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The California Tech [email protected] VOLUME CXVII NUMBER 16 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA TECH.CALTECH.EDU MARCH 3, 2014 Theoretical Physicist Wins Feynman Teaching Prize Professor Steven Frautschi is this year’s awardee for the Feyman Prize for Excellence in Teaching. -California Institute of Technology Archives CYNTHIA ELLER This is the first time the Professor Frautschi as he is about Frautschi. “To me it was like a was concluding. As Frautschi Caltech Science Writer Feynman Prize has been awarded teaching. Frautschi is credited large cookie jar full of wonderful remembers it, “One evening at to an emeritus faculty member by several students with pulling goodies to dip into.” He studied home, I got a phone call from one Steven C. Frautschi, professor and also the first time it has been them through physics when they physics and math there but has of the other postdocs. He said, of theoretical physics, emeritus, awarded to a teaching assistant. thought they would fail. Students fond memories of auditing classes ‘You must come to the radiation at Caltech, has been awarded the Frautschi has won three ASCIT describe Frautschi as “amazing,” in art history and geology as well. laboratory tomorrow, because Richard P. Feynman Prize for (Associated Students of the “awesome,” and “beyond helpful.” After college, Frautschi won a Gell-Mann is asking questions, and Excellence in Teaching, which is California Institute of Technology) They enjoy his “use of uncommon Harvard fellowship to spend a year we can’t answer them.’” Fortunately, Caltech’s most prestigious teaching teaching awards during his time real-world examples” along with traveling through the Near East Frautschi had been considering honor. at Caltech. Since his retirement his “awesome Converse shoes,” and Europe, where he enjoyed “a the problems Gell-Mann asked Named after Caltech physicist from full-time teaching in 2006, and they say “learning from him great many operas among other about, and the two ended up Richard P. Feynman, the prize is Frautschi has continued on at is a blast.” Others go even further. things.” Graduate school followed collaborating while Frautschi awarded annually to a Caltech Caltech as a teaching assistant A biology major confesses, “I used at Stanford University, where began an assistant professorship professor “who demonstrates, for the freshman Physics 1 to absolutely hate physics because Frautschi concluded that theory, at Cornell University. Within the in the broadest sense, unusual class in classical mechanics and I thought it was too difficult rather than experiment, would be year, Frautschi was invited to join ability, creativity, and innovation electromagnetism. As Frautschi and useless, but Frautschi really his forte in physics. After Stanford, the faculty at Caltech. in undergraduate and graduate explains, “There is a long tradition clarified my understanding and Frautschi pursued postdoctoral “At that time, Feynman and classroom or laboratory teaching.” of having at least some of the sparked my interest in physics.” fellowships at the Hideki Yukawa Gell-Mann were active, and sections in freshman physics Now, says this student, “I wouldn’t Institute for Theoretical Physics in there were wonderful students taught by Caltech professors. be opposed to being a physics Kyoto and at UC Berkeley. also, so coming to Caltech was a I’ve just stepped into that major solely because of him.” Frautschi’s eventual move very attractive opportunity,” says tradition. I love the material Another student says simply, “I to Caltech was initiated when Frautschi. Frautschi actually knew In this issue in basic physics and how it want to be like Professor Frautschi Murray Gell-Mann (later a Nobel the prize’s namesake personally affects so many things in the when I grow up.” Prize winner and now the Robert and had the opportunity to watch world around us, and I like Those are big shoes to fill. Andrews Millikan Professor of him teach. the continued contact with Frautschi, raised in Wisconsin, Theoretical Physics, Emeritus) NEWS young people very much.” matriculated at Harvard when visited Berkeley in 1961, just as Caltech students are he was only 16 years old. “I had a Frautschi’s postdoctoral work New events by as enthusiastic about wonderful time at Harvard,” says on strongly interacting particles Continued on pg. 3 the Caltech Y 3 News briefs from around the globe Helping readers burst out of the Caltech bubble CANDIDATE STATE- MENTS Need to know < 100 words about the world this week – topics sorted from good to bad Statements for up4- coming elections by The Tech Eds US places 2nd at Sochi 28 medals total, 2nd behind Russia at 33; 9 gold, 7 silver, 12 bronze [CNN] FEATURE Baby born on street 39 –year-old British woman