November 2008 Volume 17, No. 10 www.aps.org/publications/apsnews APS NEWS Attend the DPP Job Fair A Publication of the American Physical Society • www.aps.org/publications/apsnews See page 7

Public Affairs Report Examines Nuclear Weapons Policy Apker Finalists Meet in Washington The APS Panel on Public Affairs pecially to North Korea and Iran; that regains leadership in global (POPA) will soon issue a joint re‑ securing and reducing global inven‑ nuclear nonproliferation through a port intended to provide guidance to tories of nuclear weapons to prevent series of initiatives while continuing the next administration on nuclear them from falling into the hands of to refurbish and update our nuclear weapons policy. The report, Nuclear terrorists; and engaging Russia in a stockpile and infrastructure as nec‑ Weapons in 21st Century U.S. Na- new strategic dialogue. essary without creating any new tional Security, will be available on It states that a clear statement of nuclear weapon capabilities.” the APS web site after its release. policy on nuclear weapons will be There has not been a coherent The APS, the American As‑ needed from the next president. statement on the role of nuclear sociation for the Advancement of “Renewed interest in US nuclear weapons for security in a post-9/11, Science (AAAS) and the Center for policy has been stimulated in the post-Cold War world, the report Strategic and International Studies past year through a series of editori‑ states. (CSIS) collaborated on the report, als by distinguished statesmen and “Such a ‘centrist’ approach as which was drawn from a series of by the appointment of a congres‑ outlined by this paper has been Photo by Shelly Johnston three workshops held earlier this sional commission to look into these lacking, causing our nuclear policy year covering three separate tracks: matters,” said John Browne, chair to drift for a decade or more,” said The APS Apker Award is given annually for outstanding research by an under- graduate. Finalists are chosen in two categories: from institutions that award technical, military and international. of the APS Panel on Public Affairs Browne. PhD degrees, and from institutions not awarding the PhD. The finalists meet The workshops brought together (POPA) subcommittee on national In order to re-establish the US with the selection committee for a day of interviews, which this year took place experts from the scientific, defense security. role as a leader in nonproliferation, on September 13 in downtown Washington. The committee then recommends and diplomatic policy communities. “This report identifies a pos‑ the report suggests several possible recipients in each of the two categories to the APS Executive Board. Shown in A fourth “integration” workshop sible way to bring together dispa‑ steps, including ratification of the the picture are the seven finalists. Front row, left to right: Nguyen T. T. Nguyen (Hamilton College); Shelby Kimmel (Williams College). Back row, left to right: brought together results from the rate views regarding the appropriate Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Byron Drury (Haverford College); Gim Seng Ng (Wesleyan University); Sujit three tracks. role of U.S. nuclear weapons in our The US should also address the Datta (University of Pennsylvania); Michael Grinolds (Caltech); Gregory Minton The most urgent issues identi‑ 21st-century defense strategy,” said challenge of expanding use of nu‑ (Harvey Mudd College). The recipients of the Apker Award will be featured in the fied by the report are: preventing Browne. “We identify the opportu‑ clear energy without increasing pro‑ December APS News. the spread of nuclear weapons, es‑ nity to pursue a parallel approach liferation risks. Some possible steps NUCLEAR continued on page 6 LaserFest to Celebrate 50 Years of Laser Innovation

The APS has joined with the Op‑ benefit from bloodless surgery or is used in thousands commercial tical Society of America (OSA) in laser eye correction, we are profit‑ applications ranging from barcode planning LaserFest, a multi-year ing from the work of our colleagues scanners to laser surgery, and as a series of events and activities cen‑ who were the founders of this tech‑ scientific research tool. tered on 2010 commemorating the nology,” said APS President Arthur The laser resulted not from a sin‑ fiftieth anniversary of the invention Bienenstock and OSA President gle breakthrough by one individual, of the laser in 1960. Rod Alferness in a joint statement. but from a series of developments. “Every time we give a presen‑ When it was first invented, the Albert Einstein in 1917 presented tation using a laser pointer, see a laser was called a “solution look‑ the concept of stimulated emission, laser light show, watch a DVD or ing for a problem.” Today the laser LASER continued on page 4

2008 Nobel Prize Goes to Nambu, Kobayashi APS Awards First Industrial Physics Prize to Philip J. Wyatt and Maskawa for Work on Broken Symmetries The APS has awarded its first Motors Corporation. ser light scattering techniques were The 2008 Nobel Prize for the origin of the nucleon mass. Prize for Industrial Applications of Wyatt earned his PhD from going to literally revolutionize ana‑ Physics has been awarded to three Kobayashi and Maskawa’s most physics to Philip J. Wyatt, founder Florida State University; his thesis lytical chemistry.” By the time Wy‑ physicists whose insights help to important contribution came more and CEO of Wyatt Technology research focused on the develop‑ att founded WTC, laser technology explain fundamental properties of than a decade later, as the stan‑ Corporation in Santa Barbara, Cali‑ ment of a non‑local nuclear model had become much more common‑ both the strong and the weak in‑ dard model was being constructed. fornia. Wyatt was honored “for capable of describing scattering of place, and market trends had shift‑ teractions. Half the prize goes to They generalized the 2x2 quark pioneering developments in the neutrons by nuclei. It was his first ed in his favor– his product had be‑ Yoichiro Nambu (University of mixing matrix that had been intro‑ physics of the inverse scattering exposure to the classical inverse come a “pull” technology. Chicago) “for the discovery of the duced by Cabibbo to the 3x3 case, problem: new application of laser scattering problem, in which one He also benefited from a lucky mechanism of spontane‑ thereby introducing an ex‑ light scattering and the success‑ studies the manner by which radia‑ break. A light‑hearted experiment ous broken symmetry tra generation of quarks ful sustained commercialization tion scatters from an object to de‑ using his instruments to monitor in subatomic phys‑ and showing how CP of new related analytical methods duce the nature of the interaction, the quality of cola drinks became a ics.” Half will be violation could en‑ and instrumentation.” and, by extension, the physical cover story in Applied Optics. Co‑ shared by Makoto ter naturally into the Established in 2007, the APS properties of the object itself. ca‑Cola took notice, and decided Kobayashi (High standard model. prize complements the American Early on in his professional ca‑ to invest in Wyatt’s work–in part, Energy Accelerator “This year’s prize Institute of Physics’ biennial Prize reer, Wyatt developed several in‑ he admits, to protect their secret Research Organiza‑ recognizes two theo‑ for Industrial Applications of Phys‑ struments to explore the inverse formula. The company has since tion Tsukuba, Japan) retical pillars of our ics, first established in 1977. The scattering problem, and decided to grown dramatically. His hard‑won and Toshihide Maskawa modern understanding of APS prize is awarded in alternate found his own company to market advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: (Yukawa Institute for Theo‑ the fundamental constituents years to an individual, or individu‑ laser‑based light scattering and re‑ “Get into a market that is just on retical Physics, Kyoto University) of matter and the forces that act on als, for applications of physics in lated instrumentation. Today, Wyatt the verge of developing. If you’re “for the discovery of the origin of them,” explains APS Vice Presi‑ an industrial setting. The purpose Technology Corporation is 27 years too early, the company fails. If the broken symmetry which pre‑ dent Curtis Callan of Princeton of the prize is to recognize excel‑ old, and its instruments are sold in you’re a little too late, the competi‑ dicts the existence of at least three University. “Nambu profoundly lence in the industrial application over 50 countries and are used in tors will eat you alive because they families of quarks in nature.” deepened our understanding of of physics, and thereby to publicize virtually all universities, major bio‑ have much better resources.” Among Nambu’s key contri‑ mass. His prescient work of the the value of physics in industry, to tech and pharmaceutical firms. Among other applications, butions was the realization, in the early 60s today allows us to ex‑ encourage physics research in in‑ But the road to entrepreneurial Wyatt's instruments are used to early 1960's, that the strong in‑ plain how the proton and neutron dustry, and to enhance students’ success in industrial physics was monitor the evolution of individual teractions exhibit spontaneously (and, by extension, the atomic nu‑ awareness of and interest in the role far from smooth. The first com‑ smog particles and the effects of fly broken chiral symmetry, which cleus) can be made of nearly mass‑ of physics in commercial product pany Wyatt founded failed. He at‑ ash, as well as detecting drug and can be used to understand both less quark constituents and yet development. Both prizes are sup‑ tributes the failure to bad timing: at pesticide residues in meats. He also the existence of the light pion and NOBEL PRIZE continued on page 3 ported by a grant from the General the time, “nobody believed our la‑ WYATT continued on page 2 2 • November 2008 APS NEWS

