS Fellow. became fascinated by the notion of based community information workshops. • Two prominent physicists and lifetime APS members who died in Febru- atomic structure. He received his PhD For our Leadership Institute in January we ary are to be honored with special sessions at the 1997 April APS meeting. in space physics from Rice University brought in scientists and other key leaders Chien-Shung Wu, the first woman to be elected APS president in 1975, in 1985, and spent four months there from places we’re working with around and Henry (Heinz) H. Barschall, a former editor of Physical Review C, will as a postdoctoral researcher before join- the country to give them a one-week be memorialized by friends and colleagues for their contributions to physics ing the staff of Applied Research intensive overview of issues in the and their service to the Society. Corporation, on contract to the Johns reform of elementary science The APS Forum on Physics and Society and the APS Division of Nuclear Hopkins University Applied Physics education. Then with that knowledge, Physics will co-sponsor a session on Sunday, April 20, at 11 AM in honor of Laboratory. Desiring to spend more they’re able to be much better partners Barschall, who was a professor of physics at the University of Wisconsin at time on educational pursuits, he ac- for their school districts. They also the time of his death. Featured speakers will include APS President D. Allan cepted a part-time research faculty become our partners as we go to the Bromley and Robert Sachs, who will speak on Barschall’s contributions to position in the Astronomy Department next step in recruiting scientists locally. the National Academy of Sciences; former APS Treasurer Harry Lustig on his at the University of Maryland, College For example, at last year’s Institute, contributions within the APS; Ruth Howes, who worked closely with Barschall Park, in 1992. Since then, he has en- among the participants were three sci- on the APS Forum on Physics and Society; Jay C. Davis, a student of Barschall’s; gaged in a varied and growing number entists from Tucson who were working and two former students, Robert Adair and Sam Austin. Lustig also spoke at of physics education activities, in ad- with the school district to implement a a memorial session for Barschall in Madison, Wisconsin, on March 15. dition to his ongoing research. “By hands-on kit-based program. By the The APS Committee on the Status of Women in Physics will include a remaining active in research, I’m more summer, they were ready to start recruit- special memorial lecture on Wu’s contributions at the beginning of its credible as a scientist concerned with ing scientists. They enlisted 45 scientists session entitled “Women in Physics: An International Perspective,” which education reform,” he said, rather than and engineers in the Tucson area, and I will be held Saturday, April 19, 1997, at 5:30 pm. Noemie Benczer-Koller being labeled primarily as an educator went there and headed a one-day work- of Rutgers University will deliver the address. In addition, T.D. Lee will who has left active physics research. shop to illustrate what hands-on science speak about Wu and her work during the Plenary Session on Sunday He worked as an long-term consult- reform is about and how they could help afternoon at 4:30 pm. Wu is best known for leading the 1957 experiment ant with the National Science Resources implement the program. They signed up that demolished what was thought to be a fundamental law of physics, Center, a joint organization of the Na- to work with teachers, to visit schools, the conservation of parity. One of the leaders of physics who emerged tional Academy of Science and the to be community advocates, to visit the from the Manhattan Project, she resolved a major problem that occured in Smithsonian Institution, working to Science Materials Center — a wide range the first plutonium production reactor at Hanford, which had shut down improve science teaching nationwide. of activities. just hours after it was started. She fingered Xe-137, a fission product and In this capacity, he has played a sig- That’s an archetypical example of neutron absorber, as the culprit. The remainder of her career was spent at nificant role in designing workshops how the TSA program is supposed to Columbia University. for scientists and for school districts. work. It doesn’t always happen that • The American Institute of Physics (AIP) Corporate Associates program Other prior education-related activi- way, but certainly we’ve had plenty of announces the 1997-1998 competition for its Prize for Industrial Applica- ties include service on the Board of successful partnerships that have tions of Physics. The $10,000 prize is intended to recognize outstanding Directors of the Space Science Institute in evolved, and we’ve got a lot of scien- contributions to industrial applications of physics. The deadline for re- Boulder, Colorado, which explicitly in- tists and engineers who have come ceipt of nominations is May 31, 1997 at the American Institute of Physics, cludes pre-college education as part of its through our programs and are now One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Attn: Committee for the IAP mission. With the Institute, he has worked working with school districts. Prize. For more information, contact: [email protected]. on the development of hands-on investi- What are some specific gation modules based on space science elements that must be present for middle school students, and helped de- Q content of the science in the kits them- Would you describe this as in a school district to successfully velop a major travelling museum exhibit selves, and if they don’t understand Q a grassroots approach to implement reform? entitled, “Electric Space: Exploring our how they should be guiding student educational reform? questions, rather than just lecturing stu- Plasma Universe,” which is currently This is not the first time that hands- We focus on working at the school dents. So there has to be an ongoing being exhibited through May at the Aon science has been tried in district level. That is really the ad- professional development program in A Maryland Science Center in Baltimore. schools. In the late 60’s and early 70’s ministrative unit that controls what the district. That’s where we involve a Lopez has participated in curriculum many districts bought science kits, but happens in the classrooms. They’re the lot of scientists: working with teachers review, report preparation, and pro- only a few were able to maintain their ones who purchase the materials and as they are changing their practice in vided technical assistance to school programs. For that experience we know do everything else that is necessary for the classroom. districts engaged in the systemic reform that school districts that don’t have the reform. If you’re working with indi- of elementary science education following pieces in place are not go- Why is the involvement of vidual schools, you could be frustrated ing to be able to build lasting programs. through a group called National Science Qprofessional scientists so because anything a school tries to Research in Washington, DC. He has First, they must have top quality mate- important? implement could be undone by larger also served on education-related com- rials, not those developed by local trends in the district. And individual Because scientists can be models mittees of the American Geophysical teachers, but nationally developed schools generally do not control all the for scientific inquiry. Set a physi- Union and as an independent consult- materials with a strong R&D base. Sec- A resources. If you try to work at the state cist in front of a bunch of wires and ant for the Discovery Channel. ond, they must have a support level you will also be frustrated, be- infrastructure that delivers teaching ma- batteries and bulbs and they immedi- What has your focus been in cause it’s very amorphous and terials in a ready-to-teach fashion to ately start playing. That validates the terms of the Society’s educa- decisions are being made somewhere Q teachers. If teachers don’t have the playful nature of science to teachers, tion activities? else that will work against what you’re who for the most part are intimidated “stuff” to teach, they’re not going to trying to do at a state level. We try to Most of my time has been spent do it. There’s a high activation barrier by things like electricity. Elementary invest at the strategic level in a school developing the new Teacher- teachers don’t have a lot of contact with A to doing hands-on activities in the class- district, working with a few people to Scientist Alliance (TSA) program. It’s those kinds of content areas, so they room if teachers have to go to K-Mart build a leadership team in that district. essentially a program for scientists will often avoid them. But it becomes to buy materials beforehand. Then those people become our part- interested in systemic reform of less daunting if they have a chance to But having good materials and de- ners for recruiting scientists locally. elementary science education. The livering them to teachers isn’t going to work with scientists in a friendly, col- legial environment. focus of TSA is hands-on science for help if teachers don’t understand the (Continued on page 5)

3 APS News April 1997 OPINION

