Op-Ed: Broadening Onramps Meet the New England Section 2021 Fall Prizes and Awards The Back Page: APS-IDEA 02│ to the STEM Workforce 03│ 05│ 08│

September 2021 • Vol. 30, No. 8 aps.org/apsnews

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY

OBITUARY GIVING Steven Weinberg 1933-2021 APS Legacy Circle Profile: BY DANIEL GARISTO Robert Stanek BY LEAH POFFENBERGER teven Weinberg, a theorist If he achieved mythic status who unified two funda- through physics, it was from mental forces and shaped humble beginnings. Steven s a high energy physicist, S Robert Stanek has worked the way physicists and the public Weinberg was born in New York City thought about the universe, died to Frederick and Eva Weinberg, a A on some of the biggest July 23 in Austin at 88. court stenographer and homemaker experiments in physics, including ​Weinberg shared the 1979 Nobel respectively. Weinberg’s interest in HERA, Germany’s largest research Prize in Physics with Abdus Salam science was cultivated at the Bronx instrument, and as part of the and Sheldon Glashow for contribu- High School of Science, where he ATLAS collaboration at CERN. To tions to the theory that unified the was—famously—classmates with ensure students from low-income weak and electromagnetic forces. Glashow, who would also go on to backgrounds or underrepresented He continued to win academic attend Cornell. groups have the opportunity to honors and awards for the next After Cornell, Weinberg married study physics, Stanek also joined half century, including the 2020 Louise Goldwasser, and the newly- the APS Legacy Circle, which rec- Breakthrough Prize. In addition to weds spent a year in Copenhagen. ognizes donors who support APS his academic research, Weinberg He then went back to America and Steven Weinberg initiatives through planned giving. CREDIT: LARRY MURPHY, UNIVERSITY OF wrote prolifically about science in finished his PhD with Sam Treiman APS members who join the Legacy TEXAS AT AUSTIN popular books and publications at Princeton on weak decays and Circle help to fund initiatives that scholarships to students that could such as the New York Review of renormalization, the mathematical as force carriers. But giving the will make a positive impact on the not afford [college] that wanted to Books. He was also a Fellow of APS. technique for wrangling annoying W and Z mass made the theory physics community. go into physics.” “Steve was one of the last infinities. Over the next decade, he nonrenormalizable. Weinberg took “I've always been a proponent Stanek received his PhD in 1980 figures from this heroic era of bounced from Columbia to Berkeley the idea of spontaneous symmetry of helping students out.’” says from the University of Illinois at particle physics that culminated before landing in Cambridge, MA, breaking and in three brisk pages Stanek. “I was going to leave all Chicago, completing his thesis in the development of the Standard where he held appointments at showed how the mechanism could [of my money] to help scholarships work at Fermilab. After a brief stint Model,” said Scott Aaronson, a MIT and Harvard. lead the W and Z to appear massive for students [hoping to] go into working in nuclear medicine at theoretical computer scientist at In the early 1960s, Glashow and at lower energies. One of the most physics. And then my wife con- the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, the University of Texas at Austin, Salam attempted to unify electro- vinced me to leave half to Lincoln where Weinberg was a professor magnetism and the weak force by Park Zoo [in Chicago] and half to for forty years. proposing massive W and Z bosons WEINBERG CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 APS. My motivation was to give STANEK CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

ETHICS GOVERNANCE September Ethics Corner Speaker of the APS Council Baha Balantekin BY FRANCES HOULE BY DAVID VOSS

elcome to a new column he APS Council of on professional ethics, Representatives currently W sponsored by the APS T consists of 35 members of Ethics Committee. Comprised of the Society and is responsible for appointees from several APS com- providing oversight of APS publi- mittees and the membership at large, cations and conferences, approving the Committee’s efforts include policy statements, electing APS tracking emerging trends in ethical Fellows, distributing prizes and practices and concerns, recom- awards, ratifying amendments to mending policies to APS leadership the Constitution and Bylaws, and relevant to trends, and suggesting managing other matters relating modifications to the APS Guidelines to the scientific mission of APS. on Ethics when appropriate. The Council membership com- In 2021, subcommittees on prises four General Councilors, Frances Houle Research Integrity and Ethics four International Councilors, the Education will serve to focus these Having conducted a survey Treasurer, and Councilors repre- efforts. We provide guidance as of APS Early Career members senting the Divisions, Forums, and processes associated with new in 2020, the Committee is now Sections. Activities of the Council Baha Balantekin APS policies are established and developing recommendations for are organized by the Council implemented, most recently for the new initiatives that respond to the Steering Committee. The Council particle physics. After that, I went What are some of your current phased rollout of new professional community’s needs, based on the Steering Committee consists of four to MIT as a postdoc and a Wigner research interests? conduct disclosure requirements survey results. Future columns elected Councilors, the Speaker, Fellow at Oak Ridge National Lab. I am a theoretical physicist, even for APS Honors and official lead- will describe these activities and the President-Elect, and the CEO Then I moved to the University though I am a member of several ership positions of the Society. We additional ethics resources for APS and meets frequently between of Wisconsin, where I've been experimental collaborations, but develop educational materials to members and the physics commu- Council meetings. for almost 35 years. I also have my role is primarily to provide examine specific ethics topics and nity. We welcome your feedback! The Speaker of the Council visiting adjunct appointments at theoretical feedback. And occa- presentation materials that can be presides over the Council of the University of Washington in sionally I take the night shift for used to lead ethics discussions. We Representatives and is elected Seattle and the University of New The author is the chair of the APS fun. But my primary research area invite you to visit our webpage to South Wales in Sydney. Ethics Committee. from the Council. Baha Balantekin is theoretical physics at the inter- draw on these resources. (University of Wisconsin) is the I've been involved with APS face of nuclear physics, particle current Speaker, and APS News for some time. About a decade physics, and astrophysics. And asked him to share his thoughts ago, I was the Councilor for the more recently, I'm getting involved about his journey in physics and Division of Nuclear Physics and in quantum information science the role of the Council. The inter- at that time I was elected to the applications in nuclear/particle view has been edited for length APS Board and served just before astrophysics. and clarity. APS reorganized its governance I'm collaborating with an exper- structures in 2014. Then a couple imentalist colleague, Mark Saffman, What was your path in research of years ago, the DNP Councilor and with APS? at the University of Wisconsin left, so the division asked me to who's building a quantum computer I went to graduate school at take over and run for the position Yale University, where I worked on again. So that's how I got to be on theoretical/mathematical nuclear/ the Council a second time. BALANTEKIN CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 2 • September 2021

OP-ED The US Must Broaden On-ramps to the STEM Workforce BY S. JAMES GATES, JR. AND GERALD C. BLAZEY

Editor’s note: This op-ed was first published in The Hill on June 5, 2021. Since that time, the NSF for the Future Act, which is cited in the piece, passed out of September 19, 1926: Masatoshi Koshiba, the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support. The next step is for the bill to go to conference with Senate-passed legislation concerning Pioneer of Neutrino Astronomy, is Born NSF. This process enables the reconciliation of differences between the pieces BY JULIA OSTMANN of legislation passed by each chamber of Congress.