Members This Month in Physics History in the Media

“Wouldn’t it be cool if we saw to hear of some glitches. It’s a November 1919: a particle go into another dimen‑ real challenge requiring incred‑ Elmer Imes Publishes Work on Infrared Spectroscopy sion? And then come back out?” ible talent, brain power and coor‑ Wesley Smith, University of dination to get it running.” lmer Samuel Imes, the second black PhD physi‑ Imes married Nella Larson, a well-known poet of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin Steve Giddings, University of Ecist in the United States, and the first to do sig‑ the Harlem renaissance. The couple lived in New State Journal, September 10, 2008 California, Santa Barbara, on nificant research work, published his first paper in York and became part of the Harlem intellectual so‑ delays at the LHC, The Boston November 1919. The work provided the first accu‑ ciety. He came into contact with prominent African “I’m not worried. There is no Globe, September 19, 2008 rate determination of the distances between atoms American intellectuals including W.E.B Du Bois and credible calculation to show these in molecules, expanded the range of applicability of Langston Hughes. microscopic black holes could “I’m a wanderer. I tend to quantum theory, and provided evidence for the exis‑ Imes’ research was recognized as important by grow.” be maybe too curious about too tence of two isotopes of chlorine. His research was colleagues, and was frequently cited, but the only fac‑ Benjamin Harms, University many things. And most of the cited many times and was soon incorporated into ulty positions open to Imes were at black colleges and of Alabama, on the microscopic time I fail in satisfying that curi‑ textbooks. universities, which didn’t have graduate programs. black holes the LHC could pro- osity. But one curiosity leads to Elmer Imes was born in October 1883 in Mem‑ So after receiving his PhD, Imes left academia to duce, Tuscaloosa News, Septem- another.” phis, Tennessee, the son of missionaries. He attended work in industry in the New York region. He worked ber 11, 2008 L. Mahadevan, Harvard Uni- elementary school in Ohio and high school in Nor‑ as a research physicist at Federal Engineers Develop‑ versity, on his scientific interests, mal, Alabama. He received a bachelor’s degree in sci‑ ment Corporation for a few years, then at Burrows “If 96 percent of the stuff in The Boston Globe, October 6, ence in 1903 from Fisk University, a predominately Magnetic Equipment Corporation, and then as an the universe is foreign to us, it’s 2008 black university in Nashville, Ten‑ engineer at the E. A. Everett Signal pretty interesting for us to ask nessee. Supplies. what that is.” “I think one of the differences After receiving his degree, Imes During that time his work re‑ Gary Hinshaw, NASA, on dark between the special election and taught physics and math at the Al‑ sulted in four patents for instruments energy, The Washington Post, this election is that most people bany Normal Institute in Albany, for measuring magnetic and electric September 26, 2008 have a much better idea of who I Georgia. Around 1910, he returned properties of materials. am.” to Fisk, where he continued his own Imes found few opportunities to “Switzerland was neutral, and Bill Foster, running for re- studies in physics and served as an advance in industry, and in 1930, af‑ believe it or not, it was cheap. It election to Congress, Associated instructor of math and science. He ter a decade in industry, he returned is still neutral.” Press, October 4, 2008 completed his master’s degree in to Fisk University. Lyn Evans, CERN, on why 1915. Fisk didn’t offer any higher At Fisk, Imes served as the chair CERN was build in Switzerland, “Theorists say the Higgs is a degree, so he transferred to the Uni‑ of the physics department. He re‑ The Washington Post, September certainty. I’m an experimentalist; versity of Michigan to complete his vised the undergraduate programs 11, 2008 I need to see it.” PhD. and planned a graduate program in Stan Durkin, The Ohio State At the University of Michigan, physics. “Science is not something you University, Columbus Dispatch, Imes worked in the laboratory of his Photo courtesy of AIP Although he didn’t publish any have to go to a laboratory to do. September 23, 2008 advisor Harrison Randall, designing Elmer Samuel Imes more of his own papers, Imes did re‑ Life is a lab.” and building high-resolution infrared main active in the research commu‑ Walter E. Massey, Chicago “Our entire world as we know spectrometers and detectors. nity. He corresponded frequently with other research‑ Sun-Times, September 17, 2008 it normally relies on the existence Imes earned his PhD in physics in 1918, becom‑ ers and equipment designers and continued some of of an up quark and a down quark, ing the second African American to earn a PhD in his own work in infrared spectroscopy. “This is the first time, as far an electron and a neutrino. You physics, more than 40 years after Edward Bouchet Imes was dedicated to training students, and con‑ as I know, that both major candi‑ don’t need anything else to make received his PhD from Yale. ducted research with his students at Fisk. Students in dates for president have respond‑ up our universe. We don’t have Imes’ thesis work involved infrared spectroscopy his research lab used x-rays and magnetic techniques ed to a set of questions about sci‑ any idea why the second and third of diatomic gases HCl, HBr and HF. His main find‑ to study properties of various materials. He sent some ence for the public. Both respons‑ sets exist.” ings were reported in a paper, “Measurements on the of his students to work at the University of Michigan es are more comprehensive than I Hugh “Brig” Williams, Uni- near-infrared absorption of some diatomic gases,” in the summers to learn x-ray techniques. His re‑ had expected.” versity of Pennsylvania, Philadel‑ published in November 1919 in the Astrophysical search lab was described as “a mecca for those who Lawrence Krauss, Arizona phia Inquirer, September 22, 2008 Journal. Imes and Randall followed up with some sought an atmosphere of calm and contentment,” by State University, on Science De- further details in a paper presented at an American W.F.G Swann in an obituary. bate 2008, The Cleveland Plain “Real breakthroughs are not Physical Society meeting in November, and a paper Believing that students should be exposed to the Dealer, September 19, 2008 found because you want to de‑ in Physical Review. history of science, Imes also developed a course velop some new technology, but His work, one of the first applications of high called “cultural physics,” and wrote a book-length “This is arguably the largest because you are curious and want resolution infrared spectroscopy, provided the first treatise covering the history of science from the machine built by humankind, is to find out how the world is.” detailed spectra of simple molecules, and opened Greeks through the early twentieth century. incredibly complex, and involves Anton Zeilinger, University of up the field of studying molecular structure through While on the faculty at Fisk, Imes became in‑ components of varying ages and Vienna, on quantum cryptography, infrared spectroscopy. Imes analyzed hydrogen bro‑ volved in a scandal involving a relationship with a origins, so I’m not at all surprised BBC News Online, October 9, 2008 mide (HBr), hydrogen chloride (HCl), and hydrogen white administrator, which, along with other troubles, fluoride (HF). The work presented the first accurate led to his divorce from Nella Larson. He also experi‑ measurement of the distance between atoms in mol‑ enced financial difficulties from which he never fully WYATT continued from page 1 ecules. recovered. By the late 1930s, his health was declin‑ developed instruments and methods other application area. For instance, The research also provided a verification of quan‑ ing. He returned to New York, where he died in Sep‑ to select the most effective antibiot‑ drinking water supplies could be tum theory. Before Imes’ study, some scientists were tember 1941. ics for combating bacterial infec‑ vulnerable, so Wyatt developed in‑ not certain whether quantum theory applied to the Throughout his career, Imes was an active member tions in chemotherapy patients, and strumentation capable of determin‑ emission spectra of molecules. Imes’ work showed of APS, as well as several other scientific societies. others to monitor AZT (a highly ing within an hour whether any car‑ that quantum theory could be applied to the rotational Reference: Mickens, Ronald. “Elmer Samuel toxic drug) levels in AIDS patients, cinogens or metabolic poisons are energy states of molecules as well as the vibrational Imes–Scientist, Inventor, Teacher, Scholar.” In Ed- as well as monitoring the toxicity of present in a given sample. Other in‑ and electronic energy levels. ward Bouchet—the First African American Doctor- antineoplastic drugs. struments were developed to moni‑ In 1919, about a year after completing his PhD, ate, World Scientific Publishing Company (2002). Combating bioterrorism is an‑ tor and analyze airborne bacteria.

Series II, Vol. 17, No. 10 For Nonmembers–Circulation and Fulfillment Division, Treasurer on International Physics), Philip “Bo” Hammer, (Forum November 2008 American Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 Huntington Joseph W.Serene*, Georgetown University on Physics and Society), Steven Rolston (Laser Science), APS NEWS Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. Allow at least Leonard Feldman* (Materials), Akif Balantekin* (Nucle- © 2008 The American Physical Society Editor-in-Chief 6 weeks advance notice. For address changes, please Gene Sprouse*, Stony Brook University (on leave) ar), Janet Conrad (Particles & Fields), Ronald Ruth send both the old and new addresses, and, if possible, (Physics of Beams), David Hammer (Plasma), Scott Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 include a mailing label from a recent issue. Requests Past-President Milner (Polymer Physics), Paul Wolf (Ohio Section), Leo P. Kadanoff*, University of Chicago Editor•...... Alan Chodos from subscribers for missing issues will be honored Heather Galloway (Texas Section), without charge only if received within 6 months of the Staff Writer...... Ernie Tretkoff General Councillors ADVISORS Contributing Editor ...... Jennifer Ouellette issue’s actual date of publication. Periodical Postage Paid Robert Austin, Christina Back*, Marcela Carena, Eliza‑ Art Director and Special Publications Manager...... Kerry G. Johnson at College Park, MD and at additional mailing offices. beth Beise, Katherine Freese, Wendell Hill*, Ann Orel*, Representatives from Other Societies Design and Production...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik Postmaster: Send address changes to APS News, Mem‑ Richart Slusher*, Fred Dylla, AIP; Lila Adair, AAPT Proofreader...... Edward Lee bership Department, American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. International Councillor Science Writing Intern ...... Nadia Ramlagan Sabayasachi Bhattacharya International Advisors Francisco Ramos Gómez, Mexican Physical Society APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X yearly, ed to: Editor, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College APS COUNCIL 2008 Chair, Nominating Committee Shelly Page, Canadian Association of Physicists monthly, except the August/September issue, by the Park, MD 20740-3844, E-mail: [email protected]. Philip Phillips President Staff Representatives American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Col‑ Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Arthur Bienenstock*, Stanford University Alan Chodos, Associate Executive Officer; Amy Flatten lege Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It con‑ Subscriptions: APS News is an on-membership publi‑ Miles Klein tains news of the Society and of its Divisions,Topical cation delivered by Periodical Mail. Members residing President-Elect Director of International Affairs; Ted Hodapp, Director Groups, Sections and Forums; advance information on abroad may receive airfreight delivery for a fee of $15. Cherry Murray*, Lawrence Livermore National Labora- Division, Forum and Section Councillors of Education and Diversity; Michael Lubell, Director, meetings of the Society; and reports to the Society by its Nonmembers: Subscription rates are available at http:// tory Charles Dermer (Astrophysics), P. Julienne (Atomic, Public Affairs; Dan Kulp, Editorial Director; Christine Molecular & Optical Physics) Robert Eisenberg (Bio- Giaccone, Director, Journal Operations; Michael committees and task forces, as well as opinions. librarians.aps.org/institutional.html. Vice-President logical), Charles S. Parmenter (Chemical), Arthur Stephens, Controller and Assistant Treasurer Curtis G.Callan, Jr.*, Princeton University Letters to the editor are welcomed from the member‑ Subscription orders, renewals and address changes Epstein (Condensed Matter Physics), David Landau ship. Letters must be signed and should include an ad‑ should be addressed as follows: For APS Members– Executive Officer (Computational), James Brasseur (Fluid Dynamics), Pe‑ Administrator for Governing Committees dress and daytime telephone number. The APS reserves Membership Department, American Physical Society, Judy R. Franz*, University of Alabama, Huntsville ter Zimmerman* (Forum on Education), Amber Stuver Ken Cole the right to select and to edit for length or clarity. All One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, (on leave) (Forum on Graduate Student Affairs) Roger Stuewer correspondence regarding APS News should be direct‑ [email protected]. (Forum on History of Physics), Stefan Zolner (Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics), David Ernst* (Forum * Members of the APS Executive Board APS NEWS November 2008 • 3

