November 2007 Volume 16, No. 10

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Carl Wieman on APS NEWS “The Curse of Knowledge” A Publication of the American Physical Society • www.aps.org/publications/apsnews Page 8

Seven Apker Finalists Meet in Washington Physics Fans Get Chance to Win World’s Smallest Trophy A nanoscale football field and Tube videos demonstrating some scope. Even this version is em- helmet, created in silicon and metal aspect of physics in football. The bedded in an identical design on by physicists of the Craighead re- winner will receive the trophy and the scale of millimeters, so it will search group at Cornell University $1000. be visible to the naked eye. The in Ithaca, NY, will be awarded as a In the nanoscale trophy, the tiny plaque will be mounted on a prize in APS’s football video con- width of the yard lines will be stand, and the winner will receive test. about a thousand times thinner micrographs that show the design The contest is an APS public than a strand of human hair. This through an electron microscope as outreach effort to get football fans design will be embedded in a more well. interested in physics. Participants detailed microscale design, visible Craighead’s lab, also respon- in the contest will create short You- using an ordinary optical micro- TROPHY continued on page 5 2007 Nobel Prize Honors GMR Discovery Albert Fert (Université Paris- the use of the term “spin valve” for Sud, Orsay, France) and Peter various GMR devices. Albert Fert and Peter Grünberg, Grünberg (Forschungszentrum Jül- Magnetic sensors and the read- winners of the 2007 Nobel Prize for the discovery of giant magne- ich, Germany) have won the 2007 heads in high density computer stor- Photo by Shelly Johnston toresistance, both published their Nobel Prize in physics for the dis- age media are among the common work in APS journals. APS has The APS Apker Award is given annually for outstanding covery of giant magnetoresistance devices to benefit from GMR, and now made their papers describing research by an undergraduate. Finalists are chosen in two (GMR), the phenomenon at the nonvolatile, low-power, high-densi- their work, (Physical Review B39 categories: from institutions that award PhD degrees, and heart of read-heads in high density ty magnetic random access memory 4828 (1989) and Physical Review Letters 61 2472 (1988)) “Free to from institutions not awarding the PhD. The finalists meet hard drives and other devices that (MRAM) may soon replace dynam- with the selection committee for a day of interviews, which Read,” so that they are accessible require highly sensitive detection of ic random access memory (DRAM) on the internet without a subscrip- this year took place on September 16 in downtown Wash- magnetic fields. in personal computers. Arguably, tion. ington. The committee then recommends recipients in each GMR is the dramatic variation in the most promising GMR-derived “Free to Read” is an Open Ac- of the two categories to the APS Executive Board. Shown in the electrical resistance of multilay- applications are still in their infan- cess initiative that allows anyone, including authors, readers, institu- the picture are the seven finalists. Left to right: Stephen Po- ered thin film structures that occurs cy; spin-selective active devices, procki (the College of Wooster); Scott Bender (Santa Clara tions, and funding agencies, to pay with application of a magnetic field. such as transistors, are only now be- a one-time fee to make articles University); Matthew Becker (University of Michigan); Silviu The applied field changes the rela- ing perfected, but they have already published in APS journals avail- Pufu (Princeton University); Jeffrey Thompson (Yale Univer- tive orientations of magnetic regions inspired a new term in the scientific able to all readers at no cost and sity); Vernon Chaplin (Swarthmore College); and Bryce Gad- in some of the layers. When the nomenclature: spintronics. Poten- without a subscription. Any article in Physical Review A-E, Physical way (Colgate University). The recipients of the Apker Award fields in adjacent layers are aligned, tially, spin-selective components will be featured in the December APS News. Review Letters, and Reviews of electrons with spins oriented paral- may even offer a practical avenue to Modern Physics is eligible to be lel to the fields (up electrons) pass optical and quantum computers. made free to read. Readers will easily from one layer to another, and In fact, the APS anticipated this have access to the PDF and post- Eight Physicists Honored antiparallel (down) electrons are year’s Nobel by recognizing Fert script versions of the Free to Read articles through the APS online at November Division Meetings strongly scattered, leading to low and Grünberg, along with Stuart journals. Free to Read articles are resistivity for up electrons. If ad- Parkin of IBM, for their GMR dis- marked online with a special icon. Five APS prizes and awards will a physicist in A-Division’s X-group, jacent regions have fields pointing coveries with the 1994 McGroddy Fert’s PRL paper was featured be awarded this month, honoring concentrating on fluid instabilities in opposite directions, both spin up Prize for New Materials. as one of PRL’s “top ten” in a se- eight physicists for their work in and high gain inertial confinement and spin down electrons are strongly While the Nobel Laureates made ries that ran in APS News in 2002- plasma physics and fluid dynam- fusion (ICF) targets. Lindl’s work in 2003. See www.aps.org/publica- scattered, and the resistance is high their discoveries independently, both tions/apsnews/200303/prl-6.cfm. ics. The 2007 James Clerk Maxwell ICF has spanned a wide range of top- for all electrons. It is the spin-based published their fundamental work Prize, Dawson Award and Rosen- ics including high gain target designs explanation for GMR that has led to bluth Award will be presented during for lasers and particle beams, hydro- NOBEL PRIZE continued on page 5 the annual meeting of the APS Divi- dynamic instabilities in ICF, implo- sion of Plasma Physics, to be held sion symmetry and hohlraum design, Monica Plisch, Catherine Mader Join APS Education Team November 12-16, 2007, in Orlando, high energy electron production and Two physicists have recently in science education and out- Florida. The 2007 Fluid Dynamics plasma evolution in hohlraums, and joined the APS education depart- reach because “I wanted to do Prize and Andreas Acrivos Award the physics of compression and igni- ment. Monica Plisch will be the something where I could make a will be presented during the annual tion. first Assistant Director of Educa- difference.” She believes she can meeting of the APS Division of Fluid tion. She will direct the Physics affect a lot of lives through im- Dynamics, to be held November 18- 2007 John Dawson Award for Teacher Education Coalition proving science education. 20 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Excellence in Plasma Physics Re- (PTEC), a network of universi- As part of her work at Cor- search 2007 James Clerk Maxwell Prize ties devoted to improving phys- nell, Plisch developed a labora- Andrea M. Garofalo John Lindl ics teacher preparation, and lead tory course in nanotechnology Columbia University Lawrence Livermore National efforts within PhysTEC, the for freshmen. She also organized Laboratory Gerald A. Navratil APS/AAPT-led teacher prepara- workshops and a summer insti- Citation: “For 30 years of con- Columbia University tion program. tute for physics teachers. The tinuous plasma physics contributions Michio Okabayashi In addition, a new consultant workshops, held at Cornell as in high energy density physics and Princeton Plasma Physics Labo- in the education department, well as several satellite locations, inertial confinement fusion research ratory Catherine Mader, will work provided a chance for teachers to on projects related to the APS/ Photo by Ken Cole learn about contemporary phys- and scientific management.” Edward J. Strait Lindl is currently the Chief Sci- AAPT initiative to double the num- ics, especially nanoscience, and General Atomics Monica Plisch, Assistant Director of Education entist for the NIF Programs Director- ber of undergraduate physics ma- receive training on new hands- ate at Lawrence Livermore National Citation: “For experiments that jors. Plisch and Mader both started ics from Cornell University in 2001. on activities for their classrooms. Laboratory, where he works with demonstrated the stabilization of the work at APS on September 4. She then spent a year teaching phys- The activities were developed by the major participants in the NNSA resistive wall mode and sustained “As APS works on improv- ics and math at Wells College in teams of scientists and teachers, and stewardship program to develop a operation of a tokamak above the ing physics education at all levels, upstate New York. In 2002 she ac- equipment for implementing activi- national plan for ignition on NIF. conventional free boundary stability Monica and Cathy will enable us to cepted a position at Cornell Univer- ties was available through the CNS Lindl received his PhD in astro- limit.” have a far greater impact in many sity, where she was the Director of lending library. The workshops also physics from Princeton University Garofalo received his Laurea de- areas,” said Ted Hodapp, APS Di- Education Programs at the Center served as an opportunity to build in 1972. He joined Lawrence Liver- gree in Nuclear Engineering from the rector of Education. for Nanoscale Systems (CNS). relationships between teachers and more National Laboratory in 1972 as HONORS continued on page 5 Plisch earned her PhD in phys- Plisch says she decided to work PLISCH continued on page 2 2 • November 2007 APS NEWS

Members in the Media This Month in Physics History

“It’s almost unfair that the uni- cessfully at private universities.” November, 1887: Michelson and Morley report verse is teasing us in this way. It Robert Birgeneau, UC Berkeley gives us this dramatic clue, then Chancellor, on using a private $113 their failure to detect the luminiferous ether shuts up,” million gift to endow chairs to retain Sean Carroll, Caltech, on dark top professors, Los Angeles Times, y the late 1800s, physicists chelson interferometer. He real- of motion through the ether. energy, Christian Science Monitor, September 10, 2007 Bgenerally believed that light ized he could use the setup to de- They reported their null result in September 13, 2007 “A 4 percent increase in ball was a wave. Therefore, it was tect the Earth’s velocity through November 1887 in the American “We believe that since most of speed, which can reasonably be ex- thought, it had to travel through the ether. The basic design is Journal of Science, in a paper ti- the stuff in the universe may be pected from steroid use, can increase some sort of medium, just as simple and elegant. A beam of tled “On the Relative Motion of what we call dark energy, we ought home run production by anywhere sound waves are vibrations in air. light is split and sent down two the Earth and the Luminiferous to know what it is.” from 50 percent to 100 percent.” Scientists had believed for cen- perpendicular paths. Then, after Ether.” (The paper is online at Saul Perlmutter, Lawrence Roger Tobin, Tufts University, turies that a mysterious, ghostly bouncing off mirrors, the two http://www.aip.org/history/gap/ Berkeley Lab, on the reason for the on his study of steroid use and home substance, known as the luminif- beams are recombined, produc- Michelson/Michelson.html ) Joint Dark Energy Mission, San runs, Reuters, September 20, 2007 erous ether, must permeate the ing an interference pattern. If Though disappointing to universe and serve as a medium the Earth was indeed traveling Michelson and Morley, the ex- Francisco Chronicle, September 6, “It always looks like there is 2007 for the light waves. Various sci- through the ether, the speed of periment revolutionized physics. some very difficult problem but as entists attempted to detect the light would differ depending on Some scientists initially tried to “Finally, after all these years, we get closer the focus and the en- ether, with no success. Finally, in its direction with respect to the explain the results while keeping we’re reaching fundamental phys- gineering that we bring to bear on 1887 Albert Michelson and Ed- Earth’s