January 2017• Vol. 26, No. 1

More on the 2016 APS Division of A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Fluid Dynamics Meeting APS.ORG/APSNEWS Pages 2, 4, 5.

Top Ten Physics Newsmakers of 2016 Each year, APS News selects Careers Report

the top ten physics stories that LIGO made it into newspapers and onto Playing with Physics Innovation and televisions in the U.S. and across Entrepreneurship (PIE) Education the world. While the selections By Linda Barton may be scientifically important, the main criterion is how much cover- Innovation and Entrepreneurship without disruption. “Playing” with age they generated. (I&E) programs are springing up PIE allows a department to test out Ripples in Spacetime across the nation, and physics some new ideas before committing It was the black hole merger departments are showing inter- to a broader scope of activity. Here heard around the world. In February est in including I&E elements in are a few things we've tried with 2016, researchers announced the first undergraduate physics curricula. success at the Rochester Institute direct observation of gravitational However, a full integration of phys- of Technology (RIT). waves. The Laser Interferometer ics innovation and entrepreneur- Invited Speakers: Every Gravitational Observatory Scientific ship (PIE) programs would require department has colloquia, but Collaboration (LIGO) and the Virgo Making waves a wholesale revamping of the tra- too often these talks are far too Collaboration attributed the signal tors were shut down for upgrades Nobel Prizes ditional undergraduate physics advanced and esoteric to engage to a merger of two black holes, and restarted in November for a In October 2016, David J. curriculum. In most cases, depart- the average undergraduate. If whose death spiral could be heard second observing run. Also in June, Thouless, F. Duncan M. Haldane, ments would resist and change industry speakers are brought in, as a “chirp” when converted to the European Space Agency had and J. Michael Kosterlitz won the would always be a difficult, long they are often far advanced in their an audio waveform. Then in June a successful test run of the Laser Nobel Prize in Physics for using process. Fortunately it is possible careers, and undergraduates have a 2016, the research teams presented Interferometer Space Antenna topological concepts in theoretical to revitalize undergraduate phys- hard time relating to them. Instead, results from a second merger, Pathfinder mission, showing the condensed matter physics. ics programs and invigorate under- we invite recent graduates working this time of two black holes with feasibility of operating gravita- graduate physics students through smaller masses. The LIGO detec- tional wave detectors in orbit. NEWSMAKERS continued on page 6 the inclusion of PIE activities, PIE continued on page 6

Robots Test the Physics of Rowing Inside APS By Katherine Kornei 2016 APS Division of Fluid Irene Lukoff: Director of Development Dynamics Meeting—Competitive Romain Labbé In this series of articles, APS rowing is the epitome of synchro- News sits down with APS employ- nization: oars dipping into and out ees to learn about their jobs, their of the water at exactly the same goals, and the things that make instant, human bodies bending them tick. This month we chat with and pulling together. Now, scien- Irene Lukoff. She discusses her role tists have examined the effect of as the director of development and removing some of that synchroni- future goals for the society and its zation. A team of physicists found development. that the speed of a boat depended Robotic rowers test the effects of oar synchronization. When did you join APS? on whether or not its rowers were Philippe Boucher, two research- ers,” explained Boucher. Boucher I started in August 2016. Prior out of step. They expect that these ers from the Sport Physics group and Labbé, along with Timothy to that I served briefly as vice results, presented at the 2016 APS at Ecole Polytechnique in France, Mouterde and Christophe Clanet, president for philanthropic part- Irene Lukoff Division of Fluid Dynamics annual built a 1/10-scale model of a rac- placed the 2-meter boat in the nerships at the Aspen Institute. A meeting in November in Portland, ing shell containing eight robotic Ecole Polytechnique’s swimming outreach and educational programs significant portion of my career has Oregon, can be applied to improve rowers. “We wanted to look at the pool and measured its speed as its that raise awareness about physics been in service to the University rowing performance and optimize effect of synchronization on the robotic rowers moved in various and what physicists do, and ben- of Pennsylvania, where I spent the design of boat propellers. boat speed, an effect that is empha- degrees in synchronization. efit not only our membership, but 26 years in various administra- Romain Labbé and Jean- sized with a large number of row- society at large. They strengthen ROWING continued on page 7 tive and development roles across the community of physicists as an three of its major schools—Arts & advocate for science in general, and Sciences, Wharton, and Perelman physics in particular. Cat Tongues Are the Ultimate Detanglers School of Medicine. I started as How is fundraising different a major gifts officer for Basic By Rachel Gaal tation at the 2016 APS Division of for APS compared to the aca- Sciences and rose to senior director 2016 APS Division of Fluid Fluid Dynamics meeting. “While it demic organizations you previ- was hysterical, the scientist in me

of development, overseeing a num- Dynamics Meeting—Knots and Getty Images ously worked for? Penn Medicine ber of interdisciplinary centers and other nasty tangles are a nuisance started thinking, ‘Why does this in particular. institutes with a focus on healthy to remove from human hair, and happen?’” The answer seemed at Unlike my previous positions, aging and the neurosciences. regular hairbrushes seem to make first like something involving a where I was raising funds for the What does a Director of things worse. Perhaps the secret to fluid—saliva—but Noel’s research production of basic, translational, Development do? better detangling is known by our went down a different path. or clinical research, here we are I help organizations grow, furry feline pets. The question is: Currently a Ph.D. candidate primarily raising funds to honor develop, and make connections. How do they groom their coats? in mechanical engineering, Noel physicists and their professional My primary job is matching Alexis Noel from Georgia wanted to know more about the interesting spines, called papillae, legacy with the goal of inspiring donors’ philanthropic passions with Institute of Technology started ask- forces and dynamics behind cat which were organized like roof others to those pursuits—somewhat the institution’s mission, funding ing herself the same question while grooming, so she got a tongue tis- shingles,” Noel said. While the different and more challenging, in needs, and strategic priorities— watching her pet cat at home. sue sample, brought it into the lab, sharp spines are actually made of that it is one step removed from what most folks associate simply “[My cat] was licking this and took an up-close 3D look using hard material similar to human fin- the product. with “fundraising”—but it’s much microfiber plush blanket, and he a computational tomography (CT) gernails, they are embedded within For example, I used to raise more than that. Here at APS we are got his tongue stuck … .”, Noel x-ray scanner. soft tissue that allows the papil- looking for donations to support LUKOFF continued on page 4 told the crowd during her presen- “The tongue had these very TONGUES continued on page 4