Bringing a Sun to Earth: Briefing Explains ITER Fusion Experiment Chicago Area Fellows Convene By Nadia Ramlagan to make the nuclei fuse. If all scien‑ Aside from personnel and fund‑ A September briefing on Capitol tific objectives are met and ITER is ing for basic expenses, in-kind US Hill was held to drum up support successful, it will be the first fusion contributions to ITER include hard‑ for ITER funding in the Fiscal Year reactor to create significantly more ware and instrumentation. The US (FY) 2009 budget, after negotiations energy than it uses. will produce ITER’s 8,700 ton mag‑ between Congress and the White Sauthoff showed images of Dr. net system, using niobium stannide House on the FY 2008 budget left Otto Octavius, the main villain in (Nb3Sn) coils to produce toroidal $160 million of ITER funding near‑ 2004’s Spider-Man 2. The comic’s fields which will confine and sta‑ ly “zeroed out”. notorious mad-scientist wants to bilize the plasma. Positioning and As a result, ITER-related research overrun the world with cheap fusion shaping of the plasma will occur by received only $10.7 million in fund‑ power. “Hollywood says fusion is a niobium titanium coils, and a modu‑ ing. However, funding could be re‑ part of our future,” he joked. Aside lar Nb3Sn central solenoid coil will stored next year, as both the House from its movie appeal, fusion is at‑ be used to induce current in the plas‑ and Senate appropriations packages tractive for several reasons. It is safe, ma. “The US is supposed to supply for FY 2009 include full funding for involves no emission of greenhouse 40 tons of niobium tin supercon‑ US contributions to ITER. gases, and is capable of large-scale ducting wire, so the superconducting Ned Sauthoff, Direc‑ industry is very excited about tor and Project Manager of this,” Sauthoff said. Photo by Darlene Logan the US ITER project at Oak The US will supply 20% of On October 2, APS hosted a reception for Chicago-area Fellows at the Ridge National Laboratory the tiles that absorb the power Quadrangle Club in Hyde Park. About 80 Fellows and guests were on hand (ORNL) discussed the sci‑ from the plasma, compris‑ to enjoy the refreshments and hear remarks from APS President Arthur Bi- ence of fusion, the ITER ing blanket, port limiter, and enenstock, APS Director of Education and Diversity Ted Hodapp, and APS experiment, and benefits of diverter systems. In addition, Director of Public Affairs Michael Lubell. In the photo, at left, are two retired Fellows from Argonne National Laboratory, Natalia Meshkov and Caroline US participation. Represen‑ 100% of the ion and electron Herzenberg. They are joined by Fellow Guy Savard of Argonne, at right. En- tative Rush Holt (D-NJ) also cyclotron systems’ transmis‑ joying his position in the middle is Leonard Herzenberg. spoke briefly, stressing the sion lines will be supplied by importance of participating the US. “We [the US] are also in large-scale international fueling the plasma,” Sauthoff research projects, and the said. ITER’s burning plasmas Meeting Briefs enormous potential of fu‑ will be fueled primarily by sion power to solve serious injection of frozen hydrogen, •The APS Ohio Section held dynamics of a uniformly heated energy resource and environ‑ deuterium, and tritium pellets its annual fall meeting October granular fluid, among others. mental problems currently into the tokamak. “We call 10‑11 in Dayton, Ohio, co‑host‑ •The APS Texas and Four facing the US and the rest of Published with permission of ITER that a snowball in hell,” Sau‑ ed by the Air Force Institute of Corners Sections held a joint an‑ the world. thoff noted. Once pellets enter Technology and Wright State nual fall meeting at the Univer‑ The ITER device ITER is an international the plasma they ablate, adding University. Topics included ul‑ sity of Texas in El Paso. Topics project that aims to demonstrate the energy production. fuel particles to the plasma core that trafast dynamics with laser‑pro‑ discussed by invited speakers in‑ scientific and technological feasi‑ To illustrate fusion power’s subsequently results in high fusion duced soft x‑rays; proteins and cluded liquid crystals, astrophys‑ bility of fusion energy. In 2006, the cleanness and efficiency, Sauthoff gain. other “foldameric” materials; the ics, semiconductors, K‑12 educa‑ United States, countries of the Eu‑ compared a 1,000 MW coal-fired “At home” research and devel‑ connection between solid state tion, science policy, and nanosci‑ ropean Union, Japan, Russia, South plant to a 1,000 MW fusion plant opment will ensure that the US is physics, nanotechnology, and ence. Friday evening’s banquet Korea, and India signed an official (both provide enough energy to a future supplier rather than a buy‑ the environment; and spectro‑ featured a talk by Thomas Cal‑ agreement to build the experiment at power 500,000 homes). Each day, er of fusion technology. The US scopic indicators of life on other ligaro (Centre de Recherche et Cadarache, in southern France. Built a coal fired plant consumes 9,000 ITER team (predominantly based planets. Marc Abrahams, editor de Restauration des Musees de with hardware manufactured from tons of coal and produces 30,000 at ORNL) is engaging industry and of the Annals of Improbable Re- France, the Louvre) on the use of all 6 parties, ITER will use strong tons of carbon dioxide, 600 tons of educational facilities across the na‑ search and founder of the annual particle accelerators to aid new magnetic fields to confine burning sulfur dioxide, and 80 tons of nitro‑ tion in research and development, Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, gave a discoveries in art and archaeol‑ torus-shaped plasma at tempera‑ gen dioxide. In stark contrast, a fu‑ engineering, design, and fabrication. public lecture. ogy. tures around 200 million degrees K, sion plant would consume 1 pound There are currently 160 companies •The APS New England Sec‑ •The APS California Section producing nearly 500 million watts of deuterium, 3 pounds of lithium-6 and universities in 33 states and the tion held its annual fall meeting held its annual fall meeting Oc‑ of power. Early construction of the (1.5 pounds of tritium), and produce District of Columbia working on October 10‑11 at the University tober 17‑18 at California State ITER facility is underway, and the a mere 2 pounds of helium-4 (0.5 ITER. of Massachusetts in Boston, or‑ University at Dominguez Hills device is set to begin operation in pounds of neutrons). “Not only is ITER a scientific ganized around the theme, “Out in Carson, California. Invited 2016. Self-sustaining fusion reactions and technological experiment, it is of Equilibrium.” The invited speakers addressed such topics As the host country, France is ex‑ or “burning plasma” can only oc‑ equally an experiment in internation‑ speakers addressed such topics as the search for gravitational pected to pay about 50 percent of to‑ cur at extremely high temperatures. al collaboration. We have to learn as entropy and “temperature” waves with LIGO, how the tal costs. Each of the other 5 parties Because the plasma is too hot to be how to work together and develop of granular packings; single Large Hadron Collider heralds pays roughly 9-10 percent, “but gets contained by any material, strong project management with other cul‑ molecule dynamics in cell divi‑ the onset of a new revolution in access to all data, the right to pro‑ magnetic fields are used to hold it tures,” said Sauthoff. sion; controlling the motion of physics, the science of the Large pose and conduct experiments, and in place, providing a shield from the The briefing was sponsored by ultracold atoms; nonequilibrium Synoptic Survey Telescope, and is a joint owner of the intellectual walls of the reactor. The magnetic the American Society of Mechani‑ phase transitions in thin granu‑ an update on the National Igni‑ property rights,” said Sauthoff. confinement of fusion is also inher‑ cal Engineers (ASME) and the In‑ lar layers; the equilibrium and tion Facility. The keynote speak‑ ITER will fuse deuterium and tri‑ ently safe. “If the plasma hits the stitute of Electrical and Electronics non‑equilibrium behavior of liq‑ er at Friday evening’s banquet tium together to form helium and a wall, it cools itself and the reactor Engineers (IEEE), and held in con‑ uid water in bulk, nanoconfined was Uwe Bergmann (SSRL), neutron, while releasing 10 times the shuts itself down,” explained Sau‑ junction with the Congressional Re‑ and biological environments; who spoke about what scientists amount of energy originally needed thoff. search and Development Caucus. the eigenstate thermalization hy‑ can learn about an ancient manu‑ pothesis and quantum thermo‑ script by Archimedes using syn‑ Board Passes New Policies on Unit Newsletters, dynamics; and the structure and chrotron radiation sources.

Committee Funding Requests NOBEL PRIZE continued from page 1 At its meeting in late Septem‑ er on each paper and electronic inclusion in the budget for the be very massive. Kobayashi and Mathematical Physics. Nambu’s ber, the APS Executive Board in‑ newsletter file, including the following year. Committees that Maskawa developed a descrip‑ initial papers leading to his por‑ stituted two new policies, one re‑ statements that the article has not wish to request over $10,000 ad‑ tion of the intrinsic mass of the tion of the prize in appeared in garding unit newsletters, and one been peer reviewed and does not ditional funding for the following three generations of quarks which APS journals nearly fifty years regarding requests for funding necessarily represent the views of year should make a brief written has been verified in spectacular ago. from APS committees. the APS.” In addition, the policy proposal and submit it to the Ex‑ experimental detail. It provides “We are pleased that Nambu's Last summer, material pub‑ requires the establishment of a ecutive Officer by April 1. The a framework for understanding work was published in Physi- lished in the newsletter of the Fo‑ unit Editorial Board to oversee Executive Officer will make sure why matter vastly dominates over cal Review Letters in 1960,” rum on Physics and Society was the publication of newsletters for that all such proposals are put anti-matter in our universe and says APS Editor-in-Chief Gene picked up first by blogs and then units whose newsletters regularly before the Executive Board at its also how neutrinos can change Sprouse, “in the then-nascent by the media, resulting in inaccu‑ carry editorial or opinion articles. their character as they propagate journal’s second year of publica‑ spring meeting. The Executive rate and inflammatory reporting The Executive Board also ap‑ to the Earth from the Sun.” tion.” This article is freely avail‑ Board will then make recommen‑ including the erroneous claim that proved the following policy re‑ All three of the 2008 Laure‑ able online at http://link.aps.org/ APS had changed its position on garding APS committee requests dations to the Budget Committee ates have previously been rec‑ abstract/PRL/v4/p380. anthropogenic global warming. for activity funding for amounts about the inclusion of the new ognized by the APS with the J. In addition to his Nobel Prize Taking note of the way in which over $10,000: “Occasionally APS programs in the APS budget. The J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical winning work, Nambu was also information, and misinformation, Committees wish to start new final decision of the Council will, Particle Physics (Kobayashi and one of the progenitors of string can propagate on the internet, the programs that will need additional of course, be influenced by the Maskawa in 1985, and Nambu in theory, having proposed the ac‑ Board mandated a policy on unit APS funding. This requires that projected income and other needs 1994). Nambu also won the 1970 tion for a relativistic bosonic newsletters requiring “a disclaim‑ these programs be considered for of the Society.” APS Dannie Heineman Prize for string. 4 • November 2008 APS NEWS