motion through the ether, the ether concept. For instance, ics limits. Racetrack says we’re go- it usually remove these barriers and ward Morley carried out their fa- and Michelson’s interferometer George FitzGerald and Hendrik ing to break those scaling rules by allow us to go by them. There is still mous experiment, which pro- Lorentz independently pro- going into the third dimension.” a lot of room for creativity–it’s not vided strong evidence against posed that moving objects Stuart Parkin, IBM, on a new the end of the road.” the ether. They reported the contract along their direction type of memory storage, The New Gordon Moore, explaining that results in November of that of motion, making the speed York Times, September 11, 2007 he expects Moore’s law to go on for year, but both thought their of light appear the same for “There’s no down time for me another decade, BBC News. com, experiment a failure and con- all observers. Then in 1905 now. Even though the shadow of September 19, 2007 tinued to cling to their belief Albert Einstein, with his the LHC looms, we’re relentless in “Sooner or later, you lose track of in the ether. groundbreaking theory of our pursuit.” what the point is of the lecture. Your AlbertAbraham Michelson special relativity, abandoned Jacobo Konigsberg, Univer- mind wanders. For some people, it was born in Strelno, Germa- the ether and explained the Albert Michelson (left) and sity of Florida, on the search for will happen seven minutes into the ny in 1852. When he was two Edward Morley Michelson-Morley result, the Higgs at Fermilab, Chicago Tri- lecture; for others, 20 minutes. The years old his family moved though it is uncertain whether bune, September 5, 2007 problem is that when that happens, to the US, and he grew up in the would pick up a slight shift in Einstein was actually influenced rough mining towns of Murphy’s the interference fringes. How- by their experiment. “This Hewlett gift will be trans- you are lost.” Camp, California and Virginia ever, these early efforts found Michelson and Morley none- formational. We are moving toward Eric Mazur, Harvard Univer- City, Nevada. As a youngster, he no evidence of the Earth’s move- theless both continued to believe a model that has been developed suc- sity, Washington Post, September 24, 2007 showed some aptitude for sci- ment with respect to the ether. that light must be a vibration in ence, and at age 16 he obtained Michelson was disappointed by the ether, though Michelson did PLISCH continued from page 1 a special appointment to the the result and considered the ex- acknowledge the importance of scientists. They also are working on develop- U.S. Naval Academy from Presi- periment a failure. Nonetheless, Einstein’s work on relativity. Now at APS, Plisch is excited ing further ways to assess and de- dent U.S. Grant. he continued his effort to detect Although it couldn’t detect the to be working with PhysTEC and scribe the successes of the project. As a student at the Naval the ether when he returned to the non-existent ether, the Michelson PTEC because she believes there is Catherine Mader, the new Edu- Academy, he excelled at optics United States. interferometer proved useful for a great need for more well-qualified cation Projects Consultant, comes to and other sciences, and clearly In 1882 Michelson took a po- other measurements. Michelson physics teachers, and PhysTEC “is APS on sabbatical for one year from had an aptitude for precision sition at the Case School of Ap- used his interferometer to mea- an exciting project that is address- instruments and measurements. plied Science in Cleveland, Ohio. sure the length of the interna- Hope College in Western Michigan, ing these issues on a national scale,” He graduated in 1873, and then There he teamed up with chem- tional standard meter in terms of she said. where she has been on the physics became an instructor of phys- ist Edward Morley, who helped wavelengths of cadmium light, Among Plisch’s first tasks at department faculty for 14 years. At ics and chemistry at the Naval make some improvements in the and in 1920 he was the first to APS are organizing the next PTEC APS, Mader will be working on Academy. In 1877, while con- experiments Michelson had be- measure the angular diameter conference and a workshop on un- several projects aimed at increasing ducting a classroom demonstra- gun in Berlin. The new apparatus of a distant star, also using an dergraduate Learning Assistants. the number of undergraduate phys- tion of Foucault’s measurement was similar in basic design to his interferometer. In 1901 Michel- In addition, PhysTEC has recently ics majors, including developing a of the speed of light, he real- previous ones, but much more son was the second president of phased in a new cadre of institutions new careers website for undergrad- ized he could make significant sensitive. It used extra mirrors to the APS, and he became the first with NSF and APS 21st Century improvements on the method. allow the light beams to bounce American to win the Nobel Prize uates and planning an undergradu- campaign funds. Some of the origi- Within the next two years, Mi- back and forth, creating a much in 1907, for his precision optical ate research session at the April nal PhysTEC-funded institutions chelson managed to measure the longer path length. Michelson instruments and measurements are now continuing on their own, Meeting that high school students speed of light with much greater and Morley conducted the ex- made with them. In 1889 Mi- sustaining many of the reforms would also be invited to attend. In precision than ever before. The periments in a basement lab, and chelson moved to Clark Univer- they have put in place. These in- addition, she will develop plans for measurement brought him some to minimize vibrations, the setup sity in Worcester, Massachusetts, stitutions are serving as models for a late-starter physics major, which recognition as a scientist, and rested atop a huge stone block, and then in 1892 to the Univer- institutions throughout the country. would be aimed at accommodating settled him on pursuing a ca- which floated in a pool of mer- sity of Chicago. He returned to PhysTEC will be seeking a second students who need more flexibility, reer in physics research. He then cury that allowed the entire ap- his work refining measurements round of funding from NSF to con- headed to Europe to study for the paratus to rotate. of the speed of light, and con- such as those who transfer from a tinue its mission of working to in- next two years. Even with this exquisitely tinued making more and more 2-year college, or those who dis- creasing the number of highly quali- Working in Berlin, he invent- sensitive design, Michelson and precise measurements right up to fied physics teachers by developing cover their interest in physics after ed the device known as the Mi- Morley couldn’t detect evidence his death in 1931. strong teacher education programs. freshman year.

Series II, Vol. 16, No. 10 For Nonmembers–Circulation and Fulfillment Division, Editor-in-Chief (Plasma), Scott Milner (Polymer Physics), Paul Wolf November 2007 American Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 Huntington Gene Sprouse*, Stony Brook University (on leave) (Ohio Section) APS NEWS © 2007 The American Physical Society Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. Allow at least Past-President 6 weeks advance notice. For address changes, please John J. Hopfield*, Princeton University ADVISORS send both the old and new addresses, and, if possible, General Councillors Representatives from Other Societies Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 include a mailing label from a recent issue. Requests Robert Austin, Christina Back, Elizabeth Beise, Wendell Fred Dylla, AIP; Harvey Leff, AAPT from subscribers for missing issues will be honored Hill, Evelyn Hu*, Ann Orel*, Arthur Ramirez, Richart Editor•...... Alan Chodos without charge only if received within 6 months of the Slusher*, International Advisors Contributing Editor ...... Jennifer Ouellette issue’s actual date of publication. Periodical Postage Paid International Councillor Francisco Ramos Gómez, Mexican Physical Society Staff Writer...... Ernie Tretkoff at College Park, MD and at additional mailing offices. Albrecht Wagner Melanie Campbell, Canadian Association of Physicists Art Director and Special Publications Manager...... Kerry G. Johnson Postmaster: Send address changes to APS News, Mem- Chair, Nominating Committee Design and Production...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik bership Department, American Physical Society, One Margaret Murnane Staff Representatives Forefronts Editor...... Craig Davis Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Alan Chodos, Associate Executive Officer; Amy Flatten Proofreader...... Edward Lee Robert Eisenstein Director of International Affairs; Ted Hodapp, Director APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X yearly, ed to: Editor, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College APS COUNCIL 2007 Division, Forum and Section Councillors of Education and Diversity; Michael Lubell, Director, monthly, except the August/September issue, by the Park, MD 20740-3844, E-mail: [email protected]. President Charles Dermer (Astrophysics), P. Julienne (Atomic, Public Affairs; Dan Kulp, Editorial Director; Christine American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Col- Leo P. Kadanoff*, University of Chicago Molecular & Optical Physics) Robert Eisenberg (Bio- Giaccone, Director, Journal Operations; Michael lege Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It con- Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publi- President-Elect logical), Charles S. Parmenter (Chemical), Richard M. Stephens, Controller and Assistant Treasurer tains news of the Society and of its Divisions,Topical cation delivered by Periodical Mail. Members residing Arthur Bienenstock*, Stanford University Martin (Computational), Moses H. Chan (Condensed Groups, Sections and Forums; advance information on abroad may receive airfreight delivery for a fee of $15. Vice-President Matter Physics), James Brasseur (Fluid Dynamics), Peter Administrator for Governing Committees meetings of the Society; and reports to the Society by its Nonmembers: Subscription rates are available at http:// Cherry Murray*, Lawrence Livermore National Labora- Zimmerman* (Forum on Education), Roger Stuewer Ken Cole committees and task forces, as well as opinions. librarians.aps.org/institutional.html. tory (Forum on History of Physics), Patricia Mooney* Executive Officer (Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics), David Ernst Letters to the editor are welcomed from the member- Subscription orders, renewals and address changes Judy R. Franz*, University of Alabama, Huntsville (Forum on International Physics), Philip “Bo” Ham- * Members of the APS Executive Board ship. Letters must be signed and should include an ad- should be addressed as follows: For APS Members– (on leave) mer* (Forum on Physics and Society), Steven Rolston dress and daytime telephone number. The APS reserves Membership Department, American Physical Society, Treasurer (Laser Science), Leonard Feldman* (Materials), Akif the right to select and to edit for length or clarity. All One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, Joseph Serene*, Georgetown University (emeritus) Balantekin (Nuclear), John Jaros* (Particles & Fields), correspondence regarding APS News should be direct- [email protected]. Ronald Ruth (Physics of Beams), David Hammer APS NEWS November 2007 • 3