Revised 01/16/2017 2 • January 2017

One Year Later: Physical Review Fluids This Month in Physics History By Rachel Gaal One of the largest member- ship units of APS, the Division of January 15, 1919: Physics and the Boston Molasses Flood Fluid Dynamics (DFD) recently ne of the strangest historical tragedies of 20th hosted its 69th annual meeting Ocentury America is the Great Boston Molasses in Portland, Oregon, where over Flood of 1919, when tons of treacle from a burst 3,000 attendees participated in storage tank coursed through the city’s streets. The conference events. A feature at the incident reveals some fascinating fluid dynamics, wikimedia commons APS exhibitors booth was the new according to a presentation at the annual meet- journal Physical Review Fluids the ing of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics in most recent addition to the Physical November 2016. Review collection. The owner of the faulty tank was the Purity After enough citation data are The initial request to create a Distilling Company. At that time, molasses was collected, Physical Review Fluids new fluids journal was presented a vital commodity, not just because it could be will be included in the Science to APS in 2014 and Physical Review fermented to make rum and ethanol, but also for Citation Index (SCI)—a system Fluids journal completed its first its use in making munitions as World War I raged that ranks a journal's “impact fac- volume at the end of 2016. Although in Europe. Located in the North End of Boston, tor” in its respective fields. Physical Review Fluids is still in the tank was built hastily because of the war, with “The current submission [rate] its infancy, the editors are positive rather loose regard for safety regulations. Most is about one half of what we used about the journal’s progress. notably, it was never filled to capacity to test for to receive in Physics Of Fluids … “We are very happy with our leakage, prior to being used to store molasses. in large part due to the fact that first volume, both in terms of qual- Not surprisingly, the tank leaked from the start, Physical Review Fluids is not The rushing wall of molasses carried enough force ity and the scope we have covered,” showing brownish-red stains in stark contrast to to damage a nearby elevated railroad. yet included in SCI, which is the writes John Kim of the University the original blue paint job. Some people even col- major consideration for the authors All told, the flood killed 21 people (along with of California, Los Angeles, and lected the leaked molasses for their personal use. in Asian countries. We hope that several horses) and injured 150 others. Rescue co-lead editor of Physical Review When a few local residents finally complained, the we will reach that point soon, and efforts were undertaken by several cadets from Fluids, in an email to APS News. company painted the tank to match the stains, in we expect that Physical Review the USS Nantucket, which was docked at a local “[Our submissions] so far have order to camouflage the leaks. Fluids will be indexed sometime pier, as well as police officers, the Red Cross, and ranged from fundamental fluid In hindsight, a catastrophic failure was inevita- early next year, [which] will cer- Army and Navy personnel in the area. Survivors mechanics to applications, to ble, and disaster struck on the afternoon of January tainly increase the total number of were taken to a makeshift hospital, although the energy creation and harvesting, 15, 1919. Witnesses heard a roar, a rumbling sound, submissions,” says Kim. rescuers struggled to reach victims in time because biology, forensics, understanding of and then a crash and a loud bang. The the tank — The editorial board of Physical of the difficulty of wading through the molasses. It climate change, all the way to the which had just been filled to near capacity a few Review Fluids hopes to maintain took weeks to clean up the mess, using salt water implications of landing on Mars.” days before — had collapsed under the strain, and and leverage close ties with the to wash the stuff away and sand to absorb any With help from the two lead 8.7 million liters of molasses rushed into the streets APS Division of Fluid Dynamics. remaining behind. Even so, people had tracked editors, Kim and Gary Leal of of Boston, peaking in height at 27 meters and flow- Beginning in 2017, Physical molasses through adjacent streets, subways, pay University of California, Santa ing as fast as 56 kilometers per hour. Review Fluids will feature the phones, streetcars, even into their homes. Barbara, 12 associate editors and Boston residents sued Purity Distilling’s par- prizewinners of the Gallery of 17 editorial board members, the ent company, the United States Industrial Alcohol Fluid Motion (gfm.aps.org), and journal has attracted hundreds of Company, which initially claimed that the flood invited papers from the annual papers. About 75% of submissions had occurred because anarchists had blown up the DFD meeting. The gallery is an are from the United States, Canada, tank as an act of terror. This initially seemed plau- array of short video clips and poster and Europe, and a steady 60 sub- wikimedia commons sible, given how fast the molasses spread through images that highlight the aesthetic missions are being received each the streets. But investigators concluded this was beauty of fluid motion and typically month. Kim and Leal are former baseless. In the end, the courts found the company draws in crowds of all backgrounds editors of the journal Physics of responsible, with survivors of the victims receiv- to the DFD meetings. Fluids, published by the American ing roughly $7,000 each as compensation for their “Being part of the highly rec- Institute of Physics Publishing. loss. And two decades later, physicists discovered ognized Physical Review family is “While this is a great result for that gravity acting on the viscous fluid provided increasing our recognition,” Kim a journal in this field, and espe- sufficient driving force to account for the speed adds. “...In the future, in addition cially for a new journal that has of the molasses. to traditional fluid mechanics top- yet to be indexed, [the submission Several factors contributed to the bursting of ics, we would like to expand more rate] is still about 30% less than the tank. Some hypothesized that the fermentation into areas such as bio-related fluid the top competitors,” says Luigi process caused carbon dioxide to build up inside dynamics, including swimming and Longobardi, the Physical Review the tank, until its rivets burst. Alternatively, a 2014 flying, micro- and nano-scale fluid Aftermath of the rupture of a tank of molasses in Fluids journal manager at APS. structural engineering analysis by Ronald Mayville dynamics, flows of complex fluids Boston, January 15, 1919. “What is more important for us found that steel used to make the tank was half as and soft materials, geophysical and is to attract a healthy number of The onslaught was sufficiently powerful to flat- thick as it should have been, given its size, and also environmental flows.” papers, but we also want high qual- ten several buildings and do significant damage was far more brittle than modern steel because of To learn more about Physical ity content. From this point of view, to the girders of the nearby elevated train. People the absence of manganese. Furthermore, the rivet we are about to close a very strong Review Fluids, visit journals.aps. caught in the flow struggled waist-deep in the holes were not reinforced, making them more likely first volume at the end of 2016.” org/prfluids molasses, and contemporary newspaper accounts to deteriorate under stress. describe people being picked up and hurled several Yet nobody had really studied the fluid dynamics feet, crushed by and drowned in molasses. Others of how the molasses behaved during the flood until APS News online succumbed to injuries and infections in the subse- aps.org/apsnews quent weeks. MOLASSES continued on page 3

Series II, Vol. 26, No. 1 APS COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES 2017 General Councilors TBD (Polymer Physics), Noah Finkelstein (Forum on January 2017 President Nadya Mason, Gail McLaughlin*, Bonnie Fleming, Education), Julia Gonski, (Forum on Graduate Student © 2017 The American Physical Society Laura H. Greene*, Florida State University, Magnet Andrea Liu Affairs), Dan Kleppner* (Forum on History of Phys- Laboratory ics), John Rumble* (Forum on Industrial and Applied International Councilors Physics), Young-Kee Kim* (Forum on International Editor...... David Voss President-Elect Eliezer Rabinovici, Johanna Stachel, Kiyoshi Ueda, Physics), Pushpa Bhat* (Forum on Physics and Roger W. Falcone*, University of California, Berkeley/ Marta Losada Society), TBD (Mid-Atlantic Section), Carlos Wexler Science Writer ...... Rachel Gaal LBNL (Prairie Section) Contributing Correspondent ...... Alaina G. Levine Chair, Nominating Committee Design and Production...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik Vice President Paul Chaikin, New York University Senior Management Team David J. Gross*, KITP, University of California, Santa Mark Doyle, Chief Information Officer, Jane Hopkins Copyeditor and Proofreader...... Edward Lee Barbara Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Gould, Chief Financial Officer, Kate P. Kirby, Chief Frances A. Houle, Lawrence Berkeley National Executive Officer, Pierre Meystre, Editor in Chief, APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X yearly, Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publica- Past-President Laboratory Matthew M. Salter, Publisher, James W. Taylor, monthly, except the August/September issue, by the tion delivered by Periodical Mail Postage Paid at Col- Homer A. Neal*, University of Michigan Deputy Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Col- lege Park, MD and at additional mailing offices. Editor in Chief lege Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It contains Chief Executive Officer Pierre Meystre, University of Arizona (retired) * Voting Members of the APS Board of Directors news of the Society and of its Divisions, Topical Groups, For address changes, please send both the old and new Kate P. Kirby, Harvard Smithsonian (retired) Sections, and Forums; advance information on meetings addresses, and, if possible, include a mailing label from Division, Forum and Section Councilors of the Society; and reports to the Society by its commit- a recent issue. Changes can be emailed to membership@ Speaker of the Council Miriam Forman (Astrophysics), Timothy Gay* tees and task forces, as well as opinions. aps.org. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS Daniel Kleppner*, Massachusetts Institute of Technol- (Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics), William Bi- News, Membership Department, American Physical ogy (Emeritus) alek (Biological Physics), Robert Continetti (Chemical Letters to the editor are welcomed from the member- Society, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740- Physics), Giulia Galli (Computational Physics), John ship. Letters must be signed and should include an ad- 3844. Treasurer Bradley Marston* (Condensed Matter Physics), Ann dress and daytime telephone number. APS reserves the James Hollenhorst*, Agilent Technologies Karagozian (Fluid Dynamics), Beverly Berger (Gravi- right to select and to edit for length and clarity. All cor- tational Physics), Nicholas Bigelow* (Laser Science), respondence regarding APS News should be directed to: Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Corporate Secretary TBD (Materials Physics), TBD (Nuclear Physics), Editor, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, Ken Cole, APS P. Michael Tuts (Particles & Fields), Thomas Roser MD 20740-3844, Email: [email protected]. (Physics of Beams), Cary Forest (Plasma Physics), January 2017 • 3

Michael Lubell Departs APS APS Welcomes New and Current Fellows after 22 Years of Service

Michael Lubell has stepped down from his position as director of the Ken Cole Ken Cole APS Office of Public Affairs after more than 22 years of dedicated service. During this time he brought considerable experience, passion, and original thinking to his advocacy and advisory role. His efforts contributed to noteworthy successes of the Society, and benefited physicists and science significantly. Michael put his fine writing skills to work in his “Inside the Beltway” column in APS News and he lectured widely about APS activities and science policy issues at university campuses and national laboratories. Francis Slakey, APS Associate Director of Public Affairs, will serve as Interim Director of the APS Office of Public Affairs until the search for a permanent Director is complete.