STEM is not Forever Letters I was pleased to see the Back home countries by age 50. The Page analysis on the STEM Work‑ H-1B visa–which is a form of in‑ force in August/September at‑ dentured servitude–really doesn’t Saving Physics in America tempting to look at the issues from do that, although it serves the inter‑ several sides, but Professor Hira ests of employers by keeping sala‑ Leo Kadanoff wrote an interest‑ is contrary to the old school meth‑ Assuming that we have the best has avoided one key reality: STEM ries down. ing article on physics aspirations odology of requiring students to students undergoing the best train‑ careers will not last a lifetime for Professional associations like and goals on the Back Page of the work independently. ing under the best professors, there Americans in the 21st century. the APS can help by creating op‑ July 2008 issue of APS News. In Another idea is to encourage is still a chance that these students Rather, STEM careers are like those tions for those exiting the STEM this article, he raised the concern more faculty‑student interactions. will not succeed in finding per‑ in professional sports, something to workforce in mid life. STEM of a decline in US physics research. Intensive faculty‑student interac‑ manent academic jobs in physics. aspire to while young. Some will workers could be re-trained for the With the recent funding debacles tions provide another form of so‑ NSF’s Science and Engineering make it big, like Bill Gates, but manipulation economy; working of ILC and ITER and the financial cial support to stimulate learning. Indicators in 2008 shows that only even Gates had to find something as insurance adjustors, investment crisis at Wall Street, there are some Students learn better in this envi‑ else to do in his middle years. Most advisors, creative accountants, jitters among many physicists. Con‑ ronment. Unfortunately very few 20% of the postdocs get permanent will struggle in their 40’s and 50’s mortgage brokers, and in other pro‑ currently, America just witnessed research universities can afford the jobs (http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ to feed their families and educate fessions requiring numeracy. What China’s first space walk. China has economy of intensive faculty‑stu‑ seind08/). Given the fact that only their children. Talented students is missing are the educational pro‑ already passed the US in at least dent interactions. However, under‑ a small fraction of PhD graduates recognize this and seek credentials grams and fellowships to help us one area of scientific research— graduate research can provide a set‑ get postdoc jobs, the overall suc‑ in more stable fields, like market‑ make the transition. If a life-long namely high temperature supercon‑ ting for undergraduate students to cess rate of all those who enter into ing and law. career path were visible, American ductor physics. collaborate with graduate students vocational physics training is prob‑ To keep on top of a technologi‑ students might come back to our In the past, US partially relied on and postdocs. ably just 5%. Prospective students cal world, our country will need fields. Physics education is more than the import of scientific talents from are often aware of the statistics. to import talent, but in a way that classroom teaching. It also involves other countries to sustain its science Unless the employment problem is encourages STEM workers to earn Marc D. Levenson apprenticeship training. For quite and technology. As the retention resolved, we continue to limit the enough to retire in their lower-cost Saratoga, CA rate of foreign scientists drops, the some time, many graduate students physics gene pool by losing stu‑ US physics work forcewill weaken and postdocs have been burned dents to engineering and computer Licence to Publish Better than unless a local supply of fresh blood under the old system. Graduate is infused into the system. As Ka‑ students and postdocs are utilized science. Copyright Transfer danoff has so keenly observed, bet‑ to provide labor to sustain the re‑ Given the bleakness of the phys‑ Regarding the recent corre‑ the Licence to Publish agreement, ter physics education will be a stra‑ search enterprise. At the same time, ics job market, we need to prepare spondence on APS’s approach to then we simply do not publish in tegic component of a multi‑prong they are put in the pipeline to be‑ our students for the rainy days by copyright: I work for a commercial that publisher’s journals. approach to arrest the decline of US come future competitors against educating them about various op‑ organisation, in the R&D group, I am sure mine is not the only physics. their supervisors for prestige and tions in non‑traditional physics and my company’s policy is very commercial organisation that has Good teaching skill essentially research money. Shrewd supervi‑ jobs. A supervisor may not be able simple. We NEVER transfer copy‑ such a copyright policy, and I consists of detailed preparation for sors will understand the strategic to provide training in non‑tradition‑ right to a publisher. We have a Li‑ would be amazed if the APS had lectures, speaking clearly to the advantage of teaching graduate stu‑ cence to Publish agreement, which al physics vocations per se; but he never agreed to use such an agree‑ students, paying attention to black‑ dents and postdocs well enough to allows the publisher to print the can at least give general advice to ment for publishing, when an au‑ board etiquette, answering students’ serve a purpose for a short time but article in their own format (which his students and send them to job thor’s employers have had a simi‑ questions respectfully, and most im‑ not well enough to become future we are not allowed to reproduce) fairs. The important idea is to create portantly writing reasonable quiz‑ competition. As funding sources and distribute electronically etc. lar policy to my own company. a safety net for the unlucky major‑ zes and exam questions. Students dwindle, these kinds of behavior Crucially, however, the copyright There is no reason why academic generally learn best from other stu‑ will likely increase. If abuses wid‑ ity so that the flow of talents does on the content is retained by my organisations should not adopt dents. We can certainly encourage en, the number of graduate students not seize up. organisation. This allows us to use such a position too. students to work in groups to solve and postdocs may further decline text, pictures, etc. from our article physics problems so that they have to drive the downward spiral of US Alfred Tang as we wish. R.I. Taylor a natural setting for mutual‑teach. It physics even deeper. Hong Kong If a publisher does not accept Chester, UK

LASER continued from page 1 which was later experimentally and distribute videos. verified. The maser, a precur‑ Throughout the year, public sor to the laser, was developed lectures, symposia, debates, la‑ The Lighter Side of Science in 1954 by Charles Townes and ser shows and demonstrations independently by Nicolay Ba‑ will highlight the laser’s history If Science Were an Olympic Sport sov and Alexandr Prokhorov. and applications. by Duncan Hull Townes and Arthur Schawlow OSA will encourage its stu‑ published an important paper on dent chapters to organize laser A fictional scene from the future: testants get results, the winner is the entists are recruited by running a the theory of the laser in Physi- days to be held in communities, The Olympic games, London 2012. person with the most interesting dis‑ special marathon called a PhD or cal Review in 1958, which led schools, and on college cam‑ A new candidate sport is on trial, coveries. DPhil. Any competitors left standing to the first patent for a laser puses. Chapters of the Society joining skateboarding, rugby and Impact factor boxing after the allotted time are given the title “Doctor,” for passing the gruel‑ awarded in March 1960, and the of Physics Students are also ex‑ golf at their debut Olympic games. A barbarically macho, gruesome ling initiation and endurance test. first demonstration of a work‑ pected to get involved in orga‑ It is challenging discipline called and bloody event. Competing sci‑ Presentation fencing ing laser two months later by nizing events. Science, a sport more ancient than entists try to publish in the journal with the highest impact factor but of Contestants publicly present Theodore Maiman at Hughes APS and OSA will each con‑ Olympia itself. The crowd awaits eagerly in the all new Boris Johnson dubious real value. This event often their work to other scientists and Research Lab. tribute their own resources, and Olympic stadium. It has taken more has many casualties and opponents colleagues often using a blunt in‑ To celebrate the laser, APS are seeking additional funding and OSA are planning a wide than 2000 years just to convince the are often beaten until they are un‑ strument called “PowerPoint,” and from NSF and DOE for Laser‑ variety of events at the local International Olympic Committee concious, fall over, or even die. Pub‑ opponents seek weak points in pre‑ Fest. and national level. LaserFest that Science is worthy of being an lishers usually win this event, rather sentation using sharp instruments. Many LaserFest events will activities are intended to reach Olympic sport. The big day has fi‑ than scientists. Touché! take place during 2010, though students and teachers, policy nally arrived but the judges are still Closely related to citation gym‑ Student shot put OSA has already hosted some makers, and the public. arguing about how to award the nastics where the scientist with the Contestants throw cumbersome, events. A symposium honoring A website devoted to Laser‑ medals to scientists. Despite all the largest h‑index wins. heavy, and almost inanimate objects Theodore Maiman, who died in Fest (LaserFest.org) will include metrics involved, it’s all very sub‑ Invention javelin (called “students”) as far as they information about the laser, 2007, was held in San Jose in jective. The games go ahead any‑ Contestants try to invent the can. The winner is the person who an up-to-date list of LaserFest May at the CLEO/QELS confer‑ way, and there are lots of exciting sharpest new things at the cutting can throw a student the furthest. events, and instructions on how ence. In October, the Schawlow- new events: edge of science and technology. Best Weightlifting with citations to participate. A preliminary Townes Symposium on 50 Years Triple‑jump grant‑writing invention is judged to be the longest Contestants write long review papers. The person who can cite version of the site was launched of the Laser, marking the fiftieth A massive run‑up, then a big throw of the invention javelin. the most papers in a single publi‑ in September. anniversary of the of the pub‑ hop, huge step, followed by a colos‑ The 200 m peer‑review hurdles cation wins. Current world‑record Educational activities such lication of the classic paper by sal jump. Longest triple‑jump wins Contestants have to run as fast as unknown but 2,184 references in a as PhysicsQuest, an APS activ‑ Schawlow and Townes [Infrared all the grant money from the fund‑ they can clearing all the hurdles laid single paper is a pretty high score. If ity kit for middle school stu‑ and Optical Masers, Phys. Rev. ing body. down by their peers and publishers. you’ve ever written a scientific pa‑ dents, will have a laser theme 112, 1940 (1958)], was held in Experiment wrestling and judo First to cross the finishing line wins per, what is your “personal best?” for 2009-2010. APS plans to de‑ conjunction with the Frontiers Contestants wrestle and fight the publication. The multi‑disciplinary decath- velop other educational materi‑ in Optics (FiO)/APS-DLS Laser with poorly understood but The lonely long‑distance mara- lon professorship als as well, including posters for Science meeting in Rochester, state‑of‑the‑art technology in order thon research run A real test of a wide range of classrooms and a laser-themed NY. The symposium featured a to test hypotheses and perform ex‑ Scientists develop expertise by abilities, combining all of the above activity book for young chil‑ presentation by Charles Townes periments. running a single course for several dren. APS also plans to produce on the early history of the laser. Only the most determined con‑ years or even decades. Trainee sci‑ OLYMPIC continued on page 5 APS NEWS November 2008 • 5