iny and chargeless, neutrinos leave barely a trace on their journey around T the cosmos—elusive players in the hunt for dark matter, the study of our Sun, and the evolution of the atom. Today, the vibrant field of neutrino research cuts across many areas of physics. Yet we may never have confirmed that neu- trinos burst from stars—or discovered why so many of them escape our detectors—had Masatoshi Koshiba listened to his high school physics teacher. The future Nobel laureate was born September 19, 1926, in the seaside city of Toyohashi, Japan, the son of a military father. As a child, he liked mathematics, and as a teenager, he enjoyed reading The Evolution of Physics, a book on the magine an unfortunate world more likely. Earlier this year, the history of physics by Albert Einstein and Leopold where Americans depend upon United States fell out of the top Infeld. Koshiba excelled at Japanese fencing, competitors for innovation, 10 of the Bloomberg Innovation but after a bout of polio and diphtheria, took I up building model airplanes from bamboo and breakthroughs, and technological Index and also now ranks ninth progress. In such a world, we won’t globally in research and develop-� rubber bands. He contemplated running a model create the first universal quantum ment spending as a percentage of airplane shop in the future. MODEL OF THE KAMIOKANDE DETECTOR computer or solve the mystery of the gross domestic product. After two attempts, the young Koshiba passed dark matter. Nor will we create the Maintaining our global compet- the entrance exam for a prestigious boarding CREDIT: WIKI COMMONS next vaccine. Instead, we would itiveness is an urgent problem, and school in Tokyo, arriving in the wrecked and decay. In 1983, Koshiba had an enormous vat of have to forgo solving scientific creating a stronger, more diverse burned hull of the city four months before the water installed deep inside a tin and zinc mine mysteries, purchase breakthroughs workforce in an environment of end of World War II. A classmate had found a in Kamioka, a mountainous town in central from other countries, and get in rapid cycles of innovation and usable transformer and jerry-rigged it to boil Japan, as the basis for his new detector. line with everyone else. STEM developments is key to com- water, creating a hot outdoor bath on campus The Kamiokande detector didn’t detect Such scenarios once seemed that would change Koshiba’s life. proton decay as Koshiba intended. But after far-fetched. But indicators show Koshiba was considering studying German some reconfiguring he suggested, it made a they are becoming increasingly STEM CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 literature at university. Then one night in the bathtub, he overheard a physics teacher—who major contribution to another mystery: the solar had flunked him—gossiping to a star pupil neutrino problem. In the late 1960s, Brookhaven about Koshiba’s university plans. “Whatever he National Laboratory scientist Raymond Davis chooses to apply for, it cannot be in the physics Jr. captured the first presumed solar neutrinos department,” the teacher said. with his detector, located in the Homestake Koshiba was furious. He switched his focus, Gold Mine in Lead, South Dakota. Only a third crammed for one month, and passed the require- as many had turned up as the standard solar ments of the physics department. The star pupil model predicted, suggesting a problem with our failed, Koshiba later recalled. understanding of either neutrinos or the Sun. At university, Koshiba struggled. His family Neutrinos passing through water produce a fell on hard times, and to help, he tutored wealthy burst of light. In 1987, an exploding star spewed Industry Mentoring for children and unloaded ships overnight at the neutrinos across neighboring galaxies—and at docks, leaving little time for coursework. Then a least 11 of those neutrinos hit the Kamiokande Physicists (IMPact) connects connection through his boarding school convinced detector. Graduate student Keiko Hirata had students and early career the University of Rochester to give Koshiba a written criteria for detecting a neutrino signal, graduate scholarship in 1953. There, he would and she noticed the telltale peak in the data. physicists with industrial earn his PhD in just two years—racing to get the The fiercely guarded first record of supernova guaranteed $400 per month salary for degree neutrinos appeared in Physical Review Letters physicists for career guidance. holders, which he needed to live. (Volume 58; Issue 14). For the next three decades, Koshiba worked on By 1990, Koshiba’s detector had found solar cosmic ray collaborations and particle accelera- neutrinos, supporting the Davis numbers and, Sign up to be a mentor tors all over the world. Then in the early 1980s, crucially, confirming that the neutrinos origi- he turned his attention to the popular grand nated from our sun. or mentee at impact.aps.org unified theory (GUT), imagining an underground *Must be an APS member to qualify detector that could capture its signature proton HISTORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Series II, Vol. 30, No. 8 APS COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES 2021 General Councilors Baha Balantekin* (Division of Nuclear Physics), September 2021 Gabriela Gonzalez, Vivian F. Incera*, Elizabeth Simmons (Division of Particles and President Robert McKeown*, Robin L. B. Selinger* Fields), Stuart Henderson (Division of Physics of © 2021 American Physical Society Sylvester J. Gates*, Brown Theoretical Physics Beams), Amitava Bhattacharjee* (Division of Center, Brown University International Councilors Plasma Physics), Karen Winey (Division of Polymer Karen Hallberg, Ursula Keller, Physics), Charles H. Bennett (Division of Quantum President-Elect Ahmadou Wagué*, Enge Wang Information), Heinrich Jaeger (Division of Soft Frances Hellman*, University of California, Matter), Laurie McNeil (Forum on Education), Staff Science Writer...... Leah Poffenberger Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Chair, Nominating Committee LaNell Williams* (Forum on Graduate Student Contributing Correspondents ...... Sophia Chen and Alaina G. Levine Laboratory Maria Spiropulu, Caltech Affairs), Virginia Trimble (Forum on the History of Design and Production ...... Meghan White Physics), Jim Adams (Forum on Industrial and Applied Vice President Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Physics), Emanuela Barzi (Forum on International Robert Rosner*, The University of Chicago William Collins, Lawrence Berkeley National Physics), Beverly Karplus Hartline* (Forum on Laboratory Physics and Society), Nadia Fomin (Southeastern APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD Past President Section), Nora Berrah* (New England Section) monthly, except for a combined July-August 20740-3844, Email: [email protected]. Philip H. Bucksbaum*, Stanford University and Editor in Chief issue, 11 times per year, by the American Phys- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Michael Thoennessen, Michigan State University Senior Management Team ical Society, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership (on leave) Jonathan A. Bagger, Chief Executive Officer; MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It contains publication delivered by Periodical Mail Postage Chief Executive Officer Mark Doyle, Chief Information Officer; news of the Society and of its Divisions, Topical Paid at College Park, MD and at additional mail- Jonathan A. Bagger, American Physical Society Division, Forum, and Section Councilors Jane Hopkins Gould, Chief Financial Officer; Groups, Sections, and Forums; advance infor- ing offices. Michael Coleman Miller (Division of Astrophysics), Beth Gunzel, Chief Human Resources Officer; mation on meetings of the Society; and reports Speaker of the Council David Schultz (Division of Atomic, Molecular, and Matthew M. Salter, Publisher; to the Society by its committees and task forces, For address changes, please send both the old Baha Balantekin*, University of Wisconsin Optical Physics), Daniel Fisher (Division of Biological Francis Slakey, Chief External Affairs Officer.; as well as opinions. and new addresses, and, if possible, include a Physics), Tanja Cuk (Division of Chemical Physics), James W. Taylor, Deputy Executive Officer and mailing label from a recent issue. Changes can be Treasurer William Halperin (Division of Condensed Matter Chief Operating Officer; Letters to the editor are welcomed from the emailed to [email protected]. Postmaster: James Hollenhorst*, Agilent Technologies Physics), James Freericks (Division of Computational Michael Thoennessen, Editor in Chief membership. Letters must be signed and should Send address changes to APS News, Membership Physics), Howard Stone (Division of Fluid Dynamics), include an address and daytime telephone num- Department, American Physical Society, One Corporate Secretary Manuela Campanelli (Division of Gravitational ber. APS reserves the right to select and to edit Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Jeanette Russo, American Physical Society Physics), John Fourkas (Division of Laser Science), * Voting Members of the APS Board of Directors for length and clarity. All correspondence re- Peter Schiffer (Division of Materials Physics), garding APS News should be directed to: Editor, Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 September 2021 • 3

