January 2008 Volume 17, No. 1

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APS NEWS Meet the New APS President A Publication of the American Physical Society • www.aps.org/publications/apsnews Page 3

APS April Meeting Convenes in St. Louis APS Launches New Prize for Approximately 1200 physicists In keeping with the more gener- the APS Committee on Minorities are expected to attend the 2008 APS alist tone of the April Meeting, ten in Physics (COM) and Committee Industrial Applications of Physics April Meeting, to be held April 12- exciting plenary talks will highlight on the Status of Women in Physics APS is calling for nominations and thereby to publicize the value 15 in St. Louis, Missouri. The scien- the technical program. (CSWP), and a special symposium for its new Industrial Applications of physics in industry, to encour- tific program, which focuses on as- Numerous special events are also celebrating the 50-year history of of Physics Prize. The Prize was age physics research in industry, trophysics, particle physics, nuclear planned for the April Meeting, in- Physical Review Letters. approved by Council last spring, and to enhance students’ aware- physics, gravitation and cosmol- The Division of Particles and and will be awarded for the first ness of and interest in the role of ogy, will consist of three ple- Fields has scheduled several time at the 2009 March Meeting. physics in commercial product nary sessions, approximately 72 special invited sessions and is The selection process for the first development.” invited sessions, more than 100 planning evening sessions on Prize will take place in the spring John Jaros, 2007 Chair of the contributed sessions, and poster the theme “A New Era in US and summer of 2008. APS Prizes and Awards Commit- sessions. This year the meeting Particle Physics.” April Meet- According to the description of tee, said “This Prize is designed to will be held in conjunction with ing program chair Natalie Roe the Prize, it is “awarded to an in- attract not only physicists in larger a conference sponsored by HEDP pointed out that in the next few dividual, or individuals, for appli- companies, but also the increasing (High Energy Density Physics) years, accelerators in the US cations of physics in an industrial number of industrial physicists and HEDLA (High Energy Den- will be shutting down, the Large setting. The purpose of the prize working in small companies and sity Laboratory Astrophysics). Hadron Collider will be turning is to recognize excellence in the start-ups. The emphasis will be on APS units represented at the on, and planning is underway for industrial application of physics, PRIZE continued on page 7 meeting include the Divisions the International Linear Collider. of Astrophysics, Nuclear Phys- “It’s a time of transition in par- Token of Appreciation ics, Particles and Fields, Physics ticle physics,” she said. of Beams, Plasma Physics, and The abstract submission dead- Computational Physics; the Fo- line is January 11; post-deadline rums on Education, Physics and abstracts received by February Society, International Affairs, His- cluding a high school physics teach- 8 will be assigned as poster presen- tory of Physics, and Graduate Stu- ers’ day, a student career panel and tations on a space-available basis. dent Affairs; and the Topical Groups networking reception, a students Early registration closes on Febru- on Few-Body Systems, Precision lunch with the experts, a “meet the ary 22. Measurement and Fundamental APS journal editors” reception, More information about the Constants, Gravitation, Plasma As- the presentation of APS prizes and April Meeting: http://www.aps.org/ trophysics, and Hadronic Physics. awards, a reception sponsored by meetings/april/index.cfm Turning 50, PRL Plans a Banner Year This year, Physical Review still the best. The 50th anniver- Gene Sprouse. Letters celebrates its 50th anni- sary is a great time to look back A number of activities are versary. Special events as well at the outstanding physics we've planned for PRL’s golden an- as special features in the journal published in PRL, but also an niversary year, including spe- and online are planned. opportunity for us to introduce cial sessions and receptions at PRL was first published in the March and April Meetings, July 1958 when Editor Sam a symposium and banquet on Photo by Ken Cole Goudsmit started the journal as Long Island in June, and spe- A new tradition was inaugurated at the APS Council meeting in November, an experiment. It took the brief cial events at several meetings when Executive Officer Judy Franz (right) presented past-President John Hopfield with a bound volume of the minutes of theB oard and Council meet- contributions that would have around the world. ings that he chaired in 2006, as a token of appreciation for all the services been published as letters to the These sessions will include that he rendered to the Society during his Presidential term. editor in Physical Review, and talks on the history and future of collected them in a separate the APS journals, as well as talks Council Calls for Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions journal in order to make impor- about the history of the physics At its November meeting, APS mitigating actions are taken, signifi- tant results available quickly. some exciting new improve- that has been published in the Council passed a statement on global cant disruptions in the Earth’s physi- “Physical Review Letters was ments on which we are work- journals. At the March Meet- warming that calls for immediate ac- cal and ecological systems, social the first letters journal, and it is ing,” said APS Editor-in-Chief PRL continued on page 3 tion to reduce greenhouse gas emis- systems, security and human health sions. The statement also calls for are likely to occur. We must reduce Panel Hears Pros and Cons Of Open-Access Publishing more research to better understand emissions of greenhouse gases be- By Calla Cofield the effects of human activity on the ginning now. Open Access publishing was one org ), but papers posted there are not of loss were to occur in the 25 times climate. The complete text of the Because the complexity of the topic of intense discussion at the No- peer-reviewed. The purpose of Open larger journal, Physical Review D, it statement follows. climate makes accurate prediction vember meeting of the High Energy Access, said Mele, is to “grant any- would not be sustainable. APS offers Emissions of greenhouse gases difficult, the APS urges an enhanced Physics Advisory Panel (HEPAP), body, anywhere, at anytime access to another form of Open Access in the from human activities are chang- effort to understand the effects of hu- whose members advise the federal peer reviewed, publicly funded HEP journals Physical Review A-E, Physi- ing the atmosphere in ways that af- man activity on the Earth’s climate, government on the national program research.” cal Review Letters, and Reviews of fect the Earth’s climate. Greenhouse and to provide the technological op- in high energy physics (HEP). APS At the HEPAP meeting, Sprouse Modern Physics. Anyone can pay a gases include carbon dioxide as well tions for meeting the climate chal- Editor-in-Chief Gene Sprouse ad- said that he supports the principle of fee to make the article free for all to as methane, nitrous oxide and other lenge in the near and longer terms. dressed the general subject of Open Open Access, but there needs to be a read on the APS website. However, gases. They are emitted from fossil The APS also urges governments, Access and its relation to APS, and financially sustainable model. only 30 out of about 18,000 papers fuel combustion and a range of in- universities, national laboratories Salvatore Mele of CERN described Open Access programs have been have been purchased since the pro- dustrial and agricultural processes. and its membership to support poli- SCOAP3, an Open Access model available in different forms for years, gram started a year and a half ago. The evidence is incontrovertible: cies and actions that will reduce the that is gaining steam in the European and are already the basis of some The European Physical Journal Global warming is occurring. If no emission of greenhouse gases. particle physics community. physics journals. One APS journal, has a similar program online. In No- Open Access initiatives began Physical Review Special Topics–Ac- vember 2007, EPJ made its Europe- Printing problem for APS News? in the biological sciences commu- celerators and Beams, is an online- an Physical Journal C–Particles and We have received complaints from some readers that their cop- nity, and have been attracting inter- only Open Access journal, funded by Fields open access, to experimental ies of the December issue were unreadable. We are asking any- est in high energy physics. The high a consortium of large labs. PR-STAB papers only, without cost to the au- one who had this problem to let us know by sending a message to energy physics community has for is not quite recovering its costs, said thor, although it is still maintaining [email protected]. If you wish, you can request a replacement years been making preprints freely Sprouse. In effect APS helps to spon- its regular subscription rates. copy in the message and we'll be happy to send one to you. accessible on the arXiv (http://arxiv. sor this journal, but if the same level PANEL continued on page 6 2 • January 2008 APS NEWS

Members in the Media This Month in Physics History

“Physicists love to nitpick, so for on the ground.” Edwin Hubble expands our view of the universe the 100 in the 10 million people who Wendy Freedman, Carnegie Insti- might watch the show, I try to get it as tution, on next generation telescopes, ntil the mid 1920s, most scientists thought the redshifted, indicating that most of the nebulae were re- close to 100% accurate as I can. But if Boston Globe, November 5, 2007 UMilky Way was the entire universe, and that the ceding at high speeds. But it wasn’t understood why I try to suggest a funny line, there are universe was static, unchanging. With two discoveries, other galaxies would all appear to be moving away “We found even tiny fragments all sorts of reasons it doesn’t work.” announced in January 1925 and January 1929, astrono- from us. of double helix DNA can spontane- David Saltzberg, UCLA, consul- mer Edwin Hubble radically changed our idea of the Hubble continued his meticulous astronomical mea- ously self-assemble into columns tant for the CBS TV show The Big cosmos, showing first that the universe was much larger surements. He collaborated with Milton Humason, that contain many molecules. Our Bang Theory, USA Today, Novem- than previously thought, and second that it is expand- who had begun working as a janitor at the Mt. Wilson vision is that from the collection of ber 5, 2007 ing, getting larger and larger all the time. observatory, then rose to become a night assistant and ancient molecules, short RNA pieces Edwin Hubble was born in 1889 in Missouri. As a then an assistant astronomer. Humason observed spec- “He played baseball and played or some structurally related precursor young man, he was tall and athletic, known especially tra, while Hubble concentrated on finding distances to it well. He didn’t have a Russian emerged as the molecular fragments for his talent at boxing, basketball, and track. He earned various objects. accent. He spoke fluent English, most capable of condensing into liq- an undergraduate degree in math and astronomy at the After collecting enough data points, Hubble and American English. His credentials uid crystal droplets, selectively de- University of Chicago, and Humason found a simple were perfect.” veloping into long molecules.” then studied law at Oxford linear relationship between Stewart Bloom, Lawrence Liver- Noel Clark, University of Colo- on a Rhodes scholarship, fol- an object’s velocity and its more National Laboratory, on Soviet rado, United Press International, No- lowing his father’s wishes. distance from us. Hubble’s spy George Koval, New York Times, vember 26, 2007 Hubble returned to the US law, as it is known, indi- November 12, 2007 “You must put yourself in the and joined the Kentucky cates that galaxies are mov- “This discovery allows us to brain of the bird. We might be sur- bar, but quickly decided law ing away from each other at grasp complex food systems, provid- prised, but animals have many types wasn’t for him. He taught speeds proportional to their ing new food science insights for en- of senses that we just don't share.” high school Spanish for a distance. Hubble’s distance hancing the physical and functional Klaus Schulten, University of year before heading back to measurements turned out to attributes of food such as flavour, Illinois, on how birds sense mag- the University of Chicago to be incorrectly calibrated, in texture and nutrient delivery.” netic fields, Chicago Tribune, No- earn his PhD in astronomy part because he had failed to Raffaele Mezzenga, Nestlé Re- vember 25, 2007 in 1917. After serving in the realize that there are actually search Center, on a model that could Army in World War I, he two types of Cepheid vari- help explain the texture and transport “This device could make discov- went to southern California ables, but Hubble’s law still of flavors and nutrients in foods,Food eries that are