Washington Dispatch Media Fellows Bring Science to the Masses A bi-monthly update from the APS Office of Public Affairs Ed. Note: Each year APS prominent science journalist at the sponsors two mass media fellows wrap-up meeting following the ISSUE: Science Research Budgets as part of a program run by the fellowship: If your stories make In July, the House completed passing all twelve appropriations bills for AAAS. Typically graduate stu- the scientists happy, then you’re FY 08, which began October 1. But by the start of the new fiscal year, the dents in physics or a related field, not doing your job. Senate had completed only four of the 12 appropriations bills. Without a they spend eight weeks working As a PhD candidate in Biophys- single FY 08 appropriations bill conferenced and signed into law, the fed- for a mass media outlet, learning ics waltzing into the newsroom, eral government is running on a Continuing Resolution that is expected how to communicate science to I’d like to think that I didn’t leave to last until at least November 16. The president has threatened to veto the public. APS mass media fel- behind a trail of cringing, disen- any spending bill that exceeds his requested amount. It is unclear how low Merek Siu spent his summer chanted scientists in my wake. or when the FY 08 spending bills will be resolved, but the science com- munity must remain vocal about preserving increases approved for basic at The Sacramento Bee, while Er- Vanity aside, my fellowship research. ika Gebel spent the summer at the gave me some valuable insight Philadelphia Inquirer. This month into the tightrope that science Since the last Washington Dispatch, the Senate Appropriations Com- mittee and the full House approved funding levels for DOD basic (6.1) Merek Siu tells our readers a bit writers must walk. How does one and applied (6.2) research, well above the presidential request but be- about his experiences. balance the rigor demanded by low last year’s levels. The Senate Appropriations Committee and the full tell him why people are doing the scientists with making the science House also approved levels above the president’s request for the NASA Tickling Bubba’s Curiosity research they’re doing, perhaps he understandable to the reader? Is can understand the value of his in- Science account to cover inflationary costs for research. Congressional By Merek Siu the science writer’s goal to simply funding plans for DOE Science, the NIST Core programs, and NSF are vestment. I might even tickle his pass on the news or to educate? Bubba–the Sacramento everyman– reasonably consistent with the presidential request. curiosity… I don’t have great answers to has just returned from work, The newsroom is a far cry from these questions. But I now have To track the progress of the appropriations bills, visit http://www.aaas.org/ cracked open a beer, and is about spp/rd/approp08.htm or go to http://www.aps.org/policy/issues/research- the bench–it’s “real work” with a broader context to frame these to devote fifteen minutes to the funding/index.cfm. cubicles, telephones, and business questions, and I keep them in the paper. He’s the guy I need to lure cards to boot. Rather than pipetting back of my head when I write. So In August, the US President signed into law landmark legislation intend- into my article on the direct de- ed to keep the US globally competitive. Public Law 110-69, the America DNA and aligning lasers, research I think I’m off to a good start… tection of dark matter. A picture COMPETES Act, calls for sharp increases in federal support for math consisted of following your nose My scientific research experience planted in my head by my editor, and science education and for basic research in the physical sciences to experts in the field and exploit- has taught me that asking the right Bubba anchored me as I struggled and engineering. The bipartisan bill, also known as H.R. 2272, autho- ing the surprisingly effective “I’m questions is one of the hardest to explain why he should care rizes a doubling of funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF), a reporter” card. Instead of spend- skills to learn. the Department of Energy Office ofS cience (DOE-SC) and the core pro- about something that can’t even ing years on the same project, I My short time at The Sacra- grams of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) over be seen. experienced the taster’s delight of mento Bee was delightful. Despite seven years. In addition, the legislation contains initiatives for recruiting Writing science for the pub- sampling the fruits of innumerable being in a medium-sized regional and retaining highly qualified educators in the science, technology, en- lic is not a matter of “dumbing it graduate-student hours of research newspaper without a science sec- gineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects at the K-12 level. It also down.” Rather, it’s about transla- contains programs to help attract early career researchers to the science in few-day bites. For the science tion, I was given the freedom to tion–grasping the essence of the and technology fields. aficionado, it’s the ultimate in in- tackle hard science while minimiz- science, while not butchering it in stant gratification. ing my contribution to science-lite The America COMPETES Act is a positive step for science, but it au- the process. And then there’s the great chal- pieces. I learned about a large va- thorizes increases for only basic research and education. Like the 2002 This is the key lesson I took NSF 5-year doubling bill, budgets will increase only if appropriators fund lenge of taking a scientific con- riety of topics ranging from four away from my eight weeks at The the authorizations. cept, experiment or idea and mak- million year old extinct viruses, Sacramento Bee as a AAAS Mass ing it vividly understandable, yet to the world’s largest particle ac-  Media Fellow sponsored by the true. celerator buried 300 feet under the ISSUE: POPA Nuclear Forensics Report APS. Chances are Bubba’s taxes This delicate balance was high- Swiss-French border. Hopefully are paying for the research. If I can The APS Panel on Public Affairs (POPA) and the AAAS have established lighted by a gem tossed out by a Bubba learned a little as well. a study group on Nuclear Forensics technology and techniques. The chair is Michael May, Emeritus Director of Lawrence Livermore National Lab and Professor Emeritus at Stanford University; other members of the group include Al Carnesale, Phil Coyle, Jay Davis, Bill Dorland, Bill Dun- lop, Steve Fetter, Alex Glaser, Ian Hutcheon, Don Kerr, Francis Slakey, & Benn Tannenbaum. The first panel meeting was held in July of 2008, and the report is scheduled to be completed by February 2008. POPA is an APS standing committee that is charged with advising the X-ray Science in Australia Council and officers of theS ociety in the formulation of APS positions on public policy issues that have a technical dimension of interest to physi- By Keith Nugent cists. POPA also investigates the desirability of APS-sponsored expert 2007 is an exciting year for Aus- Australian participation in the Ad- the Australian Synchrotron, with a studies on physics-related topics of importance to society and helps to tralian science. It has seen the open- vanced Photon Source project at the circumference of 216m and a beam organize such studies. ing of two world-class facilities: the Argonne National Laboratory. Fund- energy of 3GeV, commenced in  new OPAL research reactor in April ing for this project was approved in 2003. An initial nine beamlines were ISSUE: POPA Nuclear Workforce Report 2007 and the Australian Synchrotron 1995 and the Australian Synchrotron planned and funded. Commission- The APS Panel on Public Affairs has established a study group to exam- in July 2007. It is therefore timely to Research Program (ASRP) was es- ing of the first five of the beamlines ine the workforce needs and training infrastructure of the United States look at the science that will be done tablished. The ASRP provides ex- commenced in June, 2007. Open Nuclear Workforce. Sekazi Mtingwa, from MIT, is the chair of the study; at these facilities and their poten- tensive access to APS and Photon user operation will commence in late other members of the group include Ruth Howes, William Magwood, tial impact on science in the region. Factory facilities, and after 2002 soft 2007. In May 2007 the Federal gov- Darlene Hoffman, Andrew Klein, Lynne Fairobent, Allen Sessoms, Marc Here we look at the state of Austra- x-ray facilities at the National Syn- ernment announced $A50M of op- Ross, & Carol Berrigan. The first panel meeting was held this summer, lian physical science using x-rays in chrotron Radiation Research Centre erating funding for the facility over and a second meeting of the committee is planned in November. A report 2007. We can be sure that the scope in Taiwan. the next five years and in June 2007 is slated to be completed in early 2008. of this work will massively expand The ASRP sponsored growth led this sum was matched by the Vic-  as the Australian Synchrotron pro- the Australian community to lobby torian government. May 2007 also ISSUE: Campaign Project Update gressively takes its place at the centre for a local third-generation facility. saw Professor Rob Lamb, an expert of Australian science. After a period of debate, discussion in surface science from the Univer- Eight organizations will be participating in the next phase of a project to X-ray science in Australia has a and economic analysis, the Victo- sity of New South Wales, appointed educate scientists and engineers in electoral politics. A “Campaign Work- shop” is being planned for May 2008. The participating societies are: long history. Indeed the x-ray work of rian government committed in 2001 as the inaugural Science Director for AAAS, ACS, AIBS, AIP, APS, ASCE, COSSA, and IEEE. the elder Bragg began at the Univer- to devote $A157M to the building the facility. In June a strategic plan sity of Adelaide under long-distance of third-generation facility located for the ongoing development of sci-  mentorship from that other famous in Clayton, a suburb of Melbourne, ence with synchrotrons, Accelerating ISSUE: Washington Office Media Update antipodean, Ernest Rutherford. Aus- Australia’s second largest city. The the Future, was launched. The pieces tralian physics has had a presence in research community, including uni- were now in place for the Australia The San Francisco Chronicle published an op-ed October 8 by Norman Augustine on Sputnik and the competitiveness issue. The fall edition of x-ray physics since that time with a versities from all states, the Com- Synchrotron to become a pivotal Capitol Hill Quarterly leads with a story about the APS energy efficiency particular strength in x-ray crystal- monwealth Scientific and Industrial piece of scientific and technological study being chaired by Nobel Laureate Burton Richter. In other media lography. Research Organisation (CSIRO), infrastructure for Australia for the news, the Task Force on the Future of American Innovation, of which The Australian x-ray science the Australian Nuclear Science & foreseeable future. APS is a founding member, is developing plans to announce the winner community has long been lobbying Technology Organisation (ANSTO) With the ASRP, Australian sci- of its YouTube American Innovation Video Contest. The purpose of the for access to synchrotron facilities. and the New Zealand government, ence has come to depend on access contest was to show how science has changed American life. The win- The lobbying by the scientific com- all provided enthusiastic support as to a wide range of synchrotron fa- ning video will be shown to congressional members to reinforce the need munity began to have real effect in well as an additional $50M for the cilities and it is simply not possible for increased funding for basic research. The Task Force also placed an 1992 when Australia established a construction of beamline facilities. for a single facility to meet all of its ad in Congressman Vernon Ehlers’ hometown newspaper, the Grand Rapids Press, to thank him for rallying House Republicans to support the facility at the Photon Factory in Ja- It has been claimed that the Austra- needs. The Australian Synchrotron is America COMPETES bill. pan known as the Australian National lian Synchrotron has attracted more designed to meet as much of the de- Beamline Facility. This facility was a broad-based support from Australia’s mand as possible and also particular- Log on to the APS Public Affairs website (http://www. major success and demand for beam- scientists than any other research ly serve the protein crystallography aps.org/public_affairs) for more information. time rapidly exceeded supply so that, project in Australia’s history. community. As such, it is anticipated in 1994 negotiations commenced for The design and construction of X-RAY continued on page 7 4 • November 2007 APS NEWS