UNIT PROFILE INDUSTRIAL APS Membership Unit Profile: APS Works to Ensure US has Strong Semiconductor The New England Section Manufacturing Industry BY ABIGAIL DOVE BY TAWANDA W. JOHNSON

ith over 2,500 members, emiconductors are ubiqui- the New England Section tous—the brains of modern W (NES) is a home for APS S electronics, from computers members based in Massachusetts, to smartphones to cars—and play a Connecticut, Rhode Island, crucial role in keeping the US as a Vermont, New Hampshire, and global technology leader, boosting Maine. Consistent with the sheer the economy, and strengthening multitude of academic and research national security. centers in this part of the country, But America’s leadership in the NES is one of the largest and most semiconductor field remains in active geographical sections in a precarious position. According APS’s ranks. to the Semiconductor Industry Geographical sections are an Richard Price Association (SIA), “federal invest- important part of the APS eco- ments in chip research have held system, strengthening the physics (MAS), New York State (NYSS), flat as a share of gross domestic community in different parts of the Northwest (NWS), Prairie Section product (GDP), while other coun- country and helping APS diffuse the (PSAPS), Southeastern (SESAPS), tries have significantly ramped up knowledge of physics at a regional and Texas (TSAPS). research investments.” to Produce Semiconductors for APS Journal Key in Development level. In addition to acting as a Involvement in a geographical There’s good reason to boost America (CHIPS) Act in the NDAA of Semiconductors networking platform for physicists section provides opportunities to investments in semiconductor authorization bill. The CHIPS Act APS’s Physical Review journal in different fields and at different learn about the research ongoing research: according to “Sparking authorizes the research and manu- played an important role in the stages of their careers, geographical at other nearby institutions Innovation,” a SIA report, “each facturing provisions as well as tax publishing and dissemination of sections also provide a vehicle for and—in contrast to more discipline- additional dollar invested in federal incentives to strengthen the US research regarding the invention interactions between neighboring centered units at APS like divisions, semiconductor research increases semiconductor industry. Congress of the semiconductor chip. In 1950, academic institutions (from small topical groups, and forums—gives US GDP by $16.50.” must now appropriate funding for John Bardeen published his early liberal arts colleges to large research members unique exposure to other For its part, APS, through its those provisions in order for them work on the transistor in Physical universities), government labora- areas of physics outside of their participation on the Task Force on to be implemented. Review (Volume 71; page 717). In tories, and industry. particular field. American Innovation, supported “We knew that many APS his first article, he wrote that the NES was established in 1932 “Each geographical section has the inclusion of semiconductor R&D members, especially those who transistor was the embodiment as APS’s first-ever geographical its own features. In the case of provisions in the Fiscal Year (FY) work in the semiconductor industry, of a semiconductor chip. Bardeen section. In an effort to build a NES, the feature is a very high 2021 National Defense Authorization would benefit from legislation that followed that article with a second bigger grassroots presence for APS density of institutions of higher Act (NDAA). The Task Force is an bolsters research and development one, published in Physical Review across the country, geographical learning,” explained NES chair alliance of the nation’s leading com- in a field that’s central to so many (Volume 75; page 1208), where he sections have expanded to encom- Richard Price (MIT). This aspect panies, research universities, and technologies. It was great to see explained the physical principles pass the entire US: in addition to of NES provides ample opportu- scientific societies that advocates members of Congress recognize behind the transistor. In 1951, New England, this includes the nities for networking: “Faculty at for robust federally funded research. this critical industry as part of last William Shockley, who also worked Eastern Great Lakes (EGLS), Far Following the urging of the Task year’s NDAA,” said Mark Elsesser, West (FWS; see APS News July 2019), Force letter, Congress included Director of Government Affairs Four Corners (4CS), Mid-Atlantic NE SECTION CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 the Creating Helpful Incentives at APS. INDUSTRY CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

HISTORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Still, the question remained: he finally saw plans for one, the why is there a discrepancy between International Linear Collider (ILC), our mathematical model of the sun commence. and actual observations of solar Koshiba faced major financial neutrinos? What’s more, results and societal setbacks that would from Kamiokande had revealed a have derailed most from a career new anomaly: an unexpected ratio in physics. But just like ghostly of muon to electron neutrinos. neutrinos—hiding in plain sight Fortunately, Koshiba was a all around us, recognized only by better mentor than his high school a stroke of luck, perseverance, and CALL FOR ABSTRACTS physics teacher. Takaaki Kajita, one the right conditions—Masatoshi of Koshiba’s graduate students, led Koshiba burst through. He could The scientific program is the a new Super-Kamiokande exper- have ended up working odd jobs, iment that made the clinching teaching German literature, or cornerstone of the APS March Meeting observation in 1998: neutrinos selling model airplanes. Instead, and gives researchers an opportunity oscillate between different forms, he helped solve one of the leading allowing them to dodge detectors— scientific mysteries of the late to present their work to other scientists and proving they have mass. The 20th century. finding required a rewrite of the and receive valuable feedback, meet Standard Model. Additional Reading: potential collaborators, and even future In 2002, Koshiba and Davis Nakahata, Masayuki, and Atsuto Suzuki. shared the Nobel Prize in Physics employers. “Masatoshi Koshiba (1926–2020).” “for pioneering contributions to Science 371, no. 6527 (2021): 349–49.. astrophysics, in particular for the detection of cosmic neutrinos.” DeVorkin, David. Masatoshi Koshiba. DEADLINE: OCTOBER 22, 2021 Other. Oral History Interviews. American Kajita also shared a Nobel for his Submit yours at march.aps.org Institute of Physics, August 30, 1997. work 13 years later. Fond of metaphor and pragmatic “30 Years after the Detection OF advice, Koshiba kick-started many SN1987A Neutrinos: Kamioka Observa- research ideas that younger phys- tory, ICRR, University of Tokyo.” Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University icists pursued to great success. In of Tokyo. Accessed August 5, 2021. the half century after World War II, he helped shape Japan into a Overbye, Dennis. “Masatoshi Koshiba, high-energy-physics powerhouse 94, Dies; Nobel Winner Tracked Ghostly and attract significant interna- Neutrinos.” The New York Times, November 18, 2020. tional attention. For example, Koshiba dreamed of bringing a “The Nobel Prize in PHYSICS 2002 next-generation linear collider Masatoshi Koshiba Facts.” Nobel- to Japan. Before dying in 2020, Prize.org. 4 • September 2021

INDUSTRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 SCIENCE POLICY with Bardeen, published the physics year, Bell Labs offered a license to 40 APS Thrilled with DHS Withdrawal of Proposed behind a second semiconductor companies to the technology of the device called a junction transistor, transistor. Later, companies such Elimination of Duration of Status which formed the basis of future as General Electric, RCA, Fairchild BY TAWANDA W. JOHNSON semiconductors. Semiconductor, Texas Instruments, Several years later, Bell Mostek, Intel, and the Aerospace Laboratory scientists developed the Corp. dominated the semiconductor PS is delighted that the US processes necessary to manufacture industry. Sony was the only foreign Department of Homeland the junction transistor. The key to licensee. A Security (DHS) has with- that process: the ability to grow The shift to Asia-Pacific man- drawn a proposed rule that would high purity, large single crystals ufacturing began with designs in have eliminated the duration of of silicon and germanium. Gordon the US and fabrication in Asia. As status guidelines that allow inter- Teal and John Little reported this demand and capability grew in national students and researchers work in 1950 in Physical Review Asia during the 1990s, it became on certain visas—such as F and (Volume 78; page 647). the dominant source of semicon- J—to remain in the country as long In 1951, Shockley, Morgan Sparks, ductor devices. as they maintain compliance with and Teal published further work on “The United States is now their terms of admission. the basics of the manufacturing experiencing a shortage of semicon- The proposed rule change by processes in Physical Review (Volume ductor chips due to a high demand the Trump Administration in fall 83; page 151). Similar articles were for the chips and relatively little 2020 called for replacing the du- also published in the Physical Review supply available, especially in the ration of status with an arbitrary journal from 1948-1952, covering car industry. It will take time and and restrictive two- or four-year the early work on the transistor. resources to restore manufacturing term limit, depending on one's “It is clear that APS was at the capacity in the US to get our nation country of origin. forefront in helping to dissem- back on track toward building the In response, the Society’s lead- international students and scholars to the rule last year. What that inate such important science on necessary facilities that will lead to ership submitted a public comment are essential to the success of both translated to was nearly 1 in 20 the development of the semicon- a robust supply of semiconductors— in October 2020 in strong opposi- the physics community and US sci- comments originating from APS ductor,” said Dan Pisano, Director the backbone of our modern society, tion, and APS Government Affairs entific enterprise, and ultimately, members, which is something that of Industrial Engagement at APS. national security, and economy,” mounted a grassroots campaign a firm foundation for the future of we are immensely proud of.” said Pisano. enabling APS members to submit the economy,” said APS President In the Society’s response to The Expansion of unique, personalized messages S. James Gates, Jr. “The outcome the proposed rule signed by past Semiconductor Manufacturing to DHS. With the comment period will help put our nation back on APS President Phil Bucksbaum, The author is Senior Press Secretary Until 1952, Bell Telephone Labs track to being the destination of he wrote, “History teaches that our in the APS Office of External Affairs. only open for 30 days, there was was the only commercial manufac- a need to act quickly, and more choice for the best and brightest economic competitiveness relies turer of the transistor. During that than 1,600 APS members did so. international students and scholars on top talent, much of which has Because the rulemaking process to come to study and work in our come from overseas: more than requires federal agencies to provide country.” one-third of all US Nobel Prize a distinctive reply to each unique Added Callie Pruett, Senior laureates were foreign-born; more STANEK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 comment, DHS had to respond to Strategist for Grassroots Advocacy, than 44 percent of the Fortune the various concerns of the scientific “Our team is thrilled that this dra- 500 companies were founded by Stanek returned to high energy to afford it. He has donated to the community before moving forward, conian rule has been withdrawn and immigrant entrepreneurs or their physics as a post-doc at Argonne APS Bridge Program, which is thus pushing back the timeline of even more thrilled that we played a children; and more than 30 percent National Laboratory. Stanek would working to increase the number its implementation. significant role in the push against go on to work on polarized beams of PhDs awarded to students from “This is fantastic news. The out- it. Our members submitted more at Fermilab, Los Alamos National backgrounds that haven’t been standing contributions of talented than 1,600 comments in opposition DHS WITHDRAWAL ON PAGE 7 Laboratory, and HERA, before traditionally represented in physics. ending up at CERN, where he served Stanek encourages others to Signal Boost is a monthly email video newsletter as a project leader on ATLAS for consider the impact of investing alerting APS members to policy issues and identifying four years. in physics on the future genera- opportunities to get involved. Past issues are available Stanek is now connecting with tion. “I would suggest thinking at go.aps.org/2nr298D. Join Our Mailing List: visit the the next generation of physicists about supporting students to go sign-up page at go.aps.org/2nqGtJP. through volunteer activities to help into physics…these young kids that get kids interested in science. Before are coming up, are they going to the coronavirus pandemic, Stanek have [to] make it on their own, or spent his Saturdays volunteering are you going to help them out if FYI: SCIENCE POLICY NEWS FROM AIP at Chicago’s Museum of Science you can?” says Stanek. “It’s my and Industry performing physics priority to get kids into high energy demos. He also takes demos to local physics…but if somebody else wants schools to “show kids that physics to do solid-state physics, then that's Secretary of State Tony Blinken Sets Out Vision for can actually be fun.” fine with me, too.” Inspired by his predomi- Global Technology Diplomacy nantly Hispanic community in BY ANDREA PETERSON For more information about join- the Southwest side of Chicago, ing the Legacy Circle, please visit the Stanek became interested in Legacy Circle page or contact Kevin ddressing an international plished through the accumulation helping students pursue college Kase at 301-209-3224 or email conference convened by of piecemeal agreements. who may not otherwise be able [email protected]. A the National Security Blinken highlighted steps the Commission on Artificial administration has already taken Intelligence in July, Secretary of toward this goal, including setting State Tony Blinken and other US up the US–EU Trade and Technology administration officials outlined Council, which was announced in a vision for building technology June and will focus on topics such PHYSICISTS partnerships among democratic as technology standards cooper- tion is working with international TO-GO nations. ation, secure supply chains, data standards organizations to promote Much of the current wave of governance, technology and human a “transparent, consensus-based, attention in Congress and the Biden rights, export controls, and invest- and private-sector-led approach to administration surrounding R&D, ment screening. He also cited the Do you want students to have developing standards for emerging technology, and supply chains is US’ recent bilateral agreements on technologies.” exposure to physics at a young driven by concerns about the rising scientific cooperation and emerging More concretely, Blinken age? Bring real physicists to technological influence of rival technologies with the UK, Japan, signaled that further specific classrooms across the country. nations, and especially China. and South Korea, and pointed to policy actions are forthcoming. However, Blinken argued it is not the working group on “critical and “We’re taking a fresh look at tools Whether you are a physicist or enough to “highlight the horrors of emerging technologies” launched in like export controls, investment teacher, you can sign up to get techno-authoritarianism.” He said March by the “Quad” countries: the screening, and visa screening, to paired starting in 2022. the US must instead establish an U.S., Japan, India, and Australia. make sure our strategic competitors alternative model of governance for Blinken reiterated the Biden are not exploiting our own inno- Registration occurs on a rolling AI and other emerging technologies administration’s interest in vative ecosystems to gain military basis. that embodies democratic nations’ building more resilient supply or national security advantage,” common values. chains for critical technolo- Blinken said. “Democracies have to pass the gies such as semiconductors, Outside of such technical tech test together. And diplomacy, saying that it plans to work with matters, Blinken also stressed the LEARN MORE I believe, has a big role to play partners to “friend-shore” and importance of establishing inter- go.aps.org/physiciststogo in that,” he continued, arguing “near-shore” supplies in addition that technological cooperation to expanding domestic production.

among democracies will be accom- He also reported the administra- GLOBAL TECH ON PAGE 7 September 2021 • 5

