;·1 Massachu-setts February 5,1973 I .r Institute of Volume 17 Technology Number 30 r - NixtsonNamesq8~~cnrit iz x w riesrer S i ciercelD Advisor -- Presidential Press Officer Science Advisory Committee and Corporation told the press con- Pi Ronald Ziegler announced in the -Office of Science and ference that "Dr. Wiesner has Washington this morning the Technology will be disbanded, and made extraordinary contributions appointment of MIT president Dr. most of the science staff of the to the development of MIT as a Jerome B, Wiesner as Special executive branch will be moved to great national institution. Our Assistant for Science to the Xthe National Science Foundation. confidence at the time of his President. The announcement was The new Special Assistant for selection has been rewarded, and made simultaneously in Cam- . Science will be in charge of we congratulate him on a job well bridge by the Chairman of the MIT collecting and summarizing done. In addition, let us all offer a Corporation, Howard W. Johnson, scientific opinion for the president, helping hand to the man who will who also announced the ap- . and will be expected to call on the soon be President alone, Paul E. pointment of Chancellor Paul E. ; :NSF and other federal agencies, as Gray. (Dr. Killian is, himself, a Gray as acting President of MIT, /ewell as private industry, for in- 'former presidential science ad- pending approval of the MIT formation and assistance, rather visor, having served under Corporation. than relying on professional staff President Eisenhower. Dr. ~ :i.;.:.-. or advisory committees, ac- In the Washington an- Wiesner served previously under : -- ;'"ecording to the announcement. Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.) nouncement, Mr. Ziegler a : "This new system," Ziegler said, noted that "this appointment BEecause of their past dif- Dr. Jerome B. Wiesner - "will reduce or remove the narrow ferences Dr. Wiesner said he was should show that this ad- range of opinion which reduced the ministration still places a high community 1will be.given surprised last week when the serious validity of former science advisory us at MIT will miss Dr. Wiesner's President asked him if he would priority on science and technology. consideration." systems." Dr. Wiesner is a extraordinary vision and talent for accept the new post. "I have not distinguished The announcement de.scribed Chairman Johnson released the innovation. Hle is the right man for member of the academic com- changes which will be n been to the White House in two nade to same announcement in a press these times, as is Paul Gray, who years, since a panel on the ABM, munity, and although we have not convert the "Presidential Science conference in 9-150 this morning, Pe seen will now be asked to lead MIT which I opposed. Then, last week, eye to eye on every issue, his Advisor" into the "lSpecial and added "Clearly, the rumors of alone." I opinion, and through him, President Nixon called and asked the Assistant to the Presideent for a decreased role for science in. Dr. James R. Killian, Jr. opinions of the American scientific Science." The Presi' (Please Tumn to Page 4) I dential public policy have been false. All of Honorary Chairman of the MIT 1r - p --- -Y- - - ,I I: MSJTAs-· tr3oms D iver Star I 'MlIT astronomers have an- The scientists of the group are: as a week apart. Under the ULBRI nowsiced &e discovery.. of an im- *Roger G. Whitman, on ieave from system, it is possible to detect the portant nnewnearby star in the the MIIT Department of Earth ana movement of a nearby star if it heavens. This is the second .Planetary Sciences; F. WilliZam exceeds only one stellar radius. scientific coup within a month (the Harris, MIT Department of Professor Whitman predicts that first being the confirmation of the Physics; John P. McGrath, "the technique will have a OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMANI OF THE CORPORATION existence of water-ice on the major Department of Astrophysics, Cal tremendous impact on astro- moons of Jupiter) for a group led Tech; Robert K. Richardson, science." To Members by MiT astronomers. Department of Astrophysics, TMe article goes on to explain of the MIT Community: Writing in an article to be Stanford; and Stephen Manning, a several extraordinary aspects of published in the upcoming issue of specialist in sky survey techniques the newly discovered object. "In After three long years, I am happy to announce I Sientific American, the team on loan from the Kitt Peak this instance, we found not only a that MIT has completed negotiations with Federated I National high velocity t says: "We have conclusively Observatory. star, but also one Department Stores of Chicago, Illinois, for the con- j