Lidar, Laser Sperm Traps Highlight Annual OSA/DLS Meeting From September 16-20, scientists era for retinal prosthetic systems that “speed bump” for swimming sperm, converged on San Jose, California, can be implanted directly into the depending on the power of the laser The Lighter Side of Science for a week of cutting-edge presenta- human eye. It is an important mile- used: slower, weaker sperm below tions on the latest advances in lasers stone in the ultimate goal of provid- the threshold of the laser power be- The Joy of Teaching...But First... and optics in San Jose, California at ing limited vision to those rendered ing used will be slowed down, redi- the 2007 Frontiers in Optics confer- blind by certain diseases, via a fully rected, or stopped altogether in the By W. R. Marshall ence. This is the annual meeting of implantable retinal prosthetic de- trap, while faster, stronger sperm the Optical Society of America, as vice. Current retinal prostheses are are hardly affected at all because Editor’s Note: Wolfgang Ket- “Well, I’ve been teaching Phys- well as the annual meeting of the APS designed to be used with an external their energies are above the critical terle did not actually engage in ics at MIT for a while.” Division of Laser Science (DLS). As (extraocular) camera mounted in a threshold. any of the conversations described “I see. Do you have a teaching such, the conference provides an im- pair of glasses. Shao’s new technique could below. They are fiction. But, ac- certificate from Massachusetts?” portant forum for the latest work on In order to optimize the design also be used to separate male from cording to the author of the ar- “I have a PhD.” laser applications and development, constraints, Tanguay’s group per- female sperm to assist with gender ticle, everything else is based on “Yes, but no certificate.” spanning a broad range of topics in formed a series of psychophysical selection. “X sperm generally are real conversations with the folks “I won the Nobel Prize in Phys- physics, biology and chemistry. studies to determine the minimum heavier and swim slower, while Y involved in the “business” of edu- ics in 2001.” Near-Infrared Lidar Helps Pi- requirements for the most impor- sperm are lighter and swim faster,” cation. “Yes, well, that’s very nice. lots. Airline pilots will have more tant characteristics of human visual he explains. “It is certainly possible Wolfgang Ketterle, 2001 Nobel You’ll need to be certified before advance warning of potentially haz- perception: object recognition, face that this technique can be used for Laureate and John D. MacArthur you can teach high school. You ardous atmospheric conditions–such recognition, navigation, and mobil- X/Y separation since they swim at Professor of Physics at MIT, has can find the County paperwork on- as icing–using a new near-infrared ity. They found that very few pix- different velocities, and might also read about the record shortages line, but I wouldn’t bother filling LIght Detection And Ranging (LI- els were required to achieve good swim with different forces. As long of math and science teachers in that out until you’ve done the State DAR) system developed by scien- results for many of those tasks: 625 as the difference is sufficient, we American schools and decides to paperwork, we can’t process the tists at RL Associates in Chester, pixels in total, compared to more should be able to tell.” lend a hand. He leaves MIT and county papers until you’ve com- Pennsylvania. The system will than a million for a typical com- Detecting Malaria with Light. comes to Springfield to teach high pleted the state paperwork. Here’s also provide better images in foggy, puter display. They also found that It is possible to analyze large tissue school. He calls to offer his ser- their number.” rainy, or extremely hazy conditions, pre-and post-pixellation blurring of samples for signs of malaria with vices: Yet another person with a making it easier for pilots to take images resulted in significantly im- much greater detail and accuracy, “Hello,” says Professor Ketter- pleasant voice answers the phone off and land in those conditions, proved object recognition and track- using a macroscope to determine le. “To whom would I speak about and after getting the details says, thereby reducing flight delays. Lidar ing– even better for moving objects telltale changes in the polarization teaching at your school?” “Dr. Ketterle, you’re a perfect can- exploits the same basic principle as as with static ones. of light reflecting off the sample, “That would be Principal Skin- didate for our Alternative Teacher radar, using light waves instead of Those findings have made it according to the latest research by a ner.” Program. It’s where we bring non- radio waves. It is frequently used in possible to substantially reduce the team of scientists at the University “Not Seymour Skinner? We at- traditional people into the class- atmospheric physics to measure the components of the intraocular cam- of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, and tended the Max Planck Institute room; lawyers or business people densities of various particles in the era, thereby reducing the prototype Spain’s University of Murcia. Accu- together.” or college professors, you know, middle and upper atmospheres intraocular camera’s size and weight rate identification and measurement “Yes, that’s our Principal Skin- people who haven’t taught.” According to Mary Ludwig, the down to about one-third the size of of population densities of malaria ner. I’ll give you his office.” “But I taught physics at MIT.” RL Associates system uses a polar- a Tic-Tac. According to USC/BMES parasites present in a given sample “Thank you,” Professor K “Yes, but you didn’t teach high ized laser light beam as the source team leader Armand Tanguay, Jr., are critical for determining results of says. school. It’s very simple really. You pulse. When the beam encounters the next generation prototype will be clinical trials, according to Melanie “Principal Skinner’s office,” send us $75 along with the paper- aerosol particles in the atmosphere, close to fully implantable. One early Campbell, a researcher at the Uni- says a woman pleasantly. work you’ll find on our website. for example, the light is scattered in prototype was successfully implant- versity of Waterloo and currently “Yes, hello, my name is Wolf- Make sure you include your work all directions. The system then ana- ed into a dog’s eye in July 2004, al- president of the Canadian Associa- gang Ketterle; I’d like to speak to history, letters of recommendation, lyzes the backscatter for changes in though human FDA trials are still at tion of Physicists. Principal Skinner.” transcripts, etc; and don’t forget polarization to determine the nature least two years in the future. Prior research has demonstrated The woman gasps, “The Wolf- your fingerprints. Then you’ll have of the object(s). Other Lidar systems High-Throughput Sperm Sort- that the malaria parasite is sensi- gang Ketterle? The Wolfgang Ket- to take the praxis exam in your have used similar polarization tech- ing. Researchers at the Irvine and tive to light polarization, and this terle, who along with Eric Cornell subject; we have to know that you niques in the visible spectrum, but San Diego campuses of the Univer- has been exploited to diagnose and Carl Wieman, won the Nobel know your subject. The test only the RL Associates system is the first sity of California have developed a blood samples using polarimetry. Prize in Physics for discovering costs $100 per subject.” to use near-infrared, which can be new high-throughput sorting tech- Campbell and her colleagues have the Bose-Einstein condensate?” “But I won the Nobel Prize in operated on runways without dam- nique for sperm using a laser trap extended this approach to analyz- “I am that guy,” Prof K con- Physics; I can get you a letter say- aging pilots’ eyesight. to separate stronger, faster sperm ing tissue samples. They used both fesses. ing I know the subject.” The system also employs a from slower sperm. Faster sperm are infected and normal tissue in their The pleasant voiced woman “Yes, well, we have to protect “range-gated detector” that is only more likely to successfully fertilize experiments, and used a confocal la- gushes, “Big fan, Dr. Ketterle, big our children...where was I...oh, turned on for very short periods of an egg, so the technique could im- ser scanning macroscope to measure fan, been following you since you yes. There’s a four week course time when the return signal is ex- prove the chances of conception via changes in polarization to determine worked with Pritchard back in the you’ll have to take before you can pected. The camera detector is off in vitro fertilization by ensuring that the levels of malaria parasites in the ‘90’s.” start, they’ll teach you things like when the initial laser pulse is emitted only the fastest, strongest sperm are tissue samples. “I’m flattered, thank you.” classroom management, curricu- and therefore doesn’t pick up a lot of used. The technique could find wide Using the macroscope means “Now what can I do for you, lum, teaching methodologies and excess near-field backscatter, usu- application in animal husbandry and that much larger tissue samples can Dr. Ketterle?” so on, but the beauty of our pro- ally a large source of noise. So there human fertility treatments. be imaged at higher resolutions, “I’d like to teach at your gram is you can get your certifica- is a vastly improved signal-to-noise UCI scientist Bing Shao and his making it easier to analyze them for school.” tion while you’re teaching, and the ration, resulting in better images, colleagues used special conic-shaped signs of the malaria parasite. They “Wonderful. Wonderful. Just money you’ll be earning will help particularly in obscuring conditions lenses called “axicons”, which, also found that they achieved strong send me your Letter of Clearance defray the cost of the classes you such as fog or haze. when combined with a standard contrast of the malaria parasites from the County and I’ll set up the have to take. We’ve really worked Restoring Sight, One Pixel at a lens and a laser, forms a ring-shaped within the tissue samples (which in- interview.” it out so everyone wins.” Time. Researchers at the University focus (a laser trap). Changing the cluded retinal vessels), with incident “My what?” Prof K takes a deep breath, “I of Southern California’s Engineer- diameter of the ring makes the trap linearly polarized light. “Your Letter of Clearance.” see, and how long will this take?” ing Research Center (ERC) for Bio- suitable for imaging cells of various Better Virtual Navigation. Re- “I’m afraid you have me at a “Depending on how quickly mimetic MicroElectronic Systems sizes–everything from sperm to al- searchers at the University of Cali- disadvantage,” Prof K says. “Just you can get your paperwork to- (BMES) have developed a tiny cam- gae and microbes. The trap acts as a LIDAR continued on page 6 tell Principal Skinner it’s Wolfie.” gether, as little as two months, but “Dr. Ketterle,” the woman re- it might take as long as three.” plies. “He can’t interview you un- “And then I can teach?” Letter less you have a Letter of Clearance “No. Then you can go back to from the County.” the County and after you do their Unethical and Elitist Conduct Found Shocking “He can’t even speak to me?” paperwork, they’ll issue you a Let- Arnold Bloom reported in the more meaningful to the Army” as on the part of Varian or the cava- “Not if you’re looking for a ter of Clearance–then you can start Letters (APS News August/Sep- Mr. Bloom put it, as though they lier reporting of it by Mr. Bloom, job.” to interview.” tember) that around 1960 Varian naturally understood better what who apparently thought he and “I see. And how do I get such “But I discovered the Bose- Associates of Palo Alto took an research the Army needed than a letter?” Einstein condensate.” Varian behaved properly and the Army contract to study ways of did the Army personnel charged “You have to call the County “Look, Dr. Ketterle, I hear that story just reflected badly on the canceling or shielding the force with that responsibility. I sus- School District. Here’s the num- a hundred times a day. We don’t “ha, ha, stupid” Army. I do know of gravity; Varian knew the idea pect their motives weren’t even ber...and I think you’re much better want to waste our principals’ time this: If the readers of APS News was nonsense but took the con- that pure: had they convinced the looking than Cornell or Wieman.” interviewing people who aren’t are not revolted by the story, we Prof K calls the county. good candidates. It’s for the chil- tract with the intent of redirecting Army to redirect the research be- it. It was exceedingly unethical for fore taking the contract (Did they are indeed the technically compe- “Hello, Teacher Recruitment,” dren you know.” tent but amoral, elitist profession says another pleasant voice. “How Mark Twain said it best: “God Varian to take money and promise actually bid for it?) they may have so many laymen think we are. can I help you?” made the Idiot for practice, and to do work they had no intention lost the competitive bid and thus “I’d like to get a Letter of Clear- then He made the School Board.” of doing. It was also very elitist the revenue and fee. I don’t know ance so I can teach high school.” W. R. Marshall is a novelist and of them to assume they should re- whether I was more shocked by Paul Dickson “Are you state certified?” syndicated columnist. direct Army funding into “fields such unethical and elitist conduct Aiken, SC APS NEWS November 2007 • 5 From Researching the Universe to Running the University: The Physicist as President By Alaina G. Levine and Ernie Tretkoff