Earth-shattering. We to work at the Mt. Wilson holds. navigator.com, November 12, 2007 have an opportunity now to do some observatory, home of the Hubble submitted a pa- worthwhile fundamental science on 100-inch Hooker telescope, per describing the veloci- “What many people don’t realize the ISS, and they're resolutely turn- the largest in the world at the ty-distance relation to the is how easy conservation is.” ing their back on it.” time. Proceedings of the National Arthur Rosenfeld, California Steven Weinberg, University of In the early 1920s many astronomers believed that Academy of Sciences in January 1929, and it was pub- Energy Commission, on energy con- Texas at Austin, on the Alpha Mag- objects then known as nebulae were nearby gas clouds lished in March (the paper is available online at: http:// servation, Boston Globe Sunday netic Spectrometer, Washington Post, in our own galaxy, and that the Milky Way was the www.pnas.org/misc/Hubble.pdf). Hubble first plotted Magazine, November 18, 2007 December 2, 2007 entire universe, while others thought the nebulae were the trend using 46 galaxies, but in the next few years “MIT used to be an ivory tower, “It’s like rebuilding your car with actually more distant “island universes” separate from continued to collect data for many more galaxies, which like the Forbidden City in China.” pieces and after you think you've put our own galaxy. Harlow Shapley and Heber Curtis had added further confirmation. Walter Lewin, MIT, on Open- it together, there's a giant piece still a famous debate on the issue in 1920 [see This Month in In his paper, Hubble didn’t discuss the implications CourseWare, which makes MIT sitting on the curb, and it's about the Physics History, April 2000 (available online)]. of what he had found, perhaps preferring to leave the At Mt. Wilson, Hubble began measuring the distanc- interpretation to theorists. He simply presented the em- course materials available online size of the car itself.” es to nebulae to try to resolve the issue, using a method pirical law relating galaxies’ distance to their velocity. to anyone, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Adam Riess, Johns Hopkins based on an earlier discovery by Henrietta Leavitt. She But others quickly recognized that Hubble’s discov- November 18, 2007 University, on dark energy, Balti- had found that a type of star known as a Cepheid vari- ery indicated that the universe was expanding and that “People always think that Einstein more Sun, December 2, 2007 able had a predictable relationship between its luminos- Hubble’s observations provided the first observational proved relativity was right. It was a “If you have a fixed amount in a ity and its pulsation rate. Measuring the period of the support for what later became the big bang theory. very good concept that he had. Inge- grant, and you have to spend it all on star’s fluctuations in brightness would give its absolute Scientists had been convinced that the universe was nious. But it needs to be verified.” helium, you don't have anything left brightness, and comparing that with the star’s apparent static. Einstein had even added a fudge factor known as Gerald Gwinner, University of over.” brightness would yield a measure of the star’s distance. the cosmological constant into his equations to make Manitoba, on a test of Einstein’s the- Reem Jaafar, City University of Hubble found he was able to resolve Cepheid vari- them consistent with a static universe. Although physi- ory of special relativity, The Ottawa New York, on helium shortages, Wall ables in the Andromeda nebula, showing that the nebu- cists Alexander Friedman and Georges Lemaître had Citizen, November 12, 2007 Street Journal, December 5, 2007 la was in fact a separate galaxy rather than a gas cloud independently proposed expanding universe models “The women started coming up “We saw these two scientists, one within the Milky Way. He also showed that the galaxy based on Einstein’s equations, they had no data to sup- to us, holding their babies, and said, wearing a porkpie hat and one wearing was much farther away than previously thought, greatly port their theories, and were largely ignored until after ‘Please help us build a school.’ I was expanding our view of the universe. Hubble announced Hubble’s discovery. When Einstein saw that Hubble’s a fedora, and they had the euphemisms just amazed that in this remote vil- the finding on January 1, 1925 at a meeting of the results showed that the universe was expanding after of being ‘Mr. Smith’ and ‘Mr. Jones.’ It lage with no electricity, no plumbing, American Astronomical Society in Washington DC. all, Einstein famously called the cosmological constant took us less than an hour to recognize no toilets, they were talking about Following the groundbreaking announcement, the “greatest blunder” of his life. in our physics books that one was Op- education. . . . I was overwhelmed Hubble continued measuring the distances to far away Hubble became famous for his discoveries, and en- penheimer, the great theoretical physi- by their courage and their ability to astronomical objects, measurements that in a few years joyed partying with Hollywood celebrities. He contin- cist of our age, and the other was E.O. think in the long term.” would lead to a discovery with even more radical impli- ued to work in astronomy, but remained bothered by the Lawrence, the great shaker of the nu- Alan Lightman, MIT, on building cations for cosmology. fact that he was ineligible for the Nobel Prize because clear project. We, of course, knew then a dormitory for Cambodian university It was already known that nebulae appeared red- astronomy was not then considered a branch of physics. that they were taking over the school to women, Boston Globe, Nov.,19, 2007 der than they should be. Astronomers, notably Vesto He later helped build the 200-inch Palomar telescope, make a nuclear bomb.” Slipher, had found that the light from most nebulae was and died in 1953, not long after it was completed. “In some ways, the most excit- Stirling Colgate, The Albuquer- ing stuff in space will be happening que Tribune, November 30, 2007

Series II, Vol. 17, No. 01 For Nonmembers–Circulation and Fulfillment Division, Editor-in-Chief Wolf (Ohio Section), Heather Galloway (Texas Section) January 2008 American Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 Huntington Gene Sprouse*, Stony Brook University (on leave) ADVISORS APS NEWS © 2008 The American Physical Society Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. Allow at least Past-President Representatives from Other Societies 6 weeks advance notice. For address changes, please Leo P. Kadanoff*, University of Chicago Fred Dylla, AIP; Lila Adair, AAPT send both the old and new addresses, and, if possible, General Councillors Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 include a mailing label from a recent issue. Requests Robert Austin, Christina Back*, Marcela Carena, Eliza- International Advisors from subscribers for missing issues will be honored beth Beise, Katherine Freese, Wendell Hill*, Ann Orel*, Francisco Ramos Gómez, Mexican Physical Society Editor•...... Alan Chodos without charge only if received within 6 months of the Richart Slusher*, Louis Marchildon, Canadian Association of Physicists Staff Writer...... Ernie Tretkoff issue’s actual date of publication. Periodical Postage Paid International Councillor Contributing Editor ...... Jennifer Ouellette at College Park, MD and at additional mailing offices. Sabayasachi Bhattacharya Staff Representatives Art Director and Special Publications Manager...... Kerry G. Johnson Postmaster: Send address changes to APS News, Mem- Chair, Nominating Committee Alan Chodos, Associate Executive Officer; Amy Flatten Design and Production...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik bership Department, American Physical Society, One Philip Phillips Director of International Affairs; Ted Hodapp, Director Forefronts Editor...... Craig Davis Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Chair, Panel on Public Affairs of Education and Diversity; Michael Lubell, Director, Proofreader...... Edward Lee Miles Klein Public Affairs; Dan Kulp, Editorial Director; Christine APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X yearly, ed to: Editor, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College APS COUNCIL 2008 Division, Forum and Section Councillors Giaccone, Director, Journal Operations; Michael monthly, except the August/September issue, by the Park, MD 20740-3844, E-mail: [email protected]. President Charles Dermer (Astrophysics), P. Julienne (Atomic, Mo- Stephens, Controller and Assistant Treasurer American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Col- Arthur Bienenstock*, Stanford University lecular & Optical Physics) Robert Eisenberg (Biologi- lege Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It con- Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publi- President-Elect cal), Charles S. Parmenter (Chemical), Arthur Epstein Administrator for Governing Committees tains news of the Society and of its Divisions,Topical cation delivered by Periodical Mail. Members residing Cherry Murray*, Lawrence Livermore National Labora- (Condensed Matter Physics), (Computational-TBA), Ken Cole Groups, Sections and Forums; advance information on abroad may receive airfreight delivery for a fee of $15. tory James Brasseur (Fluid Dynamics), Peter Zimmerman* meetings of the Society; and reports to the Society by its Nonmembers: Subscription rates are available at http:// Vice-President (Forum on Education), Roger Stuewer (Forum on Histo- committees and task forces, as well as opinions. librarians.aps.org/institutional.html. Curtis G.Callan, Jr.*, Princeton University ry of Physics), Stefan Zollner (Forum on Industrial and * Members of the APS Executive Board Executive Officer Applied Physics), David Ernst* (Forum on International Letters to the editor are welcomed from the member- Subscription orders, renewals and address changes Judy R. Franz*, University of Alabama, Huntsville Physics), (Forum on Physics and Society-TBA), Steven ship. Letters must be signed and should include an ad- should be addressed as follows: For APS Members– (on leave) Rolston (Laser Science), Leonard Feldman* (Materials), dress and daytime telephone number. The APS reserves Membership Department, American Physical Society, Treasurer Akif Balantekin* (Nuclear), Janet Conrad (Particles the right to select and to edit for length or clarity. All One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, Joseph W.Serene*, Georgetown University (emeritus) & Fields), Ronald Ruth (Physics of Beams), David correspondence regarding APS News should be direct- [email protected]. Hammer (Plasma), Scott Milner (Polymer Physics), Paul APS NEWS January 2008 • 3

Washington Dispatch Bienenstock Highlights Funding, A bi-monthly update from the APS Office of Public Affairs Education, and Journal Viability Arthur Bienenstock (Stanford Ted Hodapp works on the teacher As I said above, however, I think the ISSUE: Science Research Budgets University) assumed the APS presi- education and diversity issues, Alan biggest issue is how to deal with the dency on January 1, 2008. In the fol- Chodos heads our outreach efforts increasing forces and opportunities As of the deadline for APS News, there have been no new lowing interview with APS News, he while Joe Serene and Gene Sprouse for Open Access. We’ve got to find official developments with regard to the federal budgets for discusses his priorities for the Soci- are concerned with financial impacts a viable financial model. That’s go- the key science research accounts (Department of Energy ety during his presidential year. of open access for our publishing. I ing to take a mix of our own plan- (DOE) Office ofS cience, National Science Foundation (NSF), Q: What do you see as the most believe the President’s roles are to ning and influencing public policy. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and pressing issues facing the physics represent the APS in some of the I think it’s critical that we maintain NASA Science). However, the $1.4 billion in approved in- community right now? public aspects of these endeavors, a valid editing process that includes creases for these agencies are in danger of being lost as A: Four interrelated issues are advocate for them within the APS reviewing. And that’s expensive. Congress rushes to finish theFY 08 spending bills. Congress the most compelling to me. As you and in the broader community, help Open Access, in the forms that have will have considered an omnibus bill that cuts $11 billion from might imagine, the first is research to gain additional resources where been suggested so far, hasn’t come to the original bills passed in Congress, a bill the President has funding. For the past 30 years, infla- they needed, and ensure that these is- terms with that. We’ve got to find an vowed to veto. For the latest updates on the FY08 bills please tion-corrected funding for physical sues remain high on the priority list approach that works. go to: http://www.aps.org/policy/issues/research-funding/in- sciences and engineering research of the busy staff named above. Q: Is APS doing a good job of dex.cfm and http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/approp08.htm. has remained essentially flat, hurt- serving the needs of its members? ing the physics community and the A: As far as I can tell, yes. The You may recall, in August, the America COMPETES Act was nation in ways we know well. The meetings and the journals are superb passed by a wide, bipartisan margin, and it was seen as a President and Congress have clearly –and the Society keeps trying to im- positive step for science. As we stated then, the COMPETES recognized the need for significant prove both. Act only authorizes increases for basic research and edu- funding increases, but it is not at all Q: What do you see as the role cation, budgets will increase only if appropriators fund the clear that appropriations will follow. of the Society in the international authorizations. It now looks like they will not fund the autho- Also extremely important is the arena? rizations. state of pre-college physics educa- A: First of all, we must advocate tion. Only about one-third of high for a return to a situation in which this If Congress does not fund the increases, it will be near crip- school physics teachers have a phys- nation is attractive for international pling for these research accounts. As many APS members ics or physics education degree. If meetings and international facilities. know, the science budget has been operating on a continu- this situation is to improve, academic That means constantly working for ing resolution for all of FY07, being funded at FY06 levels. physics departments must work co- improvement of the visa policies and The Washington Office is mustering all its resources to meet operatively with schools of educa- practices. In spite of all the improve- this serious challenge, but it will need the assistance of APS tion. ments that the State Department members. If you have not already done so, visit www.aps.org If the nation is to have the physi- Arthur Bienenstock and Homeland Security have made and click on the “Write Congress” link under “Quick Links;” cists and physics teachers we need, in the visa systems since the initial this will send you to the APS Write Congress site, where you we must increase the number of The 21st Century Campaign for reactions after 9/11, there is still a can voice your views on the matter to your Congressional physics majors significantly, in- Physics and our alliance with the perception around the world that we delegation. cluding the participation of women AAPT are particularly important for are not open to visitors–that it is hard and underrepresented minorities in the education and diversity efforts. to get into this country. Amy Flatten,  these professions. The importance Much of my attention will be de- APS Director of International Af- of women to the field is illustrated voted to ensuring that the Campaign fairs, has been working effectively Log on to the APS Web site (http://www.aps. in part by AIP data that indicate that is successful in increasing funding along these lines. while the total number of people for PhysTEC, PTEC and the Minor- Q: Why did you choose to run org/public_affairs) for more information. earning physics bachelor’s went ity Undergraduate Scholarships Pro- for the APS presidential line? from about 5300 in 1972 to about gram, and that the AAPT relationship A: First of all, because I was 3700 in 1999 and then rose again to is enhanced. asked. Second of all, because so about 5000 in 2004, the numbers for As for the viability of the jour- many of the APS goals were con- PRL continued from page 1 women increased from about 400 to nals, I think that we should consider sistent with my own goals. I spoke ing, invited speakers include and letterpress printing with 1200 over the same period. Without a future in which a funding mecha- about how research funding has been Gene Stanley, Charles Slichter “cold” type and offset photoli- the increased participation of wom- nism is developed such that the jour- a constant issue. I’ve worked on that and Marvin Cohen. At the April thography. “It’s not really what en, the decrease from 1972 to 2004 nals just break even. I’ve asked APS for 15 or 20 years in one way or an- would have been dramatic. Efforts to Treasurer Joe Serene to study the im- other. I have over 30 years of work- Meeting, invited speakers in- we think of as the revolution attract African-Americans and His- plications of that for the APS’ other ing to increase participation of wom- clude Michael Turner and Mi- of PRL now,” said Schuhmann. panics have been considerably less activities. en and underrepresented minorities. chael Peskin. PRL editors will However, while cold vs. hot successful. Q: What do you see as the Soci- As I said, I recognize the need for im- also speak at these sessions. type is no longer an issue, re- The fourth issue is ensuring that ety's role in terms of public policy proving education at the pre-college In the journal itself, a series sponse to changing technology our journals remain viable in the face issues? level as well as the college level. So of editorials written by PRL is always relevant for the jour- of movements towards open access. A: First of all, we have to be advo- the Society’s goals are well aligned editors and guest editors will nals. It’s vital to maintain the journals’ cates on matters that pertain directly with my personal goals, and I saw an discuss some of the issues asso- A special website (http://prl. peer review and editing systems. to physics research and education opportunity to work with the Society ciated with publishing the jour- aps.org/50years), to be launched Finding financing for them within an such as research and education fund- to further those goals. nals, both in the past and today. in early January, will also pro- open access system is difficult. ing, visas and export control. Q: How did you become inter- Alternating with the editorials, vide additional content and These are all endeavors in which In addition, there are broader so- ested in physics? PRL will print essays on the his- features for the 50th anniver- the American Physical Society has cietal issues where physics can pro- A: I went to an engineering school, tory of physics covered in PRL. sary year. The site will include been active prior to my becoming vide special understanding. The Pan- the Polytechnic Institute of Brook- Approximately one editorial or a timeline highlighting impor- President, and my intention is to help el on Public Affairs (POPA) has been lyn. I was turned towards physics essay will appear every other tant events in the history of the push them along. particularly effective in defining and by a graduate student, J. Lawrence week. Physical Review journals, with Q: Do you believe that APS has implementing studies that have had Katz, who taught freshman physics. There are several motivations other events included for con- been on the right track in address- significant policy impacts. The three I had other goals at the time–I had for these activities in celebra- text. In addition, each week in ing these issues and serving the most recent, for example, Challenges expected to be the engineer on a kib- tion of PRL’s 50th anniversary, 2008, the website will feature a needs of the physics community? of Electricity Storage Technologies, butz in Israel–but physics really got said PRL Managing Editor Re- few milestone Letters from each A: Yes. I think APS is one of the Consolidated Interim Storage of me excited. Then in my senior year, I inhardt Schuhmann. “It’s great year of the journal’s existence, finest professional societies in the Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel, and was offered a research assistantship, for outreach, both to thank ref- starting with 1958. These en- world. It has a mixture of enhancing Nuclear Power and Proliferation Re- and for the first time, I worked on a erees and contributors, and also tries will be compiled by former professional communications though sistance have been well-received in problem where the answer wasn’t to raise the profile of the jour- Editor-in-Chief Marty Blume, its meetings and its journals and a Congress, contributed significantly known. And I got hooked. Then the nal,” he said. “I think the main and will each include a short much broader societal outlook that I to the debate and raised the status of excitement of being a physicist just reason to do it is because it’s description of the paper and ex- think is marvelous. our advocacy efforts. Other studies continued through graduate school. I actually very interesting to look plain its significance. Q: What areas do you plan to are underway, including one on en- would say the most influential thing back and to think about what is- Along with these enhance- focus on during your presidential ergy efficiency. Clearly, we should was that participation in research as sues we were facing in the early ments for the 50th anniversary, year? How will you guide APS ef- continue on this path. an undergraduate. days of PRL,” he said. some longer-lasting changes forts in these areas? Q: One of the major activities Q: Is there a need to attract Schuhmann said he had no- are underway with the Journal A: The four issues discussed in of APS is publishing the journals. more people into physics? How ticed several things that struck Innovations Initiative. “We’re response to your first question will How do you view the health of the can we best do that? him in looking through previ- revamping our journal websites get much of my attention. These is- journals right now? What do you A: Physicists play a variety of ous editorials. For instance, in general,” said PRL Associ- sues are not, of course, new and the see as the main objectives for the roles in the society, including re- on PRL’s 25th anniversary, an ate Editor Sami Mitra, who is APS has highly capable staff work- journals in the near future? searchers in academia, government editorial stated that Sam Goud- working on journal innovations ing on them. Mike Lubell and Steve A: We publish the best phys- and industry, radiation physicists, smit’s “revolutionary idea” had as well as the 50th anniversary Pierson of the Washington office ics journals in the world at the best financial analysts and teachers. been replacing hot metal type website. deal with federal research funding, prices. We should be proud of them. Bienenstock continued on page 7 4 • January 2008 APS NEWS Physics Majors Enjoy Broad Career Choices Letters In regard to the article and letters I’m talking about people trained as One of the more impressive (and in recent issues of APS News about physicists doing very non-physics least known) statistic that points to increasing the number of physics related work: doctors, lawyers, the success of physics majors going Did We Do That on Purpose? graduates: economists, etc. on to non-physics related graduate Let’s see, here, in Joy of Teach- high school physics teacher. Doesn’t Why do we need more physics Does the fact that a number studies is that physics majors con- ing [APS News, November 2007], this assume that by virtue of his un- graduates? Certainly not because of our students wind up not doing sistently out-perform chemistry and our Nobel Laureate Wolfgang Ket- doubted abilities as a physicist the there are want ads in the paper that physics mean we need to change biology majors on the MCAT exam. terle cannot get a (fictional) job Nobel Prize winner automatically read “Wanted–physicist” or letters our curriculum to meet and foresee teaching, in spite of his prize and would be a good physics teacher? in the personal columns that start their needs? No! A physics degree is So, want to increase your chances in his obvious qualifications. And doesn’t this exactly contradict “Looking for that special someone, one of the most challenging cours- going to Med School? Be a phys- Then in The Curse of Knowl- what Wieman is saying? (I confess I must be able to solve Schrodinger es of study. It attracts students by ics major. Want to increase your edge, Carl Wieman, also a winner have no idea whether or not Ketterle equation.” We all agree, there are virtue of its intellectual and math- chances in going to law school? Be of that very Nobel Prize, comments is a good teacher; I am talking about very few job descriptions out- ematical rigor and it is precisely that a physics major. that a deep and clear understanding what appears to be an automatic as- side of national labs and academia sort of training that make a physics of the fundamentals of physics, and sumption.) for physicists. That is unlikely to major a very attractive commodity Eric Bittner a deep and clear understanding of And I have no idea what to make change any time soon and there is to any potential employer. Certain- Houston, TX how physics knowledge is acquired, of the fact that Wieman shared the little APS can do about it. However, ly, we should try to pull in modern are completely orthogonal areas of Nobel Prize in 2001 with Ketterle how many technical and scientific developments into courses where Ed. Note: APS News has been expertise. (and Eric Cornell). Am I missing jobs are filled by physicists? possible. Physics is an evolving dis- running a series of articles, “Pro- Did you do that on purpose? some deep message by the editors Surprisingly, quite a few! Most cipline, but we should not sacrifice files in Versatility,” that highlights Let us also point out that the of APS News? physics majors wind up doing work the intellectual