HONORS WEINBERG CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

2021 APS Fall Prize and Award Recipients impactful papers in particle physics, In 1981, Weinberg followed his “A Model of Leptons” went mostly wife Louise to UT Austin, where she PS recognizes outstanding unnoticed: for two years after it was was already a professor at the law achievement in research, published in Physical Review Letters, school. He established a theoret- A education, and public service it garnered only two citations. ical physics department where his with APS prizes and awards. With “Why doesn't anybody quote Tuesday pre-colloquium lunches few exceptions, they are open to his paper between 1967 and 1970? became de rigeur. “The discussion all members of the scientific com- APS Honors The reason is nobody could do that was basically led by him,” said Willy munity in the US and abroad. The calculation,” said Helen Quinn, a Fischler, a theorist at UT Austin. nomination and selection proce- professor emerita at SLAC. Weinberg “Often, it was about history, poetry, dure, which involves APS-appointed knew that his model was “probably and literature.” selection committees, guarantees renormalizable,” but it wasn’t until Despite his laurels and seniority, high standards and prestige. a 1970 paper by Gerard t’Hooft that Weinberg continued teaching. This Prize and award recipients are Prizes the dam burst and citations flooded fall, he was set to teach a course nominated by their peers and col- in. When Quinn and her coauthors on thermodynamics and statistical leagues and were selected from and did the first one-loop calculation mechanics. “I was amazed. I mean hundreds of nominees. Recipients for Weinberg’s theory, “he was so Steve is 88, and he's going to teach of APS Prizes and Awards are happy he invited us to sherry at a course that he has never taught,” announced in two groups, one in his house,” she said. said Fischler. the Spring and one in the Fall. The As a theorist, Weinberg was Colleagues noted Weinberg’s list of Fall recipients appears below. Awards not particularly focused on model intensity and testified to his sin- building. “It is ironic that his Nobel gle-mindedness when attacking a The Andreas Acrivos Dissertation Prize was for a specific model, physics problem. “He wasn't going Award in Fluid Dynamics recognizes because he was really interested to come to your office and say, exceptional young scientists who in the general picture and not in ‘How are you doing? How was your have performed original doctoral Fall 2021 the specific models, no matter weekend?’ He wasn't that kind thesis work of outstanding scientific how beautiful,” Howard Georgi, of person,” said Sonia Paban, a quality and achievement in the area a Harvard physicist, wrote in an theoretical physicist at UT Austin. of fluid dynamics. email to APS News. Weinberg was known for his “He told me why once: Models solitary style, and he was frequently “For developing a novel theoretical understand coherent structures in The Stuart Jay Freedman Award are almost always wrong. But if a sole author. When working from and computational framework turbulent flows and for continuing in Experimental Nuclear Physics leadership in aeroacoustics and you have general arguments that home, Weinberg kept a TV on his which established fundamental honors an outstanding early career insights into the turbulent bubble turbulence.” follow from general principles, that desk and enjoyed listening to old experimentalist in nuclear physics. breakup cascade in oceanic Tim Colonius, California Institute of has a chance of being correct in movies in the background to feel breaking waves.” Technology “For excellence in experimental the long run,” said John Preskill, less isolated. But earlier in his Wai Hong Ronald Chan, University research into the fundamental a physicist at Caltech and one of career, Weinberg frequently col- of Colorado Boulder The Fluid Dynamics Prize recog- nature of matter and mass based on Weinberg’s students. laborated with physicists like Quinn, low-energy cryogenic detection nizes outstanding achievement in Quinn recalls an argument Glashow, and Benjamin Lee. techniques, in particular The Stanley Corrsin Award rec- fluid dynamics research. between Julian Schwinger and When Quinn and Roberto Peccei ognizes a particularly influential neutrinoless double beta decay and dark matter searches.” Weinberg during a student’s published their approach to the contribution to fundamental fluid “For seminal contributions to wetting of surfaces and interfacial thesis defense. “Julian's position strong CP problem, they did not dynamics. Danielle H. Speller, Johns Hopkins hydrodynamics by revealing the University was effectively that that theory is predict an axion. “Weinberg actually best which is flexible enough to called me up and asked me, ‘Did “For development, exposition, and physics of the phenomena through combined application of computational reduction to their simple core.” accommodate all new data and be you notice that your theory has and modal decomposition tools to David Quéré, ESPCI-Paris HONORS CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 adapted to it,” she said. “Steve's this property that there's a pseu- position was that that theory is do-Goldstone boson?’ And I said, best which is very well defined, and ‘Well, no, I didn't. But you're abso- thus can be tested and ruled out.” lutely right. Obviously, it does.’ Some of Weinberg’s colleagues And he said, ‘Well, in that case, I'll argue that his real seminal con- publish it myself.’” Quinn said. “So tribution to particle physics was what he was doing was giving me not electroweak unification but the opportunity to be a co-author 2022 articulating how to think about of the paper with the axion.” effective quantum field theories Others also spoke to Weinberg’s (EQFTs). Though EQFTs had been in sense of fairness. Paban recalls use for decades, Weinberg’s insight an incident when a visiting Nobel was that physics lurking at much laureate dismissed a question by a higher energies would appear in student during a colloquium. “The terms suppressed by heavy masses. speaker looked at [the student] and Conference Sites This perspective shaped the hunt for said, ‘I see you don't understand’ Brown University unknown particles and “underlies and he proceeded,” she said. “Steve Central Washington University almost everything we do from LHC raised his hand and said, ‘I don't Clemson University physics to string theory to dark understand that—and don't give Rutgers, matter,” Georgi wrote. me that answer.’” The State University of New Jersey Beyond particle physics, For Weinberg, the pursuit of Tulane University Weinberg also made contributions understanding was not an idle to astrophysics and cosmology, matter. “Our mistake is not that United States Military Academy, West Point in particular by reintroducing we take our theories too seriously, the cosmological constant as a but that we do not take them seri- University of Arizona problem—prior to the discovery ously enough,” he wrote in The First University of California, Merced of dark energy—and working on Three Minutes. University of California, Santa Cruz matter-antimatter asymmetry in “Steve said, ‘I think we don't University of Central Florida the early universe. He expounded take our theories seriously enough, University of Illinois at on his view that the very small because it's so hard to believe that Urbana-Champaign and very large were connected in the squiggles that you make on a Western Michigan University The First Three Minutes, a popular piece of paper are actually the way Canadian location: science text, which both introduced nature works.’” Preskill said. “In University of Alberta the public to cosmic microwave his case, and in a few spectacular (held virtually) background radiation for the first examples, they were indeed.” time and inspired a generation of practicing physicists to hone their The author is a science writer based in cosmological queries. Bellport, New York. Join us January 21-23, 2022! APS Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics Applications open August 30 - October 4, 2021 Financial Assistance is available Read online aps.org/cuwip aps.org/apsnews #apsCUWiP 6 • September 2021