Editor’s Note: The interviews for regimen of research, writing, and ates “the stimulation you get from is also a professor of physics at UC this article were conducted earlier regular attendance at APS meetings? having serious conversations with Berkeley. this year, when all those interviewed Our subjects provided unique insight faculty.” Shelton’s career involved stints as were serving as university presidents. into their choices and why and how Sessoms agreed. He derives “sat- department chair and Vice Chancel- Since that time, Frank Franz has re- physics paved the way for their suc- isfaction in watching the students lor for Research at the University of tired as president of the University cesses. grow into adults, and watching California, Davis, Vice Provost for of Alabama, Huntsville, and Robert A president has to solve compli- faculty who can thrive through the Research at the University of Cali- Dynes has announced his intention cated, detail-oriented problems every bureaucracy with the help you give fornia President’s Office, and Execu- to step down as President of the Uni- single day. He or she must be able to them.” tive Vice Chancellor and Provost at versity of California system. tackle each situation from a holistic In his tenure as President, Dynes the University of North Carolina- Rare are the physicists who will realized that “I can have more impact Chapel Hill. swap their passion for solving the as President than as a professor.” Sessoms went from a faculty po- most fundamental of scientific prob- “The ability to effect change” was Allen Lee Sessoms sition at Harvard to serving as the lems for any other occupation, let the most rewarding aspect of the job West Virginia University, and from director of the Department of State’s alone one in higher education admin- for Franz. “It’s very satisfying to be there assumed the presidency of the Office of Nuclear Technology and istration. But there exist a few physi- able to look back and see that you University of Alabama, Huntsville. Safeguards, where he oversaw nucle- cists who heard the call of leadership have contributed to helping the uni- Jackson, a theoretical physicist, ar nonproliferation and arms control and not only answered, but excelled versity move many steps forward,” held high level positions in govern- negotiations, to positions in the US in doing so. he said. ment, including Chairman of the U.S. Embassies in France and Mexico. Recently, we had the opportunity Each of these physicists took a dif- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, While serving as the deputy ambas- to chat with five university presidents ferent path to their presidency. Franz and in industry at the former AT&T sador to Mexico, where he helped whose backgrounds are in physics. began his career as a faculty member Bell Laboratories. She also was a negotiate NAFTA, he was invited to We had conversations with Robert at Indiana University. His first expe- professor at Rutgers University. assist in the construction of a strong Dynes of the University of Califor- Robert Dynes rience with administration came dur- Dynes worked for 22 years at Bell state system of higher education in nia, Frank Franz of the University point of view and work with diverse ing a time of student unrest in the late Labs before becoming a professor of Massachusetts. This ultimately led of Alabama, Huntsville, Shirley Ann teams of people. Just as most physi- 1960s, when he was asked to serve as physics at the University of Califor- to his first presidency at Queens Col- Jackson of Rensselaer Polytechnic cists enjoy interaction with their col- a mediator between students and fac- nia, San Diego in 1990. At UC San lege. Institute, Allen Lee Sessoms of Dela- leagues, so too do the presidents we ulty and administration. After that, he Diego, he served in various admin- However diverse their career tra- ware State University and Robert N. interviewed. served as an associate dean, then as istration positions, including chan- jectories, it is clear that these profes- Shelton of the University of Arizona. “I love meeting with the students, dean of the faculty, while continuing cellor of the UC San Diego campus. sionals were well-suited to succeed What would compel someone to hearing their aspirations and wor- his physics research part-time. Franz In 2003, Dynes became President of in their presidencies because of the wean themselves off of a habitual ries,” said Shelton. He also appreci- then went on to become provost at the University of California. Dynes PRESIDENT continued on page 6

HONORS continued from page 1 NOBEL PRIZE continued from page 1 Università degli Studi di Palermo, ing research in the area of MHD Spence received his bachelor’s in papers submitted to the Physical berg generated great excitement in Italy, in 1990. He received his PhD macro stability. His primary interest degree in physics from McGill Review journals in 1988. The work the condensed matter physics com- from Columbia University in 1997, has been plasma stability and device University (Montréal, Canada) in of Fert and colleagues first appeared munity when it first appeared in the with a thesis based on experimental performance improvement. He was 1998. He did his PhD studies on the in Physical Review Letters (PRL) APS journals almost twenty years work on the High Beta Tokamak, a key contributor to the design of Madison Dynamo Experiment, a November 21, 1988, and is one of ago,” says Joe Serene, APS Trea- Extended Pulse (HBT-EP) experi- the Princeton Divertor Experiment one-meter-diameter sphere of flow- the top ten most frequently cited ment Since completing his graduate (PDX), the Princeton Beta eXperi- ing liquid sodium, in the physics de- surer and Publisher, “but none of us PRL papers in the journal’s history. realized how important giant mag- work, Garofalo has been a research ment (PBX), and the Princeton Beta partment of the University of Wis- Grünberg and colleagues’ paper in scientist for Columbia University, eXperiment-Modified, PBX-M. On consin, Madison. He was involved netoresistance would become in our Physical Review B was published daily lives. It’s already revolution- carrying out MHD stability research PBX-M, he discovered the resistive with most aspects of commissioning March 1, 1989, although they had ized data storage in personal com- on the DIII-D Tokamak National Fu- wall mode, an external kink modi- the experiment, including its design, submitted their work to the journal puters, and may soon revolutionize sion Facility at General Atomics, in fied by the resistive wall. Since then, fabrication, construction, operation nine months earlier. the processors themselves. This is San Diego. His research on DIII-D, his primary research focus has been and data analysis. His dissertation “Few discoveries in physics have research on stabilization of the resis- the active stabilization of the resis- work, done with Professor Cary For- equaled GMR in so rapidly revolu- a marvelous example of the way tive wall mode led to the first-time tive wall mode. He is currently est, demonstrated the presence of a tionizing the technologies that we that whole new technologies, like demonstration of stable confinement working on active stabilization of turbulent electromotive force in the rely on in our daily lives,” says the GMR-based field of spintron- of plasma pressure at nearly double the resistive wall mode on the D- experiment. Spence is presently em- APS Editor-in-Chief Gene Sprouse. ics, can grow out of fundamental the conventional free-boundary sta- IIID device in collaboration with ployed by the Institut für Geophysik “We’re proud that the fundamental research in basic physics of the sort bility limit in a tokamak. Since then, the Columbia and General Atomics at ETH Zürich, where he is studying work of Fert and Grünberg first ap- that we publish in the journals of the he has been pursuing the application groups. the application of liquid metal ex- peared in journals of the American American Physical Society, and of of this discovery toward the realiza- Strait earned his PhD at the Uni- periments to planetary cores. Physical Society.” the need for our nation to continue tion of high-beta, steady-state “ad- versity of Wisconsin-Madison in 2007 Fluid Dynamics Prize “The work of Fert and Grün- to invest in basic research.” vanced tokamak” plasmas. 1979. He joined General Atomics Guenter Ahlers Navratil received his PhD in in 1982, where he worked first on University of California, Santa TROPHY continued from page 1 plasma physics from the University the Doublet III tokamak and then Barbara of Wisconsin-Madison in 1976. In its successor, DIII-D. He devel- sible for the world’s smallest guitar game and its equipment. Videos 1977 he joined the faculty of Co- oped DIII-D’s magnetic diagnostic Citation: “For pioneering ex- in 1997, is known for their nano- could talk about air pressure inside lumbia University and in 1978 was system, which is used for feedback perimental work on fluid instabili- scale fabrication. To create the tro- the ball, the rotation of a spiral, the ties, low-dimensional chaos, pattern a founding member of the Depart- control of the discharge, equilibrium phy, they will use atom and photo impact of a tackle, or acceleration formation, and turbulent Rayleigh- lithography, engraving the tiny ment of Applied Physics and Ap- reconstruction, and stability analy- in a breakaway touchdown run. plied Mathematics, serving as de- sis. His research has focused on the Bénard convection.” pattern by exposing the material Other creative approaches are wel- partment chair from 1988 to 1994 MHD stability of tokamak plasmas, Ahlers received his PhD in to beams of atoms or light, respec- and from 1997 to 2000. His research including the stability limits of high physical chemistry from the Uni- tively. For the larger image, they come. work focuses on MHD equilibrium beta plasmas, instabilities associated versity of California at Berkeley will use ordinary etching methods. To submit a video, contestants and stability of magnetically con- with transport barriers, and the sta- and became a member of the techni- To win the trophy and cash, con- should upload it to YouTube with fined plasmas. He directs research bility of toroidicity-induced Alfven cal staff at Bell Laboratories. Then testants must submit a video around the tag “nanobowl” and send an he worked on critical phenomena on the HBT-EP tokamak facility in eigenmodes. He is currently work- two minutes in length that demon- email to physicscentral@aps. the Columbia Plasma Physics Labo- ing on wall stabilization of high beta and on superfluid hydrodynamics. strates some aspect of physics in org. The film deadline is January ratory as well as off-campus col- plasmas and active control of resis- In 1970 he began research on Ray- football. Contestants can break 15th, 2008. The winner will be an- laborations at the DIII-D National tive wall mode instabilities. Strait leigh-Bénard convection in liquid down the forces in some footage Tokamak Facility in San Diego and is manager of the ITER Physics re- helium that led to the experimen- of their favorite high school, col- nounced on Super Bowl Sunday, tal observation of chaos in a fluid- the NSTX Experiment at the Princ- search group in the DIII-D Experi- lege, or NFL team. Or they can get February 3, 2008. For more details mechanical system. In 1979 Ahlers eton Plasma Physics Laboratory. In mental Science Division. together with friends or family to and contest rules, see www.phys- became a Professor of Physics at 2005 he was appointed the Thomas 2007 Marshall N. Rosenbluth film an experiment relevant to the icscentral.com/nanobowl. Alva Edison Professor of Applied UCSB where he has studied pat- Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award tern formation in convection and Physics and now serves as Interim 2007 Andreas Acrivos Disserta- Saintillan received his BS from Erik J. Spence Taylor-vortex flow, and turbulent Dean of the School of Engineering tion Award in Fluid Dynamics École Polytechnique, Palaiseau, ETH Xurich, Institute of Geo- Rayleigh-Bénard convection. He and Applied Science at Columbia David Saintillan France, and he performed his PhD physics and his co-workers have published University. Courant Institute, New York research at Stanford University un- Citation: “For a dynamo ex- over 260 papers in the Journal of Okabayashi received his PhD University der the joint supervision of Profes- periment that provided a laboratory Fluid Mechanics, Physics of Flu- degree in 1968 from the University sors Eric Shaqfeh and Eric Darve. demonstration of dipole magnetic ids, Physical Review A, B, and E, Thesis Title: “Collective dy- of Tokyo. He then took a position at He is now an Associate Research field, generated by turbulence, in an Physical Review Letters, and else- namics in dispersions of anisotro- the Princeton Plasma Physics Labo- Scientist at the Courant Institute of MHD flow.” where. pic and deformable particles.” ratory, where he has been conduct- Mathematical Sciences at NYU. 6 • November 2007 APS NEWS