gives birth while hailing taxi to hospital [BBC] New crossword6 UK murderers sentenced 45 years, and life sentence for the murderers of UK soldier Lee Rigby [CNN] Heavy rains in So. Cal 6 inches of rain by Saturday, causing mudslides after severe drought [CNN] SPORTS Swimming and Tensions rise in Crimea 15,000 Russian troops estimated to occupy the Ukranian province [CNN] diving team ends or more years of prison for Oscar Pistorius, life sentence possible [CNN] season 7 Pistorius trial Monday 15 Phil Hoffman death ID’ed 3 others arrested in connection, drug mixture ID’ed as cause of death [CNN] EWS 2 MARCH 3, 2014 N THE CALIFORNIA TECH Food with Mannion! ASCIT Minutes Do you like eating food? ASCIT Board of Directors Meeting How about free food at nice restaurants? Minutes for February 18, 2014. Taken by Catherine Jamshidi Ever want to tell the world exactly what you think of Officers Present: Connor Coley, Catherine Jamshidi, Connie Hsueh, Michelle said food? Tang, Zach Rivkin, Monica Enlow, Malvika Verma The Tech will be beginning a new column to chroni- Guests: Connor Rosen, Patrick Nikong, Ellora Sarkar, Elliot Simon, Chris Dosen cle the foodie experiences of new writers every other week...The Catch: They’ll be going head-to-head with Call to Order: 10:05 pm Tom Mannion who will be reviewing the same restau- President’s Report (Zach): rant. If you have ever thought you were more of a gour- • There will be afternoon tea at 3pm on Sunday, March 2nd to meet the current Board of Directors at Tom Mannion’s house. Prospective ASCIT mand than our resident master chef, now’s your chance candidates should attend to learn more about the various positions. to prove it! Officer’s Reports: Email us for a spot on the list at [email protected] • V.P. of Academic Affairs (ARC Chair: Malvika): o The Collaboration Policy Checklist was distributed through Division Chairs. No word yet on how it’s been received. o The recommendations ARC + UASH made with regard to the The California Tech academic eligibility proposal will be used to revise Dean Kiewiet’s proposal o The ARC is working to change due times for core classes to reduce Caltech 40-58, Pasadena, CA 91125 the pressure to pull all-nighters (for example, Ma1a due Monday at advertising e-mail: [email protected] Write editorial e-mail: [email protected] 10am encourages Sunday all-nighters) th o The first Dinner with a Prof will be Feb. 27 with Professor Alan Weinstein. Students are encouraged to sign up for the lottery spots. Editors-in-Chief Jonathan Schor articles for Stanford Schor • V.P. of Non-Academic Affairs (IHC Chair: Connor): News Editors o The Bechtel memo, which had been sent to President-elect Neera Shah Rosenbaum, was also sent to a trustee on the Student Experience Nehaly Shah the Tech Committee Photography Editor o Zach and I are working on a fire safety/education program in Alex Hsu conjunction with Safety. Details TBD. o Congratulations to Erin Evans, our newest IHC member! • Director of Operations (Connie): o Join the Little t team! If you’re interested in contributing to next year’s Little t, we would love for you to join us. Email [email protected] o The Take a Prof/TA to Lunch program is ongoing – email Staff [email protected] if you want to take your professor or Brad Chattergoon Nailen Matschke grad TA to lunch! Parul Pubbi Shannon Wang • Treasurer (Monica): o Nothing to report this week. • Social Director (Michelle): o If you want to join the Executive Social Committee, please contact Michelle Tang at [email protected] o There is a movie screening of Josh, directed by a Caltech alum, on Friday, 2/28, at 7:30pm in Baxter. o Be a Kid Again will take place on Sunday, 3/2, at 7pm at Tom Mannion’s house. o Dabney and Ruddock Interhouses are in the upcoming weekends. o A formal will likely take place third term Circulation Manager Michael Paluchniak • Secretary (Cat): Advisor Richard Kipling o Gathering elections results from the houses to update donut. o The new IHC photos are up! The Tech is published weekly except dur- o The remaining Student Experience Town Halls are as follows: ing vacation and examination periods by Ricketts March 1 1:00 pm Ricketts Dining Hall the Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology, Inc. The opinions Ruddock March 1 3:00 pm Ruddock Dining Hall expressed herein are strictly those of the authors and advertisers. Dabney March 8 2:00 pm Dabney Dining Hall Letters and submissions are welcome; e- mail submissions to [email protected] as plain-text attachments, including the au- thor’s name, by Friday of the week before o Come to a BoD Meeting! Tuesdays at 10pm in SAC15. Guests are publication. The Tech does accept anony- mous contributions under special circum- always welcome. stances. The editors reserve the right to edit and abridge all submissions for any reason.