identified the presence of a An innovation made by which had previously been i struction of a 31.00 i previously unknown stellar ob- Professor Whitman and Dr. unknown. The star was un- million dollar shopping center ject." Manning led to the discovery of the doubtedly much dimmer in the on MIT property formerly owned by the Simplex star. Old scanning techniques often past, but we believe that a recent Wire and Cable Company. used a device called a blinker flareup, which resulted in an in- As you know, we stated at the tirrie of the Simplex microscope to discover stars with crease in intrinsic brightness of at purchase that the Institute should favor prospective FacnulW a large apparent motion through least several orders of magnitude, the background of "fixed" stars. has caused it to become visible to commercial developers who indicated a willingness to Meet Two plates are taken of a region us." to cooperate with both MIT and the city in terms The MIT Faculty will hold its but separated in time by anywhere The investigators report that the of achieving the social and environmental objectives regular February meeting in from one to forty years. These are star is believed to be the closest Room 10-250 starting at 3:15 p.m. We felt at the time that this was an appropriate course placed in the blinker, which acts such object yet discovered. Until of action. Wednesday, February 7. now, somewhat like an alternating stero the nearest star was thought We The first portion of the mneeting, viewer, and any star which has to be Proxima Centauri, a member now feel that the objectives set down three years sopen only to memnbers of the ad- moved in comparison to the others of the trinary Alpha Centauri ago have been fully met by the terms of this ministration, will focus on a is seen to flash. Stars found by this system, at a distance of about 4.2 agreement, which allows maximum flexibility motion by the Committee on method are important as their light years (or some for MIT. Faculty on the granting of certain large apparent motion indicates 25,000,000,000,00,000 miles). Scattered portions of land have already been professorships. that they are either very close to us "In fact," the article Following this first item continues, purchased to round out the existing plot, and to i of or mnoving very rapidly relatively "the star is so close to earth as to business, the doors will be opened or both. show an actual disk to the careful provide 25 acres of parking; these purchases have been and all members of the MIT However, the Manning-Whitman naked-eye observer. Due to its MIT's way of contributing to the creative renewal community are invited to attend technique I greatly reduces the recent flareup, the radiation ef- of' Cambridge's urban crisis. the rest of the meeting. necessary delay between ex- fects of which have not yet been The agenda includes reports Through the negotiation period, we actively sought posures and the tedium of scanning analyzed, it is actually so bright as multiple inputs to the decision-making process from .from the Pounds Panel on the thousands of plates. The images to be visible during the day. Our, Special Labs, the Study Group for are sensed by a special recorder discovery was made at a daylight responsible spokesmen, including members of the MIT MIRV at MIT, the Commission on which is hooked to a computer. In test run of our equhipment during administration, their close personal friends, and- MIT Education, and remarks by this very powerful method, which one of the few breaks in the nearly residents of the Northgate community. General James B. Lampert on also utilizes the extremely high perpetual overcast of the past few development of MIT. The meeting Construction will begin this spring; the expected resolution capabillties of Very months. completion date is fall of 1975. Current plans will conclude with the departure of Long Baseline Radio In- call faculty members "ahe star is presently to be for the complex to from the room. terferometry, the computer found in the constellation include Filene's, business and compares the digital represen- professional offices, the Harvard Coop, Gnomon I Acquarius, but due to its ex- Special tatives of two scans taken as.lititle ceptionally high tangential Copy, and a 28-Flavor ice cream parlor. I~~~~~P velocity it is moving toward I think all of you have reason to be proud of this Cover Subject Pisces. We have not yet considered I newest service to the city of Cambridge; it should |Due to the importance of th tthe subject intensively, but it has appointment open new avenues of commnunication with the city of Dr. Jerome Howard been generally agreed to name the Weisner as President Nixon's newI W. Johnson, Chairmaan at large.