National Summit Urges Commitment to Competitiveness Time to Celebrate and to Look Ahead

Congress should maintain a and creativity that have made pointed out that Georgia Tech long-term investment in basic re- America the envy of the world. has a cooperative study abroad search, innovation and education Barrett added that the recently program that enables students to to keep the nation competitive in passed America COMPETES bill, learn and work overseas to pre- the face of increased global com- which authorizes the expenditure pare for jobs in an international petition, said high-ranking public of $33.6 billion over seven years, economy. and private officials who partici- including the doubling of fund- Haley Barbour, governor pated in the recent National Sum- ing for scientific agencies, must of Mississippi, said his state is mit on American Competitive- be fully funded to help the coun- funding training for workers for ness in Washington, D.C. try regain its hard-fought global highly skilled jobs such as ener- “We have fallen behind (our economic leadership.“Just do gy construction projects. “We are international counterparts) in it,” he said, adding, “we’ve been investing in people,” he said. math, science and basic research talking about this for years.” Students must understand and development,” said Craig The COMPETES legislation what is required of them in the Barrett, chairman of Intel Corpo- will go a long way in preparing high-tech workforce, said Gary Photo by Marvin T. Jones & Associates On September 20, members of Congress, Congressional staffers, and sci- ration’s board of directors, whose students to meet the demands of a Jacobs, chairman of High Tech ence advocates gathered on Capitol Hill to celebrate passage of the Ameri- comments generated thunderous rapidly changing world economy High, a charter school in San Di- ca COMPETES Act, which President Bush had signed into law the previous applause from the near-capacity requiring highly skilled workers, ego. month. The bill authorizes improved funding for science education, innovation crowd at the Reagan Center Am- said the summit’s participants. “All juniors have to partici- and basic scientific research. Here APS Director of Public Affairs Michael Lu- bell (left), who lobbied tirelessly for this legislation over many years, chats with phitheater. “Every nation gets the connec- pate in an internship as part of Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), one of two PhD physicists in Congress, who was one of The purpose of the summit, tion between education and the our curriculum,” said Jacobs, the chief sponsors of the bill. As Lubell pointed out, the effort by science soci- which took place in September, next-generation economy,” said who noted that 100 percent of the eties to focus congressional attention on the competitiveness issue began in was to explore how to support G. Wayne Clough, president of school’s students attend college 1997, with the impetus of the late D. Allan Bromley, who had previously served as science adviser to President George H.W. Bush and later as APS president. and develop the human talent Georgia Tech University. Clough and pursue technical degrees. Ehlers emphasized that with the authorization bill passed, Congress now has to focus on implementing its provisions by appropriating the necessary funds. LIDAR continued from page 4 fornia, San Diego, have developed patients with brain injuries recover arranged in a pentagon, mounted interact with the virtual environment feedback on the displays immedi- a new optical tracking device for neuro-motor skills, especially pa- on a supporting framework. The simultaneously with natural motion, ately. They overcame this by using improved navigation in a panoramic tients recovering from strokes, who scene rendered on each display is just like tasks in the real world. a sixth computer devoted just to the 3D virtual reality system. Immersive are undergoing rehabilitative therapy refreshed in response to the tracking The main challenge the research- tracking via the 3D input device. virtual environments are already to regain motor function. device, which is wireless, so there ers faced was how to get all five The sixth computer sends tracking widely used for surgical and flight The UCSD system uses five is no confusing mix of connecting displays and the optical tracking results to all five of the other PCs training, military training, scien- networked computers linked to five wires when multiple users are in- device synchronized, so that a user via a high-speed wireless connec- tific visualization, and for helping large-scale plasma display screens volved. Up to five different users can could perceive the visual and audio tion. PRESIDENT continued from page 5 of Alabama. His creative solution to But then again, so is the career of one to keep up some research activ- the puzzle ended up becoming an ac- a physicist. As Sessoms described it, ity. counting textbook example. “I some- “physics is a discipline where you Yet, stresses Shelton, “in the early times tell people, that the one thing can’t dabble…Being a physicist is a stage of your career, please, please if you’re a physicist that people can’t game for people with very few out- focus on being a world class schol- accuse you of is being unfamiliar side pursuits.” ar.” As a student in physics, “this with numbers,” he said. Each president has brokered a vir- is not the time to be thinking about Shelton, an experimentalist, draws tual deal with themselves that allows becoming a university president. strength from his experience manag- them to reach some sort of balance You should be thinking about mov- ing his research laboratories. His list between their scientific and leader- ing the frontiers of science in your of valuable skills he learned includes ship engagements. own personal way and to be the best “organizing large, diverse groups of They all keep abreast of their re- scholar you can be.” He added that people…in order to set priorities for spective fields as much as possible. by concentrating on your scientific Robert N. Shelton the group,” he said. In addition, “you Dynes, who still has a lab, relies on Frank Franz craft early on in your career, you will foundations that physics gave them. get a lot of experience in the people postdoctoral associates and litera- “All of the above,” said Jackson, ultimately gain valuable “insight into “The key thing you learn as a side, the human side, and how to get ture reviews to keep him aware of as well as “the chief motivator for what a university’s about” which will physicist is to approach problems the best out of folks when you have research activities, and spends about those in the university.” benefit a person when they do elect from a comprehensive perspective,” a larger, global target goal that you’re 10-15 hours a week thinking about “As the primary visible represen- to pursue the presidency. said Sessoms, “Take a look at all the seeking.” physics problems, meeting with stu- tation of the university,” said Shel- When (and if) these administra- issues you are trying to solve and un- Both Jackson and Shelton see dents, and reading papers. ton. tors retire, will they go back to the derstand the whole picture.” Jackson feels that it is important “As a choir leader,” said Dynes. lab? The answer for many is an un- Franz also maintained that he ap- to keep up in some way in science, “You can’t do all these things without known variable. Franz said he isn’t proached many problems in admin- especially in a Research 1 university. an enormous amount of help from a sure exactly what he’ll do next, but istration the way he would approach She stays connected by attending lot of people…Everyone has to sing “I absolutely want to maintain a con- a physics problem, by getting to the professional meetings, reading, and from the same song sheet and that’s nection with physics and with the fundamentals and figuring out how speaking with faculty. Although she your song sheet.” University.” things work. “It really is creating a admits it is “hard to do the level of “As the mayor of a small town,” Just as physics helped them be model. In physics we’re always cre- focus one might wish,” she said. said Sessoms. “You have got to be better presidents, so too has the presi- ating models of how things work,” In some university administration everything to everybody and no mat- dency aided them in becoming better he said. positions, it is possible to balance ter what happens you are blamed physicists. Jackson added that “as a physicist, both research and administrative du- for it, whether you were directly in- As President, Jackson has learned one naturally develops the ability to ties, said Franz, and he thinks it is volved or not.” the importance of intellectual agil- analyze complex questions in situa- Shirley Ann Jackson “best to have people in administra- He also joked that the president is ity, she said, and “to see connections tions [and] to synthesize information tive roles who maintain a connection the “local beggar, and local profiteer, between and among disciplines and from multiple sources to come up physics as a means to learn how to to their disciplines.” But once one taking advantage of the faculty who subdisciplines. This ability is needed with what the core of an issue may operate in a multi-cultural environ- has reached the level of university are doing amazing things” as well as when one is doing pure research.” be.” ment, and Sessoms thinks physics is president, it’s extremely difficult to the peacemaker within the institution Dynes discovered how to be a Dynes agreed: “It certainly allows especially perfect for university ad- keep running a research lab. “It’s an and bridge-builder between the uni- better communicator, to be open and you to look at multi-dimensional ministration because “physics forces exceptional person who is truly able versity and community, he said. transparent, and perhaps most impor- problems… and [determine] which you to confront reality no matter how to carry on both responsibilities,” he Our panel expressed an excite- tantly, to know how to say “I don’t are the critical variables and focus on brutal that reality is to your psyche,” said. ment for leading their institutions and know”. those critical variables,” he said. he said. “Mother Nature will make a It is clear in speaking with these making a positive impact on their “The successful presidency Other physics-derived skills fool out of you no matter how smart commanders-in-chief that the univer- constituents. Several recommended requires an ability to sleuth