rigor of the physics group of people we need to train that falls outside of the traditional discipline to simply boost numbers. people trained as physicists who to do outstanding physics, and the Fred Kuttner realm of a physics course of study. That would dramatically undermine have pursued a wide variety of group of people who need, at the Santa Cruz, CA I’m not talking about physics ma- our field by populating it with less careers. These can be viewed on- age of 16, to find out that: science jors in disguise as chemists, materi- qualified and poorly trained people line at www.aps.org/publications/ is not magic, it is fundamental to * * * * * als engineers, laser jocks, or such. calling themselves “a physicist”. apsnews/features/profiles.cfm. our society, and they can make in- The November issue of APS News formed decisions about the priority contained an important Back Page of science–these tend to be orthogo- article by Carl Wieman about teach- More Trained Teachers Won’t Solve The Problem ing and learning physics, and a sar- nal groups of people, as well. I have been thinking about the trained as physics teachers, and it. And I know many qualified castic Zero Gravity column by W. recent “traffic” in APS News trig- many are, as a consequence, ill- physicists, some with advanced R. Marshall making fun of the state Christine Platt gered by Leo Kadanoff’s “On the prepared to teach the subject. But degrees, interested in teaching Isssaquah, WA requirements for licensing teachers. Responsibiliities of APS,” first this has less to do with a lack of high school physics who cannot I hope that readers will pay close at- printed last August and reprinted available, qualified candidates find full time career positions be- * * * * * tention to the former article and take in October. As someone who has than it does with the reality in I found it amusing that the No- the latter article with a huge barrel of cause full time, public high school been actively involved in science most schools that there are too few physics teaching positions simply vember 2007 Back Page article by salt. I personally think that scientists education outreach since 1979, students taking physics to justify don’t exist even in many of our Carl Wieman, on why professional should not be offended by a require- when I entered graduate school, full time physics teachers. Con- best high schools. physicists are generally not good ment that they should be taught how I believe that education is an im- sequently, schools often wind up I wonder if APS and the AAPT educators, supports the reluctance of to teach and how students learn. As portant part of the mission of the using chemistry or other science a fictitious high school to let Wolf- I am preparing to transition from in- APS. However, I am perplexed teachers to cover the small num- have considered this reality before gang Ketterle (with whom Wieman dustrial work to high school teach- by the call to double the number ber of physics classes. I personally deciding to push for a doubling of shared the 2001 Nobel Prize) teach ing, I am taking the training offered of physics undergraduate majors know of several excellent physics physics undergraduates to expand their students (in the Lighter Side of by a local teacher licensure program. while guiding them toward teach- teachers who were not trained ini- the ranks of qualified high school Science column of the same issue). I value the education I am receiving ing (“...and a wide variety of other tially to teach physics, although physics teachers? about how to teach and how stu- occupational goals”). It is true that each has invested a significant Scott Willenbrock dents learn. I do not assume that be- many physics teachers in public amount of effort to learn the sub- Rick Moyer Urbana-Champaign, IL cause I know my field, I know how high schools are not principally ject since being assigned to teach San Diego, CA * * * * * to teach it to novices. I think that Did anyone else note the curious colleges, universities and private coincidence of the “Zero Gravity” schools should take a lesson from Two-phase Approach to Energy Independence and “The Back Page” pieces in the the public schools and require that With reference to Byron Dorgan’s form has been available for de- gies: Development of conservation November 2007 APS News? Carl all professors, lecturers and teachers Back Page, December 2007 APS cades. A crash program of R and D and extreme efficiency devices is Wieman argues eloquently that receive teacher training. As can be News: I believe the Senior Sena- and pilot demonstrations to perfect progressing but is taking a very physicists don’t necessarily know seen fromWieman’s article, the as- tor has a reasonable handle con- oil-from-coal technology could long time. As the interim indepen- how to teach physics, and as a mat- sumption that a knowledgeable sci- cerning the effect of Global Oil give us breathing time as we avoid dence program proceeds, the share ter of fact their intuitions about how entist knows how to teach his or her Supply Strategies on our national the potential blackmail of the oil of funding shifts into the Phase 2 to do so may be quite wrong. W.R. knowledge to others is false. security. A dual phase approach producers and threats from those efforts and gradually we reduce Marshall pokes fun at a mythical seems warranted to handle the two who do not wish us well. Stressing the carbon fuel dependence. school board for not immediately Thomas Wofford major issues:. alternative-fuel source develop- To use a phrase currently in accepting Wolfgang Ketterle as a Albuquerque, NM 1. Phase 1 Energy Indepen- ment programs that are directed to vogue in television: “I am NOT dence Technology: Time is run- the short term objective of threat smarter than a 5th term Senator” Biblical Narrative Leads to Progress ning out on our ability to survive avoidance is not the desired way but I do not see the national lead- In the October APS News, a letter by Eden.” Many scientists have been as a Nation with global oil sup- to manage our magnificent planet, ership placing the proper priorities Mike Strauss was given the heading inspired by this freedom to investi- plies managed by people with in- but without an effective interna- on the urgency required our sur- “Biblical Creation Has Lots of Wig- gate the universe. Of course in a long terests oposed to our interests. We tional body to oversee duel dis- vival. gle Room.” “Wiggle room” means history opinions have been modified, do have a substantial reserve of tribution our options at national “room to maneuver, latitude” and has sometimes drastically. That is also coal in our country. The technol- survival are very limited . Jerome Eckerman a negative connotation. I would use a true for physics and astronomy; but ogy to convert that fuel to liquid 2. Phase 2 Energy Technolo- Potomac, MD more positive heading, for instance there we always call the change from “Biblical Narrative on Creation en- older to newer concepts, “progress” courages us to be Free.” Free to study and not “wiggling.” Michelson’s Polish Roots the cosmos without having to wor- Not only out of national pride roclaw, and his mother, Rozalia ciety then decided to commemo- ship the sun or the moon or the earth. Piet Van der Laan but also in keeping with histori- Przylubska, was the daughter of a rate this finding with a plaque, Free “to till and keep the Garden of Eindhoven, Netherlands cal evidence, I would like to cor- Polish merchant in Strzelno. written in Polish, which states: rect a mistake in “This Month in For his whole life Michelson “In this town, on December 19, Physics Olympiad is of International Interest Physics History” in the Novem- was proud of his Polish roots. 1852, Albert Abraham Michelson I enjoyed your report on the Editor’s Note: American media ber APS News. Albert Abraham Many years after his death his was born; Professor at the Uni- Physics Olympiad [APS News, are often criticized for focusing Michelson was born in 1852 in daughter, Dorothy Michelson- versity of Chicago, Nobel Prize October 2007], but, as many APS too narrowly on American Olym- Strzelno, a small and very old Stevens, asked the Nicolaus Laureate. With his famous exper- members don’t reside in the US, pic athletes, and we may have fall- town, which at that time was oc- Copernicus University in Torun iments on the velocity of light he or do but have strong international en into the same trap. However, cupied by Prussia during the par- (birthplace of Copernicus, thirty started a new era of development links, I think it would be of wide there were 37 gold medal winners, titioning of Poland; he was born miles from Strzelno) to identify of physics. This plaque, which interest to publish a table show- 46 silver, and 51 bronze, while 81 neither in Germany, as stated in the place of her father’s birth, the salutes this great physicist, was ing the medal outcomes for all the participants received honorable the article, nor in Prussia, as is name of which she knew only in funded by the Polish Physical So- participating countries. mention, so there was scarcely commonly written in his biog- a misspelled version. In the local ciety.” room for us to do them all jus- raphies on the Internet. He was archives in Strzelno it was found Bob Dewar tice. Interested readers can scan born to a Jewish-Polish family; that Michelson indeed was born Lidia Smentek Canberra, Australia the complete tables at http://www. his father was a Jewish merchant there. The members of the Torun Nashville, TN, and ipho2007.ir/Results/results.asp. from the nearby town of Inow- chapter of the Polish Physical So- Torun, Poland APS NEWS January 2008 • 5 Workshop Brings Inspiration, Information to New Faculty More than 80 new physics astronomy. Separate sessions were shop participant Barry Zink of the and astronomy faculty attended a also held for faculty from bach- University of Denver said, “I trav- workshop held November 8-11 at elor’s, master’s, and PhD granting eled to DC having already taught the American Center for Physics institutions. a year of calculus-based introduc- in College Park, MD. The annual Speakers included Lillian tory physics, with what I felt were New Faculty Workshop, hosted McDermott, Peter Shaffer, and reasonably good results, and good by the American Association of MacKenzie Stetzer (University evaluations from students… I felt Physics Teachers in conjunction of Washington), Eric Mazur (Har- the teaching part of the job was with APS and the American Astro- vard University), David Sokoloff probably most under control. The nomical Society, helps new facul- (University of Oregon), Ronald New Faculty workshop convinced ty understand how students learn Thornton (Tufts University), Ed- me that I was wrong, I probably physics and how that knowledge ward Prather (University of Ari- hadn’t taught my students much can be used to improve teaching zona), Karen Cummings, (South- either! Though it might seem hard methods. ern Connecticut State University), to imagine, this was a positive The workshop, now in its 12th Evelyn Patterson (U.S. Air Force thing, as I feel I came away with year, is designed for faculty in the Academy), Ken Heller (Univer- many ideas on how to improve my first few years of their first tenure sity of Minnesota), and Jim Stith, students’ understanding of physics track appointment at a four year (American Institute of Physics). that I can implement in the limited college or university. Workshop participant Tatiana time available,” said Zink. Small-group sessions and dis- Toteva of Randolph College in Although professors may not be cussion allowed participants to Lynchburg, VA said the workshop able to make significant changes exchange ideas. The workshop Photo by Ken Cole gave her new “enthusiasm for in the way they teach based on one “gives them the opportunities to Mario Belloni of Davidson College leads a breakout session on teaching and mod- teaching.” “While I am really im- short workshop, “we planted the explore what people have done,” eling using physlets and open source physics at the 2007 workshop for new phys- pressed with the effectiveness of seed,” said Hakim. He has noticed said Toufic Hakim, AAPT Execu- ics and astronomy faculty. the methods that were presented, that over time, workshop partici- tive Officer. students develop problem-solving Open Source Physics; digital li- it is really the enthusiasm of the pants are coming in more aware of The workshop featured sev- expertise, and getting students to braries; tenure matters and time presenters, and how much they the newer teaching methods, hav- eral large group sessions on top- prepare for class. management; problem solving; care about their students’ learning, ing been exposed through others ics such as research in physics Participants also attended and Quantum Interactive Learning that inspires me to follow in their who have adopted those methods. education, peer instruction, inter- small group workshops on top- Tutorials. Additional small group footsteps,” said Toteva. “The effort that we’ve put in for active lecture demonstrations, as- ics including active learning with sessions focused on introductory For some, the workshop was the last 12 years is starting to pay sessment and evaluation, helping real time physics; Physlets and physics, upper level physics, and an eye-opening experience. Work- off,” said Hakim.