In December, APS hosted a reception in Greenbelt, Maryland, to welcome new Washington area Fellows and greet current Fellows. (Left) Nobel Laureate John Mather of NASA. (RIght) 2017 APS President Laura Greene News from the APS Office of Florida State University. For a complete list of fellows, visit aps.org/programs/honors/fellowships/ of Public Affairs APS’s Office of Public Affairs Helped More than 2,000 Members Advocate for Science During 2016 FICO Scores with Chaos Theorist By Tawanda W. Johnson pages, and making phone calls and By Alaina G. Levine The APS Office of Public district visits in states such as South Predicting the seemingly unpre- Zoldi’s secret weapon is his became fractured and unpredict- Affairs (OPA) worked with more Dakota, Texas, and New York. dictable is the name of the game for physics education, and his fascina- able. LANL became embroiled in than 2,000 Society members for a In New York, OPA worked with FICO (originally named Fair, Isaac, tion with the subject stems from his an international incident in which record-setting grassroots advocacy members and students at four dif- and Company), one of the largest parents—his father taught physics hard drives went missing and seri- effort in 2016. They delivered a ferent locations to organize con- analytics firms in the nation. While at the University of Maine, near ous concerns were raised regarding strong message about science to gressional office visits during a it is best known for its FICO credit where he grew up, and his mother who had access to sensitive labora- congressional representatives by three-day period. In the regional score that lenders use to determine taught math at Husson College. He tory information. Suddenly, policies writing op-eds, sending letters, offices of U.S. Sen. Kirsten loan interest rates, in fact the went to the University of Maine in were put into place which signifi- Gillibrand (D) and U.S. Rep. 60-year-old firm’s business is much Orono, graduating with a bachelors cantly restricted lab employee col- making phone calls, and partici- th pating in local and Capitol Hill Louise M. Slaughter (D-25 ), the broader than that. It sells a whole in engineering physics in 1994. laborations with scientists from meetings. meetings focused on research fund- suite of products and services for He went to grad school at Duke outside the U.S. Zoldi’s work was “We had a nearly 20 percent ing and STEM education issues. a range of customers, including University, where he became inter- negatively affected, as his partners increase in APS-member involve- “In Senator Gillibrand’s office, financial institutions, non-financial ested in areas of math and phys- were scattered across the planet. ment from 2015,” said Francis I met with Niambe Tomlinson, and corporations, and even individuals, ics “where our ability to explain Around the same time, Zoldi Slakey, interim director of OPA we had time for a much longer with a very specific value proposi- the world breaks down,” he says. took a jaunt to San Diego to visit a following the departure of direc- discussion—nearly 40 minutes— tion: FICO aims to foretell risk and Chaos theory enveloped him, as he friend, and “I fell in love with this tor Michael Lubell. “But it’s not that rarely happens in a meeting stop fraud. took a deep dive into simulations of place,” he says. The strange attrac- just the numbers that matter. We’re in the D.C. office,” said Scott For FICO to maintain its brand condensed matter systems, which tion was immediate and encom- working to make sure that our Franklin, professor of physics and as an industry leader in uncovering gave him his first taste of high per- passing, and rather impulsively, he members have constructive inter- astronomy at Rochester Institute financial cons, it must stay innova- formance computing. says, he began plotting a getaway actions with their elected officials.” of Technology. “I was able to take tive and agile. The solution is in the from the mesa to the sea. OPA introduced several changes a student, so the aide got a good data analytics. In order to protect its HNC Software, a San Diego in the grassroots efforts in 2016 idea of my work through both my clients from fraud and other mali- firm developing software based to enhance the impact of member eyes and those of a student. We’re cious behaviors, FICO relies on tera- chiefly on artificial neural net- engagement. “One shift we made,” in the process of arranging a lab bytes of data, collected both in the works, came across his radar. It said Slakey, “was to focus more visit now.” past and in real time, to predict the had a credit-card-detection product on state-based activities.” Tactics The staffers were recep- next financial moves of individuals that seemed interesting. The prod- included targeting local op-ed OPA continued on page 5 and organizations. This seemingly uct “needed to make predictions in chaotic system has to be overseen real time,” he describes. To prevent MOLASSES continued from page 2 by someone with both a keen eye potential fraudulent purchases, “It and an appreciation for how to had to be automated. It had to have aerospace-engineer-turned-sci- Sharp believes that under- extract knowledge from credit card an intelligent model that analyzed ence-communicator Nicole Sharp standing the physics of the Great swipes and the other minutia of our a large transaction history quickly teamed up last year with Harvard Molasses Flood could provide daily lives. FICO’s wrangler is Scott and outputed a score into a system graduate students Jordan Kennedy insight onto other structural fail- Scott Zoldi Zoldi, a Ph.D. physicist with a back- to make a decision.” and Shmuel Rubinstein to conduct ures, such as breached levees or ground in chaos theory who serves As a doctoral student, Zoldi “I saw parallels between my work rheological studies of the substance industrial spills. But the flood is as the company’s Chief Analytics received a Department of Energy and their needs,” Zoldi says. When and model the resulting data. Then also a useful interdisciplinary edu- Officer (CAO), a position he has Computational Science Graduate he joined the company in 1999, “I they compared the models’ predic- cational tool, incorporating fluid held since 2015. Fellowship, which required he had been spending all of my time tions with historical accounts of the dynamics, structural mechanics, “Any behavior—of people, complete a practicum, essentially looking at patterns, and the transition actual flood. And those predictions and engineering, in addition to numbers or events—is ultimately an internship, at a federal govern- from normal to abnormal. So now I matched reasonably well with the history, ethics, and law. “We hope unpredictable. Or is it?” Zoldi ment laboratory. He spent two sum- was enthralled with how you could details Sharp et al. gleaned from that, by shedding some light on says with a wink. “From my post- mers at the Center for Nonlinear apply that to people, and capture that the archives. the physics of a fascinating and doctoral work in chaos theory to Studies at Los Alamos National in an equation, because people are By doing so, they gained some surreal historical event, we can a career in analytic science, I’ve Laboratory (LANL). “It was a not as regular as physical systems. insight into highly viscous spread- inspire a greater appreciation for been endlessly fascinated by the perfect fit for me,” he recalls. The They are a lot harder to describe, but ing flows. Molasses typically fluid dynamics among out students behavioral patterns and predictive problems were eye-opening. “One that was part of the fun.” falls into the category of a shear- and the public,” said Sharp. insights that data can yield. I’ve of the research areas was shadow- The challenge of how to identify thinning non-Newtonian fluid, but Further Reading: watched, with great amusement, ing theories of numerical simula- fraudulent credit card transactions Sharp et al. decided to use clas- Mayville, Ronald. 2014. “The Great the business world’s discovery of tion” he explains. “We were trying was even more complicated than sical fluid models for their study Boston Molasses Tank Failure of Big Data and subsequent obsession to understand the point at which the he expected. First of all, the data because at sufficiently cold tem- 1919,” Civil and Structural Engineer with it.” simulations break down, the equa- set was “humongous, consisting peratures—like those on that fateful (August 26, 2014). The author of over 35 patents tions become unstable, and the sys- of nearly two-thirds of the world’s January day in Boston—it behaves Park, Edwards. 1983. “Without Warn- in areas as diverse as self-learning tem moves into unpredictability.” credit card holders,” he says. One more like a classical fluid. In other ing, Molasses in January Surged Over models, cybersecurity, and prevent- By the time he finished his of his first tasks was examining words, temperature has more of an Boston,” Smithsonian 14:213–230. ing money laundering, Zoldi has in Ph.D., he was convinced that he ways to segment the population effect on the viscosity of molas- Puleo, Stephen. 2004. Dark Tide: The the last year advanced FICO’s reach would continue as a researcher into different categories of people ses at very cold temperatures than Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919. into new sectors. He is currently in complex systems and in fact to determine personas of both legit- deformation. Additional research Boston: Beacon Press. fortifying its cybersecurity infra- became a Directors Postdoctoral imate and fraudulent card usage. should shed light on likely convec- Sharp, Nicole; Kennedy, Jordan; and structure, and is working on the Fellow at LANL, which helped Then there was the fact that the tive mixing between warm and cold Rubinstein, Shmuel. 2016. In a sea FICO Enterprise Security Score, fuel his motivation. “I had my own company was doing streaming ana- of sticky molasses: The physics of the molasses inside the storage tank a new set of products driven by money, freedom, and autonomy,” lytics, in which real-time decisions Boston Molasses Flood, Bulletin of the just prior to the structural failure, American Physical Society, Abstract machine-learning algorithms that he says, “It was perfect.” needed to be made about human which may have also contributed L27.00008. [http://meetings.aps.org/ identify cybersecurity risks across But then, rather dramatically, his to the accident. Meeting/DFD16/Session/L27.8]. a company and its supply chain. environment changed, and things SCORES continued on page 6 4 • January 2017