APS VIEWS LETTERS APS Goals by Judy Franz, APS Executive Officer Another View of Two-Year Colleges… In the February 1997 issue of APS News, The nearest university with a phys- ccording to the APS Constitution, “the objective John Connell gives his “take” on teach- ics program is two hours away. With of the Society shall be the advancement and dif- A ing at a two-year college (TYC). In my schedule I cannot even take classes, fusion of the knowledge of physics.” I think that particular, he mentions that he finds let alone interact with others in the pro- almost all of our members know that while this re- many of the points about TYCs raised fession and conduct research. I have mains our primary goal, the current activities of the by M. Sawicki in a previous letter (No- heard the suggestion of running a lab Society can only be contained in this one sentence if vember 1996) unfounded, based on his for instructional purposes. This would it is given the broadest possible interpretation. When 26 years of teaching at a TYC. I have be fine if I had a laboratory devoted we organize sessions on “careers in physics” at our been teaching at such an institution for solely to physics — I share a lab with meetings, we are trying to help physicists find jobs, knowing that without jobs it 10 years now, and I find a tremendous environmental sciences, geology, ecol- will be difficult for them to “advance the knowledge of physics” in any produc- amount wrong with Connell’s rebuttal. ogy and sometimes biology — and a tive way. When we organize training sessions to prepare scientists to work with His statement, “TYC teachers can keep lab assistant. Often we do not have elementary school teachers in promoting “hands-on” science, we may “diffuse” up research if they really want to,” in- enough equipment for every lab group a small amount of physics but we are really hoping to interest and inform all censed me beyond words. to be doing the same experiment si- students so that they will become better citizens and perhaps in the future help I am the only member of the physics multaneously. “advance” physics in some indirect way. When we select and sponsor a congres- department at Sussex County Commu- In summation, let me congratulate sional fellow each year to work as a staff member on Capitol Hill, we believe nity College. I teach all the physics Professor Connell. He is apparently at that we are helping in a broad program to provide Congress with scientifically classes alone, without help. These in- a TYC that is well-located, well-funded, trained personnel to better inform their decisions for our country. If our fellows clude algebra-based physics and and where he has the luxury and ben- “diffuse” some physics to Members of Congress and other staffers, this is a ter- calculus-based physics courses, courses efit of all best possible worlds: he can rific bonus. in astronomy and differential equations do research and teach. Somehow I do What then are the goals of APS? My counterpart in one of our sister scientific every spring, and at least one section of not believe that his circumstances are societies informed me recently that his society had, after a major strategic plan- an introductory computer course each typical of those of us teaching at the ning effort, agreed upon seven major goals, and he challenged me to provide a semester. I must also create the budget- majority of TYCs. Despite programs list of goals for APS. Since APS has not gone through a similar planning process, ary requirements for the entire lab, as designed to help us, many of us are I can’t put forth the Society’s seven goals. Nonetheless, I have taken up his chal- well as order, store, clean and repair all isolated, overworked, and underfunded, lenge on a more personal basis and am prepared to state my eight goals for APS. the equipment for the physics lab without the possibility of further Many of these will be shared with most APS members, but others may be contro- courses. My teaching load is generally coursework or research, and will re- versial. If this controversy stimulates you to write to APS News or to me with your more than 20 credit hours per semester. main so unless our circumstances are own goals for APS, then I welcome it. Hearing from many of you on this issue will In addition, we are required to sit on at recognized and addressed by organi- help the leadership and staff of APS do a better job of guiding the Society. least two committees, advise students zations like the APS and the American Goal #1: To maintain a large, committed membership that is broadly repre- and find some way to actively partici- Association of Physics Teachers. sentative of the national physics community as a whole and includes interested pate in our community. So when exactly Peter Schoch foreign physicists. I think that APS is first and foremost a membership society and are we to find time to do any research? Newton, New Jersey without a large, active membership we would quickly become impotent. Yes, we could publish journals and hold meetings, but so can commercial providers. What gives the Society substance is that our 40,000 members are, to a large extent, the physics community. That allows us to act and speak for the physics with their programs, and we believe that it is one of our very important func- community, and make sure that its voice is heard. We realize that we have to do tions. this cautiously and that our members may often disagree with one another. We Goal #6: To assist the physics community in working to enhance physics and do this through the APS Council, the governing body of the Society, which is to achieve the national (and international) goals of peace, prosperity, and im- elected democratically and advised by a large number of committees that in- proved education. Physicists are prominently engaged in such activities, and I volve several hundred members in this process. The leadership of the 31 APS think APS is in a unique position to help them do more. The important national units: divisions, topical groups, forums, and sections, actively involves at least study that APS did some years ago on directed energy weapons, our more recent another 300 members in APS governance. investigation of the biological effects of electromagnetic fields, and our grassroots Goal #2: To publish the preeminent physics journals and have them serve the lobbying activities to maintain the country’s helium reserves are just three ex- world physics community. Having said that we are primarily a membership soci- amples of important contributions of the physics community to society. The APS ety, I have to follow this closely with stressing how much pride we take in our allows physicists to be heard on such issues as opposing “equal time” for cre- journals. I believe that continuing to make these journals outstanding has to be ation science and the theory of evolution, promoting science literacy for all, and a top APS priority; 2/3 of the APS staff are employed in this endeavor. This is the deploring politically based restrictions on the travel of physicists to international primary way that we “diffuse” the knowledge of physics, and we are extremely scientific conferences, to quote from just a few APS Council statements. pleased that we can serve the world physics community in this way. Authors, Goal #7: To work to ensure that all students in the United States and through- referees, editorial boards, subscribers, and readers come from all countries where out the world have the opportunity to be exposed to physics, and that those who physics is active. We must continue to serve this very diverse community. excel have the chance to participate in advanced study and research. The work Goal #3: To bring physicists together from around the world to exchange key of the APS Committee on the Status of Women in Physics and the Committee on ideas and information by holding a variety of meetings that are viewed as cen- Minorities in Physics has had a major impact on bringing women and minorities tral to this purpose. APS holds or jointly sponsors 15-20 meetings a year that into the mainstream of the physics community. I believe strongly that these bring together more than 10,000 physicists to discuss exciting new research efforts must continue. In addition, the Committee on the International Freedom results, physics education and other topics of importance to the physics commu- of Scientists continues to work to insure that the physicists around the world are nity. Together they cover most fields of physics and clearly fall within the central allowed to participate fully in the physics community. APS statements include objective of the Society. These meetings, whether large or small, should con- the sentence: “The APS condemns harassment of scientists based on their reli- tinue to be a high priority of the Society. gious beliefs or ethnic origin.” I am proud of these endeavors. Goal #4: To work to enhance the resources that are available for physics re- Goal #8: To broaden the meaning of “physicist” to include all those who are search and education. More so than ever before, “advancing and diffusing the trained in physics, regardless of their current field of employment. This last goal knowledge of physics” take expensive resources. We in the physics community might not be on everyone’s list, but I feel very strongly about it. For too long, we know that this is the case. Whether it is a huge particle accelerator, the Hubble physicists have been defining people out of the community instead of welcom- telescope, a synchrotron light source, a high power laser, or new equipment for ing people in. How often have you heard the words “I used to be a physicist” or a teaching laboratory, resources are critical and seem to be harder and harder to “I was trained as a physicist but haven’t been one for a long time.”? The prob- obtain. For this reason, the APS has expanded its Washington Office staff and lem-solving skills and approach to life that one gains with a physics education put more effort into trying to encourage the physics community to communicate do not disappear if one takes an industrial job, or becomes a consultant or a the need for increased support of science to federal and state government offi- university administrator. At a time when many of our young physicists are enter- cials as well as the general public. With the enactment of new legislation, our ing a diversity of careers, they would like to hear from their senior colleagues enhanced activities required us to register officially as a lobbying organization that they will remain part of the physics community. I know that the leadership and report every six months our expenditures on such activities. I believe that of APS is committed to this idea. the positive response of the physics community to this cause has made it well In next month’s APS News, we will print the 1996 APS Annual Report. Let us know worth these efforts. if you think that we are doing the right things. Keeping APS members involved in the Goal #5: To work with the APS units to enhance their ability to accomplish Society is my #1 goal. We need to hear your views on how best to do this. APS goals and the more specific goals of each unit. Each of the 31 units of APS has its own mission and bylaws. At the annual Unit Convocation, representa- Letters to the Editor are welcomed from the membership. Letters must be tives of these units share with each other some of the highlights of their activities. signed and should include an address and daytime telephone number. The The range of these activities is truly impressive, and I think that everyone who APS reserves the right to select and to edit for length or clarity. All correspon- attends the Convocation is proud to be part of a Society that is doing so many dence regarding APS News should be directed to: Editor, APS News, One Physics good things. APS staff works with the units in many different ways to help them Ellipse, College Park, MD 20749-3844, email: [email protected].