out which allow these presidents to lead you are. There is no physicist who sity president is a multi-dimensional physics for a career in university ad- connections between seemingly effectively include an understand- has not been made a fool of. This is position that requires high energy and ministration. unrelated information and then ing of causality and a quantitative very humbling…it forces transpar- tenacity. A university president is the However, for those physicists use these connections to create outlook, which is “not normal from ency on the president.” CEO of a multi-million dollar (often out there ready to launch a career in new opportunities,” said Shelton. many peoples’ perspectives, but to- The challenge to balance a ca- billion dollar) business, a lobbyist higher education leadership, there “The successful physicist operates tally normal for a physicist,” said reer in research and administration is and a politician, a fundraiser, a pub- were some very specific and strategic similarly as he/she strives to dis- Sessoms. real and is confronted by these lead- lic relations pro, a community leader, quarks of advice offered. cover underlying principles from Problem-solving ability and fa- ers regularly. The presidential post and often even an international em- “I would certainly encourage it,” seemingly unrelated research out- cility with numbers came in handy “is full time and then some,” said issary as well. When asked how our said Franz. He suggests starting out comes.” for Franz when he was faced with Shelton. “This job is all consuming. subjects view themselves, there were as he did, in a temporary or part-time Copyright, 2007, Alaina G. a budget problem at the University That’s the great joy of it.” several surprising answers. position in administration that allows Levine and Ernie Tretkoff APS NEWS November 2007 • 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS 2008 Prize and Award Recipients Now Appearing in RMP: APS CONGRESSIONAL Recently Posted Reviews Editor’s Note: The prizes and James C. McGroddy Prize for and Colloquia awards listed below were approved New Materials SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP by the APS Executive Board at its You will find the following in the Jun Akimitsu online edition of September meeting. Most of them 2008-2009 Robert C. Haddon Reviews of Modern Physics at will be presented at either the Arthur F. Hebard http://rmp.aps.org March or April meeting next spring. Fermi‑liquid instabilities The citations accompanying these John H. Dillon Medal THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY is currently accepting applications for the Congressional Science Fellowship Program. at magnetic quantum awards are posted on the APS web Kari Dalnoki-Veress site (click on the individual prize or Fellows serve one year on the staff of a senator, representative or phase transitions award). Biographical information Joseph A. Burton Forum Award congressional committee. They are afforded an opportunity to learn Hilbert v. Löhneysen, for the recipients, and their pictures, Pierre Goldschmidt the legislative process and explore science policy issues from the Achim Rosch, Matthias Vojta, lawmakers’ perspective. In turn, Fellows have the opportunity to will be posted as the information is and Peter Wölfle received. In addition, the recipients Joseph F. Keithley Award For Ad- lend scientific and technical expertise to public policy issues. will be featured in the special priz- vances in Measurement Science QUALIFICATIONS include a PhD or equivalent in physics or a Fermi‑liquid theory, which es and awards insert to the March Bjorn Wannberg closely related field, a strong interest in science and technology describes in particular the 2008 APS News. policy and, ideally, some experience in applying scientific knowl- state of electrons at low tem- Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize edge toward the solution of societal problems. Fellows are required peratures, is one of the central Abraham Pais Prize for History of H. Eugene Stanley to be U.S. citizens and members of the APS. pillars of modern condensed Physics TERM OF APPOINTMENT is one year, beginning in September matter physics. Instabilities Gerald Holton Lars Onsager Prize of 2008 with participation in a two week orientation sponsored by of the Fermi‑liquid state are Tin-Lun Ho AAAS. Fellows have considerable choice in congressional assign- therefore of fundamental inter- Andrei Sakharov Prize Gordon Baym ments. est, in addition to leading to Liangying Xu Christopher Pethick A STIPEND is offered in addition to an allowances for relocation, very remarkable observable Aneesur Rahman Prize for Compu- in-service travel, and health insurance premiums. properties. In this article the Leo Szilard Lectureship Award tational Physics APPLICATION should consist of a letter of intent of no more authors discuss one way for Anatoli Diakov the Fermi‑liquid state to break Gary S. Grest than two pages, a two-page resume: with one additional page for Pavel Podvig publications, and three letters of reference. Please see the APS down, namely, the system un- Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser website (http://www.aps.org/policy/fellowships/congressional.cfm) dergoing a quantum phase Science Maria Goeppert Mayer Award for detailed information on materials required for applying and other transition, and difficulties in James Bergquist Vassiliki Kalogera information on the program. understanding the latter within the framework of simple theo- Max Delbruck Prize in Biological ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS MUST BE Dannie Heineman Prize for Math- ries. ematical Physics Physics SUBMITTED ONLINE BY JANUARY 15, 2008. Mitchell Feigenbaum Steven M. Block David Adler Lectureship Award in Oliver E. Buckley Condensed APS Designates Rad Lab as Historic Site the Field of Materials Physics Matter Prize Karin Rabe Mildred Dresselhaus Davisson-Germer Prize in Atomic Polymer Physics Prize or Surface Physics Kenneth S. Schweizer Horst Schmidt-Böcking Prize for a Faculty Member for Earle K. Plyler Prize for Molecu- Research in an Undergraduate lar Spectroscopy Institution Steven G. Boxer Michael R. Brown Edward A. Bouchet Award Robert R. Wilson Prize for Ronald E. Mickens Achievement in the Physics of Excellence in Physics Education Particle Accelerators Award Lyndon R. Evans University of Washington Physics Education Group Tom W. Bonner Prize in Nuclear Physics Frank Isakson Prize for Optical Arthur M. Poskanzer Effects in Solids Joseph Orenstein W.K.H. Panofsky Prize in Experi- Zeev Valentine Vardeny mental Particle Physics George E. Pake Prize George Cassiday Julia M. Phillips Pierre Sokolsky Photo by Justin Knight Will Allis Prize for the Study of Hans A. Bethe Prize As part of the APS historic sites initiative, on October 5 APS President-elect Arthur Bienenstock (left) Friedrich K. Thielemann Ionized Gases presented a plaque to MIT to commemorate the MIT Radiation Laboratory that played a key role in the J. J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Kenneth Kulander development of radar during World War II. Receiving the plaque on behalf of MIT is Dean of Science Marc Particle Physics Nicholson Medal for Human Out- Kastner (center), while incoming physics department head Edmund Bertschinger looks on. The citation Stanislav Mikheyev on the plaque reads “At this location, the MIT Radiation Laboratory was established in the fall of 1940 to reach develop microwave radar systems. Radar quickly took its place in all arenas of World War II and played a Alexei Smirnov David P. Landau decisive role in the Allied victory. The laboratory closed on December 31, 1945.” X-RAY continued from page 3 that the Australian Synchrotron will lin, also of Monash University, has x-ray free-electron laser community studies the surfaces of thin films and for the Australian-Canadian synchro- meet in excess of 90% of the Aus- another very active collaboration of imaging a single biomolecule at materials using a range of surface sen- tron collaboration that focuses on the tralian demand for synchrotron time, with scientists at SPring-8 where he atomic resolution using an ultrashort sitive analytical techniques including development of industrially useful with the remainder being met by an is developing diffraction and phase- coherent x-ray pulse. x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, synchrotron end-stations at both the ongoing access to selected overseas recovery techniques for the examina- The role of materials physics secondary ion mass spectroscopy, Canadian Light Source and the Aus- facilities including fourth-generation tion of multilayer superstructures and chemistry is particularly impor- small angle scattering, synchrotron tralian synchrotron. Pete Hammond sources. The development of coherence tant given the almost simultaneous x-ray absorption spectroscopy and of the University of Western Austra- Australia has particular strengths based methods has been extended to opening of the OPAL research reac- wettability. David Jamieson of the lia has been using UV radiation from in the development of imaging meth- the field of coherent diffractive imag- tor based at ANSTO in Sydney. Ian University of Melbourne and Chris Sincrotrone Trieste to explore atomic ods and in materials science. A sig- ing via funding from the Australian Gentle of the University of Queen- Ryan of CSIRO are bringing their physics, and Robert Leckey, John Ri- nificant amount of experimental and Research Council to establish Centre sland uses both x-ray and neutron long experience in proton micro- ley and colleagues at La Trobe Uni- theoretical work on the fundamentals of Excellence for Coherent X-ray Sci- reflectivity to probe the properties of probe work to bear on the construc- versity are continuing their explora- of propagation-based phase-con- ence, directed by Keith Nugent. This interfaces. John White of the Austra- tion of a microprobe beamline at the tion of Fermi surfaces through their trast imaging and on the method of centre includes physicists, chemists lian National University works on the Australian Synchrotron, and Chris long standing collaboration with diffraction-enhanced phase-contrast and biologists from four universities fabrication of molecular thin films Chantler of the University of Mel- BESSY in Germany, a collaboration imaging has been done by groups at and CSIRO and will explore the ap- and uses x-rays and neutrons for the bourne is developing extremely high that moved to BESSYII in 2003. CSIRO, led by Steve Wilkins, and plication of coherent x-ray methods subsequent material characterization precision measurement methods for Australian x-ray science is at a at the University of Melbourne led to problems in the biosciences. The and development of applications. the characterisation of the interaction dynamic stage, and there is a great by Keith Nugent and in collabora- project includes the development and Mark Ridgway of the Australian Na- of x-rays with matter. Andrea Gerson deal of excitement surrounding the tion with scientists at the Advanced application of high-harmonic-gener- tional University is exploring the pro- of the University of South Australia new facility. Australia’s national Photon Source. Rob Lewis and col- ation laser based soft x-ray sources cessing and characterisation of semi- looks at interfacial and solid state strengths will be reflected in the laborators at Monash University and and the development of a theoreti- conductor materials using x-ray and structure and reaction mechanisms in development of the Australian Syn- at SPring-8 have been applying these cal understanding of the interaction neutron small angle scattering and relation to crystallization phenomena chrotron in the coming years, while methods to, among other things, the of intense coherent fields with mol- reflectivity experiments. Rob Lamb, within the petrochemical, Bayer and we continue to nurture our exten- study of the aeration of the lungs of ecules. The work of the centre will now at the Australian Synchrotron pigment industries. Andrea is cur- sive international collaborations and new-born wallabies. Andrei Niku- impact the goal of the international and the University of Melbourne, rently the Lead Australian Scientist linkages. 8 • November 2007 APS NEWS The Back Page