LUKOFF continued from page 1 money from alumni or friends of putting the Society into their estate Bemused by the Blue Whirl the University of Pennsylvania plans. I also think in the past, fun- By Rachel Gaal monly used to create fire whirls Oran describes it as a “beautiful” who wanted to invest in cures draising has been thought of as 2016 APS Division of Fluid in a laboratory, with vertical equilibrium between the airflow in for illnesses like Parkinson’s and transactional. My hope is to move Dynamics Meeting—It all start- openings that allow air to flow in- the chamber and the evaporation Alzheimer’s. APS is different, in away from that process toward a ed with 800,000 gallons of bour- ward towards the flame region. A of the fuel from the surface. “[The that I am not directly advancing relationship-building environment, bon and a lightning strike. small copper tube under the water whirl] does it naturally … but we physicists’ research, but rather so you are able to cultivate a rela- Elaine Oran and her colleagues pumped the heptane fuel to the don’t know how it all fits togeth- raising awareness about and cel- tionship with people who have at the University of Maryland were center region of the water surface. er,” Oran tells APS News. “Pretty ebrating their work and legacy— the means and capacity to give … intrigued by video footage (you- A fire whirl starts when hot weird, huh?” with the hope of inspiring the next but it requires time to understand tube.com/watch?v=ELo7VtCN9s8) flammable gas diffuses into the Although the bigger picture generation of physicists to pursue what motivates their giving, get to that surfaced of a Jim Beam ware- surrounding air and combusts, is still hazy, her team has been breakthrough science that will know them, and engage them in house that caught fire in a light- producing a turbulent flame hard at work to figure out the advance our civilization. A key the programs. The most rewarding ning storm. But the fire and alcohol above a pool of fuel. As Oran fluid dynamics, thermal proper- focus of our activity here is to raise aspect of development is when the spread to a nearby retention pond, ties, and chemical kinetics of the money for prizes and awards. It’s donor is so engaged in the orga- creating a booze-fueled “fire tor- blue whirl. Their understanding, exciting, because I am interacting nization that you don’t even have nado” over water. based purely on fluid dynamics,

with many distinguished scientists to ask them for a gift, but rather, a Elaine Oran “We spent the whole time suggests that the blue whirl forms and Nobel laureates … . I'm con- significant gift comes as a result looking at this fire whirl,” Oran from transitions called “vortex stantly in awe. of good relationship-building and exclaimed during her presentation breakdown.” As a fundamen- Do APS membership dues long-term engagement. at the 2016 APS Division of Fluid tal concept in swirl combustion, help fund prizes and awards? What got you interested in this Dynamics Meeting. “We looked vortex breakdown describes the The membership dues don’t type of work? at each other and [asked], ‘Why drastic change of vortex struc- cover everything. Membership I learned the craft of fundrais- can’t we use fire whirls to clean ture, first spiraling outward and dues pay for Physics Today, dis- ing from the former President of up oil spills?’” intensifying in speed to eventu- counted meeting registration fees, the Chemical Heritage Foundation Currently the Glenn L. Martin ally “bubble out” and stabilize as and APS News, but they don’t get (CHF), Arnold Thackray, and Institute Professor of Engineer- a lower-turbulence structure. you everything. I think we need founding chair of the Department of ing at Maryland, Oran has done So far, they’ve published their to make a stronger case for why History and Sociology of Science at extensive research with reactive Researchers at the University of findings on the physical structure our members need to contribute Penn. He was a consummate fund- Maryland are studying fire whirls as flows throughout her career. of the blue whirl, and have com- over and above their membership raiser. I learned from him to do this a potential method for remediating “[My team and I] knew the pleted experimental testing of dues; they are investing in APS type of work for pretty complex fuel spills. combustion of these fire whirls the temperature structure using as an invaluable educational and subject matter while I worked at was very efficient, but things and her team began observing in- thermocouples and hot-wire py- research resource. I think that most CHF. I’m not a scientist by training; changed when we saw this vid- creased combustion within their rometry. Their 2D thermal map, of our members know that mem- I have an art history and museum eo,” continued Oran. “We wanted setup, the unthinkable happened: obtained from multiple images, berships don’t cover our extensive studies background and started my to know if it was possible to use “The fire whirl started to inten- confirms a temperature of 2000 prizes and awards programs. But, career at the Smithsonian, think- these for something beneficial in- sify, as it pulled in more and more K in the center of the blue whirl. we clearly need to do a better job of ing that I would become a museum stead of letting them be the night- air,” explains Oran. “And then They’ve also identified the whirl showing the benefit of investing in director. As an undergraduate mare of firefighters and people … what [appeared] is this little to be stable and soot-free burning, our programs (education and diver- I spent time in Florence study- that live in the bush.” blue flame. You can hear my col- meaning that there is an abun- sity, international, public affairs, ing the Renaissance. I’m actually Fire whirls are a special kind leagues [Huahua and Ajay] say- dance of oxygen to completely and outreach) and be able to show really interested in the intersection of reactive flow that has been ing ‘Oh my god, what is that?!’” burn away the fuel from the wa- what the value of giving is. This of the arts and sciences as reflected seen before over land, but inves- This tiny hydrocarbon flame, ter’s surface. is the crux of the issue – that APS in the works of Michelangelo and tigating them in the lab requires named the “blue whirl” by Oran’s “We [also] don’t know how can make a difference to society Leonardo Da Vinci. Why were they a closer look on a smaller scale. team, is a new state of fire combus- to make the blue whirl without through its programming, but that such incredible artists and engi- With help from Michael Goll- tion. Since they released informa- the larger fire whirl first,” adds programming requires support over neers? And then Steve Jobs, he was ner, Sriram Hariharan, Huahua tion about their discovery, it has Oran. “Is there a way to bypass and above membership dues. We really into design … he was not a Xiao and Ajay Singh, Oran used been picked up by media world- that step? I’m not sure there is, need to make this clear not just to scientist per se, but I think it’s why, a high-speed camera to film the wide, and countless videos (you- but we won’t know until we get members, but to other potential in part, the iPhone sold so well. You flame within two offset half- tube.com/watch?v=kmwycbqiyRo) a computer simulation … and we donors—foundations, corporations, can probably draw a connection to cylinders over a shallow pan of show the mysterious blue flame aren’t likely to find this out by ac- and other individuals. working with these scientific orga- water. This offset setup is com- swirling on the water’s surface. cident!” What other reasons do you nizations and professional societies; think APS members should hence, the APS. donate? What else do you like to do? Beyond helping the other areas Read, visit museums, travel, and TONGUES continued from page 1 of APS, donating really goes spend time with my family. I have beyond the services to you as a grown kids—our daughter who is lae to rotate and lock onto tangles. member ... it’s about helping the a second-semester junior, and a son “[Moreover] the surface of the physics community and getting who is working and getting mar- spine itself [has] tips, which are Alexis Noel our knowledge out there: “What is ried in July; and while they both slightly sharp,” Noel added. She the value of physics to society?” live in New England, we love to said that these “claw-like spines” There are a lot of physicists work- spend time with them at holidays helped catch hairs, but wasn’t yet ing in industry and academia who or whenever we can. sure how cats used them during contribute to building incredible Have you been to Italy since cleaning. machines, like MRIs and CT scan- your undergraduate days? To investigate the function of ners. They certainly help save lives. Not to Italy, but we have trav- the spines, she recruited a labora- What changes would you eled to Europe in the past few tory assistant (her cat), and filmed like to make as Director of years; both our kids did gap years him grooming with a high-speed Development? between high school and college— camera. Noel and her team were We took up some advertis- through Rotary International. Our able to slow down the footage ing space on the APS homepage, son was in Denmark and our to identify different stages of and we want use that for things daughter in Belgium, and we trav- grooming in which cats use the like highlighting any new gifts eled with them throughout Europe sharp spines to pull tangles out of or awards ... but my hope is that I’m Romanian actually, although I their fur. (Top) Images of how a cat's tongue moves. (Center) Spines embedded in a we can get members to think in was schooled in the States. English “The sweeping motion is the cat's tongue. (Bottom) Artificial 3D printed cat tongue structure. terms of their legacy and support- isn’t my native language; I’m fluent standard grooming motion every- sue] is deformed, [which] may help a tangle, they rotate and pull,” Noel ing APS into the future, to think in Romanian and Italian and can one is familiar with,” Noel com- with grooming.” stated. “After grooming faux fur, of planned giving, and to think of converse in French. mented. “[But in this motion], As much help as her cat pro- it was [also] very easy to clean the the retraction of the tongue in a vided, Noel wanted to perform cat tongue. [Just] rub in the oppo- v-shape formation [allows] the more systematic testing—so she site direction of the spines … it all spines to catch onto the fur.” used her favorite hobby (3D print- comes off in one sweep.” “The spines go from [making a] ing) to recreate a cat tongue at Although it’s apparent that cats 20° to 30° angle with the surface 400% scale. By hooking up the are equipped with heavy-duty hair- of the tongue to almost 70° to 80° tongue model to an extensional rhe- brushes, researchers are just begin- degrees just from the stiffening of ometer and pulling it through a hair ning to untangle the science behind the tissue,” Noel continued. “As the sample attached to a force plate, their grooming. Noel and her team NewsNews and and commentary commentary about research about research tissue deforms it acts like a progres- she could measure the force in all hope to investigate how cats wet from the APS journals sive spring [which has a nonlinear directions and mimic the grooming the spines on their tongues, and from the APS journals spring constant]. It doesn’t spring mechanisms observed on film. how this moisture affects groom- Sign up for Alerts: physics.aps.org back though: the spines actually “Like a heat-seeking missile ing—depending on how many cat stay relatively vertical after the [tis- for tangles, once [the spines] find volunteers they can recruit. Sign Up for Alerts: physics.aps.org January 2017 • 5