Mass Media Fellows Describe Their Experiences Putting Their Heads Together Editor’s Note: Each year APS sponsors two mass media fellows, typically graduate students or graduating seniors in physics or a closely related science, who spend eight weeks over the summer working as science journalists in a program administered by AAAS. This year’s fellows were Carrie Nugent, who is a graduate student at UCLA, and Zoe Buck, who received her bachelor’s degree from Princeton last spring. In these articles, the two fellows let APS News readers know how they fared in their journalistic debuts. Sharing the Love in Oregon By Carrie Nugent shire with a collection of homemade How to Succeed I ran to my editor. birdsong players that look a whole with the Media “Susan! Lizards! I'd like to write lot like bombs. an article on lizards.” I worked side-by-side with some Here’s a short list of tips “Ok, Carrie,” she said.“What's of the most talented and intelligent for dealing with the media, the news about lizards?” people I have ever met. from me and the science writ- I was at a loss. There wasn’t any‑ I overcame my awkwardness on ers of The Oregonian. You thing newsworthy that week on liz‑ phones. But not before my words just have to remember four things: jammed and I asked a prominent ards. In fact, there are barely any liz‑ • Be able to summarize the Photo by Ken Cole ards in the great, generally wet state ecologist about his work on elves in significance of your research of Oregon, where I was working for national parks–instead of his work in a sentence. Keep it simple In August, APS Head of Public Outreach Jessica Clark (right) left for Vander- a newspaper, The Oregonian. on elk and wolves. and avoid jargon. Imagine bilt University to pursue a career in medical physics. She had been leading As a scientist, I become enrap‑ The most rewarding articles I that you are talking to a tipsy the APS public outreach effort since its inception in 2000. Among her accom- tured with an idea for its own sake– person at a noisy bar. Feel plishments were creating and maintaining the APS website for the public, wrote, however, were not the ones PhysicsCentral; playing a major role in APS’s leadership of the US activities but that doesn’t make it news. And free to practice this on tipsy that involved adventures or curious people in noisy bars. No, re- during the World Year of Physics in 2005; and launching PhysicsQuest, a kit- newspapers only contain news. based program with an adventure theme, aimed at middle-school students. personalities. Instead, it was the se‑ ally, give it a try. I know, it sounds obvious. But Clark’s successor is Becky Thompson-Flagg (left), who joined APS in Janu- ries of home science experiments • Realize that newspapers ary shortly after receiving her PhD in physics from the University of Texas at as my ten weeks progressed, I’d in‑ that can be performed for under five have only limited space (and Austin, where she was also engaged extensively in outreach. Before taking terview scientist after scientist who dollars. Many of the experiments radio programs limited time). over as Head of Public Outreach, Thompson-Flagg had been instrumental in creating the latest version of PhysicsQuest, built around the exploits of the would make the same mistake. See‑ I learned from my college physics Don’t give a reporter preprints ing how a newspaper works from of your last ten papers. Serbian physicist and inventor Nikola Tesla. In addition to her outreach activi- professors. They were fun, they were ties, Thompson-Flagg is an accomplished tri-athlete and an expert in kung-fu. the inside will undoubtedly improve • Analogies are gold. Jour- easy, and they taught good science. So don't mess with her. any future dealings I have with the nalists need to simplify con- They ran next to the advice col‑ cepts, but it’s easy to over- media. It was also an awesome way umns. simplify and lose details. If to spend the summer. People loved them. I got calls you can supply an analogy or During my summer at The Or- a simplified explanation, you from grandparents who did the ex‑ egonian, I didn’t find any news can help ensure your findings about lizards, but I did drive through periments with their grandchildren. are presented correctly. Research and Education: Better Together hilly central Oregon, where my car's A woman excitedly shared her child‑ • Respond to reporters as By Philip Zecher brakes failed. I saw volcanoes, Sat‑ hood memories of an experiment. soon as you can–they may Physical sciences research Brookhaven National Laboratory- be working on a tight dead- urn’s rings, and a 30,000-species Teachers offered new experiments funded by the National Science -only two are found on a universi‑ line. An hour or two can be and variations. Foundation and the Department of ty campus: the 88-Inch Cyclotron aphid collection. I met a man who the difference between mak- will identify any insect–dead or People love science. You love ing your voice heard and be- Energy have often overlapped and and the NSCL. alive–that is mailed to him, a woman science. Journalists take your work ing too late. university-based research facilities While the consolidation of re‑ who travels the globe collecting bac‑ and tell people about it. So be kind –C.N. have competed with the national search facilities may be inevitable, teria samples, and a Canadian who to reporters–they’re just sharing the labs for resources and talent. Nor‑ the move away from the univer‑ nervously drove around New Hamp‑ love. mally, competition is a good thing sity settings to the national labs that undoubtedly improves the is not, and it may come at a cost Finding True Love in Carolina quality of the research and bolsters to US competitiveness. The 2006 By Zoe Buck North Carolina, a city I had never ing. Having only a science back‑ US scientific preeminence. How‑ National Academies of Science visited, working in the newspaper ground, I knew nothing of their ever, at least two trends threaten report, Rising Above the Gather- I was all about astrophysics for to turn a once-healthy competitive ing Storm, on how to prosper in most of my life. I saw myself dis‑ industry, a medium I had absolute‑ lingo and craft, but they were ea‑ ly no experience in. ger to help. From them I quickly environment into a harmful fight the global economy of the 21st covering new stars, spending long for diminishing resources. century, made the case that our nights in the control rooms of great The Raleigh News & Observer, picked up the basics of reporting where I had been placed, had no and a strong set of journalistic eth‑ First, the overall resources economic future depends on edu‑ telescopes, and publishing esoteric available for research in the phys‑ cation in science, engineering and tomes dedicated to the obscurer science, medicine or health report‑ ics. I was hoping to have an op‑ er, so I took over all three beats portunity to stay at the newspaper, ical sciences has decreased dra‑ mathematics. The third of its four aspects of stellar structure or neu‑ matically over the last three de‑ recommendations declares that we trino cosmology. I applied to only immediately. My first byline ap‑ but unfortunately the economy and peared my third day at the paper, industry conspired against me, and cades, dropping nearly 50% in the should “make the US the most at‑ one university, Princeton, because last three decades as a percentage tractive setting in which to study of its astrophysics program, diving and I was soon pumping out pub‑ the paper was unable to hire me. lished stories four or five times a It’s a tough time to be falling in of GDP. Second, the inevitable and perform research so that we into the curriculum head first. But consolidation caused by the in‑ can develop, recruit, and retain the after spending my undergraduate week. I got to appear on the front love with journalism of any kind, a page multiple times, and even got fact I learned quickly at the News creasing complexity and expense best and brightest students, scien‑ years doing research science, it oc‑ of leading edge research facilities tists, and engineers…” This rec‑ curred to me that I wasn’t having a few front page spreads. The read‑ & Observer. While I was there ership was thrilled to have some‑ 10% of the work force was laid means that fewer dollars are fight‑ ommendation is undermined by fun. Everything I loved about stars ing for only a handful of bigger the migration of research facilities and planets was lost as I coded into one covering science, and they off, with another chunk let go only responded with letters, emails and weeks after I left. The rest of the and more expensive projects. out of universities and into the na‑ the early hours of the morning and University-based research labs tional labs, which are not first and banged my head up against Ein‑ phone calls. It only took about two newspaper industry is in a similar weeks before I was hooked. state. have felt this constriction most foremost education facilities. stein’s field equations. This was acutely. For instance, throughout It is a matter of speculation not, as I had previously believed, I was given fairly free reign, Still, the AAAS Mass Media and reported on everything from a Fellowship definitely showed me the 1960s and 1970s, there were whether an education, particu‑ my “thing.” many university laboratories with larly a graduate education, that is As graduation loomed and I cutting edge dog prosthetic surgery my “thing.” I love astrophysics at the local vet school to exciting and science, but more than do‑ accelerators doing leading edge physically removed from one’s struggled to find my footing, the research in nuclear physics: MIT, research equipment is any less AAAS Mass Media Fellowship developments in cancer research at ing it, I love to learn about it and one of many nearby universities. I tell people about it. I am currently SUNY, Harvard, Stonybrook, Uni‑ desirable than an education where caught my eye. Science report‑ versity of Rochester, Ohio Univer‑ the research is done on campus. ing seemed like a good blend of reported on boobies who murdered working as an astronomy teacher their siblings, synthetic red blood at a non-profit science camp in sity, Notre Dame, Cornell and In‑ After all, few ecologists perform my strengths. I had a background dian University, to name but a few. their research anywhere near their in hard science and a passion for cells, irrigation alternatives and California, and I am having a blast. polluted reservoirs. I got to talk to This summer’s experience allowed Today, of the five major facilities home institutions. But the pejora‑ sharing things with people. Per‑ that dominate nuclear physics–the tive term “suitcase science” has haps such a fellowship might re‑ dozens of brilliant Raleigh scien‑ me to pinpoint what I love to do, tists and doctors. and how I can make a difference Argonne Tandem Linac Accelera‑ emerged to describe the work veal my “thing.” tor System (ATLAS), Continuous done by researchers who travel to So there I was, in Raleigh, The journalists at the News & in the public’s understanding of Observer were warm and welcom‑ science. Electron Beam Accelerator Facil‑ national labs to run experiments, ity (CEBAF) at Jefferson Lab, the suggesting that this arrangement OLYMPIC continued from page 4 Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam may be less than ideal. The best with another team event called labo‑ what constitutes a good result, let and bioinformatics at the Univer- Facility (HRIBF) at Oak Ridge facilities generally attract and ratory football management, into a alone a medal? Will America and sity of Manchester in England. The National Laboratory, the 88-Inch compete for the best researchers in single contest. Winner is the profes‑ China win all the medals or will Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley the field. Once the facilities leave sor with the most points accumulat‑ smaller countries still claim glory? above originally appeared on his National Laboratory, National Su‑ the campus, the human capital ed during the contest. Tune in to the London 2012 Olym‑ blog, O’Really. http://duncan.hull. perconducting Cyclotron Labora‑ tends to follow, leaving students Will Olympic Science be enter‑ pics to find out. tory (NSCL) at Michigan State with fewer opportunities to inter‑ name/2008/08/22/if-science-was-an- taining to watch? Or just painful? Duncan Hull is a postdoctoral University, and the Relativistic Will anyone be able to agree on research associate in biosciences olympic-sport/ Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at VIEWPOINT continued on page 7 6 • November 2008 APS NEWS