ITER, ITER Everywhere at 2007 DPP Meeting The International Thermonu- ma wakefield accelerators, plasma- clear Experimental Reactor (ITER) based antennas, new models for currently under construction is the how magnetic reconnection may next big step in achieving fusion drive the solar wind, and using energy. As such, it is fueling many plasmas as an amplifying mecha- new advances in plasma physics nism in lasers. In addition to the Shaping the Future of Physics in South Africa research that are relevant to mag- plasma education program and the Simon Connell, Nithaya Chetty, and Harm Moraal netic confinement, including meth- official DPP banquet, the annual ods to suppress plasma instabilities DPP soccer match took place mid- This is the first article in a two- This International Panel (IP) office will greatly facilitate the and periodic bursts, as well as con- day on Wednesday, November 14, part series focusing on the expand- produced a forward-looking and SAIP’s mission to be the voice of trol losses due to leakage. Such ad- pitting teams from the East and the ing physics scene in South Africa. comprehensive 110-page report physics in South Africa. vances were among the highlights West against each other. The second article will present (see www.saip.org.za/ShapingTh- A new targeted program of of the 49th annual meeting of the Controlling Plasma Bursts. growing opportunities for interna- eFuture.html) in April 2004. One quality improvement in second- APS Division of Plasma Physics Recent experiments at the DIII-D tional collaborations in physics in of the panelists, Jim Gates (Uni- ary-level education has been es- (DPP), held November 12-16 in tokamak fusion research lab at South Africa. versity of Maryland), was later to tablished. It involves annual work- Orlando, Florida. With more than General Atomics in San Diego, Notable South African contri- write “The report of the IP … may shops for university lecturers who 1500 physicists in attendance, it is California, used controlled chaotic butions to physics have been made be one of the most consequential train secondary school teachers in one of the larg- magnetic fields in the past. With the advent of de- activities of my life.” The report physics. This is supplemented by est divisional to demonstrate mocracy in 1994, new opportuni- made fourteen recommendations a program for the development of meetings of the that the theory ties arose due to the several-fold as part of a strategy to revitalize resource material for teacher train- Society. of magnetic broadening of the participation in South African Physics. It currently ing in specific areas. This year, the island overlap the science system. As the previ- is the most significant driver shap- The IP was specifically con- DPP reprised its can be used as ous system wound down by the ing the agenda of the SAIP and cerned about financial barriers popular Plasma the basis for de- turn of the millennium, physi- will be so for some years to come. and challenges of integration Sciences Expo signing special- cists had become concerned with The SAIP solicited comments of students of different cultures on November ized magnetic declining levels of funding, the on the report from the stakeholder in undergraduate and graduate 15-16, an out- coils that will red-shifting of the age profile of community. These comments were education. Of relevance here is a reach program eliminate large productive scientists, and the poor processed and synthesized, and by short-term financial support pro- designed to periodic bursts appreciation of the role of physics July 2005 a set of mini-business gram for Women in Physics. Spe- engage the lo- of plasma in in society and for development by plans to guide the implementa- cific programs, such as theoretical cal Orlando future fusion the public. tion of all fourteen recommenda- physics, nano science, astronomy, community reactors. Such The South African Institute of tions was submitted to the DST. and programs based at National with plasma bursts can cause Physics (SAIP), a learned society In some cases, the implementation Facilities, have benefited from physicists via significant ero- established in 1955, together with has been dramatic, and directly at- much improved bursaries. How- lively hands-on sion of the ma- the Department of Science and tributable to the SFoP process. In ever, the much-too-small (post) demonstrations. terial surfaces Technology (DST) and the Na- others, the recommendations were graduate bursaries for general uni- Participants in tokamak tional Research Foundation (NRF) interdisciplinary in nature, and so versity programs is still a crucial created arcs power reactors, initiated a project in 2001 which are linked to other initiatives. Here shortcoming that is high on the of lightning, Plasma antenna so eliminating came to be known as “Shaping the the SFoP has catalyzed and stimu- agenda of the NRF. There are sev- observed their them is a critical Future of Physics” (SFoP). The lated positive developments. eral inter-institutional programs fluctuating body temperature on step toward making fusion power a four most recent generations of Meanwhile a non-numbered and specific recruitment drives at a special monitor, manipulated a reality. Described as “small archi- SAIP Council Presidents in partic- recommendation for the estab- the honors level. These lead to a glowing plasma with magnets, and pelagos in a chaotic magnetic sea,” ular contributed hugely to this en- lishment of a full-time SAIP sec- very significant crossing of de- learned how to confine a plasma in these magnetic islands essentially terprise. The time scales were long retariat with a permanent address mographic barriers. The compo- a fusion device by playing a video create an escape route that relieves to ensure community buy-in via a was treated more urgently and sition of the postgraduate student game. Local teachers attended plasma pressure gradually, pre- solid foundation based on individ- separately. A crowning glory of membership of the SAIP has now morning and afternoon workshops venting plasma eruptions. ual, regional and national consul- the process is that this secretariat, evolved to reflect the racial demo- about plasma science on Tuesday, In related work, new computer tation processes. The process was in a fixed office in the newly con- graphics of the country. November 13, gleaning tips on simulations of experiments at the guided by South Africa’s National structed DST governmental build- To promote the marketing of how to bring the study of plasma Alcator C-Mod tokamak at MIT Research and Development Strat- ing in Pretoria, started operating physics in industry, a new program into their classrooms. Throughout are shedding light on why filling egy. A core feature was a carefully on January 1, 2008. The inaugural by the Applied Physics group of the week, plasma scientists also the chamber with a dense cloud of selected panel of four international position of Executive Officer has the SAIP is developing an elec- visited local schools. gas (such as neon, argon, or kryp- and three local recognized experts, recently been filled, and an office tronic database of industrial physi- Other technical highlights in- ton) as a disruption begins can re- who were in session for two weeks assistant and marketing coordi- cists to attract students to the ap- cluded the latest research on plas- ITER continued on page 7 from April 19, 2004. nator are to be appointed. This SOUTH AFRICA continued on page 7 6 • January 2008 APS NEWS

Salt Lake City Hosts 2007 DFD Meeting Council Remembers Wolfgang Panofsky Physicists specializing in fluid canyons. According to Gary Park- and leap along a free surface, like dynamics research are interested er (University of Illinois), the key water. in a wide range of problems, from to the formation of these morphol- Swimming With Microor- the morphodynamics of rivers and ogies is an interaction between the ganisms. Since the 1980s, there microfluidic arrays to the collec- fluid flow and the erodible bound- has been much interest among tive swimming patterns of micro- ary of the sediment and bedrock. fluid dynamicists in the collec- organisms and how certain insects “The flow changes the boundary tive behavior of swimming mi- can walk on water. Those were via differential erosion/deposi- croorganisms in suspension. The just a few of the technical high- tion, and the boundary changes cells are denser than the water in lights at the annual meeting of the the flow by offering a modified which they swim, giving rise to APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, bed boundary condition,” he says. unusual bioconvection patterns. held November 18-20 in Salt Lake Parker studied turbidity cur- Even more interesting structures City, Utah. rents: bottom-hugging currents form in concentrated suspensions Microfluidic Shock Waves. driven by the presence of sedi- of bacteria, for example, and the An important technique for mi- ment in suspension, which makes prevailing hypothesis is that such crlofluidic lab-on-a-chip assays the water in the flow heavier than structures emerge from purely hy- is capillary electrophoresis, and the ambient water. By simplifying drodynamic interactions between researchers are always seeking the fluid mechanics by ignoring cells. Timothy Pedley of the Uni- to improve the sensitivity of this all temporal terms except the one versity of Cambridge described technique. The best way to do this describing the evolution of the one such model “in which cells Photo courtesy of www-conf.slac.stanford.edu is to include an online sample pre- boundary, he found that a single are represented as inertia-free At its November meeting, APS Council passed a memorial resolution on the concentration method. At Stanford mathematical formulation pro- ‘spherical squirmers,’ whose be- death of Wolfgang K. H. “Pief” Panofsky, founding director of SLAC and APS University, Juan Santiago and his vides an explanation of the fea- havior is dominated by near-field President in 1974. Panofsky died in September at the age of 88. The text of colleagues are developing meth- tures formed by swift fluid flow hydrodynamics.” the resolution follows. ods to concentrate ions into small in mountain bedrock streams, gul- Fluids in the Classroom. A The Council of the American Physical Society notes with great sadness the death of Wolfgang K.H. Panofsky of Stanford University. He leaves a volumes using isotachophoresis lies, steep alluvial river flows, and critical element in introductory legacy of research in particle physics, the accelerator he built, and his (ITP), in which sample ions are in the deep ocean. fluid mechanics courses is teach- work for nuclear arms control and international peace. He was Director injected between the high-mobil- A Bug’s Life. Researchers in ing students to realize that math- of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center from its inception in 1961 until ity co-ions of a leading electrolye MIT’s Department of Mathemat- ematical models don’t always his retirement in 1984. He received both the National Medal of Science, and the low mobility co-ions of a ics are looking to the world of model the real world very well. in 1969, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Enrico Fermi Award, in 1979. He was a Fellow of the American Physical Society and served as its trailing electrolyte. arthropods–insects and spiders According to Arizona State Uni- president in 1974. Dr. Panofsky was on the President’s Science Advisory Applying an electric field –for insights into better, biologi- versity’s Ronald Adrian, one ef- Committee during the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson Administrations. causes sample species to segre- cally-inspired approaches to wa- fective way to teach them the dif- Influenced by his work on the Manhattan Project, he was involved with gate and focus into a series of nar- ter repellency and fluid transport ference is to have them model a the Atmospheric Test Ban Treaty during Kennedy’s tenure and the Anti- row zones. “We use ITP to create on a very small scale. MIT’s John simple experiment, then run it and Ballistic Missile Treaty in 