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APS is proud to announce the petition. A recent report by APS The legislation also includes an titled, “Building America’s STEM important review and assessment Workforce: Eliminating Barriers of the program. The full House MILLIE DRESSELHAUS and Unlocking Advantages,” points Committee on Science, Space and out that the country must do a Technology is slated to mark up the better job of attracting women, bill in the coming weeks. Fund for Science and Society racial and ethnic minorities, and The benefits of creating this rural Americans to the US sci- partnership pilot-program would has been fully funded! entific and technical workforce. be substantial, both for students Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, and faculty members. For example, Thank you to the many donors who Director of the National Science students with little formal research have supported this endowment. Foundation (NSF), refers to the training could gain meaningful “missing millions” as people experience in a laboratory setting, The Fund will endow an annual lectureship at who are capable of succeeding in using cutting-edge equipment that the Conferences for Undergraduate Women science, technology, engineering, otherwise would not have been in Physics (CUWiP), and provide travel grants and math fields but have no access available. Meanwhile, lead inves- for undergraduate women who lack sufficient to pathways to get them there. tigators could develop powerful resources to attend. Additionally, the Fund Enabling the “missing millions” insights into the lived experiences will support a new annual prize, the first APS to participate in US STEM isn’t just of non-traditional and under- scientific Prize named in honor of a woman, a path to establishing equity; it is represented students, as well as to honor and celebrate the achievements the path to restoring US competi- strengthen their scientific knowl- of a scientist who has made significant tiveness in science and technology. edge through partnerships with contributions in the areas of nanoscience According to the 2020 NSF Science major universities. and nanomaterials. & Engineering Indicators, for By strengthening partnerships example, members of underrep- between research-intensive uni- The Fundraising Committee thanks you! resented minorities represented versities and emerging research approximately 15 percent of the institutions, the NSF for the Future Daniel Dessau (Chair) Beverly Hartline Nitin Samarth US science and engineering work- Act would help address funding Marianne Dresselhaus-Cooper Julie Kim-Zajonz Nai-Chang Yeh force and more than 28 percent inequities. According to the APS Leora Dresselhaus-Cooper Cherry Murray of the US population (ages 21 and report, of the 637 universities that up). These percentages point to a received federal R&D funding in clear opportunity for building the 2018 for science and engineering, STEM workforce with talented and 78 percent—of which the vast Learn more about the Fund on our website capable US citizens who just need majority are emerging research go.aps.org/dresselhaus an on-ramp. institutions—received only 10 Noting the importance of diver- percent of the funding, despite sity in boosting innovation and serving 57 percent of all students productivity, the APS report states attending those types of institu- that one way to achieve that goal tions. Further, these institutions BALANTEKIN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 is by expanding opportunities for served 68 percent of Pell Grant students from underrepresented recipients and 66 percent of under- based on neutral Rydberg atoms. We must get back to our routine and council meetings. That means we groups or underserved areas to represented minority students. We are hoping that he will be able basically build it better than it was. are bringing in representatives from participate in research, a high- Said another way: Two-thirds to have a functioning quantum We learned valuable lessons from national Black and Hispanic orga- impact practice for student reten- of our nation’s students of color computer with 121 qubits. With this. For example, we put all the nizations, as well as the recently tion and workforce strengthening at research institutions see only that we want to be able to simulate meetings online and everything established APS Forum on Diversity and diversification. about 10 percent of the federal R&D the behavior of the nuclei in target became virtual. There are some very and Inclusion. Fortunately, leaders of the House dollars. materials for dark matter detection. positive aspects of online meetings. Committee on Science, Space, and The NSF for the Future Act We also want to explore collective People who have childcare responsi- How does the Council represent the membership? Technology have a perspective addresses this funding dis- neutrino oscillations in supernova bilities or care for their older family similar to the report’s recom- parity not by cutting research to and neutron star mergers. members didn't have to travel. But The Council is the bridge mendation, and they included an research-intensive universities, there were some negative aspects, between the APS members and important provision in the bipar- but by growing the resources so What do you see as the role of such as the question-and-answer the APS leadership, so it is a very the Speaker? tisan NSF for the Future Act. That emerging research institutions periods not being as active as before. valuable avenue to provide input provision would establish a pilot can be meaningfully supported. The role of the Speaker is to And of course, a meeting doesn't into APS. The Councilors come from program to create meaningful, This proposed partnership with set the agenda, chair the Council end when the talk is over. It goes on all the membership units, so the lasting partnerships between major emerging research institutions meetings, and sort of gently nudge in corridors and during the lunches Council is attached to the mem- research institutions and emerging addresses two imperatives: excel- the discussion, encouraging people and dinners. We missed all that, bership directly. But the goal is research institutions—colleges lence in research and diversifying to participate. In the present struc- and we're now trying to decide for the membership to own these and universities that have smaller opportunities in science. Faculty ture, the Council has a more active what future APS meetings should priorities as opposed to us telling research footprints and capacity, and students at emerging research role. In the past, there were a lot look like. That's a place where the them what they're going to do. And due, in part, to monetary and equip- institutions are fully capable of of routine activities the Council Council can play a role. something like that, I think, can ment constraints. performing world-class research; had to do, and while it was good I'm aware of the publication only be achieved in a group like If enacted into law, the legisla- all they need is the opportunity for the membership to have input, issues as well. There are completely the Council. tion would require NSF to direct at to do so. there wasn't as much active discus- different questions coming into I would like to see APS members least 25 percent of any multi-insti- sion in the Council meetings. The play, like what happens to the to be more active in the Society's tutional award exceeding $1 million role of the Council and the role of Physical Review journals as open affairs in any way they can. People S. James Gates Jr., PhD, is the APS to emerging research institutions to President and director of the Brown the APS Board are very carefully access becomes more widespread? are busy, but I want them to increase build research capacity, which could Center for Theoretical Physics. Gerald defined now. For example, bud- What's the future of the journals? So their involvement in APS and make include purchasing new equipment C. Blazey, PhD, is vice president for getary matters are the responsibility those are questions, I think, more sure that they understand what APS or providing paid research experi- Research and Innovation Partnerships of the Board. likely to be discussed in the APS is trying to do. I want them to speak ences for undergraduate students. at Northern Illinois University. Board because most of them directly up and provide input to the Council What are some of the challenges relate to budgetary issues—the and to the Board. I think that's facing APS and the Council? journals bring in a lot of revenue to very important because that's the Of course, the biggest ques- APS. But of course, one would like only way the Council will be a true tions for APS in general and to get input from the Council and representation of the membership. Council in particular involve the the membership as well. Members can join APS Divisions pandemic. This has been unprec- During the pandemic, a lot of and other membership units and edented—I don't remember any graduate students couldn't finish directly talk to their unit counselors other time in APS history when their experiments, so they couldn't and ask them to bring up something PROTECTION FOR EVERY STAGE OF LIFE activities were curtailed to this graduate. Many universities basi- at the Council meetings. This can extent. Undergraduate and graduate cally stopped faculty hiring for some be a valuable conversation in both After a tragic event, the last thing you should have to worry teaching went online, which was time. These things very negatively directions. There are so many good about is financial security. Because you belong to a society that participates in the APSIT Group Insurance Program, you can a completely new paradigm for affected the younger people in the things that APS does over a wide leverage APSIT’s buying power to help protect your family’s most of us. Research activities went field. That's something that we range of activities. But not everyone finances against disabilities, accidents, and even death itself. online, and we couldn't travel. When must address and see how we can in the membership is aware of these Don’t wait until it’s too late—learn more today. you are together with your collab- resolve some of those problems now. activities. Sometimes they say, "why 1 in 3 orators in front of a blackboard There are two other areas the doesn't APS do X," and it turns out households will things go much faster. Council can play a role. One is that APS is already doing that. face immediate My experimental colleagues financial hardship APS has recently revamped its ethics 800.272.1637 | APSITinsurance.com/Protect couldn't go to their labs for a long guidelines. The other is diversity, after a primary For more information about the *Durham, Ashley. “2016 Insurance Barometer Study.” LIMRA. N.p., 2016. Web. 11 October 2016. Certain state and age eligibility restrictions may apply, depending on the plan. The complete description of the APSIT Group Insurance Plans are wage earner’s time. So, this affected the physics equity, and inclusion. This is some- contained in the Certificate of Insurance, including features, costs, eligibility, renewability, limitations, and exclusions. Benefit option amounts are not APS Council, visit aps.org/about/ guaranteed and are subject to change by agreement between New York Life Insurance Company and APSIT. The plans are underwritten by New York Life * community in so many ways, and Insurance Company, 51 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10010, under policy forms G-29069-1/FACE, G-29068-0/FACE, G-29068-2/FACE, G-29134-0/FACE. passing. thing that APS is trying to bring to governance/leadership/council/. Group Disability Income and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance are not available to New Mexico residents. this is obviously one of the greatest the forefront. For example, we would Program Administrator’s California Insurance License #0F76076, AR#1322 challenges we face as a community. like to be more inclusive in the 182084-APSIT-AP-HALF September 2021 • 7

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The John Dawson Award for The Marshall N. Rosenbluth research-intensive institutions

Excellence in Plasma Physics Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award can find that there is overlap with Alaska