Noyce Scholarships to Aid Selected Physics Teachers By Gabriel Popkin The APS and the American Asso‑ ciation of Physics Teachers (AAPT) recently received a $750,000 award from the National Science Founda‑ Harry and Nancy tion (NSF) to provide Noyce Teach‑ er Scholarships to approximately 30 by Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs future physics teachers over the next 5 years. These teachers, who will re‑ Lately, as I’ve lain awake, agree. So why didn’t Congress ceive up to $15,000 of scholarship troubled by my vanishing 401 (k) pass an energy bill this year or support per year for up to two years, that now looks more like a shriv‑ deal with the 45 million Ameri‑ will be selected from institutions eled prune than a juicy plum, cans going without medical insur‑ participating in the PhysTEC proj‑ I’ve been pondering how Sen‑ ance? ect. PhysTEC is led by APS, AAPT, ate Majority Leader Harry Reid NANCY: Oprah, with the grid‑ and the American Institute of Phys‑ and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lock we faced, we couldn’t even ics (AIP), with the goal of increasing might be spending their congres‑ pass any spending bills, and that’s the number of qualified high school Photo by Gay Stewart/ University of Arkansas sional leave. the most important task Congress physics teachers in the US. Reid is not up for office this has every year–to keep the gov‑ Funding for the scholarships Arkansas Noyce Scholar and future teacher Michael “Shane” Carey (center) works with undergraduates Stephen Brinson and Mark Blanko in an introductory physics class. year, and Pelosi comes from a ernment running. comes from the NSF’s Robert Noyce low my students to spend their time pertise these sites have gained. safe San Francisco district, so OPRAH: Last year you blamed Teacher Scholarship program, which learning to teach instead of working In addition, PhysTEC institutions neither has to press the flesh or President Bush for causing the is designed to support future science, or worrying about loans” Stewart Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Florida talk the talk–at least not at home problem. Is it still his fault? technology, engineering, and math says. “We have an award-winning International University, and the in Nevada or California. But I’ve HARRY: Nancy, let me an‑ teachers. The Noyce program began Master of Arts in Teaching program, University of Minnesota have all never met a politician who wasn’t swer that one. Oprah, we have in 2002, and as of Fall 2007 had sup‑ but it is full time, and students don’t received independent Noyce awards vocally or visually narcissistic, so only a one-vote majority in the ported approximately 1500 teachers from 91 institutions. For every year get support or have time to work. We during this round of funding, which the odds are that both of them are Senate, and that’s if you count should not ask our students to choose will also support teachers in multiple never far from a microphone or Joe Lieberman, who lately has of scholarship support teachers re‑ ceive, they commit to teach for two teaching over higher-paying profes‑ science disciplines. camera. been a real thorn in my side. And years in a “high-need” school dis‑ sions, and then tell them they need According to NSF Program Offi‑ Here’s what I’ve imagined. we need 60 votes to get anything trict, which is defined as any district to go into debt to become a teacher.” cer Joan Prival, the PhysTEC Noyce OPRAH: We’re so fortunate to done in the Senate. So, to be hon‑ in which at least one school has a Arkansas awarded 17 Noyce schol‑ award is the first to focus on a single have two of our nation’s political est, this year, with Republicans high proportion of low-income stu‑ arships—including 7 to future phys‑ science discipline, as well as the first elite with us this afternoon, the threatening to filibuster every bill, dents or out-of-field teachers, or a ics teachers—in 2007-2008, its first given to a professional society. Mon‑ we just couldn’t do much. Speaker of the House of Repre‑ high teacher turnover rate. year of Noyce funding. ica Plisch, APS assistant director of sentatives, Nancy Pelosi, and the NANCY: And let me add that These criteria include a signifi‑ The PhysTEC Noyce project education and principal investigator, Majority Leader of the Senate in the House, I have to deal with cant fraction of schools in the US, will award scholarships to teachers explains that “by pooling applicants Harry Reid. Help me welcome… the “Blue Dogs,” the fiscally con‑ not just the most needy. According to from Ball State University, Cornell from multiple universities, APS and HARRY: Oprah, forgive me servative Democrats who made Gay Stewart, a University of Arkan‑ University, Seattle Pacific Univer‑ AAPT are able to award these schol‑ for interrupting, but we Demo‑ us adopt “pay-go” rules. You sas physics professor and PhysTEC sity, the University of Arkansas, the arships entirely to future physics crats don’t use the word “elite” to know we can’t increase spend‑ site leader who also administers an University of North Carolina, and teachers, who are the hardest teach‑ describe ourselves. Nancy and I ing for any program unless we independent Noyce project, “the Western Michigan University. Along ers for schools to hire in any math represent the interests of the mid‑ cut something else or raise taxes. problems of teacher turnover and with Arkansas, PhysTEC sites Se‑ and science field. We are especially dle class. There were all sorts of things we out-of-field teaching are so wide‑ attle Pacific, University of Arizona, excited that the PhysTEC Noyce OPRAH: I really didn’t mean just had to put on hold. One of spread, especially in science, that and University of Colorado at Boul‑ project will allow us to place teach‑ to offend. After all you know the things closest to my heart is my Noyce teachers are easily able to der already run Noyce programs that ers in the underserved communities I’ve been campaigning for Ba‑ science and innovation, and we find qualified high-need schools to provide scholarships to some of their where they are needed the most.” rack Obama. I know that getting just couldn’t do anything about it. work in.”. science teachers, and the project is More information about PhysTEC degrees from Columbia and Har‑ OPRAH: Nancy, forgive me, “The Noyce scholarships al‑ poised to take advantage of the ex‑ can be found at www.PhysTEC.org. vard, as he did, doesn’t make him but when it comes to innovation, or anyone else with that pedigree you seem to be all talk. Your plan MGM Recipients Achieve MacArthur Trifecta an elitist. that’s rapidly becoming a cruel Andrea Ghez, an astrophysicist at record of accomplishment. sity of Colorado), researches novel NANCY: Let me just add that myth called for about $10 billion UCLA who received the APS Maria The MGM award is intended to quantum systems including degener‑ we Democrats remember what over 10 years. This year–correct Goeppert Mayer (MGM) award in recognize and enhance outstanding ate Fermi gases, and Murnane, also our roots are. We all come from me if I’m wrong–you passed a 1999, is among the recipients of the achievement by a woman physicist now of JILA, works in experimental immigrant families, and we iden‑ $150 billion stimulus bill, a $170 MacArthur Fellowship for 2008. in the early years of her career, not ultrafast optical physics. Jin won the tify with Main Street, not Wall billion supplemental appropria‑ This year’s MacArthur fellows were later than ten years after the grant‑ MGM award in 2002; Murnane won Street tions bill and the $700 billion announced in September. ing of the PhD degree. It recognizes the MGM award in 1997. OPRAH: Madam Speaker… bailout. And Senator Reid… The MacArthur fellowships, scientific achievements that dem‑ Other MGM award recipients commonly called “genius grants,” onstrate potential as an outstanding NANCY: Oprah, just call me HARRY: Just call me Harry. have gone on to be elected to the give recipients $500,000 with no physicist. Nancy, it’s much more plebe‑ OPRAH: Harry wasn’t that National Academy of Sciences and restrictions on how the money is Ghez uses ground‑based tele‑ ian, if I dare to use such an elitist bailout bill loaded with tens of win many other honors. spent. Recipients come from a range scopic techniques to identify thou‑ word. billions of dollars worth of pork of disciplines, including art, science, sands of new star systems and il‑ The MGM award is given to OPRAH: All right, then, Nan‑ projects? Couldn’t you have social science, education, business, luminate the role of super‑massive early career physicists who demon‑ cy, you said that as a Democrat found a way to put in a measly $1 medicine, and many others. This black holes in the evolution of gal‑ strate potential, noted Sue Otwell, you care more about Main Street billion for science, since it is one year there are several physicists axies. She is the third MGM award APS women’s programs administra‑ of Nancy’s favorite programs? than Wall Street. Is that why you among the recipients. MacArthur recipient to go on to win a MacAr‑ tor. The fact that so many of these had such difficulty passing the HARRY: It’s one of mine, too, fellows are chosen for their creativ‑ thur grant. The others are Deborah women have become extremely suc‑ $700 billion financial bailout but, you know we tried and we ity, originality, and promise for im‑ Jin and Margaret Murnane. Jin, of cessful physicists is a sign of prom‑ package? Do you think it’s go‑ just didn’t have the votes. portant future advances based on a JILA (an institute of the Univer‑ ise fulfilled, she said. ing to help Wall Street more than OPRAH: So what about next year? Both of you expect to have NUCLEAR continued from page 1 Main Street? toward addressing that challenge clear deterrent, the report states. The Browne. larger Democratic majorities in NANCY: Oh, no! I understand include creating an international fuel report recommends using a “spectrum To maintain a credible nuclear that liquidity is just as important Congress, and you’re hoping to bank, developing advanced technical of options” to refurbish and update deterrent the US also needs to sus‑ for small business and the average have a Democrat in the White safeguards and closing a loophole in the stockpile, considering each sys‑ tain the necessary human capital, the person who wants to buy a car or House. the nonproliferation treaty, the study tem on an individual basis. There is report says, expressing the concern a home. It’s my constituents who NANCY: Well, we’re doing suggests. no immediate need to commit to any that “expertise and competence is don’t–you know, the people who everything to make that happen, Opinions differ on the impor‑ particular program, the report states. declining across the nuclear enter‑ are just struggling to pay the rent, but the American people have the tance of nuclear weapons for security. The nuclear weapons laboratory di‑ prise.” A broader mission for the nu‑ put food on the table… ultimate say. The problem is that Study group participants generally rectors continue to certify annually clear weapons labs to include energy HARRY: And pay those soar‑ even if we succeed, we will have agreed that the US needs a credible the current stockpile as safe, reliable and nuclear security can help recruit ing medical bills, fill the tank and to deal with the massive deficits nuclear deterrent. and secure. scientists and engineers, the report not have to freeze to death in the we’ve been running the last eight Refurbishing and updating the “In this approach, the president recommends. winter if you live in Minnesota or years, and with a weak economy, nuclear stockpile and infrastructure as will be assured that our deterrent “The next step after the release of New England because you don’t we may just have to scale back necessary without creating any new force is safe, secure and reliable as our report is to discuss these issues have enough money to pay for our expectations. We may have nuclear weapon capabilities could in‑ long as it is needed, regardless of its with appropriate audiences within home heating oil. to put science on hold for a few crease confidence in the reliability of size. This would enable new efforts the government, the defense and OPRAH: Those are extraordi‑ years. our nuclear weapons, thereby making to engage other nations in reducing scientific communities, hopefully to narily important issues, as I think OPRAH: Let’s thank Harry it possible to reduce the total inven‑ global arsenals and strengthening ef‑ stimulate action in the next adminis‑ everyone in the audience would and Nancy for being real. tory while maintaining a credible nu‑ forts against nuclear terrorism,” said tration,” said Browne. APS NEWS November 2008 • 7

