A P S N E W S JUNE 1999 THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY VOLUME 8, NO. 6 [Try the enhanced APS News-online: http://www.aps.org/apsnews] APSCelebrate News APS a Century 100 of years Physics Nobel Luncheon, Exhibits Inspire High School Physics Students and Teachers ressed in their Sunday high school occasion, each Dphysics students and teachers from student and all around the greater Atlanta region and teacher received a beyond gathered with more than 50 signed certificate Nobel laureates in physics and chemistry from the Nobel for a special luncheon on Saturday, March laureate assigned 20, just prior to the APS Centennial to their table, meeting. The purpose of the event was signifying a to promote and highlight the importance symbolic “passing of science education, and also to of the baton.” encourage high school physics students No less a to pursue their scientific studies by luminary than DOE providing an opportunity to meet and Energy Secretary interact with preeminent scientists from Bill Richardson around the world. specifically cited Photo by Swieter Image Above: Nobelist, teacher and student luncheon attendees. “The Nobel laureates get A+ on their the luncheon as “a At left: Students play with Physics Works! plasmasphere. warmth and cordiality to the students,” perfect example said Mildred Sharkey, a former high of how the lessons won Nobel Prizes. The exhibit also fea- completion, the exhibit will travel to school math teacher and educational of science are tured a brief history of the Nobel Prize science museums and teaching centers consultant with the Center for Education handed down,” in and its founder, Alfred Nobel. across the country. Integrating Science, Mathematics and his keynote For those high school students and Computing, housed at the Georgia address on Monday afternoon (see APS teachers who remained for other FACTAL Institute of Technology. “The students News, May 1999). Recalling his boyhood Centennial activities during the week, Nobel Laureates Who Received were so nervous and excited, their hands passion for baseball, he said, “Something Monday, March 22nd, was the official Funding from DoD Before Winning were like ice, but the Nobel laureates like the APS luncheon would have been opening of an interactive exhibit entitled, their Nobel Prize: did everything they could to make it a like my meeting 50 Hank Aarons or Joe Physics Works! Exploring Nature, special time for the kids.” Students DiMaggios. They now have the Saving Lives, Driving Technology. Still Physics (1950-1997): 43% of all attended from a 120-mile radius around experience of a lifetime, one that will something of a work in progress, the US Nobel winners and 28% of all Atlanta, some of whose parents drove fire their ambitions and imaginations for exhibit is intended to “engage and inspire Nobel prize winners worldwide three hours or more to ensure their years to come.” young people, get them excited about were funded by DoD. children didn’t miss the once-in-a-lifetime Immediately following the luncheon, physics, and surprise them with the way Chemistry (1950-1997): 58% of all opportunity. As a memento of the students attended the public opening of it impacts on our daily lives,” says exhibit US Nobel winners and 27.5% of the W.F. Meggers Gallery of Nobel Lau- curator Sara Schechner-Genuth. “The all Nobel prize winners worldwide reates in the Georgia World Congress various elements were designed to explain were funded by DoD. Inside… Center, containing historic autographed crucial experiments and involve young ONR alone funded 41 Nobelists. NEWS photographs of all physicists who have people in the discovery process.” Upon To Advance and Diffuse the Knowledge of Physics .................................................... 2 II. “The Early Years of The Physical Review.” ORNL Breakthroughs Pave Way for POPA Proposes Statement on What is Science? Spinach-Based Electronic Devices .......... 3 The next generation of optoelectronic and logic he APS Panel on Public Affairs devices may be based on spinach, not silicon. T (POPA), concerned by the growing PROPOSAL: What is Science? Computing with DNA................................. 3 influence of pseudoscientific claims, has Science extends and enriches our lives, expands our imagination and liberates us Fragments of DNA can be used to represent been exploring ways of responding. As a first computer data. from the bonds of ignorance and superstition. The endorsing societies wish to af- step, POPA prepared a succinct statement firm the precepts of modern science that are responsible for its success. LLNL Researchers Demonstrate Fusion defining science and describing the rules of on a Tabletop ............................................... 