4 April 1997 APS News OPINION Science Centers: Partners in Science Education by Robert J. Semper

he 1960s saw the development of formal education. There was a devel- role has capitalized on the science Its national professional development Ta new type of public education in- oping sense that individuals should be center’s unique position as an indepen- programs are designed to support stitution which has become known as much more in control of their own dent institution that is nevertheless still teachers nationwide as they implement a science center. Based in part on es- learning. This thinking resulted in the connected with the school, the home new national science education stan- tablished science and industry development of new forms of educa- and the community. dards. The center is also responsible museums, these institutions were ex- tional and social systems which focused The Exploratorium, like many other for outreach programs that reach more plicitly defined to be educational and on informal, community-based multi- science centers today, sees its mission than 3,400 underserved children annu- were made up almost entirely of a col- generational learning. as being much broader than just pro- ally, as well as the high school field lection of demonstrated ideas rather Since the late 1960s, the science cen- viding an experience for a visiting trip programs which reach 69,000 stu- than of objects. This movement was ter community has experienced public. From its inception, its founder, dents and their teachers annually. stimulated and shaped by the tremendous growth. From the handful Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, envisioned cre- The Center for Media and Commu- confluence of three trends at the time. of institutions in existence in 1969 — ating a place which provided adjunctive nication, the newest of the three The first was a revival of public fas- e.g., the Oregon Museum of Science educational experiences to formal school- centers, is dedicated to support the cination in science and technology and Industry (1957), the Pacific Science ing. Therefore, the museum has continually development of scientific literacy following World War II. This interest Center (1963), the New York Hall of explored ways to reach additional audi- through communication and the use of powered a renewed development in Science (1966), and the Exploratorium ences beyond the casual public visitors, media. This center uses publishing and the U.S. of both existing and new mu- (1969) — the number has grown to in- through books, magazines, television and venues such as the Internet to carry the seums. Recognizing this trend as an clude over 364 members of the teacher workshops. Exploratorium’s pedagogy beyond the opening for the development of public Association of Science and Technology Our goal is to create and sustain a walls of the museum, while develop- educational institutions, existing muse- Centers (ASTC). By some estimates culture of learning which fosters the pro- ing interactive media tools for learning ums of historical artifacts, such as the there are over 100 million visits per year cess of personal inquiry, experimentation, within the museum itself. Recent Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and the to these institutions in the U.S. alone. communication, understanding, and the projects include the creation of the Museum of Science in Boston, began to These centers have also grown in sharing of values about our world. To Explorabook, a science museum in a add more interactive exhibits. terms of their mission. While most of- meet this goal, the Exploratorium has book; the Science Snackbook, a teacher The second trend was the science ten associated with the casual family reorganized itself into three interlocking development guide to the creation of education reform movement of the late visit on a weekend afternoon, or class centers of activity: the Center for Public classroom versions of Exploratorium 1950s to mid 1960s that happened in field trips, science centers are increas- Exhibition, the Center for Teaching and exhibits; and the Family Science the U.S. as a result of the launch of the ingly playing a significant role in Learning, and the Center for Media and Snackbook, a book of science activi- Sputnik satellite by the Soviet Union. supporting education in a larger arena. Communication. ties for parents and their children. The The reform movement emphasized A recent ASTC study, First Hand Learn- The Center for Public Exhibition Center’s World Wide Web site origi- hands-on education in science and the ing, found that over 20 percent of the oversees the development and opera- nates programming based on the importance of working with objects elementary school in-service teacher tion of more than 600 interactive museum’s exhibits and teaching re- while learning. It drew scientists into development occurs in science muse- exhibits on the museum floor, and pro- sources, and currently attracts over the science education enterprise in a ums. Some of the major curriculums in vides programming to complement 600,000 remote users per year. big way, and it was the start not only use by schools today were developed them. Exhibited subjects include light, Science centers are situated at a spe- of many new curriculum efforts for the by science centers. And science cen- color, vision, sound and hearing, waves cial nexus between the community, the schools, but also a series of science cen- ters have been at the forefront of and resonance, neurobiology, animal school, and the home. This position ters in the U.S. and abroad. supporting the institutionalization of behavior, electricity and magnetism, gives them a unique role in the educa- The third trend was the general edu- inquiry-based instruction in the language, mathematics and weather tional infrastructure, one which can cation reform movement of the late schools, a key aspect of the recently and the environment. The museum propel science education reform into 1960s. The hallmark was a reaction promulgated National Academy of Sci- uses its exhibit services division’s de- the 21st century. During the last push against the authoritative structures of ences science education standards. This velopmental capacity to provide to reform science education, the task exhibits and consulting support to sci- was the job of schools and universi- ence museums worldwide. ties. This time around, there is a Science Education Reform (continued from page 3) The Center for Teaching and Learn- powerful new ally to help. ing serves more than 550 Bay Area What are some of the criteria considered so important to teachers in grades K-12 each year with Robert Semper is Executive Associate Direc- you consider when selecting reforming science education? Q intensive workshops and follow-up tor of the Exploratorium in San Francisco, educational materials? You learn science by doing science; seminars based on the exhibit collec- CA. He formerly served on the faculty at St. We look for materials that reflect Aanybody who’s been to graduate tion, designed to foster increased Olaf College and as a research associate at Athe national science standards and school knows that. That should be the effectiveness in today’s classrooms. It Johns Hopkins University. This article origi- recommend those to school districts. way all people have the chance to learn has developed a network of 2,500 nally appeared in the Fall 1996 issue of the We favor those that have been devel- science. The national science standards teachers, many of whom return peri- newsletter of the APS Forum on Education. oped by education research groups like contain a wonderful line: “Science is odically to receive additional support. the National Science Resources Center. something that children should do, not They involve science educators, psy- something that should be done to them.” chologists, teachers, scientists, and