Education & Diversity Update Gallery of Fluid Motion Winners from the APS/IBM Paid Research Internships for Undergraduate 2016 APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Meeting Women and Underrepresented Minority Students: The APS/DFD Gallery of Fluid Motion features video and poster presentations that emphasize the aesthetic Application Deadline February 15, 2017 appeal of fluid dynamics. Among the entrants, six are chosen as Gallery of Fluid Motion Award Winners and APS and IBM co-sponsor two undergraduate research internship programs; six as Milton van Dyke Award winners. For detailed information on all of the submissions and awards, visit one for undergraduate women and one for underrepresented minorities. gfm.aps.org and APS News online. For more information on the submissions and winners visit aps.org/ apsnews and gfm.aps.org The goals of the programs are to encourage women and underrepresented minority undergraduate students to pursue graduate studies in science and engineering. Both internship programs feature salaried positions at IBM research locations that are typically 10 weeks long and provide an opportunity for interns to work closely with an IBM mentor. Two letters of recommendation are required. For more information visit aps.org/programs/ women/scholarships/ibm/ Joint Graduate Education and Bridge Program Conference: Registration Deadline January 20, 2017 The 2017 Joint Graduate Education and Bridge Program Conference will be held on February 10-12 in College Park, MD. This conference will feature plenary talks on physics graduate education, panels and discus- sions on diversity, a graduate student poster session, and networking opportunities. Register now at apsbridgeprogram.org/conferences/2017/ P0020: Formation of Mini Vortex P0012: Large Eddy Simulation P0044: Accelerated Condensa- Rings Arising from a Vortex Pair of a Stratocumulus Cloud (GFM tion in an Ultrasonic Field (GFM PhysTEC Conference: Registration Open Impinging on a Wavy Wall (Milton Poster Winner) Poster Winner) The PhysTEC Conference will take place February 17-18, 2017 in Atlanta, van Dyke Poster Winner) GA. The Physics Teacher Education Coalition’s Annual Conference is the nation's largest meeting dedicated to the education of future physics teachers; it features workshops on best practices and panel discussions by national leaders, as well as excellent networking opportunities for physics teacher educators. Register now at phystec.org/conferences/2017/ registration.cfm Join the Conversation in the Women in Physics and Minorities in Physics LinkedIn Groups Get updates about career development opportunities, jobs, conferences, and articles related to women and minorities in physics. Post your own opportunities, "like" the work of others, or start a discussion about what else you'd like to see in the women and minority physics community!

Join Women in Physics at linkedin.com/groups/313547 Join Minorities in Physics at linkedin.com/groups/3959050/

OPA continued from page 3 P0028: Turbulent Horizontal Con- P0009: Computational Simula- P0030: Progressive Monte-Carlo tive to the issues raised by APS After researching the ways local vection at High Prandtl Numbers tion of Liquid Jet Atomization Rendering of Atmospheric Flow members. In one case, a staffer and D.C. congressional staff most (Milton van Dyke Poster Winner) (GFM Poster Winner) Features Across Scales (Milton offered to travel to the University effectively receive information, van Dyke Poster Winner) of Buffalo campus to meet APS OPA is broadening the technology members, leading to a nearly two- available to APS members to con- hour discussion and tour of the tact their elected officials. physics department. Beginning at the 2017 APS Slakey said OPA was especially April Meeting (held this coming effective in making inroads in the year in January), and building office of U.S. Sen. John Thune (R) through the year, members will of South Dakota. Piali De, CEO have the option to communicate and co-founder of Senscio Systems, with Congress using a range of a health-technology firm in South social media platforms. “We plan Dakota, worked with OPA to par- to include opportunities for mem- ticipate in a Capitol Hill event, bers to personalize their letters attend a meeting with Senator and tweet to their members of Thune, and write an op-ed linking Congress,” said Mack. science and innovation to jobs in In addition, OPA will provide V0046: Flight of a Falling Maple Seed (GFM Video V0038: Fall and Fragmentation of Liquid Metal in a South Dakota. members with background infor- Winner) Viscous Fluid (GFM Video Winner) APS members also engaged mation and legislative action guides their congressional representatives on a broader range of policy issues, by sending letters to support sci- including education, energy, and ence funding during the 58th annual the environment. meeting of the APS Division of OPA will also unveil a new Plasma Physics, held last fall in grassroots advocacy dispatch in San Jose, California. 2017, called Signal Boost. The “We had 408 APS members sign monthly newsletter will be sent and email letters to their congres- sional representatives, amounting via email, contain a short video to roughly 25 percent of the U.S.- briefing members on policy issues based attendees who were eligible,” and identify opportunities to get involved. V0076: Sweeping Jet from a Fluidic Oscillator in V0092: Before the Bubble Ruptures (GFM Video Winner) said Greg Mack, APS government Crossflow (Milton van Dyke Video Winner) relations specialist. “We will also profile APS mem- Mack added that the percentage bers who have terrific stories to tell of members who signed the letters about their advocacy efforts,” said was significantly higher than at pre- Mack. “There’s no magic to effec- vious meetings. tively engaging with members of “We are excited that more APS Congress; the key is having the members are contacting their con- right information and approach — gressional representatives. Not only Signal Boost will be a guide.” do elected officials become better For more information about informed about science because of OPA’s activities, visit aps.org/pol- this activity, but they also learn that icy/. To receive Signal Boost and/or it’s a priority for their constituents,” learn more about getting involved he said. with grassroots activities, contact OPA will make additional Greg Mack at [email protected]. V0095: The Shear Joy of Watching Paint Dry (Milton V0055: Eat, Prey, Swim: Dynamic Vortex Arrays Created changes in 2017 to enable stronger The author is APS Washington van Dyke Video Winner) by Starfish Larvae (Milton van Dyke Video Winner) engagement from APS members. Office Press Secretary. 6 • January 2017

