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April APS News 2020, Vol. 29. No. 4

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The Division of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics APS Student Ambassadors The Division of Atomic, Congressional Back Page: Physics 02│ Engage with Units 03│ Molecular, and Optical Physics 04│ Visits Day 08│ Teaching Goes Virtual April 2020 • Vol. 29, No. 4 aps.org/apsnews A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY A Message from the APS CEO and the APS President e face a time of to work from home. APS has The APS’s Office of Government extraordinary chal- prepared for this, and thus far Affairs (OGA) has focused on W lenges. We know, the staff have maintained most ensuring that our graduate however, that our physics core activities as usual. Research students and postdocs continue community will be resilient meetings have been affected pro- to receive support, despite the and resourceful in the face of foundly, however. APS meetings shutdown of labs and uni- crisis as the world confronts are essential to our worldwide versities across the country. the coronavirus pandemic. We physics community, and so we Through a grassroots-driven saw this in Denver following the have taken several steps: partnership with the Forum on sudden cancellation of the March • The APS Board Executive Graduate Student Affairs, APS Meeting, as many members Committee agreed that the OGA is urging federal agencies to stepped forward to schedule April Meeting, originally to continue to provide salaries and and conduct online sessions to be held in Washington, DC, benefits. In addition, in prepa- ensure the continuity of scien- is canceled as an in-person ration for any future phase of Kate Kirby Philip Bucksbaum tific exchange. APS staff worked meeting, but will be held federal economic stimulus to tirelessly to support, encourage, online to the greatest respond to COVID-19, OGA has and enable these sessions, but and small, are taking place current situation is an existential extent possible. The April prepared a proposal for including the drive to push so much online throughout our community to challenge, which can accelerate Program Committee and scientific infrastructure in the so fast came from the March address critical needs resulting positive change, spur innovation, APS IT support are working funding package. meeting physicists. from the pandemic. Physics labs and make us stronger and more together to implement a We acknowledge the stress This spirit is also seen in across the country are donating resilient. APS exists to serve its robust virtual meeting. so many in our community physics departments and labs much- needed personal protec- members, the physics community, • All spring section meetings are experiencing as they close worldwide, where physicists tive equipment to local hospitals. and society broadly. Learn more have been canceled. down research experiments have suspended research with Several groups engaged in bio- about our efforts on our COVID-19 and laboratories and pivot to almost no prior warning, and • DAMOP leadership will make logical and medical physics are response page. If there are addi- teaching all courses online and students and staff have dis- a decision about their June busier than ever, racing to develop tional actions you think we should persed. Now and in the coming meeting soon. hold office hours in cyberspace. knowledge that could lead to be taking at this time, please let weeks, we will all be called • APS is supporting several The April APS News Back Page effective treatment. Although us know ([email protected]). upon to do what we can to keep community-driven efforts article contains some sug- many national laboratories are We send all best wishes to our communities healthy, keep to continue to place many of gestions regarding successful temporarily shut down, some you and your families, and hope our research and education the planned March Meeting transitioning to online teaching. beamlines at synchrotrons such that you are able to stay healthy missions alive, and prepare sessions online. We are In addition, we must especially as SSRL at SLAC remain open for and strong. look for ways to help our early for an uncertain future. all exploring new ways important research related to the Sincerely, As a result of the corona- to disseminate scientific career and student members, COVID-19 virus. Kate P. Kirby virus, APS—like most other information and interact whose lives have been upended Like other global threats our APS CEO professional societies around with our colleagues. You can as institutes are shuttered and society has faced, from world the world—has canceled con- read more about this on the campuses are closed. wars to national disasters (both Philip H. Bucksbaum ferences and requires staff March Meeting website. Other actions, both large natural and man-made), this APS President Resources for Online Physics Physicists and COVID-19: APS News and Physics Magazine would like to hear from you. How are