Science is often something that is done evaluators in the process — a wide to kids, so it’s no surprise that by the Physical Review A Goes Online (continued from page 1) spectrum of professions, all of whom third grade most kids are rapidly tuning are contributing their particular exper- out to science. Another essential aspect Current APS Research Journals Online tise to the development of those contained in the science standards is the Physical Review A online Launched March 3, 1997, PRA-online is available free materials. Such materials have under- notion of science as inquiry: the ques- of charge to APS members who have a fiscal year 1997 subscription to PRA, gone extensive field testing in a variety tioning, the reasoning, the problem and to all APS members until May 1, 1997. For further information please see of settings around the country. And solving — all of that is seen as part of http://publish.aps.org/genintro.html#prao. they are based on cognitive research the content of science. Physical Review B Rapid Communications-online Launched July 1, 1996, that exists around a particular subject, PRB Rapids-online is available free of charge to APS members who have a What are some important so that the materials can address any fiscal year 1997 subscription to any part of PRB. For further information future directions for the APS set of misconceptions kids might have Q please see http://publish.aps.org/genintro.html#prbo. education activities? about how something works. Physical Review C online Launched July 1, 1996, PRC-online is available free For example, most kids, and many The big issue on the horizon is of charge to APS members who have a fiscal year 1997 subscription to PRC. adults, hold the naive conception that Aundergraduate reform in science, For further information please see http://publish.aps.org/genintro.html#prco. heavy things sink and light things float. math and technology. This May there’s Physical Review D online Launched in its beta version August 1, 1996, PRD- That’s a pretty good description for going to be an APS/AAPT department online is available free of charge to APS members who have a fiscal year most of the things they’re going to en- chairs conference on undergraduate 1997 subscription to either part of PRD. For further information please see counter in the world, but that’s not the education. That could evolve into national http://publish.aps.org/genintro.html#prdo. scientifically accurate idea. So one set undergraduate reform. This is an area in Physical Review Letters online Launched July 1, 1995, PRL-online is available of materials tries to modify that under- which the APS can help because we are on a subscription basis. For further information please see http:// standing so the kids emerge with a a major voice for the physics community. publish.aps.org/genintro.html#prlo or contact [email protected]. much better understanding of things The time is right. like displacement and other scientific APS Research Journals to Go Online in 1997 factors that affect whether an object Physical Review B, Physical Review E, and Reviews of Modern Physics sinks or floats. That particular unit took are scheduled to go online throughout the spring of 1997. For future up- almost three years to develop. dates please watch for announcements in upcoming issues of APS News or visit http://publish.aps.org/genintro.html. QWhy is a hands-on approach 5 APS News April 1997 NOMINATIONS FOR 1998 APS PRIZES AND AWARDS The following prizes and awards will be bestowed at meetings of the Society in the coming year. Members are invited to nominate candidates to the respective committees charged with the privilege of recommending the winners. A brief description of each prize and award is given below, along with the addresses of the selection committee chairs to whom nominations should be sent. Please refer to the APS Membership Directory, pages xxiii- xxxix, or the APS Home Page [http:/ /aps.org] under the Prize and Award button, for complete information regarding rules and eligibility requirements for individual prizes and awards.

PRIZES Hoboken, NJ 07030, Phone/Fax: (201) 216- to: Andrew C Tam, 21463 Continental Cir, 5671, Email: [email protected]. Saratoga CA 95070, Phone: (408) 927-1943, PRIZE TO A FACULTY MEMBER FOR RESEARCH IN AN UNDERGRADUATE Nominations must be received by 1 July 1997. Email: [email protected]. Nomina- INSTITUTION JULIUS EDGAR LILIENFELD PRIZE tions must be received no later than 1 July 1997. Sponsored by the Lilienfeld Trust. Sponsored by the Research Corporation. DANNIE HEINEMAN PRIZE FOR Purpose: To honor a physicist whose re- Purpose: To recognize a most outstand- MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS HIGH POLYMER PHYSICS PRIZE ing contribution to physics. search in an undergraduate setting has Endowed by the Heineman Foundation Nature: The prize consists of $10,000, a Sponsored by the Ford Motor Company. achieved wide recognition and contributed for Research, Educational, Charitable, and certificate citing the contributions made by Purpose: To recognize outstanding accom- significantly to physics and who has con- Scientific Purposes, Incorporated through the recipient, and expenses for three lec- plishments and excellence of contributions tributed substantially to the professional the American Institute of Physics. tures by the recipient given at an APS in high polymer physics research. development of undergraduate physics stu- Purpose: To recognize outstanding pub- general meeting, a research university, and Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and dents. lications in the field of mathematical physics. a predominantly undergraduate institution. a certificate citing the contributions made Nature: The prize consists of a $5,000 sti- Nature: The prize consists of $7,500 and Send the name of candidates, biographical by the recipient. pend to the recipient, a certificate citing a certificate citing contributions made by information and supporting letters to: David L Send the name of candidates, biographical the contribution of the recipient, and a sepa- the recipient. Goodstein, 114-36,Caltech, Pasadena, CA information and supporting letters to: Timothy rate $4,000 unrestricted grant for the Send the name of candidates, biographical 91125, Phone: (818) 356-4319, Fax: (818) 683 P Lodge, Dept of Chem, Univ of Minnesota, research of the recipient to the awardee’s information and supporting letters to: Stanley 9060, Email: david_goodstein@Starbase1. 207 Pleasant St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455- institution. Deser, Dept of Phys, Brandeis Univ, 415 South Caltech.edu. Nominations must be received no 0431, Phone: (612) 625-0877, Fax: (612) Send the name of candidates, biographi- St, Waltham, MA 02254, Phone: (617) 736-2845, later than 1 July 1997. 