Research focuses specifically on goes to a young plasma physi- work going on at small schools. The British Columbia Alberta SECTION achievements in plasma physics cist who has performed original faculty at these research institu- CANADA TM research. thesis work of outstanding scientific tions can also use their involvement REGIONS Updated May 2021 quality and achievement. in NES as a way to make connections “For developing Monte Carlo New England with and attract potential graduate Northwest Prairie Washington Eastern Great methods that overcome the fermion “For pioneering the development of New York State students. Conversely, potential Montana Lakes Maine sign problem, leading to the first ab North Dakota adjoint methods and application of Oregon Idaho Minnesota graduate students get an oppor- VT. initio data for an electron gas under shape calculus for fusion plasmas, Wisconsin New N.H. York Wyoming South Dakota Mass. tunity to introduce themselves to Michigan warm dense matter conditions.” enabling a new derivative-based R.I. Iowa Conn. researchers they might want to Nebraska method of stellarator design.” Ohio Pennsylvania Travis Sjostrom, Los Alamos Nevada New Jersey Illinois Indiana National Laboratory work with.” Delaware Utah Maryland Elizabeth Paul, Princeton University California Colorado Kansas Missouri W.VA. A particular point of pride for Hawaii Washington, D.C. Fionn D. Malone, QC Ware Virginia Kentucky NES is its semi-annual meeting, Arizona North Tim Schoof, DESY Carolina Mid-Atlantic The Thomas H. Stix Award Tennessee New Mexico Oklahoma Arkansas South held every year in the spring and Carolina Simon Groth, Christian-Albrechts for Outstanding Early Career Far West Alabama Georgia University in Kiel fall. Typically, NES meetings feature Miss. Contributions to Plasma Physics Texas Louisiana Southeastern invited sessions featuring leaders (Includes Puerto Rico) Tobias Dornheim, Center for Research recognizes contributions Four Corners Advanced Systems Understanding Florida to plasma physics research by early in their respective fields paralleled (CASUS) Texas career physicists. by contributed talks and a poster Michael Bonitz, Institute for session. Many of these presenters Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Kiel University “For groundbreaking contributions are undergraduates and graduate and scientific leadership in the William Matthew Colwyn Foulkes, students having their first expe- meeting website. Abstracts are due Looking to the future, the NES Imperial College London understanding of non-axisymmetric rience of discussing their work on October 14, and registration executive committee’s goals for magnetic fields and relativistic at a professional meeting. Past closes on October 21. the section center around boosting electrons in tokamak plasmas.” The James Clerk Maxwell Prize for plenary sessions spanned such NES strongly encourages the participation at NES meetings Plasma Physics recognizes out- Carlos Paz-Soldan, Columbia diverse topics as astrophysics and active participation of undergrad- to pre-pandemic levels. This University standing contributions to plasma atmospheric physics, gravitational uate and graduate students—who is a worthwhile mission: these physics broadly. wave detectors and quantum make up 40 percent of the sec- semi-annual meetings provide For more information on the recipi- sensing, geological characteris- tion’s ranks—in its semi-annual an important vehicle for APS to “For ground-breaking discoveries ents, please visit the APS Honors web- tics of spacetime, medical physics, meetings. Price pointed out that hear from people who might not in space plasma physics and page at aps.org/programs/honors/. and applications of artificial attendance at a NES meeting can be a otherwise attend the larger March for seminal theoretical contribu- tions to understanding space intelligence. “distinct opportunity” for students, Meeting or April Meeting—for plasma processes and magnetohy- The NES Fall 2021 Meeting is allowing them the chance to present instance, students, industrial phys- drodynamics.” slated for October 22-23. Though posters or deliver a talk to a friendly icists, and the faculty at smaller Margaret Galland Kivelson, UCLA: academic life is edging closer to audience outside their own insti- institutions—and can in turn help Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences normal, out of an abundance of tution “without the intimidation make APS more important in the caution the meeting will take a of a research-dominated envi- professional lives of these people virtual format. Price framed the ronment.” As an added incentive, on the outskirts of the traditional virtual format as an opportunity students who submit first-author APS demographic. “The executive to involve more remote institu- abstracts to NES meetings can be committee is addressing this with tions in New England that have not reimbursed up to $300 for trav- more timely and frequent messages DHS WITHDRAWAL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 been the site of an NES meeting for el-related expenses. The NES Fall about meetings and opportuni- many years, if at all. “For us in New Meeting will additionally include ties (nagging), with innovations of the US science and engineering nationality.” England, ‘remote’ means Maine, cash prizes for student talks and (student cash awards), and with our workforce is foreign-born. The Francis Slakey, Chief External so we will have a ‘Maine Event’ student posters. fingers crossed (hope),” noted Price. long-term consequences of losing Affairs Officer, said he is proud featuring the University of Maine, Another perk for students who Overall, NES stands out as a out on top international talent will of how APS members rallied to Bowdoin, and Bates,” he explained. attend NES meetings is the oppor- lively and inclusive geograph- be severe.” make their voices heard on such In lieu of physically hosting the tunity for career development, ical section, with plenty to offer The DHS withdrawal of the an important issue. meeting, these three institutions including a career paths outside members in terms of professional proposed rule is a huge win for not “Our members are always ready will present an invited talk on their of academia—an area that is often development and valuable learning only APS but for many other orga- to fight for a stronger and just scien- physics departments and encourage unfamiliar to young scientists. opportunities. More information on nizations that sought to stop the tific enterprise. When we informed their students to present talks or “Like APS itself, NES is increasing this unit can be found at the NES measure from being implemented. them about this issue, they rose to posters—thereby reaping many of its connection to industry careers. website: engage.aps.org/nes/home. According to the Federal the challenge and made an impact the institutional benefits of hosting We have been featuring speakers a meeting in-person without the from industry and non-aca- Register, DHS received more than that resulted in a positive outcome The author is a freelance writer in 32,000 comments during the 30-day that was crucial to the sustainability demands of physically doing so. demic careers as well as trying to Stockholm, Sweden comment period, and more than 99 of graduate research programs More information about NES’s have meetings in non-academic percent of commenters requested and a key part of our STEM talent Fall Meeting can be found on the settings,” explained Price. that DHS withdraw the rule. Those pipeline,” he said. who opposed the rule argued that it “discriminates against certain The author is Senior Press Secretary groups of people based on their in the APS Office of External Affairs. Opening for Submissions Soon

GLOBAL TECH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 national norms for the ethical use cyber and technology capabilities of emerging technologies, arguing, across the department. PRX “If they're going to be used as Looking forward, Blinken said, part of our national defense, we “I intend to leave my successor at want the world to have a shared the State Department with strong understanding of how to do that capabilities in cyber and tech diplo- responsibly, in the same way that macy, with clear leadership, lines we've hammered out rules for how of authority, organizational homes, ENERGY Highly selective and open access to use conventional and nuclear and talent at every level. We need to weapons.” become much better at anticipating For the US to meet its diplo- the foreign policy implications of matic goals, Blinken said the State the next wave of innovation, and Department will have to signifi- the wave after that. I want to shape is a highly selective, multidisciplinary, fully open access journal that cantly expand its technological the strategic tech landscape, not PRX Energy will publish energy research with an emphasis on outstanding and lasting impact. capacity. “Virtually everything just react to it.” Providing a home for significant advances from the broad and diverse energy on our agenda has some tech or research community in the Physical Review family, the journal will be a venue for science or innovative component The author is Science Policy Reporter energy topics related to resources, storage, utilization, and sustainability. to the solution. We need to do a for FYI. better job bringing that knowledge, that expertise, that focus into the Sign up for alerts. journals.aps.org/PRXEnergy department and to everything we Published by the American Institute do,” he remarked. of Physics since 1989, FYI is a trusted APS will pay APC fees until 2023. Accordingly, Blinken said he has source of science policy news that is asked deputy secretaries of state read by congressional staff, federal Wendy Sherman and Brian McKeon agency heads, and leading figures in PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY @PRX_Energy to provide recommendations on how the scientific community. Sign up for to “elevate and institutionalize” free FYI emails at aip.org/fyi. 8 • September 2021 THE BACK PAGE APS-IDEA: Transforming the Culture of Physics BY THE APS-IDEA STEERING COMMITTEE [1]