PIE continued from page 1 NEWSMAKERS continued from page 1 locally in industry, many of whom an educator to test out new ideas, In the early 1970s and 1980s, Moscow and Tennessee, home of CERN’s First Female Director have terminal BS degrees, to give address weaknesses in the basic they explained phenomena in quan- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One of the scientists who took informal talks to undergraduate technical training of students, or tum states of matter, such as the respectively). a leading role in the Higgs boson quantum Hall effect and superfluid physics majors about engineering just offer advice and help outside Neutron Holography discovery of 2012, Fabiola Gianotti phase transitions. The Nobel Prize is now in charge at the European development jobs, teaching jobs, the usual classroom environment. In 2016, researchers reported in Chemistry was awarded to Jean- using neutrons to make holograms Council for Nuclear Research or other “off the beaten path” posi- In the pop-ups offered at RIT, Pierre Sauvage, J. Fraser Stoddart, (CERN) as the lab’s 15th director- tions. The talk is followed by infor- based on the same principles used students have learned how to use and Bernard L. Feringa for their general and the first woman in that mal meetings between the recent in optical holography. A neutron Arduino microcontrollers, build work in designing and synthesiz- enters an interferometer and is sep- position. Gianotti received her grad and current students. This basic electronic kits (thus devel- ing molecular machines. In award- arated into two paths by a beam Ph.D. in experimental particle phys- gives the undergraduate students a oping students’ soldering and fab- ing the prize for these advances in splitter, generating reference and ics from the University of Milan in direct view of what they could actu- rication skills), and use the machine nanotechnology, the Nobel commit- object beams. The object beam was 1989 and officially became director ally be doing in a few years, and shop. Some pop-ups even taught tee singled out Richard Feynman’s given a spatially varying phase after general in January 2016. She says what skills they need to develop. some materials characterization 1959 after-dinner speech “There’s passing through a test object called that one of her top priorities is to Often overlooked as a resource, techniques. A variety of other short Plenty of Room at the Bottom.” a spiral-phase plate (a device that continue to collect high-quality data such speakers can help with job pop-up classes being planned for Rise and Fall of the 750 GeV imparts helicity), while the refer- during LHC’s Run II, which began placements, co-op or intern place- the spring are aimed at teaching Bump ence beam, as in optical hologra- in 2015 and is achieving collision ments, as well as give practical computational skills. These profi- In 2015, researchers at the LHC phy, is unaltered. The two beams energies of 13 TeV. And in 2016 she advice for the next cohort of stu- were combined at another beam ciencies are directly transferable to at CERN saw an unexpected excess has signed on new associate mem- dents. Often the invited speakers of so-called diphoton events at an splitter, and the resulting beams industrial internships or co-op posi- bers Cyprus, India, Slovenia, and are honored and happy to be asked energy of 750 GeV, raising hopes of sent to an imaging detector. The Ukraine, and welcomed Romania tions, and give students the tools to to come back and help. a crack in the standard model and unique setup may offer a new way as a new member state. tinker on their own. Pop-up courses Referencing Current chances for new physics. Normally, to study neutrons and use neutron Rosetta’s Last Signal have also been offered on profes- imaging for characterizing proper- Technologies: Too often we, as such a bump in the night would After 10 years from launch to sional development topics, such ties of materials. physics educators, are stuck in the be subjected to intense statistical final landing, the Rosetta probe as choosing graduate programs, mindset where “Modern Physics” scrutiny, but the fact that two inde- The Solar System’s 9th from the European Space Agency resume writing, interviewing, and means circa 1910. Our discipline pendent LHC teams — ATLAS Resident? (ESA) made contact with its tar- favors systematic development of networking skills like “elevator and CMS — observed the same Just when we thought the con- get—Comet 67P—on September the building blocks of technologi- speeches.” excess raised hopes even further. troversy over Pluto’s status was 30, 2016. As the first probe to cal and scientific progress. All this These pop-up courses have been Particle theorists got to work, gen- past, researchers announced that a orbit around a comet and release a erating hundreds of research papers scaffolding takes a very long time very well received by students, and 9th planet may exist, and it might be lander (named Philae) to the rock’s explaining what the anomaly might to develop, which can shortchange have required minimal faculty time throwing things in the solar system surface, Rosetta’s historical mis- be. A favored explanation was a students, who need to see that phys- investment, institutional buy-in, off balance. According to the calcu- sion captured over 80,000 images, new particle, the digamma, which lations of Konstantin Batygin and ics plays an integral role in tech- equipment or facilities. In addition revealing big grains of water ice decayed into pairs of photons. Alas, Mike Brown at Caltech, Planet 9 to developing specific expertise, on the comet’s surface, molecular nologies we all use right now. RIT analysis in August 2016 of more appears to orbit at about 30 degrees oxygen in its coma, and diverse offers a seminar survey course for they have allowed our students data taken by both teams showed off from other planets’ orbital landscapes. Rosetta’s pictures a physics majors in which students to work together, “just for fun,” no bump, suggesting that the 2015 planes, and would travel almost month before its landing uncovered give group presentations on truly which has built camaraderie and excess was a statistical fluke. 93 billion miles from the sun. It Philae’s location, much to the relief “modern” technology (within the cooperation. may have evaded detection owing Celebrity Elements of the navigation crew. Rosetta’s last 25 years). The groups not only Practically speaking, the over- to its faraway orbital path, but its The International Union of sidekick had crashed on Comet 67P, spend time on the physics, but also whelming majority of our under- mass (about 10 times that of Earth) Pure and Applied Physics decided and tumbled into a dark crevice, the corporate processes, patents, graduate physics majors will not seems to have created some pertur- on names for 4 newly established where it lost contact. personalities, and business deci- go on to graduate school and an elements: Nihonium (Nh), for the bations in the observations. Batygin In Memoriam sions that went into bringing these academic career doing physics element 113, Moscovium (Mc), for and Brown announced their results The physical sciences com- products to market. I have learned research. Many are headed for the element 115, Tennessine (Ts), during the joint meeting of the munity lost a number of notable a lot about OLED's, carbon fiber industrial R&D, teaching, engi- for the element 117, and Oganesson American Astronomical Society’s Division of Planetary Sciences and individuals in 2016. Among them technology, Gorilla Glass, high- neering, or entrepreneurial ven- (Og), for the element 118. Picking the European Planetary Science were human rights campaigner and energy magnets, and other tech- tures of their own. There are many names for these newcomers was nologies by listening to these completed in 2016, and officials Congress in October 2016. physicist Joseph Birman (October ways that we can supplement their 1); particle physicist James Cronin presentations. So often these stu- settled on several honorary labels. Kokabee Freed training to better prepare them for (August 25) and condensed mat- dents are amazed to find out that Nihonium (Nh) credits the first “Prisoner of conscience” Omid these futures, while maintaining ter physicist Walter Kohn (April Nobel prizes go to industrial physi- element discovered in an Asian Kokabee was released on parole the integrity and strengths of a tra- 19), both Nobel Laureates; plasma cists, that corporations stumble into country, and is the Japanese name from Iran’s Evin prison at the end ditional physics program. Change physicist and former director of fascinating technologies, and that for Japan (the Land of the Rising of August after serving only half comes rather quickly, if only one or the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab gizmos we count on every day rely Sun), and Oganesson (Og) cel- of his original sentence. Kokabee, two faculty members in a depart- Ronald Davidson (May 19); particle on innovations grounded in basic ebrates physicist Yuri Oganessian. who was convicted of “communi- ment say “How can we add some physicist Sidney Drell (December physics. Students gain insight into cating with a hostile government,” was initially sentenced to 10 years 21) well known for his work in the chaotic path toward develop- stuff … .” to make our physics bachelor's program more useful for IUPAC at Evin. Kokabee wrote to his fam- nuclear arms control; former NIST ment of real products, and also deputy director Katharine Gebbie students headed for these common, ily from Evin prison saying that acquire an ability to give an inter- (August 17); and atomic physicist exciting, and non-academic paths. he was jailed for repeatedly refus- esting and germane talk on a sub- Deborah Jin (September 15), who The author is associate pro- ing to agree to Iranian govern- ject they are not expert in. ment requests to work on military lost her battle with cancer at age 47. fessor in the School of Physics Doing Pop-Up Classes: research. The first-year physics The cosmology and astrophysics and Astronomy at the Rochester Another approach is to offer pop- doctoral student at the University world also saw the passing of two up classes. These are extra-curric- Institute of Technology. of Texas at Austin received sup- leading researchers, Tom Kibble ular, non-credit-bearing seminars Don’t miss a special webinar port from the scientific community (June 2), who co-discovered the or activities on any technical sub- on Pop-Up Classrooms featuring since his imprisonment, but he then Higgs mechanism, and Vera Rubin ject. One of the courses offered by Professor Barton on January 24, Welcome to the table developed cancer while incarcer- (December 25), who with Kent RIT was a single two-hour session, 2017. Visit careers/guidance/webi- Moscovium (Mg) and Tennessine ated. He was granted medical fur- Ford first analyzed the galactic while others have spanned several nars/popupclasses.cfm for more (Ts) have slightly more obvious lough to recover from surgery to stellar velocities that confirmed the weeks. Pop-ups can allow you as information. inspirations (the Russian capital remove his cancerous kidney. existence of dark matter.