624-1589, Email: [email protected]. cal information and supporting letters to: Fax: (617)736-2915, Email: [email protected]. umn.edu. Nominations must be received no Thomas D Rossing, Dept of Phys, Northern brandeis.edu. Nominations must be received later than 1 July 1997. Illinois Univ, De Kalb, IL 60115, Phone: LARS ONSAGER PRIZE no later than 1 July 1997. (815) 753-6493. Nominations must be re- ceived no later than 1 July 1997. Endowed by Russell and Marion Donnelly. FRANK ISAKSON PRIZE Purpose: To recognize outstanding re- TOM W. BONNER PRIZE IN NUCLEAR The prize is supported by Solid State search in theoretical statistical physics, PHYSICS ANEESUR RAHMAN PRIZE including the quantum fluids. Communications (Elsevier Science Ltd.). Endowed by Friends of Tom W. Bonner. Sponsored by the IBM Corporation. Nature: The prize consists of $10,000 and Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- a certificate citing the contributions made standing contributions to the field of optical standing experimental research in nuclear standing achievement in computational by the recipient. effects in solids. physics, including the development of a physics research. Send the name of candidates, biographi- Nature: The Prize consists of $5,000, an method, technique, or device that signifi- Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and cal information and supporting letters to: allowance for travel to the meeting of the cantly contributes in a general way to nuclear a certificate citing the contributions made Katepalli Raju Sreenivasan, Dept of Mech Society at which the prize is being presented physics research. by the recipient. Engr, Yale Univ, PO Box 208286,New Ha- and a certificate citing the contributions made Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and Send the name of candidates, biographi- ven, CT 06520, Phone: (203) 432-4345, Fax: by the recipient. a certificate citing the contributions made cal information and supporting letters to: (203) 432-7654, Email: k.sreenivasan@ Send nomination letters, biographical in- by the recipient. Malvin H Kalos, 521 ETC Bldg, Cornell Univ, yale.edu. Nominations must be received no formation and letters of support to: Thomas Send the name of candidates, biographical Hoy Rd, Ithaca, NY 14853-3801, Phone: later than 1 July 1997. Timusk, Dept of Phys, McMaster Univ, information and supporting letters to: Noemie Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada, Fax: (905) (607) 254-8691, Fax: (607)254-8888, Email: Benczer, Dept of Physics, Rutgers Univer- 546-1252, Email: [email protected]. Nomi- [email protected]. Nominations must be ARTHUR L. SCHAWLOW PRIZE IN sity, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, Phone: (908) nations must be received by 1 July 1997. received no later than 1 July 1997. LASER SCIENCE 932-2525, Fax: (908) 932-4343. Nominations Endowed by the NEC Corporation. must be received no later than 1 July 1997. GEORGE E. PAKE PRIZE J.J. SAKURAI PRIZE FOR Purpose: To recognize outstanding con- Endowed by the Xerox Corporation. THEORETICAL PHYSICS tributions to basic research that uses lasers BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS PRIZE Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- Endowed by the family and friends of J.J. to advance our knowledge of the funda- The Prize was established in 1981 by standing work by physicists combining Sakurai. mental physical properties of materials and friends of the Division of Biological Physics. original research accomplishments with Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- their interaction with light. Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- leadership in the management of research standing achievement in particle theory by Nature: The prize consists of $10,000 and standing achievement in biological physics or development in industry. a young physicist. a certificate citing the contributions made research. Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and by the recipient. Nature: The Prize consists of $5,000, an a certificate citing the contributions made a certificate citing the contributions made Send the name of candidates, biographi- allowance for travel to attend the meeting by the recipient. by the recipient. cal information and supporting letters to: at which the Prize is awarded, and a certifi- Send the name of candidates, biographi- Send the name of candidates, biographi- Thomas J McIlrath, APS, One Physics El- cate citing the contributions made by the cal information and supporting letters to: cal information and supporting letters to: lipse, College Park, MD 20740, Phone: (301) recipient or recipients. Venkatesh Narayanamurti, Off of the Dean, William J Marciano, Dept of Phys, 209-3220, Fax: (301) 209-0844, Email: Send nomination letter, biographical sum- Coll of Engr, UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA Brookhaven Natl Lab., Upton, NY 11973, [email protected]. Nominations must be re- mary and supporting letters to: John J. 93106, Phone: (805) 893-3141, Fax: (805) Phone: (516) 282-3151, Email: ceived no later than 1 July 1997. Hopfield, Beckman Institute, Caltech 139-74, 893-8124, Email: [email protected]. [email protected]. Nominations must Pasadena, CA 91125, Phone: (818) 397-2808, Nominations must be received no later than be received no later than 1 July 1997. HANS A. BETHE PRIZE Fax:(818)792-7402, Email: john@hope. 1 July 1997. This prize is endowed by contributions caltech.edu. Nominations must be received ROBERT R. WILSON PRIZE by 1 July 1997. from the Division of Astrophysics, the W.K.H. PANOFSKY PRIZE Endowed by friends of Robert R. Wilson. Division of Nuclear Physics and friends of Sponsored by the friends of W.K.H. Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- Hans A. Bethe. OLIVER W. BUCKLEY CONDENSED Panofsky & the Division of Particles & standing achievement in the physics of Purpose: To recognize outstanding work MATTER PHYSICS PRIZE Fields. particle accelerators. Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and in theory, experiment or observation in the Endowed by AT&T Bell Laboratories. Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- a certificate citing the contributions made areas of astrophysics, nuclear physics, Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- standing achievements in experimental by the recipient. nuclear astrophysics, or closely related standing theoretical or experimental particle physics. Send the name of candidates, biographi- fields. contributions to condensed matter physics. Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and cal information and supporting letters to: Nature: The prize consists of $7,500 and Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and a certificate citing the contributions made Claudio Pellegrini, Dept of Phys, UCLA, 405 a certificate citing the contributions made a certificate citing the contributions made by the recipient. Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1547, by the recipient. by the recipient. Send the name of candidates, biographi- Phone: (310) 206-1677, Fax: (310) 206-1091, Send names of candidates, biographical Send the name of candidates, biographi- cal information and supporting letters to: Email: [email protected]. information and supporting letters to: Ernest cal information and supporting letters to: James E Pilcher, Enrico Fermi Inst, Univ of Nominations must be received no later than Henley, Dept of Phys, Univ of Washing- John Clarke, Dept of Phys, UCB, 366 Chicago, 5640 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, 1 July 1997. ton, PO Box 351560, Seattle WA 98195, LeConte Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, Phone: Phone: (312) 702-7443, Fax: (312) 702 1914, Phone: (206) 543-2896, Fax: (206) 685-0635, (510)642-3069, Fax: (510)642-1304, Email: Email: [email protected]. Nomi- Email: [email protected]. Nomi- jclarke@physics. berkeley.edu. Nominations nations must be received no later than 1 AWARDS nations must be received by 1 July 1997. must be received no later than 1 July 1997. July 1997. JOSEPH F. KEITHLEY AWARD FOR WILL ALLIS PRIZE FOR THE STUDY DAVISSON-GERMER PRIZE EARLE K. PLYLER PRIZE ADVANCES IN MEASUREMENT OF IONIZED GASES SCIENCE Sponsored by AT&T Lucent Technologies. Sponsored by the George E. Crouch Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- Purpose: To recognize and encourage out- Foundation. This Award is being endowed by Keithley standing research into the microscopic or standing work in atomic physics or surface Purpose: To recognize and encourage notable Instruments, Inc. and the Instrument & macroscopic behavior of ionized gases. physics. contributions to molecular spectroscopy. Measurement Science Topical Group Nature: The Prize consists of $5,000 and Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and a Nature: The prize consists of $5,000 and (IMSTG). a certificate citing the contributions made certificate citing the contributions made by a certificate citing the contributions made Purpose: To recognize physicists who by the recipient. An allowance will be pro- the recipient. This annual prize will normally by the recipient. have been instrumental in the development vided for travel expenses of the recipient be awarded alternatively for outstanding Send the name of candidates, biographical of measurement techniques or equipment to the meeting of the Society at which the work in atomic physics one year and for information and supporting letters to: Terry A that have impact on the physics commu- Prize is bestowed. outstanding work in surface physics the fol- Miller, Dept of Chem, Ohio State Univ, 140 W nity by providing better measurements. Send nomination letters, biographical in- lowing year. The 1998 prize will be awarded 18th St, Columbus, OH 43210, Phone: (614) Nature: The award consists of $5,000 and formation and supporting letters to: Kurt H for outstanding work in surface physics. 