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Now Appearing in RMP: APS CONGRESSIONAL Recently Posted Reviews and Job Fairs Colloquia

SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP 2009-2010 Looking for a job? You will find the following in the online edition of THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY is currently accepting Looking for the ideal candidate? Reviews of Modern Physics applications for the Congressional Science Fellowship Program. at Fellows serve one year on the staff of a senator, a representative Don't miss these opportunities! or of a congressional committee. They are afforded an opportunity http://rmp.aps.org to learn the legislative process and explore science policy issues from the lawmakers' perspective. In turn, Fellows have the oppor- APS Division of Plasma Physics Attosecond physics tunity to lend scientific and technical expertise to public policy is- Let the APS/DPP Job Fair do the work for you! Ferenc Krausz and sues. Misha Ivanov QUALIFICATIONS include a PhD Date: November 17-19, 2008 or equivalent in physics or a closely re- Place: Hyatt Regency Reunion Hotel Experimental tools and tech- lated field, a strong interest in science Dallas, TX niques for observing and steering and technology policy and, ideally, some electronic dynamics on the atomic scale are becoming available. Re- experience in applying scientific knowl- Register today at: http://www.aps.org/meetings/unit/ cent progress in attosecond phys- edge toward the solution of societal dpp/conf2008/jobfair/index.cfm ics has far reaching implications not problems. Fellows are required to be US contact Alix Brice at 301-209- only for physics but also biology and citizens and members of the APS. For more information chemistry. This article addresses the TERM OF APPOINTMENT is one 3187 or at [email protected] key concepts and experimental tools year, beginning in September of 2008 which provide the means of observ- with participation in a two-week orienta- ing and controlling the atomic‑scale tion sponsored by AAAS. Fellows have APS March Meeting Job Fair motion of electrons in real time, the considerable choice in congressional Date: March 16-17, 2009 theoretical models critical for con- assignments. necting experimental observables A STIPEND is offered in addition to allowances for relocation, Place: David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA with microscopic variables, and in-service travel, and health insurance premiums. some expected implications of this revolution in technology. APPLICATION should consist of a letter of intent of no more Register today at: http://www.aps.org/careers/employ- than 2-pages, a 2-page resume with one additional page for publi- ment/jobfairs.cfm cations, and three letters of reference. Please see the APS web- site (http://www.aps.org/policy/fellowships/congressional.cfm) for detailed information on materials required for applying and other information on the program. Professional Skills Development for Women Physicists ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS MUST BE SUBMITTED Do you want to improve your negotiation skills? ONLINE BY JANUARY 15, 2009. Do you have great ideas that you want to communicate to your colleagues?

If so, the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics invites you to attend one of the workshops Physics Bachelor's and PhDs Continue entitled “Professional Skills Development for Women in Physics.” These workshops will: to Trend Upward • Coach women in key skills that are needed to enhance their careers. • Provide training in persuasive communication, negotiation, and leadership The number of physics bache‑ ferred in the United States. presented by experienced professionals, with an aim towards increasing the lor’s degrees has increased for the The report also noted that there influence of female physicists within their own institutions. seventh straight year, according are 760 departments that offer a • Provide a special opportunity for networking among participants. to a recent report from the Ameri‑ physics degree, and 187 of those Workshops in 2009 will each have one session aimed at women post-docs in can Institute of Physics Statistical offer a PhD as the highest degree. physics and one session aimed at tenured women faculty in physics. Workshops will Research Center. During the 2005-2006 academic be offered on Sunday, March 15 (Pittsburgh) and on May 1 (Denver) in association The report, released in Sep‑ year, 378,000 students took an in‑ with the APS national meetings. tember, is based on an annual sur‑ troductory physics course. vey of physics departments in the In the fall of 2006, there were The deadline to apply for the March workshop is December 5, 2008; the deadline to apply for the US. This year’s report contains 2976 first year graduate students April workshop is January 5, 2009. First consideration will be given to applications received by the data on the class of 2006, the enrolled in physics PhD pro‑ deadlines. Women of color are especially encouraged to apply. most recent year for which data grams. International students are available. continue to make up a substantial Workshops will be limited in size for optimal benefits. Participants are eligible to receive a stipend to help In 2006, according to the re‑ portion of new physics graduate cover the cost of travel and up to two nights lodging. port, 5373 bachelor’s degrees students, making up more than were awarded, five percent more 40 percent of first year students Details at www.aps.org/programs/women/workshops/skills/index.cfm than the previous year, and 47% in the fall of 2006. However, more than in 1999. this proportion is decreasing; Some of the increase in phys‑ more than fifty percent of first VIEWPOINT continued from page 5 ics bachelors is accounted for by year physics graduate students act with the diverse leaders in their research intensive universities is the different merits that should be the increase in college age popu‑ were foreigners five years ‑ear field and potentially diminishing affected by agency commitments considered for federal funding. “It lation and the increased number lier. The proportion of physics their education. to federal laboratories, PCAST be‑ is appropriate to consider making of people attending college, the PhDs awarded to foreigners in The migration of new facilities lieves there is now an urgent need all federal basic research support report notes. Efforts to improve 2006 was 57 percent, down from to the national labs is in part due to reexamine the roles of the more available for merit-based competi‑ the undergrad experience for a high of 60 percent the year be‑ to a shift in nuclear physics fund‑ than seven hundred federal labora‑ tion by universities, federal labora‑ physics majors and efforts to in‑ fore. Similar to recent years, for‑ ing from the NSF to the DOE. In tories.” tories, or industry. Merit review in crease number of physics bach‑ eign citizens made up only 7 per‑ constant dollar terms, the NSF Sixteen years later, this question this case should include, as addi‑ elor’s degrees may also be having cent of physics bachelor’s degree nuclear physics budget has de‑ of national policy has not been ad‑ tional criteria, potential long-term an effect, but that is difficult to clined in the last 20 years while dressed and again manifests itself contributions to economic well- recipients. measure, the report says. the DOE’s component of com‑ in the current competition between being, national security, and edu‑ The proportion of women Though numbers are increas‑ bined budgets allocated to nuclear a university and the DOE. The re‑ cation.” among physics bachelor’s degree ing, physics bachelor’s degrees physics has increased from 85% in maining, fully university-based Many of our top research uni‑ recipients was the same as the represent only one third of one 1989 to 90% in 2008. As the DOE nuclear physics facility among the versities are under tremendous previous year, 21%, and is still percent of all bachelor’s degrees, picks up more of the nuclear phys‑ five major facilities, the NSCL, financial pressure and when they among the lowest in the natural and only about 2% of all bach‑ ics research tab, it must choose to is competing with Argonne for compete for federal research dol‑ elor’s degrees in the natural sci‑ sciences and engineering. Women allocate its resources between uni‑ the contract to build the next gen‑ lars, if their biggest asset, the edu‑ ences, mathematics, and engi‑ earned 17% of physics PhDs in versities and the national labs, and eration rare-isotope laboratory, the cation of our future scientific lead‑ neering. 2006. As in previous years, un‑ as evidenced by the list of major Facility for Rare Isotope Beams ers, is not to be considered, can we About 15% of physics bach‑ derrepresented minorities contin‑ nuclear physics facilities, the trend (FRIB). All parties agree that this expect to “make the United States elors eventually receive a PhD in ue to make up only a very small is clear. competition should be decided on the most attractive setting in which physics. About a third of physics portion of physics degree recipi‑ The question of the DOE’s role the merits of each proposal, but in to study and perform research?” bachelor’s degree recipients im‑ ents. Historically black colleges in providing research facilities stark contrast to the DOE’s stated US universities will not remain mediately enroll in physics grad‑ and universities (HBCUs) still is nothing new. In a 1992 report, goal of “training the next genera‑ magnets for talent if the most pow‑ uate school, the report notes. produce more than half of the delivered to the senior President tion of scientists,” it has declared erful tools to perform research are Physics PhD production was African American physics bach‑ Bush by then director of the Of‑ that it will not consider any edu‑ located elsewhere. also up, with 1380 physics PhDs elor’s degree recipients. fice of Science and Technology cational benefits that might result Philip Zecher is a partner, and awarded in 2006. This is an in‑ The report, and more infor‑ Policy, D. Allan Bromley of Yale, from integrating FRIB into MSU Chief Risk Officer, of EQA Part- crease of 11 percent from the year mation from the AIP Statistical the issue of the federal laborato‑ when evaluating MSU’s proposal. ners, LP, of Stamford, CT. He holds before and 26 percent from 2004. Research Center, is online at aip. ries is explicitly raised, declaring The Renewing the Promise re‑ a PhD in nuclear physics from It amounts to 3% of all PhDs con‑ org/statistics. that “because federal support for port went on to address directly Michigan State University. 8 • November 2008 APS NEWS The Back Page