SCORES continued from page 3 behavior in 10 to 15 milliseconds. 100 or 200 key variables that are where the system becomes unstable has approximately 100 physicists, tive product, “This allows me to be “So you have to anticipate what you used to quantify whether a transac- or unpredictable, and even making mathematicians, and statisticians, satisfied as a researcher.” can calculate recursively about pur- tion is fraudulent or not, and Zoldi’s unstable systems stable by adding bigger than most university phys- But looking back, would he have chase history,” he says. “I’m going role was to constantly fine-tune the perturbations. But here, there was ics departments. “I feel it is a little been able to use his own predictive to have to anticipate if you make a models that process those variables no equation. It was an entirely dif- like being in academia, perhaps analytics to guess where he’d be purchase whether is it really you or and return a score regarding the ferent way to come up with hypoth- even more supercharged,” he says. today? The answer is a resounding is it a fraudster.” validity of the purchase. eses to describe people.” Between the patents he files and no. “This has been a great move “Now when you make a pur- “That was really hard for me,” But he persevered, and when the continued research he conducts for me,” he assesses, “I wouldn’t chase, the algorithm pulls up a card he admits, thinking back to when HNC was bought by FICO he in all areas of analytics, including have expected this career path, but purchase profile—the math vari- he started in this business. “I was advanced to an even higher level one or two projects each year which in hindsight it’s well correlated with ables that summarize your purchase really, really good in coming up role in data mining. Today, as CAO are exploratory in nature and are my physics research and a big part history,” he says. There are about with an equation, understanding of FICO Analytics, Zoldi’s division not necessarily tied to a prospec- of why I’m successful.” January 2017 • 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS

Reviews of Modern Physics Active particles in complex and crowded environments Clemens Bechinger, Roberto Di Leonardo, Hartmut Löwen, Charles Reichhardt, Giorgio Volpe, and Giovanni Volpe This article reviews both experimental and theoretical advances in the field of active matter which consists of natural and artificial objects capable of self-propulsion. Prime examples of active particles are Brownian particles, biological or manmade microscopic and nanoscopic objects, that can propel themselfes by taking up energy from their environment and converting it into directed motion. The review provides a guided tour through the basic prin- ciples and fabrication of active particles and discusses also many interesting future directions these manmade micromachines and nanomachines could take as autonomous agents for healthcare, sustainability, and security applications. doi.org/10.1103/RevModPhys.88.045006 journals.aps.org/rmp

ACTUALIZATION OF THE ACTUALIZATION OF THE of FIAP 2017 CONFERENCE • APRIL 17-19 • MONTEREY, CA Registration & Abstract Submission Deadline: March 25, 2017 FIAP 2017 CONFERENCE APRIL 17-19 • MONTEREY, CA Learn more at go.aps.org/fiap-iot

2017 - 2018 INDUSTRY DAY APS Congressional Science Fellowship Physics at Work for You WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15 THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY is currently accepting applications for the Congressional Science Fellowship Program. Fellows serve one year on the staff of a senator, representative or congressional committee. They Join industry R&D leaders, entrepreneurs, and senior are afforded an opportunity to learn the legislative process and explore scientists from both academic and national labs to hear science policy issues from the lawmakers’ perspective. In turn, Fellows have about cutting edge developments and well-established the opportunity to lend scientific and technical expertise to public policy issues. projects that are already a part of your everyday life. QUALIFICATIONS include a Ph.D. or equivalent in physics or a closely related field, a strong interest in science and technology policy and, ideally, some experience in applying scientific knowledge toward the solution of societal problems. Fellows are required to be members of the APS. TERM OF APPOINTMENT is one year, beginning in September of 2017 with participation in a two week Satellite sessions on orientation sponsored by AAAS. Fellows have considerable choice in congressional assignments. TUESDAY, MARCH 15 A STIPEND is offered in addition to allowances for relocation, in-service travel, and health insurance AND premiums. THURSDAY, MARCH 16 APPLICATION should consist of a letter of intent of no more than two pages, a two-page resume with one additional page for publications, and three letters of reference. For detailed information on materials required for applying and additional program information visit aps.org/policy/fellowships/congressional.cfm

go.aps.org/mm17-industry-day TM All application materials must be submitted online by 5:00 PM EST on January 13, 2017.

ROWING continued from page 1 When the robotic rowers dipped a desynchronized way probably are won by only a few seat lengths. their 30-centimeter oars in the to avoid fluctuations of speed and “The overall balance between fric- water at the same time—like com- thus reduce the power dedicated to tion and propulsion makes the syn- Our heartfelt thanks to all who supported APS petitive rowers do—the research- swimming,” noted Boucher. chronous rowing mode the fastest,” programs in 2016. ers found that the boat’s speed rose The researchers programmed said Boucher. (In fact, there’s only and fell by up to 20% every stroke. each robot to row out of phase one record of asynchronous rowing, Gifts to APS allow us to continue to enhance That’s like a car repeatedly losing from its neighbors by one eighth of which was attempted by a British and deliver outreach and education programs and gaining 20 kilometers per hour a rowing cycle. When they released rowing crew in 1929.) not covered by membership dues. PhysTEC, for on the highway. Real boats with the boat, they found that its speed To understand why synchron- example, addresses the severe, long-term human rowers also exhibit this fluctuations were roughly an order icity appears to be favorable, shortage of qualified high-school physics same variation, which is caused of magnitude lower than when the researchers are now examin- teachers in the U.S. by rowers all moving their bodies the robots rowed synchronously. ing another aspect of rowing: the forwards and backwards together Asynchronous rowing reduces hull recovery stroke. This motion occurs as they complete a rowing stroke. friction compared with rowing in Your partnership and support help us broaden when the rower moves his or her These speed fluctuations can sig- synchrony, the authors noted, but the reach and impact of programs that advance body opposite the direction of the nificantly slow down a boat. “Large asking human rowers to row like and diffuse the knowledge of physics. Together boat’s movement while preparing to fluctuations in boat speed increase shrimp legs isn’t advisable. For we are a stronger voice and advocate for the place the oar in the water again. It’s the friction on the hull,” Boucher starters, there’s the increased like- future of the Physics Community, and science in explained. lihood of clashing oars, a real pos- during this time that the boat slows general. For this, we are truly grateful. The team next investigated sibility given that they’re nearly down the most, but the motion is whether they could reduce these four meters long. Tangling oars can necessary to “reset” the rowers and speed fluctuations. Inspired by eject rowers from their seats, tum- allow them to take another stroke. nature, they instructed their bling them into the water. Boucher The physicists are studying how To learn more about giving opportunities and robotic athletes to row asynchro- and Labbé also showed that asyn- changing the speed of the recovery ways to donate to APS programs, please contact nously by not dipping their oars in chronous rowing resulted in a lower stroke affects boat speed. Boucher Irene I. Lukoff, APS Director of Development, at the water at the same time. Some average boat speed than synchro- and Labbé expect that their find- [email protected] or (301) 209-3223. animals move their legs one after nous rowing. The difference in ings will lead to improved rowing the other for propulsion, and the speed—roughly 8%—is significant techniques and more efficient pro- researchers wondered whether and translates into a margin of sev- pulsion through the water. the same asynchronous move- eral boat lengths in a race. That’s The author is a freelance sci- ment might increase the speed of an enormous distance considering ence writer based in Portland, a rowing shell. “Shrimp swim in that most elite rowing competitions Oregon. 8 • January 2017