292-2569, Fax: (614) 292-1948, Email: a certificate citing the contributions made Becker, Department of Physics and Engineer- Send the name of candidates, biographical [email protected]. Nominations must be re- by the recipient, plus travel to the meeting ing Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, information and supporting letters ceived no later than 1 July 1997. at which the prize is bestowed. Send nomination letter, biographical in- 6 April 1997 APS News formation and supporting letters to: Robert choice and at the meeting of the Society at MEDALS AND LECTURESHIPS to the meeting at which the medal is to be J Erdman, Keithley Instruments Inc, 28775 which the award is bestowed. Nominee must presented, and a certificate citing the con- Aurora Rd, Solon OH 44139, Phone: (216) be a female physicist having U.S. citizenship tributions made by the recipient. DAVID ADLER LECTURESHIP AWARD 248-0400, Fax: (216) 248-6168, Email or a permanent U.S. resident and received Send the name of candidates, biographical erdman_bob@ keithley.com. Nominations her Ph.D. after Sept. 1, 1987. Sponsored by the friends of David Adler. information and supporting letters to: Timo- must be received by 1 July 1997 Send the name of candidates, biographical Purpose: To recognize an outstanding thy P Lodge, Dept of Chem, Univ of information and supporting letters to: Anne contributor to the field of materials physics Minnesota, 207 Pleasant St SE, Minneapolis, Kernan, 33605 Moonsail Drive, Dana Point, CA who is noted for the quality of his/her re- MN 55455-0431, Phone: (612) 625-0877, Fax: LEROY APKER AWARDS 92629-4483, (H)Phone: (714) 488-7750, (H) search, review articles, and lecturing. (612)624-1589, Email: [email protected]. Endowed by Jean Dickey Apker, in Fax: (714) 488-7729, email: a.kernan Nature: The award consists of an award umn.edu. Nominations must be received no memory of LeRoy Apker. @worldnet.att.net. Nominations must be re- an honorarium for the lecturer, and a cer- later than 1 July 1997. Purpose: To recognize outstanding ceived no later than 30 May 1997. tificate citing the contribution made by the achievement in physics by undergraduate recipient. students, thereby providing encouragement Send the name of candidates, biographical DISSERTATION AWARDS to young physicists who have demonstrated JOSEPH A. BURTON FORUM AWARD information and supporting letters to: Jim (Formerly the Forum Award) great potential for future scientific accom- Roberto, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING plishment. Endowed in 1997 by Jean Dickey Apker MS6033 Solid State Div., P.O. Box 2008, Oak DOCTORAL THESIS RESEARCH IN Nature: Two awards may be made, one Purpose: To recognize outstanding con- Ridge, TN 37831, Phone: (615) 576-0227, Fax: BEAM PHYSICS to a nominee from an institution that offers tributions to the public understanding or (615) 574-4143, Email: [email protected]. Supported by the Universities Research a Ph.D. program in physics, the other to a resolution of issues involving the interface Nominations must be received no later than Association. nominee from an institution that does not. of physics and society. 1 July 1997. Purpose: To recognize doctoral thesis research The award to each recipient consists of Nature: The award consists of $3,000, a of outstanding quality and achievement in beam $3,000, an allowance for travel to the meet- certificate citing the contributions of the re- EDWARD A. BOUCHET AWARD physics and engineering. ing of the Society at which the award is cipient, and an allowance for travel to the Nature: The award consists of $1,500 and being presented, and a certificate citing the meeting of the Society at which the award Sponsored by the Research Corporation. a certificate to be presented at an awards work and school of the recipient. Each of is presented. It will be awarded annually. Purpose: The Bouchet Award is intended ceremony at the Division of Physics of the finalists in the annual competition will Send nomination letter, biographical in- to promote the participation of under-rep- Beams Annual Meeting. receive an honorarium of $1,000 and a cer- formation and supporting letters to: Tina resented minorities in physics by publicizing Send the name of candidates, biographical tificate as an Apker Award Finalist. Marie Kaarsberg, Vista Tech, 7101 Wood- the recipients work and career development information and supporting letters to: Certificates and grants equal to 50 percent land Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912, Phone: (301) to the physics community, especially to Alexander Wu, SLAC, Stanford Univ, PO Box of the recipient and finalist awards will be 270-0646, Fax: (301)270-5359, Email: young minority physics students. 4349, Stanford, CA 94309, Phone: (415) 926- presented to the home institutions. [email protected]. Nominations must Nature: The lectureship consists of a sti- 2985, Fax: (415) 926-4999, Email: Send the name of candidates, biographi- be received by 1 July 1997. pend of $3,000 plus support for travel to [email protected]. Nominations must cal information and supporting letters to: an APS general meeting where the recipi- be received no later than 1 July 1997. ent will receive the award and give his/her Barrett Ripin, Administrator, Apker Award LEO SZILARD AWARD FOR PHYSICS Selection Committee, The American Physi- IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST first address. In addition, the recipient will cal Society, One Physics Ellipse, College be invited to lecture at least three academic DISSERTATION IN NUCLEAR Park, MD 20740-3844, Phone: (301) 209- Purpose: To recognize outstanding accom- institutions where the impact of the visit PHYSICS AWARD 3233, Fax: (301) 209-0865, email: plishments by a physicist in promoting the use on minority students would be significant. Endowed by members and friends of [email protected]. Nominations must be re- of physics for the benefit of society in such Send the name of candidates, biographical the Division of Nuclear Physics. ceived no later than 13 June 1997. areas as the environment, arms control, and information and supporting letters to: Purpose: To recognize a recent PhD in science policy. Kennedy J Reed, L-41, Lawrence Livermore Nuclear Physics. Nature: The award consists of a certificate National Lab., Livermore, CA 94550, Phone: Nature: The Award consists of $1,000 and MARIA GOEPPERT-MAYER AWARD citing the contributions of the recipient and a (510) 423-1112, Fax: (510) 423-7228, Email: an allowance for travel to the annual Spring Sponsored by the General Electric sculpture to be held one year and passed on to [email protected]. Nominations must be Meeting of the Division of Nuclear Physics, Foundation. the next recipient. received no later than 1 July 1997. when the award will be presented. Purpose: To recognize and enhance outstand- Send the name of candidates, biographical Send nomination letters, biographical in- ing achievement by a woman physicist in the information and supporting letters to: Send formation, and supporting letters to: Bunny JOHN H. DILLON MEDAL early years of her career, and to provide oppor- nomination letter, biographical information C Clark, Phys Dept, The Ohio State Univ, tunities for her to present these achievements and supporting letters to: Tina Marie The medal is sponsored by Polymer, 174 W 18th Ave, Columbus OH 43210-1106, to others through public lectures. Kaarsberg, Vista Tech, 7101 Woodland Ave, (Elsevier Science Ltd.) Phone: (614) 292-1843, Fax (614) 292-7557, Nature: The award consists of $2,500, plus Takoma Park, MD 20912, Phone: (301) 270- Purpose: To recognize outstanding accom- Email: [email protected]. Nomina- a $4,000 travel allowance to provide oppor- 0646, Fax: (301) 270-5359, Email: plishments by young polymer physicists. tions must be received by 1 July 1997. tunities for the recipient to give lectures in [email protected]. Nominations Nature: The award consists of $2,000, the her field of physics at four institutions of her must be received by 1 July 1997. John H. Dillon Medal, an allowance to travel