3 Science is the systematic enterprise of gathering knowledge about the world and Laser energy has been converted into kinetic scientific exchange that have made science energy to produce fusion on a laboratory so successful. The definition was adapted organizing and condensing that knowledge into testable laws and theories. tabletop. from E.O. Wilson’s book, Consilience. The success and credibility of science is anchored in the willingness of scientists to: Bell Labs Reports Progress on ‘Dick At its November meeting, the APS Coun- Tracy’ Watch ................................................. 5 1) Expose their ideas and results to independent testing and replication by other cil accepted the statement as a proposal to scientists. This requires the complete and open exchange of data, procedures INTERNATIONAL DESK ............................. 5 be shared with other scientific societies. It is Roundtables Address Global Exchange, and materials. Collaboration. hoped that the statement will serve to ini- FESTIVAL PROFILE .................................... 6 tiate a dialogue within the scientific 2) Abandon or modify accepted conclusions when confronted with more com- Loving and leaving in the subatomic world community about the best way of dealing plete or reliable experimental evidence. with playwright Matthew Wells. with the problem. In a letter to the Presi- Adherence to these principles provides a mechanism for self-correction that is Congressional Reception ......................... 6 dents of other societies, Past President Andrew APS member Congressman Rush Holt was the foundation of the credibility of science. presented with his fellowship certificate. Sessler invited comments on the statement. Some societies, including the American As- Physicists Honored with DAMOP, Shock Accepted as a proposal by the Council of The American Physical Society 11/15/98 Compression Awards ................................ 7 sociation of Physics Teachers, have already OPINION endorsed it. Truth, Justice, and the American Way ..... 4 In his letter, Sessler remarked that: “Those APS CENTENNIAL PHOTOGRAPHS ONLINE Commentary on recent U.S. security concerns of us fortunate enough to have chosen ca- and the universality of science. The APS Centennial meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, March 20-26, 1999 was at- reers in science have an obligation to help Letters .......................................................... 4 tended by 11,400 physicists, making it the largest physics meeting in history. non-scientists distinguish the genuine from DEPARTMENTS Highlights included the presence of more than 40 Nobel laureates, a talk by the counterfeit...Our intention in this state- Zero Gravity ................................................. 4 Stephen Hawking, the unveiling of the Centennial physics wall chart, an interna- ment is to provide a template against which Good News for American Physicists. tional banquet attended by physicists from over 60 nations, a series of public claims can be compared, not to see if they Announcements ......................................... 11 lectures on everyday physics, and numerous symposia and press conferences on Apker Awards; Call for Nomination are right, but to see if they belong in the some of the most important physics topics of the day. realm of science.” The Back Page ............................................ 12 A gallery of photographs from these events can be viewed at: Hewlett-Packard’s Chief Scientist, Joel APS members are invited to comment Birnbaum, explores the relationship between http://www.aip.org/physnews/graphics/ physics and the information revolution. on the proposed definition printed at right. APS News June 1999 To Advance & Diffuse the he American Physical Society was established one hundred Tyears ago; the Physical Review six years before that. Together Knowledge of Physics they have shaped and promoted physics research in the 20th century. 100 Years of the American Physical Society This is the second in a series of excerpts from this exhibit to be published in APS News throughout the Centennial year. Curator Sara Schechner Genuth Researchers George Trigg Gnomon Research Ruth Kastner Next month: Meeting and Journal Firsts. Steven Norton Exhibit Director Barrett Ripin Amy Halsted Special thanks also to: Barbara Gill, Debbie Brodbar, Alan Friedman, W. W. APS History Harry Lustig Exhibit Design Puches Design Inc. Havens, Jr., Margaret Malloy, Eugen Merzbacher, Charles Muller, and the staff Journals History R. Mark Wilson Fabrication Malone Displays of the Niels Bohr Library for valuable assistance with the exhibit. Early Years of the Founding Editors: First Funds Edward L. Nichols, Ernest Cornell University appropriated Physical Review Merritt, and Frederick $500 to start Phys. Rev. in 1893. Bedell The first budget is shown here.