The Physics of Skateboarding: Making Science Relevant, Engaging, and Motivational By William H. Robertson

lthough I am a professor at the University of Texas at El APaso, I’m also known as Dr. Skateboard. People often ask, “Why are you Dr. Skateboard?” or “What’s up with the Dr. Skateboard thing?” So let me give you the backstory. I’ll begin with the skateboard. I have been a skateboarder now for almost 40 years. I started skateboarding when I was thirteen years old, because it was something fun to do with my friends. When I was in middle school in Richmond, Virginia, I also decided that I wanted to be a professional skateboarder. As I progressed in the sport I competed as an amateur, and this allowed me to travel up and down the East Coast and even out to California. In the 1980s, I made my living as a professional skate- boarder through endorsements and prize money while par- ticipating in contests and demonstrations, as well as traveling around the U.S. and abroad. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, I did shows at many interesting venues, including state fairs, skateparks and music festivals. Today, I continue to do demonstrations, mostly in schools. I am a skateboarder. It is part of who I am. But what about the “Dr.”? You might think that since I have been skateboarding for so long, it would make me a doctor. Well it goes a little further than that. When I was in middle school, I set some goals to try and achieve success in my education as well as my sport. Really, no one in my circle had a doctorate. One skateboarding buddy said, “Dude, I don’t know anyone with a Ph.D.” I had a dream of going to college, and that dream took me all the way to getting a Ph.D., something I never thought would happen. My persona as Dr. Skateboard became a path for me to connect with students about setting high goals in all that they do. It is a way of bringing together high achievement in your education and in what you enjoy. For me, skateboarding became the vehicle that led to my success in education. In fact, the skills I learned in skate- boarding, such as practice, creativity, discipline, persistence, and setting goals, later made me successful in school. Young people can in effect learn more when they can see practical applications in their own lives. My inspiration for choosing skateboarding to teach physics came from my work with in the street or on flat ground. Additionally, the trucks (the But you might ask, what keeps me motivated? Why is middle school students who were not interested in the topics structures that attach the wheel assemblies to the deck) on Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science my passion today? I’m try- of science class until I showed how much of physics, such as a skateboard deck are fulcrums, and they allow the rider to ing to reach out to the kid who’s maybe not that interested forces and motion, were found in things they did regularly control the movement of a trick by applying or releasing in school, maybe a bit marginalized, and find pathways for — such as skateboarding. So, this idea that there was a lot force on the nose or tail. Another simple machine on the those people to learning. It is about helping skateboarders of physics in skateboarding led me to coin the phrase Action skateboard is the wheel and axle, consisting of the urethane to see themselves as scientists. It’s about mentoring young Science. It has the action of action sports, and has the science wheels with sealed bearings and the axle that extends through people in order to help them succeed, and to make college of motion, forces, and simple machines. the truck. On a skateboard, the wheels and axles help the rider part of that plan. It’s about helping boys and girls to set goals Often, students will ask their teacher, “What is the point to perform standard moves like rolling, spinning, grinding, and to achieve them in STEM. It’s about everyone working of this?” or “Why are we doing this anyway?” They want and carving. By definition, the skateboard is a compound together in our communities so that your zip code doesn’t to know exactly how the material they’re learning in class machine, as it has more than one simple machine. have to be your final destination. I believe if we can tap into will apply to their everyday lives because, at times, it seems So, I put it all together and called it Dr. Skateboard’s what kids like to do and help them to make connections to disconnected from what they do. Physical science concepts Action Science, which is a curriculum supplement that teaches their learning, and we can carefully and caringly guide them are often taught quite traditionally in school, and in an almost physics in a fun way that integrates skateboarding and BMX through this process, they can really achieve success. It’s clinical manner, isolated to a specific circumstance within a (a kind of stunt bicycle technique). It has also been used to about inspiring others to use their gifts to achieve success classroom. This is what disconnects the tools and the con- engage students all over the U.S., in Canada, Mexico, and and to help one another. tent from the students' experiences. There is a real need for into South America. I also wrote a book for teachers entitled Brief Bio educators to explore and connect content in settings that are Action Science: Relevant Teaching and Active Learning that William H. Robertson is a professor in the Teacher both authentic and relatable for students. integrates teaching methods, video, and hands-on activities Education Department in the College of Education at the Where does learning occur? Learning takes place when within an approach that focuses on immersing students in University of Texas, El Paso. His you go to areas of high risk and high ambiguity. When you experiences and then providing content. Action Science is academic areas of expertise are are learning something, there is usually something you are the use of familiar objects, materials, and experiences to laying on the line, and that is where real learning occurs. I teach concepts in STEM. in science education, curriculum see education as less about what you know, and more about On my website, I integrated Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, development, and technology inte- what you can master. Because if you can master one thing, and YouTube in order to communicate to students in a vari- gration in the K-12 levels. A long- you can probably master something else. In skateboarding, ety of media. Action Science is all about making concepts time participant and performer in you have to master the Ollie, which is a skater’s technique in STEM real to students and making things relevant and skateboarding with over 40 years for flying through the air. The Ollie showcases the principles in context. We shot a lot of video, we have tried to make it in the sport, Dr. Robertson has of flight by demonstrating that you have to overcome grav- educational, and the program continues to grow. Today, on developed Dr. Skateboard’s Action ity, and counter friction (or drag) with thrust. When students my YouTube channel, I have over 70 videos that present Science (drskateboard.com), which understand the physics, they're not just skateboarders. They educational content in engaging formats. addresses physical science concepts for middle school stu- become scientists riding around in a field laboratory, engaging Connecting with students and teachers through live dents utilizing skateboarding and bicycle motocross (BMX). in concepts in motion, forces and simple machines. A skate- action speaks to my roots and allows me to do interesting He is the author of Action Science: Relevant Teaching and boarder in a skatepark is actively analyzing, synthesizing, and things in the community. Recently, we developed “Skatepark Active Learning. evaluating the environment, while making small adjustments Mathematics” to present concepts in algebra and geometry; Online Resources built around trial and error. students collected data, using the athletes as the projectiles 1. Dr. Skateboard website: drskateboard.com The skateboard itself has a number of simple machines in experiments. We also have done large arena presenta- 2. Dr. Skateboard on Facebook: facebook.com/drskateboard that make it functional and fun. Modern decks (the board you tions to over 8000 local middle school students, to present 3. Dr. Skateboard on Twitter: twitter.com/drskateboard stand on) have an upturned nose and tail. Each end of the STEM concepts in innovative ways. We wanted students to 4. Dr. Skateboard on Instagram: instagram.com/drsk8board/ deck can act as a lever for the rider, and help a skateboarder see themselves on a university campus, and that college is a 5. Dr. Skateboard YouTube Channel: youtube.com/user/drsk- to lessen the force exerted while performing tricks on ramps, place where learning is cool. 8board

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