Physicists to be Honored at 1997 Spring Meeting (continued from page 2)

Citation: “For achieving Bose-Einstein condensa- Robert C. Hilborn ticles, including the strong interactions and 1997 JOHN WHEATLEY AWARD tion of an atomic gas, for creating techniques for Amherst College electroweak unification. His most recent in- studying the Bose condensation, and for measur- terests have dealt with dynamical electroweak Established in 1991 by the International Phys- Citation: “For his research contributions in la- ing the physical properties of the weakly interacting symmetry breaking and the origin of the quark ics Group, now the Forum on International sers and atomic physics, fundamental atomic Bose gas.” and lepton masses. Physics, the award is intended to honor and symmetries, and nonlinear dynamics, and for Cornell received his PhD from MIT in 1990, recognize the dedication of physicists who his leadership and energy in guiding Amherst researching precision mass spectroscopy of have made contributions to the development College students in his research programs.” 1997 LEO SZILARD AWARD single trapped molecular ions. He went to JILA of physics in countries of the third world. at the University of Colorado in Boulder in Hilborn received his PhD from Harvard Uni- This award was established in 1974 by the Fo- Manuel Cardona 1990 and since 1992 has been a staff scientist versity in 1971. Following a two-year rum on Physics and Society in recognition of with the National Institute of Standards and postdoctoral position at the State University of Leo Szilard’s concern for the social conse- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Technology. His research interests center New York at Stony Brook, he taught physics quences of science. Its purpose is to recognize Research, Stuttgart, Germany for 13 years at Oberlin College. In 1986 he outstanding accomplishments by a physicist around various aspects of laser cooling, in- Citation: “For being a dedicated mentor and moved to Amherst College, where he is cur- in promoting the use of physics for the ben- cluding Bose-Einstein condensation and an guide to a whole generation of Latin American rently the Amanda and Lisa Cross Professor of efit of society in such areas as the environment, experiment on atoms guided by optical forces physicists and playing a decisive role in the Physics. He is a former president of the Ameri- arms control, and science policy. inside hollow glass fibers. He is also attempt- development of physics in Latin America. By can Association for Physics Teachers and has ing to realize laser cooling in the solid state. example, enthusiasm, and very exacting stan- served on the APS Council and the AIP Gov- Thomas L. Neff A native of Germany, Ketterle received his dards he has inspired a respect for excellence erning Board. In addition, he authored Chaos Massachusetts Institute of Technology PhD from the University of Munich in 1986. and collegiality which now motivates many and Nonlinear Dynamics: An Introduction for Citation: “For proposing and working to keep He did postdoctoral research in molecular groups throughout Latin America.” Scientists and Engineers, which was recognized on track the historic agreement for the U.S. to spectroscopy at the Max Planck Institute for A native of Spain, Cardona received his PhD by Choice magazine as one of the outstanding purchase uranium from the former Soviet Quantum Optics in Garching, and in combus- in applied physics from Harvard University in academic books of 1995. Union weapons stockpile and to transform it tion diagnostics in Heidelberg, before joining 1959, and subsequently worked for RCA Labo- from highly enriched uranium to low-enriched the faculty of MIT in 1990. His research is in ratories in both Zurich, Switzerland and uranium for civilian purposes, thereby signifi- atomic physics and laser spectroscopy, work- 1997 J.J. SAKURAI PRIZE Princeton, New Jersey. He joined the faculty cantly reducing the number of nuclear ing on novel methods to slow, cool and trap of Brown University in 1964, and has been Established in 1984 by contributions from fam- weapons.” atoms in order to explore novel aspects of ul- affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Solid ily and friends of J.J. Sakurai, this prize is Neff received his PhD in theoretical physics tra cold atomic matter. Since the realization of State Research at Stuttgart, Germany, since awarded annually in recognition of outstand- from Stanford University in 1973 and held sev- Bose-Einstein condensation, he has focused 1991. A past recipient of the APS Frank Isakson ing achievements in particle theory. eral postdoctoral positions. He then served as on the study of quantum-degenerate gases and Prize, Cardona’s present research interests in- a senior staff member of the Ford Foundation’s the development of an “atom laser.” Thomas Appelquist clude high temperature superconductors, as study of nuclear power and nonproliferation Yale University well as isotopically modified crystals and the issues. He served as manager and director of optical properties of semiconductor 1997 PRIZE FOR RESEARCH IN Citation: “For his pioneering work on MIT’s International Energy Studies Program. nanostructures. He has been active in many AN UNDERGRADUATE charmonium and on the decoupling of heavy For more than five years he helped implement scientific societies internationally, and has INSTITUTION particles.” the “swords into plowshares” deal between Applequist received his PhD from Cornell served on the board of editors of seven scien- Established in 1984 by a grant from the Re- the two countries. He is also currently involved University in 1968 and held a two-year tific journals. search Corporation, this prize is intended to in defense conversion activities with major postdoctoral fellowship at the Stanford Linear honor a physicist whose research in an un- weapons production facilities in the former Accelerator Center before joining the faculty dergraduate setting has achieved wide Soviet Union. In the U.S. he has served as 1997 Apker Award of Harvard University in 1970. In 1975 he recognition and contributed significantly to advisor to the Department of State, the De- Editor’s Note: The recipients of the 1996 Apker moved to Yale University, where he is cur- physics, and who has contributed substantially partment of Energy, and the Executive Office Award will also be honored during the ceremo- rently the Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics to the professional development of under- of the President. nial session at the April Meeting. Names, citations and Dean of the Graduate School. His research graduate physics students. and biographical information were published has focused on the theory of elementary par- in the January 1996 issue of APS News.