he APS Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance (APS-IDEA) is a new, community-wide effort of T physics organizations (including physics depart- ments, national labs, and research collaborations) to shift the culture of physics to be more equitable and inclusive. APS-IDEA’s guiding principles are based on current research on how to create effective change and the network is being driven by overwhelming interest from the community. APS President S. James Gates, Jr. recently commented that, “On diversity, equity, and inclusion, I want our Society to be an Inclusion, Diversity,IDEA and Equity Alliance example to all STEM societies” [2]. Numerous recent reports have identified how the culture of physics contributes to a persistent lack of diversity and a problematic lack of equity in physics, including: Task Force to Elevate African American Representation in Undergraduate Physics and Astronomy (TEAM-UP) report (2020) [3], Women Shared leadership is the sharing of power and decision- The APS-IDEA Steering Committee has received interest in Physics and Astronomy report (2019) [4], LGBT Climate in making among people from different social identities and commitment from the community that far exceeded Physics report (2016) [5], Access for All: A Guide to Disability (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender, ability status) and positions our initial hopes, and the project was recently awarded an Good Practice for University Physics Departments report within the community (e.g., students, faculty, postdocs) Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Grant to support the network’s (2008) [6], among several others. [10]. We encourage teams to enact shared leadership by activities in the coming year. We believe this presents a Underrepresented group members are too often targeted ensuring each team includes stakeholders from all groups significant opportunity to meaningfully change the culture because of their identities; they are told they don’t belong in in their organizations. For example, we asked teams from of physics if we, as a community, persist in our efforts to subtle and overt ways, they face sexual and/or other identi- research-intensive, PhD-granting institutions to include challenge established norms that marginalize individuals ty-based harassment, and their presence is not planned for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and prevent more equitable cultures from flourishing. in our community. These negative experiences lead people early career faculty, senior faculty, staff, etc. But shared from traditionally underrepresented groups to leave physics leadership goes beyond merely who is in the room where This project is funded (in part) by resulting in a homogenous community. decisions are made and also includes paying attention to the American Physical Society (APS) As a response to these concerns, in 2019 APS-IDEA was who feels empowered to voice their opinions and who is Innovation Fund through Award IF-3. formed through support from the APS Innovation Fund (and, part of the decision-making process. The American Physical Society (APS) recently, through an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant) and, APS-IDEA is one of many initiatives aimed at addressing Innovation Fund provides funding to in summer 2020, APS-IDEA established a network of nearly the lack of diversity in physics and its problematic culture. advance collaborative projects that sup- port the APS mission "to advance and 100 physics organizations [7] (vastly exceeding our original We seek to support the success of these efforts by connecting diffuse the knowledge of physics for the target of 25 organizations!) who are interested in changing them with APS-IDEA teams. Several notably important benefit of humanity, promote physics, and the cultures of physics through strategic, evidence-based efforts include: service the broader physics community." change efforts. Participating teams represent nearly 1,500 • AIP National Task Force to Elevate African American Visit APS.org and follow @APSphysics. individuals at organizations from North and South America, Representation in Undergraduate Physics & Europe, Africa, and Australia, including universities that are Astronomy (TEAM-UP) This project is also funded (in part) through the Alfred P. Sloan public and private, large and small, predominantly under- Foundation, Grant No. G-2021-16867. graduate and research-intensive PhD-granting, as well as • AAAS SEA Change Project multi-institution research collaborations and national labs. • APS Site Visit Program and AAS Site Visit Program References Kick-off workshops in summer 2020 (focused on shared • APS Effective Practices for Physics Programs leadership, defined below) were followed by a two-day 1. Current membership of the APS-IDEA Steering Committee includes (in alphabetical order): Edmund Bertschinger, MIT; workshop in September 2020 (focused on theories of change) • APS National Mentoring Community and Bridge Erika Brown, APS; Jessica Esquivel, Fermilab; Michelle Lollie, Program and another full day workshop in February 2021 (focused Louisiana State University; Jesús Pando, DePaul University; on providing resources that teams themselves identified • APS Forum on Diversity and Inclusion Monica Plisch, APS; Geoff Potvin, Florida International Uni- a need for). Further, since October 2020, teams have been versity; Edward Price, CSU San Marcos; William Ratcliff II, organized into 21 different “Online Learning Communities” • Accelerating System Change Network University of Maryland, College Park; Erin Scanlon, University of (OLCs) who meet in smaller groups to support one another • The Departmental Action Team Project Connecticut; LaNell A. Williams, Harvard University, completed and report on their progress towards their goals, with help her term as a Steering Committee member in May 2021. • The Inclusive Graduate Education Network from a team of external facilitators. 2. Gates, Jr., S. J. (2021). My Goals for the American Physical APS-IDEA’s four guiding principles are to: center people • The STEP UP Program Society. APS News, 30(3). whose identities are marginalized, utilize sensemaking, • The Underrepresentation Curriculum Project 3. The AIP National Task Force to Elevate African American start with research-based change-management methods, • The Access Network Representation in Undergraduate Physics & Astronomy (TEAM- and use shared leadership. It is common for the physics UP). (2020). THE TIME IS NOW: Systemic Changes to Increase community to center (i.e., expect, consider the needs of, plan • Towards a More Inclusive Astronomy African Americans with Bachelor’s Degrees in Physics and for, and presume normal) white, cisgender, heterosexual, Astronomy. American Institute of Physics: College Park, MD. • DELTA-PHY able-bodied men. In APS-IDEA, we intentionally plan for, 4. Porter, A. M. and Ivie, R. (2019). Women in Physics and expect, and include people whose identities have typically We strongly encourage every member of the physics Astronomy, 2019. American Institute of Physics: College community to become involved in efforts to change physics not been planned for. One way we enact this principle is by Park, MD. ensuring our steering committee and advisory board include culture, through the APS-IDEA and other initiatives. Change people with different identities and from varied backgrounds efforts will be different across organizations because effec- 5. Atherton, T. J., Barthelemy, R. S., Deconinck, W., Falk, M. L., to share in the decision-making process. We also plan for and tive change needs to be reflective of local organizational Garmon, S., Long, E., Plisch, M., Simmons, E. H., and Reeves, K. (2016). LGBT Climate in Physics: Building an Inclusive expect people from different social identities, backgrounds, cultures, norms, and practices. For example, if we compare a Community. American Physical Society: College Park, MD. and positions to participate in the network. primarily undergraduate institution with a national research Sensemaking refers to the stories we tell ourselves and laboratory, the stakeholders, organizational priorities, and 6. Institute of Physics. (2008). Access for All: A Guide to Disability each other to make sense of and interpret our experiences. power structures would be different; effective change efforts Good Practice for University Physics Departments. need to be reflective of these differences. One size does not In APS-IDEA, sensemaking means that we work to under- 7. www.aps.org/programs/innovation/fund/teams.cfm stand the current culture of physics, ways in which it is fit all when it comes to making sustained cultural change. problematic, and each of our roles in reinforcing or changing To get started, here are steps an individual can take: 8. Adrianna Kezar, Sean Gehrke & Samantha Bernstein-Sierra this culture. For example, within the steering committee, (2018) Communities of Transformation: Creating Changes to • Determine if your organization is a member Deeply Entrenched Issues, The Journal of Higher Education, we intentionally make space and time for members to crit- of APS-IDEA [7] and, if so, get involved in your 89:6, 832-864, DOI: 10.1080/00221546.2018.1441108 ically reflect on these questions in order to foster a shared team’s activities. vision by which we take steps to move toward being more 9. Kezar, A., & Gehrke, S. (2015). Communities of Transformation • Join the APS-IDEA mailing list. inclusive, equitable, and diverse. and Their Work Scaling STEM Reform. Pullias Center for Higher APS-IDEA starts with the recognition that individuals, • Read the reports listed above and implement their Education. pullias.usc.edu/download/communities-of-trans- formation-and-their-work-scaling-stem-reform/ organizations, the physics profession, and society at large suggestions. all influence a department’s culture and diversity. And, in • Learn about and implement shared leadership in 10. Kezar, A. J., & Holcombe, E. M. (2017). Shared leadership order to make substantial and sustainable change, we must in higher education. Washington, DC: American Council on your organization. draw upon research-based theories to guide our thinking Education. www.acenet.edu/Documents/Shared-Leader- and areas of emphasis. The aim of the network is to change • Establish equitable institutional cultures, norms, ship-in-Higher-Education.pdf the culture of physics to be more inclusive by creating a and practices that ensure the success of colleagues community of transformation [8,9]. from marginalized groups.

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