hen Robert Hooke discovered his law of elasticity tise we need. Might it be possible to use online Win 1676, he didn’t publish it in the ordinary way. The Future of Science: Building a Better tools to scale up this conversational model, and Instead, he published it as an anagram: “ceiiinosssttuv.” build an online collaboration market to exchange He revealed this two years later as the Latin ut tensio, Collective Memory questions and ideas, a sort of collective working sic vis, meaning “as the extension, so the force.” This memory for the scientific community? ensured that if someone else made the same discovery, By Michael A. Nielsen To see how much is lost due to inefficiencies Hooke could reveal the anagram and claim priority, thus in the current system of collaboration, imagine a buying time in which he alone could build upon the dis‑ scientist named Alice. Many of Alice’s research covery. projects spontaneously give rise to problems in areas in which Many great scientists of the age, including Leonardo, Gal‑ she isn’t expert. Suppose that for a particular problem, Alice ileo and Huygens, used anagrams or ciphers for similar pur‑ estimates that it would take her four to five weeks to acquire poses. The Newton-Leibniz controversy over who invented the required expertise and solve the problem. So the problem calculus occurred because Newton claimed to have invent‑ is on the backburner. Unbeknownst to Alice, though, there is ed calculus in the 1660s and 1670s, but didn’t publish until another scientist in another part of the world, Bob, who has 1693. In the meantime, Leibniz developed and published his just the skills to solve the problem in less than a day. own version of calculus. Unfortunately, nine times out of ten they never even meet, Such secrecy was natural in a society in which there was or if they do, they just exchange small talk. It’s an opportu‑ often little personal gain in sharing discoveries. This secrecy nity lost for a mutually beneficial trade, a loss that may cost faded because the great scientific advances in the time of weeks of work for Alice. It’s also a great loss for the society Hooke and Newton motivated wealthy patrons such as the that bears the cost of doing science. Expert attention, the ulti‑ government to begin subsidizing science as a profession. Be‑ mate scarce resource in science, is very inefficiently allocated cause the public benefit delivered by scientific discovery was granted that science is only about publishing in specialized under existing practices for collaboration. strongest if discoveries were shared, the result was a scientific scientific journals. But if you believe science is about discov‑ An efficient collaboration market would enable Alice and culture that to this day rewards the sharing of discoveries. To‑ ering how the world works, and sharing that understanding Bob to find this common interest, and exchange their know- day, when a scientist applies for a job, the most important part with the rest of humanity, then the lack of early scientific sup‑ how, in much the same way eBay and craigslist enable people of the application is often their published scientific papers. port for Wikipedia looks like an opportunity lost. Nowadays, to exchange goods and services. However, in order for this to The adoption and growth of the scientific journal system Wikipedia’s success has to some extent legitimized contribu‑ be possible, a great deal of mutual trust is required. Without has created a body of shared knowledge for our civilization, tion within the scientific community. But how strange that the such trust, there’s no way Alice will be willing to advertise a collective long-term memory that is the basis for much of modern day Library of Alexandria had to come from outside her questions to the entire community. human progress. This system has changed surprisingly little academia. Let’s compare this situation to the apparently very dif‑ in the last 300 years. The Internet offers us the first major op‑ An Open Scientific Culture ferent problem of buying shoes. Alice walks into a shoe portunity to improve this collective long-term memory, and The value of openness was understood centuries ago by store, with some money. Alice wants shoes more than she to create a collective short-term working memory, a conver‑ many of the founders of modern science; indeed, the journal wants to keep her money; Bob the shoe store owner wants sational commons for the rapid collaborative development of system is perhaps the most open system for the transmission the money more than he wants the shoes. As a result, Bob ideas. of knowledge that could be built with 17th century media. hands over the shoes, Alice hands over the money, and One way of viewing online tools is as a way of expand‑ The adoption of the journal system was achieved by subsi‑ everyone walks away happier after just ten minutes. This ing the range of scientific knowledge that can be shared with dizing scientists who published their discoveries in journals. rapid transaction takes place because there is a trust in‑ the world. A successful example is the physics preprint arXiv, This same subsidy now inhibits the adoption of more effec‑ frastructure of laws and enforcement in place that ensures which lets physicists share preprints of their papers with‑ tive technologies. that if either party cheats, they are likely to be caught and out the months-long delay typical of a conventional journal. We should aim to create an open scientific culture where punished. More radically, the internet can also change the process and as much information as possible is moved out of people’s If shoe stores operated like scientists trading ideas, first scale of creative collaboration, using social software such as heads and labs, onto the network, and into tools that can help Alice and Bob would need to get to know one another, wikis, online forums, and similar tools. I believe that such us structure and filter the information: data, scientific opin‑ maybe go for a few beers in a nearby bar. Only then would tools and their descendants will change scientific collabora‑ ions, questions, ideas, folk knowledge, workflows, and every‑ Alice say, “You know, I’m looking for some shoes.” Af‑ tion more over the next 20 years than it has changed in the thing else. Information not on the network can’t do any good. ter a pause, and a few more beers, Bob would say “You past 300 years. Yet, with the exception of email, scientists One way to achieve cultural change is via the top-down know what, I just happen to have some shoes I’m looking currently appear puzzlingly slow to adopt many online tools. strategy that’s been successfully used by the open access to sell.” Every working scientist recognizes this dance; I This is a consequence of some major barriers deeply embed‑ (OA) movement. The goal of OA is to make scientific re‑ know scientists who worry less about selling their house ded within the culture of science. search freely available online to everyone in the world. In than they do about exchanging scientific information. Two Failures of Science Online April 2008 the National Institutes of Health mandated that In economics, it’s been understood for hundreds of Inspired by the success of Amazon.com’s review system every paper written with the support of their grants must years that wealth is created when we lower barriers to and similar sites, many organizations have created comment eventually be made open access. This is the scientific equiva‑ trade, provided there is a trust infrastructure of laws and sites where scientists can share their opinions of scientific pa‑ lent of successfully storming the Bastille. enforcement to prevent cheating and ensure trade is unco‑ pers. Perhaps the best-known was Nature’s 2006 failed trial The second strategy is bottom-up. It requires that the erced. The basic idea, which goes back to David Ricardo of open commentary on papers being peer reviewed at Na- people building the new online tools also develop and boldly in 1817, is to concentrate on areas where we have a com‑ ture. To date, none of the sites have succeeded. evangelize ways of measuring the contributions made with parative advantage, and to avoid areas where we have a The problem is that while thoughtful commentary on the tools. As an example, since 1991 physicists have been comparative disadvantage. scientific papers is useful for other scientists, there are few uploading their papers to the physics preprint arXiv, often at Ricardo’s analysis works equally well for trade in ideas. incentives for people to write such comments. Why write a about the same time as they submit to a journal. The arXiv is Indeed, even were Alice to be far more competent than comment when you could be doing something more “useful,” not refereed, although a quick check is done by arXiv mod‑ Bob, both Alice and Bob benefit if Alice concentrates on like writing a paper or a grant? Furthermore, if you publicly erators to remove crank submissions. In many fields, most areas where she has the greatest comparative advantage, criticize someone’s paper, there’s a chance that person may papers appear on arXiv first, and many physicists start their and Bob on areas where he has less comparative disadvan‑ be an anonymous referee in a position to scuttle your next pa‑ day by seeing what’s appeared on the arXiv overnight. tage. Unfortunately, science currently lacks the trust infra‑ per or grant application. After the arXiv began, a service for particle physics called structure and incentives necessary for such free, unrestrict‑ Contrast this with the approximately 1500 reviews of SPIRES-HEP extended their citation tracking to include both ed trade of questions and ideas. Pokemon you’ll find at Amazon.com. We have a ludicrous arXiv papers and conventional journal articles. As a result, An ideal collaboration market will enable just such an situation where popular culture is open enough that people it’s now possible to search on a particle physicist’s name, and exchange of questions and ideas. It will bake in metrics of feel comfortable writing Pokemon reviews, yet scientific see how frequently all their papers, including arXiv preprints, contribution so participants can demonstrate the impact culture is so closed that people will not publicly share their have been cited by other physicists. their work is having. Contributions will be archived, time‑ opinions of scientific papers. Some people find this curious or SPIRES-HEP has been run since 1974 by the Stanford stamped, and signed, so it’s clear who said what, and when. amusing; I believe it signifies something seriously amiss with Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). SLAC’s metrics of cita‑ Combined with high quality filtering and search tools, the science that needs to change. tion impact are both credible and widely used by the particle result will be an open culture of trust that gives scientists Wikipedia is a second example where scientists have physics community. When physics hiring committees meet a real incentive to outsource problems, and contribute in missed an opportunity to innovate online. Wikipedia has a vi‑ to evaluate candidates in particle physics, people often have areas where they have a great comparative advantage, fun‑ sion statement to warm a scientist’s heart: “Imagine a world their laptops out, examining and comparing the SPIRES- damentally changing how science is done. in which every single human being can freely share in the HEP citation records of candidates. The result is a small but Michael Nielsen is a writer working on a book about sum of all knowledge. That’s our commitment.” You might genuine cultural change towards more openness in science, the future of science. For information about the book, see guess Wikipedia was started by scientists eager to collect all achieved using the bottom-up strategy. http://michaelnielsen.org/blog/?page_id=467. In a past of human knowledge into a single source. In fact, Wikipedia’s The Problem of Collaboration life he helped pioneer the field of quantum computation, founder, Jimmy Wales, had a background in finance and as When doing research, subproblems constantly arise in un‑ and was the author of more than 50 scientific papers. The a web developer. In the early days few established scientists expected areas. No one can be expert in all those areas. Most above article is adapted from an essay appearing on his were involved. To contribute would arouse suspicion from of us instead stumble along, picking up the skills necessary blog, based on his keynote talk at the New Communication colleagues that you were wasting time that could be spent to make progress towards our larger goals. We have a small Channels for Biology workshop, San Diego, June 26 and writing papers and grants. group of trusted collaborators with whom we exchange ques‑ 27, 2008. The full version can be found at http://michaeln- Some scientists will object that contributing to Wiki‑ tions and ideas when we are stuck. They may point us in the ielsen.org/blog/?p=448. pedia isn’t really science. It’s not if you take it for right direction, but rarely do they have exactly the exper‑

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