7 APS News April 1997 THE BACK PAGE The ‘Crunch’ by Peter Abbamonte

s an undergraduate physics student think of the crunch as a purely aca- lished several years earlier but was not Aat the University of Texas in 1992, demic phenomenon. A few activists widely read. It was also not focused the future shined bright. Though my added the issue to their postmodern on employment. But it had one par- high school career had by all measures plates, along with responsible science, ticular merit: it had the answer to been a disaster, college had illuminated environmentalism, and multiculturalism. “why?” in me a basic talent for visualizing and But most just filed it in their mental I read the article in its entirety while solving physical problems (where had glossary of current events, aside the war standing next to the garbage. The an- this been when I was 15?). What had in Rwanda and the AIDS epidemic, and swer was so ridiculously simple I almost for most of my friends been 4+ years went along their merry ways. hit myself: if every faculty member of depression and confusion for me But for graduate students it struck trains 15 new faculty members in his came to be a period of orientation and much more deeply. A fog of low mo- or her career, by the year 2085 every self discovery. And what I discovered, rale seemed to fall over the back offices, man, woman and child in the United with the direction of my physics pro- cubicles, labs, and classrooms of the States will be a physicist. Conclusion: fessors, of course pointed toward a department. Ironic hallway postings an employment crisis was a priori in- career in physics research. I read pop appeared, including a completed em- evitable, but had gone unanticipated science novels about the lives of physi- ployment application to a local Mexican for decades. cists in the 50’s, found I liked the nerd food restaurant and a very Dilberty sign I was stunned. I continued to stand lifestyle and the people I met in it, and which read “The beatings will continue next to the garbage. I looked up from found that physics could be a creative until morale improves.” And produc- the page and out the window. As I alternatives exist for young physics release and not just a series of home- tivity became a greater casualty than looked a translucent curtain, which I PhD’s. With any luck, there would be work problems. I saw the rest of my bliss, as many fell into the drink/sleep/ had never noticed until it began to rise, some. life in a vision: a groovy, eccentric email/play-Doom-to-forget cycle. revealed a gray world of dispassion and What grew out of this idea was the wardrobe, conferences in obscure Eu- Late one night, when work time had uncertainty. The hallowed world of Open Forum on Alternative Careers for ropean cities, living on a 26 hour cycle turned into reflective commiseration physics transformed before my eyes Physicists. This was formed to be a re- so my meals would precess against the time as it had acquired a propensity to into a regular profession, like Law or search organization dedicated, by solar calendar, impressing trendy do, I sat talking with a fellow student, Medicine, occupied not by visionaries whatever unorthodox means necessary, women in cafes with my keen wit and who I hear is now self employed. We but by normal people acting in self- to establishing what young physicists insight. The world was to be my oys- pinned down one thing that night I will interest. One question pulsated in my can do with their PhD’s besides aca- ter. never forget. This employment crisis mind: how had physicists gone so long demic research. It turns out that options Skipping both commencement and was doing more than force us to re- without ever turning their talent for for the savvy and prepared PhD are post-collegiate reflection, I headed off think our careers; it was forcing us to analysis on themselves? How had I plentiful. Some of them are briefly de- to the University of Illinois with noth- rethink our identities. Because we had failed to do this myself? I didn’t know. scribed at http://www.physics. ing but a box of books, an obsolete not come to graduate school to get jobs But there was one thing I knew for uiuc.edu/jobs/non-physics/forum. Macintosh, $500 in cash, and inexhaust- as physicists. We had come to become sure: What was happening now could Ironically, since then my academic ible enthusiasm. As my first two years physicists. So the reason for the mo- have been anticipated at any time dur- career has taken a turn for the better, passed my elation with life’s new di- rale problem was not that we were ing the previous 80 years by literally as I lucked into some high-profile re- rection grew, along with a holistic grasp spoiled kids who were being denied anyone who knew the solution to search at the politically beleaguered yet of basic physics and what felt like my our fun. It was that the very founda- N(t)=+r dN(t)/dt. But it wasn’t. Conclu- technologically supreme Advanced own philosophy toward research. The tion on which we had chosen to build sion: I could not count on anyone to Photon Source at Argonne. So the Fo- latter I even named: Informed Experi- our character was crumbling. And add- step in and help me. So I had better rum is latent. Yet a spirit of self reliance, mentation. I found the thesis advisor ing to the anxiety, looming over our damned well do something to help of which the Forum was just an out- with whom this philosophy fit and heads, was the $250,000 question: myself. come, appears to have endured. Very embarked on the phase of physics life Why? But what? I figured what I had to do recently, several other Urbana students I had been craving: full time research. Why was this happening? Most of was prepare for the end of my academic worked out a technique for a physics Life proceeded as planned for those us were told it never would. When career. And this, I imagined, meant I PhD student to infiltrate their local en- two years, but then things began to applying to graduate school, I read in would have to get a regular job. But gineering placement office, and all change. It’s hard to pinpoint when, the application to one which eventu- how? What is a regular job? What do I found industrial jobs as a result. So because it was a gradual drift of atti- ally rejected me, and which I will not do? I started asking my peers, hoping what is important really is not the Fo- tude and not a defined event. In the name but is a swanky private school to stumble on some insight. There was rum itself, but the spirit of which it is a earliest stages I remember faculty dis- in New Jersey, “The employment mar- none. I found, to my shock and dis- manifestation. cussing the recent ubiquity of repeat ket for well-trained, young scientists is may, that not a single person in my Even if my research career works postdocs. I also remember a few blurbs excellent and is expected to be for years class had ever thought about not be- out, it will not be the same as it would by Roman Czujko appearing in APS to come.” Was this a lie? What was ing an academic physicist. Given that have been. Because the approach I try News about a growing disparity be- happening? Absolutely no one knew. Roman Czujko was forecasting less than to take to science now is not that of a tween the number of available A few bold pundits who would pub- one academic position per four gradu- child staring at the stars, but of a pro- academic jobs and the supply of young licly speculate blamed the problem on ates, this was disheartening indeed. fessional performing a craft. Some Ph.D.’s. In the later stages, a feature the post-Reaganomics recession and It was then that I realized our Phys- would oversimplify by saying that my article appeared in Physics Today us- the end of the Cold War, and claimed ics Job Crunch was much more than interests are now “more applied.” But ing the words “physics” and “bleak” in things would turn around in a few just a Job Crunch. It was a Truth it would be more correct to say that the same title, an association I never years. But I hesitated to believe them, Crunch, a Communication Crunch, an they are more informed, namely of the imagined I would see. Similar articles simply because I felt we had reached Ego Crunch, and most of all a Knowl- history, culture, and humanity in which followed in the New York Times, the limit of things we can blame on edge Crunch, all wrapped up into one. they reside. Plus, if my research career Newsweek, and even the local rag, the Ronald Reagan. But no one had a bet- What a friggin’ mess. But as daunting ever ends, whether that is now or when Champaign-Urbana News Gazette, a ter explanation, so everyone continued as it was to state the problem that way, I am 50, I now know how to survive. It periodical which usually emphasizes sleep, play Doom, and work as best it made me optimistic. Because now at makes me wonder if the employment coverage of local bake sales. I watched they could. least I knew what the problem was. Crunch is not a curse placed on physi- in amazement as a spiraling “Physics This cycle would have continued ad- And articulated as such, it pointed to cists, but rather a blessing in disguise. Job Crunch” became the talk of the graduatum, at least for me, had it not an obvious solution. As physicists, town. been for a single event which I can while maybe we are a bunch of ba- Peter Abbamonte is a graduate student What struck me most about the honestly say changed my life. I found, bies, there is one thing we know well: at the University of Illinois, Urbana in Crunch, besides its very existence, was in the garbage in my communal office, how to behave when we do not know. the Loomis Laboratory of Physics. He is how differently it affected people in a tattered yet just legible photocopy of So the answer was simple. Someone a member of the APS Task Force on different stages of their academic ca- David Goodstein’s American Scholar had to perform thorough, well-docu- Career and Professional Development. reers. Faculty, for example, seemed to article. It had apparently been pub- mented research on what employment

The Back Page is intended as a forum to foster discussion on topics of interest to the scientific community. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the APS, its elected officers, or staff. APS News welcomes and encourages letters and submissions from its members responding to these and other issues.

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