n the pages of APS News and else- explicitly shaped to make the material in- Iwhere there has been much discussion teresting and accessible from their student about the deficiencies of our science ed- The “Curse of Knowledge” or Why Intuition perspective. While aspects of enthusiasm ucation system. Everyone from leaders and interest of the instructor were men- of government, industry, and academia About Teaching Often Fails tioned, the students particularly focused to concerned parents is pointing to the on the instructor’s interest in the students’ By Carl Wieman evidence and lamenting how these de- learning, as evidenced by making efforts to ficiencies hinder economic growth and find out what was being learned and pro- the attainment of a scientifically literate viding individualized feedback and encour- citizenry capable of making wise in- agement to support the student’s learning. formed decisions on important societal issues. Usually, such Other characteristics of instructors that are so often part of laments are accompanied with an opinion as to the source of faculty discussions of teaching (such as personality or how the problem and how to solve it. One common claim is that easy or hard they made assignments or exams) were never higher education is failing because the faculty members in mentioned. In fact, the most valuable learning experience for science care only about research and have little interest or many of these grad students did not involve an instructor at concern with teaching. (Physics is often held out as a subject all! A widely shared most valuable learning experience was of particular criticism in this respect.) “working with a motivated group” [of fellow students]. Fi- I reject this claim. I have spoken with many physics fac- nally, in many faculty discussions of good teaching one often ulty members throughout the world about teaching, and I can hears it described as “an art form” that might be amenable to probably list on one hand the number who did not have a slight improvement by training and experience, but is largely clear and sincere desire to have their students learn physics an innate ability. In contrast, the characteristics of valuable and appreciate its usefulness and inherent intellectual beauty. learning experiences listed by these grad students’ were all So how can one reconcile this observation with the compel- straightforward things that any instructor could do, but many ling accumulation of physics education data showing most often do not. college students are not attaining these goals? (And if such Any reader who has gotten this far ought to be getting education studies do not convince you, just ask a few non- quite depressed. The data says our best intentions to teach physicists how they feel about their college physics classes!) well are failing, and many of one’s ideas as to how to im- Here I would like to offer an explanation for this disparity prove are suspect, because our brains are different from our between good intentions and bad results and, on this basis, students and so our intuition is flawed. suggest how to improve teaching and learning. The explana- However, the situation is not nearly as dire as it might tion arises from what has sometimes been called the “curse how it is learned and used, and how physics knowledge is appear. The clever physics community has already found an of knowledge” by educational psychologists. It is the idea established. The University of Maryland physics education approach for how make progress in areas where one’s initial that when you know something, it is extremely difficult to group and now my own group have studied such beliefs in intuition is obviously flawed, e.g. figuring out the structure of think about it from the perspective of someone who does students and how they are shaped by physics courses. We atoms. That approach is to rely on careful objective experi- not know it. There is a classic easily replicated demonstra- have consistently measured that such student beliefs, on av- mental measurements and to use that data to develop new im- tion of this provided by psychologist Elizabeth Newton. She erage, become less like those of a scientist after completing proved understanding and intuition. For teaching physics, this had subjects tap out the melodies of very familiar songs with typical introductory college physics courses. Put in the stark- means looking at data on how people learn and how students their finger and predict what fraction of those songs will be est terms–our physics courses are actually teaching many stu- do and don’t learn the various topics in physics. Of course recognized by a listener. “Tappers” typically overestimated dents that physics knowledge is just the claim of an arbitrary outstanding instructors gather their own data by carefully and the fraction recognized by a factor of 20! In a recent science authority, that physics does not apply to anything outside the systematically probing the thinking of their students, but this education example of the same idea, we saw students express classroom, and that physics problem solving is just about is difficult and time consuming to do accurately. Relative to disbelief that anyone could hold a certain misconception, memorizing answers to irrelevant problems. Even more dis- many other sciences, physics instructors are fortunate to have yet we had seen those same students actually express this turbing, we find that those students who are planning to be- the benefit of a substantial body of education research on dis- very misconception themselves, just a few months earlier! come elementary school teachers have the most extreme of cipline specific topics, as discussed on the Back Page previ- I would argue that well intentioned physicists are achieving these novice-like beliefs. If ously by Noah Finkelstein [APS News, Jan. 2006]. Guided by poor educational results because the “curse of knowledge” “...our physics one looks at the “anti-sci- this literature, an instructor can bridge the perceptual gap and ence” movement, one can makes it very difficult for them to understand how physics courses are understand how students are thinking, what are the common is best learned by a novice student, or to accurately evaluate see such beliefs inherent difficulties and misconceptions, and find rigorously tested ef- actually teaching that learning. in much of what it repre- fective ways to improve student learning and motivation. The Recent advances in brain imaging show us that this gap in many students that sents. Of course, no teach- literature also describes assessment methods to substantially understanding has quite basic origins. The brains of novices physics knowledge ers would intentionally be help in efficiently gathering data on one’s own students. This in a subject are activated quite differently from experts when is just the claim of teaching such beliefs to physics-like approach to the teaching and learning of phys- confronted with a problem. And as mastery is achieved, the an arbitrary their students, but the so- ics has led to new insights and dramatic progress, such as brain literally changes; different links are formed and there authority...” bering fact is that the data the discovery of teaching methods that double or more the are different activation patterns during problem solving. indicate that this is what is learning of concepts. By the way, the findings of this body of This fundamental difference between the novice and ex- actually happening in near- research on learning match well with the recollections of the pert brain explains many of the findings reported by those who ly all introductory physics courses. TAs mentioned above as to the most important characteristics study student learning of physics. Students can think about a This “curse of knowledge” means is that it is dangerous, for effective learning. topic in ways quite unimagined by the instructor, and so a les- and often profoundly incorrect to think about student learn- In much the same way that physicists had to go through son that is very carefully thought out and is beautifully clear ing based on what appears best to faculty members, as op- the wrenching process of replacing their classical-physics- and logical to experts may be interpreted totally differently posed to what has been verified with students. However, the based intuition with a new, more useful intuition about the (and incorrectly) by the student. Another example is that the former approach tends to dominate discussions on how to quantum world, we need to make a similar step with regard standard lecture demonstration has been shown to have neg- improve physics education. There are great debates in faculty to physics education. We must abandon the implicit assump- ligible impact on learning. Many teachers find this hard to meetings as to what order to present material, or different tion that all brains are the same and so passing along what is believe because the demonstration attracts students’ attention approaches for introducing quantum mechanics or other top- clear to us will be clear to the novice student, and if it fails, and usually demonstrates an important idea in a compelling ics, all based on how the faculty now think about the subject. it is an indication that the students are simply incapable. We fashion. However, the lack of learning makes sense when one Evaluations of teaching are often based upon how a senior must instead come to recognize that mastery of a subject is realizes that research also shows that students often perceive faculty member perceives the organization, complexity, and much more a process of restructuring the brain than simply of both the intention of the lecture demonstration and what it pace of a junior faculty member’s lecture. In the pages of transferring knowledge, and knowing a subject is profoundly shows very differently from the instructor. My group rou- APS News, this same expert-centered approach to assessing different from knowing how that subject is best learned. The tinely sees similar perceptual differences in our testing of educational experiences has played out recently in the debate result will be greatly improved learning of physics. Knowl- educational interactive simulations. When we have students over the use of interactive simulations vs. hands-on labs. edge becomes a curse only if one fails to recognize its limita- try an untested simulation, they often literally see different It is even dangerous to decide on how one learns based tions. things happening on the computer screen than do experts. As upon one’s memory of learning physics many years ago. I was (References to the many studies mentioned here are not a result, the student can interpret what is shown very differ- reminded of this recently while participating in a TA training compatible with the Back Page format, but are posted at ently from what was intended, and learn incorrect ideas. Fi- workshop and reflecting on the differences between what the www.cwsei.ubc.ca/resources .) nally, studies reveal that the instructors’ interpretations of the beginning graduate students (not yet physics experts but so- Carl Wieman is Director of science education initiatives students’ thinking based on their exam answer are frequently phisticated current learners) felt was important for effective at both the University of British Columbia and the Univer- very different from the actual thinking. In much of science learning compared to what I often hear from senior faculty sity of Colorado and chairs the Board on Science Education instruction, it is almost as if the instructor and the student are members. The beginning graduate students were asked to of the National Academy of Sciences. He does research in speaking different languages but neither realizes it. discuss and tabulate their “best and worst learning experi- physics education and has done extensive research in atomic This mismatch between student and instructor perceptions ences.” In their examples of best experiences, there was no physics. He shared the 2001 Nobel Prize in physics with Eric can lead to even more disturbing results at another level– mention of particular topics or how topics were organized or Cornell and Wolfgang Ketterle for the achievement of Bose- namely that of general beliefs about the nature of physics, presented, except in the context of how the presentation was Einstein condensation in dilute gases of alkali atoms.

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