you carrying out your research? How are you moving your classes online? How Instruction are you using your physics training during the pandemic? Please send your story to BY MONICA PLISCH [email protected]. any physics departments can be run on the web and all have quickly moved can be downloaded. Curricular M their courses online materials are available for in response to the COVID-19 most sims, which can be used COVID-19: APS Actions and Resources pandemic. Some leading resources to supplement or substitute for include: hands-on laboratory exercises. • PhysPort (physport.org)— PS understands that our Physical Review Journals • Virtual Chairs Meeting—APS APS Fellow Sam McKagan members and the physics The APS and the Physical Review and AAPT jointly organize the is founder and director community are under con- editorial office are fully equipped Physics Department Chairs A of this user-friendly web siderable stress at this time. Please and actively working to support Meeting and will be holding portal hosted by AAPT that be assured that we will continue to researchers by continuing to carry a shortened version of this supports physics faculty in do all that we can to support you out all editorial and peer-review meeting online, likely on June implementing research-based and the physics enterprise. If you functions and publish research in 19. Chairs and other depart- teaching practices. The Expert have any questions or concerns, the journals as well as minimizing ment leaders are welcome to Recommendations tab has a please let us know via the form disruption to journal access. attend and discuss lessons well-developed page titled at aps.org/about/contact/. Remote Journal Access. Many learned from the unexpected “I suddenly have to move APS has created a central researchers now find themselves experiment with online educa- my face-to-face physics/ website with updated information working away from their insti- tion, among other topics. Look astronomy course online! What about Society activities during this tutions and may have trouble for announcements on the should I do?” Sourced from time. Please check the website accessing the Physical Review APS Education Programs page dozens of experts, this vetted regularly: aps.org/about/covid-19/. journals. To address this, we are facilitating access via several (aps.org/programs/education) page includes ideas and links different mechanisms: Google to stay in the loop. from how to structure your Scholar CASA, Go Mobile, and Please contact us at educa- class, to group work online, Shibboleth. For full details visit: [email protected] if APS staff can be to online teaching resources. journals.aps.org/remote-access. of assistance regarding questions For any questions, please • PhET Simulations (phet. with online education. Also see contact our journals Help Desk colorado.edu)—Winner of the APS News Back Page article by at [email protected]. the 2018 APS Excellence in Chandralekha Singh in this issue Education Award, this website for additional links. hosts over 100 interactive simulations of physics phe- The author is APS Director of COVID-19 CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 nomena. Most simulations Programs. Revised 4/20/20 COVID-19 CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 2 • April 2020 MEMBERSHIP APS Student Ambassadors Engage THIS MONTH IN with Units BY LEAH POFFENBERGER Physics History he APS Annual Leadership Meeting (ALM) in T Washington, DC, held at the April 13, 1942: Death of Annie Jump Cannon end of January is an important resource for connecting leaders stronomer Annie Jump Cannon was a rare of APS membership units to APS creature for her time, when most women staff and leadership, and this year A did not receive higher education, and were it also acted as a training ground for expected to pursue traditional domestic priorities. a new type of APS leader: the APS She defied those societal expectations and gave Student Ambassadors. APS Student us a star classification system still in use today. Ambassadors are undergraduate Born in December 1863, Cannon’s father was and graduate physics students who a shipbuilder in Delaware and a former state have committed to acting as APS senator. Cannon recalled being fascinated by the representatives for their fellow Student Ambassador Huei Sears glass prismatic pendants in the family candelabra, students in their home institutions. detaching them occasionally to catch sunbeams The Student Ambassador and play with the light. It was her mother, Mary program was first launched in In a student-ambassadors-only Jump, who encouraged young Annie’s interest in Spring of 2019, and now has 20 session at ALM, the ambassadors the stars, observing them from the family attic. ambassadors at 18 institutions who were given resources, both for their She learned about the constellations with the Annie Jump Cannon inform their peers about APS and own career growth and for their help of an old astronomy textbook. “Stars and its resources.
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