1972. Following his retirement, he participated in the National Academy of Science’ Committee on International Security sample ion concentration ‘shock Bush described his group’s work compare the results of the model and Arms Control, serving as its chairman from 1985 to 1993. The Council waves’ in microchannels,” says on water-walking arthropods with the experimental results. “It expresses its deep appreciation for his participation in the work of the Santiago. “These concentration and their ability to survive when would be even better if these ex- Society and conveys its sincere sympathy to his family and many friends waves can be integrated with on- submerged by virtue of a thin air periments were simple enough around the world. chip electrophoresis for high-sen- bubble wrapped along their rough that students could do them at sitivity assays.” The ultimate goal exteriors. “The diffusion of dis- home, rather than have a canned Meeting Briefs is to develop novel on-chip ITP solved oxygen from the water into two-hour lab course,” he says. assays which expand the design the bubble allows it to function He is collecting such experiments The weekend of October 19‑20 laboratory experiences. Following space of microfluidic devices. as an external lung, and enables for use in undergraduate or even was a busy one for APS regional Friday evening’s banquet, Susan Flowing Like a River. The certain species to remain under- K-12 classes, in hopes of building sections, five of which held their Marie Frontczak performed her flow of water over sediment or water indefinitely,” he said. They “a community of educators that annual fall meetings during that one‑woman drama, “A Living His- bedrock can create a wide range have also explored how such ar- want to move beyond the tradi- time. To wit: tory of Marie Curie.” of beautiful patterns, from dunes thropods use their tilted flexible tional mathematical exercises for • The APS Texas Section held • The APS Northeastern Sec- and sand bars to alluvial fans and leg hairs to generate thrust, glide, homework.” its annual fall meeting at Texas tion held its annual fall meeting at A&M University in College Sta- the University of Connecticut in PANEL continued from page 1 tion, Texas. Harvard University’s Storrs, Connecticut. The technical Dudley Herschbach kicked off the program focused on the theme of While various Open Access large portion of research in HEP is will see a significant decline in their meeting with a talk on Einstein’s carbon in the 21st century and fea- programs are being tried on a small published in Physical Review D or readership. theory of specific heats, followed tured invited talks on carbon nano- scale, CERN has conceived a large- Physical Review Letters, an initiative Audience members also raised the by Stanford University’s Douglas tubes, fullernes and graphene, as scale OA project called SCOAP3, such as SCOAP3 would strongly af- question of whether universities and Osheroff, who discussed how ad- well as presentations on the phys- which it is pursuing vigorously. fect APS. colleges in the US will be inclined to vances in science are made. Other ics of music and global warming. SCOAP3 (Sponsoring Consor- While supporting the principle of contribute funds to SCOAP3 if they invited topics included the phys- Friday evening’s banquet tium for Open Access Publishing in Open Access, Sprouse explained that have free access available. Mele ics of diving (in both English and speaker was Harold Kroto of Flor- Particle Physics) is a type of Open APS has concerns about the sustain- says that if SCOAP3 contribution Spanish), industrial physics, new ida State University, who spoke Access that relies on a consortium ability of SCOAP3. With Physical costs are set significantly lower than prospects in high energy and nu- about architecture in nano‑space. made up of national governments Review journal prices already set at subscriptions to journals, he believes clear physics, and film absorption The meeting was held in conjunc- around the world. Funding would near cost, any fluctuation in funding smaller universities will want to con- on carbon nanotube bundles. Fred tion with the UC‑Storrs Institute of come from contributions from gov- could cause major tremors for APS. tribute to the Open Access system Jerome and Roger Taylor were the Science Bio‑Nanotechnology Con- ernment agencies, laboratories, uni- Sprouse emphasized that SCOAP3 they are benefiting from. after‑dinner banquet speakers, with ference, which was held just prior versities, and private companies. would have to show not only that Audience members also ex- a presentation on Eintsein’s views to the kickoff of the NES meet- The consortium would cover the the financial support is there, but pressed concern that in many nation- on race and racism. The talk was ing, and featured talks on carbon cost of maintaining peer-review also that it will continue. There is al governments, federal funds are not followed by a trip out to the Texas nanotube FET‑based biosenors, journals in particle physics, and thus large pressure on library budgets, easily re-directed. Mele agreed, but A&M Observatory so attendees CNT interactions with biological make the papers freely accessible to and SCOAP3’s request for volun- reemphasized the support that gov- could participate in some night sky systems, and using CNTs to bet- the public. Libraries would cancel tary contributions will be competing ernments have already shown. observations. ter amplify cancer biomarkers for their journal subscriptions and con- with real needs to get other journals, There is also worry that while • The APS Ohio Section held ultra‑sensitive immunodetection. tribute to the SCOAP3 consortium and there will be no loss of access to SCOAP3 might force large pub- its annual fall meeting at Miami • The APS Four Corners Sec- instead. SCOAP3 would apply to the OA journals if the libraries stop lishers to lower the price of HEP University of Ohio in Oxford, tion held its annual fall meeting all publishers, both commercial and contributing. Ohio, organized around the theme at Northern Arizona University journals, they will simply increase not-for-profit. “[APS] has a responsibility to of doing front‑line research with in Flagstaff, Arizona. In addition the price of other journals, and that At the HEPAP meeting, Mele, publish good physics in all fields and undergraduate students. Invited to plenary talks on such topics SCOAP3 will have no real impact on the project leader for Open Access to do this we have to remain finan- speakers included Elizabeth Mc- as quantum key distribution, the inflated journal prices overall. While at CERN, listed various countries cially viable. The prospects for long Cormack of Bryn Mawr, who dis- history of Lowell Observatory, in North America, Europe, and Asia term support must be strong,” said APS journal prices are relatively cussed student learning and devel- and quantum mechanics and the that have already expressed support Sprouse. low, some libraries have complained opment in photo‑physics research, equivalence principle, there were for the project. He confirmed that Several questions about SCOAP3 about high prices charged by large while MU’s William Rauckhorst numerous invited talks on subjects 25% of the necessary funds to run were raised at the HEPAP meet- for-profit scientific publishers. talked about how he is creating a ranging from gravitational waves, SCOAP3 have been pledged, with ing. One potential issue with the Sprouse said he is open to research–rich curriculum at that path integral simulations for nano- at least 15% more on the way. Mele SCOAP3 plan is that large publish- SCOAP3 if it can be shown to be institution. Rainer Grobe dis- electronics, and helium in metals, said the goal is to have SCOAP3 op- ing companies with high journal sustainable and reversible. “If these cussed undergraduate physics re- to meteors, single molecule elec- erational in time for the first papers prices might not see an advantage conditions are met we’d be open to search at Illinois State University, tronics, and polar oxide interfaces. from the Large Hadron Collider. to switching to SCOAP3 if it means OA on our site,” he said. For now, and Bethel University’s Richard Friday evening’s keynote banquet The majority of articles in high receiving less money. Mele believes APS will continue its current Open Peterson rounded out the invited speaker was William Stoeger of energy physics are published in just that publishers who do not join the Access offerings and its efforts to talks by discussing student and the Vatican Observatory, who dis- six peer-reviewed journals. Since a SCOAP3 initiative, if it is launched, keep subscription prices down. faculty perspectives on advanced MEETING continued on page 7 APS NEWS January 2008 • 7

SOUTH AFRICA continued from page 5 ANNOUNCEMENTS plied fields. mote access to the CERN facility. The public understanding of Now Appearing in RMP: A new well-resourced Research Inside Inside the Beltway physics is to be addressed by the Chair Program, as well as a Cen- Recently Posted Reviews marketing coordinator in the new tres of Excellence scheme by the Readers of "Inside the Beltway" in the December APS News may and Colloquia have noticed that the first five and a half paragraphs were, inad- SAIP Office. Components of the DST has increased the capacity of You will find the following in the vertently, repeated. We apologize for any confusion this may have program include a mobile Phys- the universities and other research online edition of caused. ics Pavilion and an annual confer- institutions to attract back to our Reviews of Modern Physics at http://rmp.aps.org ence to promote linkages between shores South African physicists physicists active in outreach and working abroad. This is supple- Manhattan Project Spins in few‑electron the science centers. There was a mented by various equipment and Session at the April 2008 quantum dots very strong and successful partici- mobility programs. R. Hanson, L.P. Kouwen- pation in the World Year of Phys- The Shaping the Future of APS Meeting hoven, J.R. Petta, S. Tarucha ics in 2005. Physics project was conceived at and L.M.K. Vandersypen A new South African Research a time of great concern about the On Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 10:30 AM This review describes ex- Network was announced in March state and future of physics in South there will be a session devoted to the Manhattan Project, particu- periments on single‑electron 2007 by the Minister of Finance. Africa. This process has greatly larly Los Alamos during the war years 1943-45. spins confined in quantum dots, It is hoped this will also facilitate contributed to the current state which are nanometer‑scale implementation of a National Re- There will be two invited talks, by Val Fitch, who was a member of significant optimism, based on boxes defined in a semicon- search Digital Library. of the Special Engineering Detachment, U.S. Army, and Cynthia tangible outcomes on many the ductor host material. Explana- Several new flagship projects C. Kelly, who is President of the Atomic Heritage Foundation, concern areas as described above. tions of the underlying physics are established or envisaged. The and Editor of the just-published book The Manhattan Project. It will still take time, however, to and the discussion of electrical Southern Africa Large Telescope Los Alamos alumni of that period are invited to attend the session, address the shortfall of younger characterization and manipula- of the SA Astronomical Obser- and to participate in a panel discussion (space permitting) that will experienced physicists. Efforts tion of single and double quan- vatory already has international take place after the two invited talks. Those alumni whom we have must be intensified to recruit, edu- tum dot systems containing acclaim, and it is supported by a not yet contacted are urged to email one of the session organiz- cate and retain physicists in South one or two electrons enable a highly successful inter-institution- ers: Ben Bederson, [email protected] or David C. Cassidy, comprehensive understanding al National Astronomy and Space Africa, building on our achieve- [email protected], or write to Ben Bederson, Physics De- ments and growing the collabora- of single spin dynamics in a Science Program for postgradu- partment, 4 Washington Pl., New York NY 10003. Contributed solid‑state environment. ate training. The KAT/MeerKAT/ tive networks locally and interna- papers concerning that period are also welcome. SKA suite of new astronomical tionally. All these initiatives are undertaken in the most positive projects has received a tremendous ITER continued from page 5 financial boost. The new National climate for the recognition of the move the plasma’s heat and protect energy levels. That’s the latest find- solar wind couples to the terres- Institute for Theoretical Physics, role of science, and the strongest the device’s walls from damage. ing of a collaboration of scientists trial magnetopshere, driving phe- headquartered in the Stellenbo- financial support from the govern- The new simulations show that in- from SLAC, the University of Cal- nomena such as magnetic storms sch Institute for Advanced Stud- ment in many decades. jected neon gas does not penetrate ifornia, Los Angeles (UCLA), and and aurorae. The theory of 2D re- ies and with regional facilities in Nithaya Chetty is at the School deeply into the plasma, and yet the the University of Southern Califor- connection is well-developed and Johannesburg and Durban, is now of Physics, University of KwaZu- cooling of the surface leads to in- nia (USC). They also discovered has been successfully applied in a reality. A program to promote lu-Natal, and is the current SAIP stabilities that destroy good mag- that electrons from the plasma can lab-based plasma experiments and science at synchrotrons has been president; Simon Connell is at netic confinement in the plasma be trapped in the wake and exit the fusion devices, but is not suitable underway for several years. The the School of Physics, University center. As a result, the plasma’s plasma in a bunch, resulting in very for application to systems like the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor pro- of the Witwatersrand, and SAIP heat is conducted rapidly from high energies and brightness. Earth’s magnetosphere. The 3D gram is dramatically increasing its president-elect; Harm Moraal is the center to the surface, where it The SLAC/UCLA/USC col- theory of magnetic reconnection is linkages with research and teach- at the School of Physics, North- is absorbed and then radiated by laboration is now preparing its next less well developed. John Dorelli ing institutions. The SA-CERN West University, and a recent SAIP the neon. More detailed simula- experiments, which will focus on of the University of New Hamp- consortium program will pro- past-president. tions should determine whether the demonstrating the acceleration of shire described his latest magneto- MEETING continued from page 6 gas injection technique can also an electron bunch with a narrow sphere MDH simulation results. He cussed the mutually beneficial in- spoke on the prospects for human prevent the formation of intense energy spread. The researchers also has used this approach to identify teraction of science and religion in travel to the “Red Planet” within beams of high-energy electrons hope to demonstrate the accelera- two qualitatively distinct types of contemporary society. The meet- the next 10 years. that are sometimes generated dur- tion of positrons to high energies in reconnection phenomena: steady ing also featured a tour of the his- • Daring to be different, the ing disruptions. plasma. Taken together, these ad- separator reconnection involv- toric Lowell Observatory. APS California Section held its Plasma in a Bottle. Fusion re- vances could one day contribute to ing plasma flow across magnetic • Finally, the APS New York annual fall meeting the following searchers build magnetic bottles to the miniaturization of future linear separatrix boundaries, and time- State Section held its annual fall weekend, October 26‑27, at Law- keep their 100 million C plasmas colliders. dependent reconnection involving meeting at Skidmore College rence Berkeley National Labora- hot and dense by keeping them Plasma-Amplified Lasers. a global change in the topology of in Saratoga Springs, New York, tory (LBNL). Invited speakers away from contact with the cold Researchers from Princeton Uni- the magnetic field. organized around the theme of included Steve Chu and George surrounding walls. A tokamak versity, Princeton Plasma Physics “Smart” Plasma Antennas. geographical and astrophysical Smoot, both Nobel laureates confinement device (donut-shaped Laboratory, and the University of Igor Alexeff of the University of perspectives on the structure and and both affiliated with LBNL, magnetic bottle) is particularly ef- California, Berkeley, have experi- Tennessee maintains that plasma formation of planets. Speakers who spoke about the promises fective, but all such devices expe- mentally demonstrated an ultra- antennas are just as effective as addressed such topics as impact and challenges of biofuels and rience leakage, degrading fusion short pulse laser system using a metal antennas, and in addition craters on Venus and Mars, shock cosmology, respectively. Donald performance. Plasma physicists plasma as the amplifying medium, can transmit, receive and reflect waves in protoplanetary disks, ter- Glaser of University of Califor- at MIT are studying the physical which can support much stronger lower frequency signals while be- restrial and planetary radio emis- nia, Berkeley, discussed how mechanisms that drive such losses, electric fields and is less vulnerable ing transparent to higher frequency sions, and meteorites as evidence noise helps vision, while UC and have found that fusion plasmas to optical damage than the stan- signals. When de-energized, they for solar system formation. Friday Santa Barbara’s Walter Kohn tend to build up pressure in their dard chirped-pulse-amplification electrically “disappear.” New tech- evening’s banquet was followed spoke on solar power, and Hope boundary to a critical value, spill- method. The plasma-based laser nologies include a novel technique by a public lecture featuring Rob- Ishii of Lawrence Livermore Na- ing material sporadically outside achieved an unprecedented pulse to reduce noise, and a method of ert Zubrin of Pioneer Astronautics, tional Laboratory gave a talk on their magnetic container–a dynam- intensity amplification of 20,000 opening a plasma window in a author of The Case for Mars, who comet dust. ical behavior akin to avalanches, times in a plasma length of just 2 plasma microwave barrier on a which occur when snow piles up millimeters, accompanied by very much smaller time scale (micro- PRIZE continued from page 1 on a mountainside. This provides effective pulse compression: from seconds, compared to millisec- innovation and cutting edge tech- submit more elaborate nomina- strong evidence that electromag- 500 to 90 femtoseconds in a single onds). Alexeff reports testing an nology, and it is not necessary for tions by July 1. From among these netic turbulence plays the key role pass, reduced further to 50-60 fem- intelligent plasma antenna that is the work recognized by the Prize finalists, the committee will rec- in regulating the plasma’s leakage toseconds in a two-pass version of garnering strong commercial inter- to have already achieved commer- ommend the recipient to the APS through the surface of the bottle. the experiment. Further improve- est. The method involves finding cial success.” Executive Board. Catching a Plasma Wave. ments to the energy transfer ef- a radio transmitter by creating an In order to encourage a broad The Prize consists of a certifi- Plasma wakefield accelerators ficiency are currently underway, azimuthally-rotating plasma “win- spectrum of nominations, the se- cate and a $10,000 stipend. It will (PWFAs) can double electron en- bringing this compact, tabletop dow” in a circular plasma barrier lection process has been divided be given biennially, alternating ergy in just one meter, compared to plasma laser system close to be- surrounding an antenna. When lo- into two parts. Preliminary nomi- with a pre-existing prize of the full-scale accelerators such as the coming a practical device. cated, a computer locks onto the nations are due by April 1, for same name given by the American one at Stanford Linear Accelera- A Mighty Solar Wind. Scien- transmitter. Once the transmitter is which the nominator need only Institute of Physics. The AIP prize tor Center (SLAC), which requires tists believe magnetic reconnection de-energized, the plasma window submit, via a web-form, a single has traditionally gone to physicists about two miles to achieve similar is the primary mode by which the begins scanning again. document of no more than 1000 in larger companies, and empha- words, with an optional support- sizes commercial impact. Both the Bienenstock continued from page 3 ing letter of up to 500 words from APS Prize and the AIP Prize are In many of these roles, there is a pating in undergraduate research ics Teachers (AAPT) to make this a second individual. Self-nomina- supported by grants from General significant shortage. If we are to experience programs. I’m really happen. PhysTEC, PTEC and the tions are encouraged. Motors. attract more people into physics, pleased to see the expansion of the New Faculty Workshops are all The selection committee will More information about the we must work to improve phys- undergraduate research experience. highly regarded programs. We must review the preliminary nomina- Prize can be found at http://www. ics education at the pre-college I have become convinced that we reach more people with them as the tions, and choose a small number aps.org/programs/honors/prizes/ and college levels and increase must increase our cooperation with 21st Century Campaign increases of finalists, who will be invited to industrial.cfm. the number of students partici- the American Association of Phys- our resources for that purpose. 8 • January 2008 APS NEWS The Back Page ditor’s Note: Henry A. Rowland, one of the few bodies and the chances of their being correct. Egreat 19th-century American physicists, was Both fall to the bottom and in their fall, obey the born 160 years ago. He was the first President of gravitational laws of inorganic matter, slightly the American Physical Society, and the following is The Highest Aim of the Physicist modified by the muscular contortions of the fall- adapted from his presidential address, delivered at ing object, but not in any degree changed by the the second meeting of the Society on October 28, By Henry A. Rowland previous belief of the person. 1899. In some sense, it is a statement of the found- Natural laws there probably are, rigid and un- ing principles of APS. Of course, a lot has changed changing ones at that. Understand them, and they in more than 108 years. For example, readers may are beneficent: we can use them for our purposes find the exclusive use of the male pronoun by Rowland grating. and make them the slaves of our desires. Misunderstand them But one must remember that he was speaking in the language and they are monsters who may grind us to powder or crush of 1899. His discussion of the impotence of the physician in the us in the dust. Nothing is asked of us as to our belief: they act face of mortal illness is particularly poignant, because he knew unswervingly and we must understand them or suffer the conse- he was dying of diabetes, a disease to which he succumbed less quences. Our only course, then, is to act according to the chances than a year and a half later. The treatment of diabetes by injec- of our knowing the right laws. If we act correctly, right. If we act tion of insulin would not be discovered for another 20 years. incorrectly, we suffer. If we are ignorant, we die. What greater The complete text of Rowland’s address is available at www. fool, then, than he who states that belief is of no consequence aip.org/history/exhibits/gap/PDF/rowland_aim.pdf. provided it is sincere. In a country where the doctrine of the equal rights of man has An only child, a beloved wife, lies on a bed of illness. The been distorted to mean the equality of man in other respects, we physician says that the disease is mortal; a minute plant called a form a small and unique body of men, a new variety of the hu- microbe has obtained entrance into the body and is growing at man race, as one of our greatest scientists calls it, whose views of the expense of its tissues, forming deadly poisons in the blood what constitutes the greatest achievement in life are very differ- or destroying some vital organ. The physician looks on without ent from those around us. In this respect we form an aristocracy, being able to do anything. Daily he comes and notes the failing not of wealth, not of pedigree, but of intellect and of ideals, hold- strength of his patient, and daily the patient goes downward until ing him in the highest respect who adds the most to our knowl- he rests in his grave. But why has the physician allowed this? edge or who strives after it as the highest good. Can we doubt that there is a remedy which shall kill the microbe Let us cultivate the idea of the dignity of our pursuit, so that or neutralize its poison? Why, then, has he not used it? this feeling may sustain us in the midst of a world which gives its limited by a few hundred or possibly thousand years: the limit in The answer is ignorance. The remedy is yet unknown. The highest praise, not to the investigation in the pure etherial physics our science is far less than the smaller of these periods. In space, physician is waiting for others to discover it, or perhaps is exper- which our society is formed to cultivate, but to the one who uses we have exact knowledge limited to portions of our earth’s sur- imenting in a crude and unscientific manner to find it. He is em- it for satisfying the physical rather than the intellectual needs of face and a mile or so below the surface, together with what little ployed to cure but has failed. His bill we cheerfully pay because mankind. He who makes two blades of grass grow where one we can learn from looking through powerful telescopes into the he has done is his best and given a chance of cure. Is not the grew before is the benefactor of mankind; but he who obscurely space beyond. inference correct, then, that the world has been paying the wrong worked to find the laws of such growth is the intellectual supe- In temperature our knowledge extends from near the abso- class of men? Would not this ignorance have been dispelled had rior as well as the greater benefactor of the two. lute zero to that of the sun, but exact knowledge is far more lim- the proper money been used in the past to dispel it? The progress of every science shows us the condition of its ited. In pressures we go from the Crookes vacuum still contain- Such deaths some people consider an act of God. What blas- growth. Very few persons, if isolated in a semi-civilized land, ing myriads of flying atoms, to pressures limited by the strength phemy to attribute to God that which is due to our own and our have either the desire or the opportunity of pursuing the higher of steel, but still very minute compared with the pressure at the ancestors’ selfishness in not founding institutions for medical branches of science. Even if they should be able to do so, their center of the earth and sun, where the hardest steel would flow research in sufficient number, and with sufficient means, to dis- influence on their science depends upon what they publish and like the most limpid water. In velocities, we are limited to a few cover the truth. Such deaths are murder. make known to the world. A hermit philosopher we can imag- miles per second. In forces, to possibly 100 tons to the square Thus, the present generation suffers for the sins of the past, ine might make many useful discoveries. Yet, if he keeps them inch. In mechanic rotations to a few hundred times per second. and we die because our ancestors dissipated their wealth on to himself, he can never claim to have benefited the world in All the facts which we have considered, the liability to er- armies and navies, in the foolish pomp and circumstance of so- any degree. His unpublished results are his private gain, but the ror whatever direction we go, the infirmity of our minds in their ciety, and neglected to provide us with a knowledge of natural world is no better off until he has made them known in language reasoning power, the fallibility of witnesses and experimenters, laws. In this sense, they were the murderers and robbers of fu- strong enough to call attention to them and to convince the world lead the scientist to be specially skeptical with reference to any ture generations of unborn millions, and have made the world a of their truth. statement made to him or any so-called knowledge which may charnel house and place of mourning where peace and happi- Thus, to encourage the growth of any science, the best thing be brought to his attention. The facts and theories of our science ness might have been. Only their ignorance of what they were we call do is to meet together in its interest, to discuss its prob- are so much more certain than those of history, of the testimony doing can be their excuse, but this puts them in the class of boors lems, to criticise each other’s work and, best of all, to provide of ordinary people in which the facts of ordinary history or of and savages who act according to selfish desire and not to reason means by which the better portion of it may be made known to legal evidence, or of the value of medicines to which we trust and to the calls of duty. Let the present generation take warning the world. Furthermore, let us encourage discrimination in our when we are ill, indeed to the whole fabric of supposed truth by that this reproach be not cast upon it, for it cannot plead igno- thoughts and work. Let us recognize the eras when great thoughts which an ordinary person guides his belief and the actions of his rance in this respect. have been introduced into our subject and let us honor the great life, that it may seem ominous or strange if what I have said of This illustration from medicine I have given because it ap- men who introduced and proved them correct. In choosing the the imperfections of the knowledge of physics is correct. peals to all. But all the sciences are linked together and must subjects for our investigation, let us, if possible, work upon those How shall we regulate our mind with respect to it? There is advance in concert. The human body is a chemical and a physi- subjects which will finally give us all advanced knowledge of only one way, and that is to avoid the discontinuity of the ordi- cal problem, and these sciences must advance before we can some great subject. I am aware that we cannot always do this: nary. There is no such thing as absolute truth or absolute false- conquer disease. our ideas will often flow in side channels: but, with the great hood. The scientific mind should never recognize the perfect But the true lover of physics needs no such spur to his action. problems of the Universe before us, we may sometime be able truth or the perfect falsehood of a supposed theory or observa- The cure of disease is a very important object and nothing can to do our share toward the greater end. tion. It should carefully weigh the chances of truth and error and be nobler than a life devoted to its cure. The aims of a physicist, What is matter; what is gravitation; what is ether and the grade each in its proper position along the line joining absolute however, are in part purely intellectual: he strives to understand radiation through it; what is electricity and magnetism; how truth and absolute error. the Universe on account of the intellectual pleasure derived from are these connected together and what is their relation to heat? The ordinary crude mind has only two compartments, one for the pursuit, but he is upheld in it by the knowledge that the study These are the greater problems of the universe. But infinitely truth and one for error; indeed, the contents of the two are sadly of nature’s secrets is the ordained method by which the greatest smaller problems we must attack and solve before we call even mixed in most cases. The ideal scientific mind, however, has an good and happiness shall finally come to the human race. guess at the solution of the greater ones. infinite number. Each theory or law is in its proper compartment, Where, then, are the great laboratories of research in this city, When it comes to exact knowledge, the limits are far more indicating the probability of its truth. As new fact arrives, the in this country, nay, in the world? We see a few miserable struc- circumscribed. How is it, then, that we hear physicists and others scientist changes it from one compartment to another so as, if tures here and there, occupied by a few starving professors who constantly stating what will happen beyond these limits? Take possible, to always keep it in its proper relation to truth and error. are nobly striving to do the best with the feeble means at their velocities, for instance, such as that of a material body moving Thus, the fluid nature of electricity was once in a compartment disposal. But where in the world is the institute of pure research with the velocity of light. There is no known process by which near the truth. Faraday’s and Maxwell’s researches have now in any department of science with an income of $100,000,000 such a velocity can be obtained even though the body fell from caused us to move it to a compartment nearly up to that of abso- per year? Where can the discoverer in pure science earn more an infinite distance upon the largest aggregation of matter in the lute error. So the law of gravitation within planetary distances is than the wages of a day laborer or cook? But $100,000,000 per Universe. If we electrify it, as in the cathode rays, its properties far toward absolute truth, but may still need amending before it year is but the price of an army or of a navy designed to kill other are so changed that the matter properties are completely masked is advanced farther in that direction. people. Just think of it, that one percent of this sum seems to by the electromagnetic. The ideal scientific mind, therefore, must always be held in most people too great to save our children and descendants from It is a common error which young physicists are apt to fall a state of balance which the slightest new evidence may change misery and even death. into to obtain a law, a curve, or a mathematical expression for in one direction or another. It is in a constant state of skepticism, But the 20th century is near–may we not hope for better given experimental limits and then to apply it to points outside knowing full well that nothing is certain. It is above all an agnos- things before its end? May we not hope to influence the public those limits. This is sometimes called extrapolation. Such a pro- tic with respect to all facts and theories of science, as well as to in this direction? cess, unless carefully guarded, ceases to be a reasoning process all other so-called beliefs and theories. Let us go forward, then, with confidence in the dignity of and becomes one of pure imagination specially liable to error Yet it would be folly to reason from this that we need not our pursuit. Let us hold our heads high with a pure conscience when the distance is too great. guide our life according to the approach to knowledge that we while we seek the truth, and may the American Physical Soci- It is a curious fact that, having minds tending to the infi- possess. Nature is inexorable; it punishes the child who unknow- ety do its share now and in generations yet to come in trying nite, with imaginations unlimited by time and space, the limits ingly steps off a precipice quite as severely as the grown scientist to unravel the great problem of the constitution and laws of the of our exact knowledge are very small indeed. In time, we are who steps over, with full knowledge of all the laws of falling Universe. APS News welcomes and encourages letters and submissions from its members responding to these and other issues. Responses may be sent to: [email protected]