A P S N E W S APRIL 1999 THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY VOLUME 8, NO. 4 [Try the enhanced APS News-online: [http://www.aps.org/apsnews] APSCelebrate News APS a Century 100 of years Physics Mass Media Fellows Reflect on Style and Internship Experience Substance Characterize wo physics graduate students spent zines,” she says, referring to the over- to receive posi- T several months last year learning simplification of scientific concepts tive feedback APS Centennial the ropes of communicating science that usually occurs. “I had to get used from readers on to the public, behind the scenes at a to presenting research in slang, but it’s many of her pub- Celebration national magazine and a major news better for people to read very simple lished stories. She network. Nellie Andreeva, a graduate science texts than to skip anything is continuing to he APS celebrated its 100th student in physics at the University of related to science as boring.” write for Business T anniversary with both style and Maine in Orono, spent last summer at Her first major feature for the maga- Week even substance last month in Atlanta, Business Week magazine in New York. zine was an article on the phenomenon though her intern- Aziza Baccouche Georgia, drawing nearly 10,000 Zohra Aziza Baccouche of Hampton of “six degrees of separation,” a math- ship has officially ended. scientists from all over the world to University served her fellowship at ematical study showing that everyone After receiving a BS degree in phys- make it the largest physics meeting CNN’s Science and Technology unit in on the planet is connected through six ics from the College of William and of all time. Atlanta, Georgia, last fall. people or less. She subsequently wrote Mary in 1995, Baccouche went on to Subsequent issues of APS News, Andreeva received MS degrees in numerous articles on such topics as la earn an MS degree last year from beginning with May and continuing both physics and TV and radio journal- Niña and its possible economic effects; Hampton University. She is currently through December, will feature ism from Sofia University in Bulgaria a temperature detector for frozen pursuing her PhD in physics at the detailed coverage of technical and in 1993, and began her graduate stud- foods; micro-engines; a mathematical University of Maryland, College Park, nontechnical highlights, plenary ies at the University of Maine last year. model that could relieve congestion working on a numerical calculation of lectures, special events, and much, She has long been interested in com- and cut delays at US airports; geneti- the energy spectrum, wave functions much more. A selected sampling of bining her interest in physics with cally engineered peas; and a and decay widths of heavy B and D future content is outlined below. journalism. She spent six years as a self-cleaning coating which uses natu- mesons. She hopes to pursue a career Scientific Highlights: producer, writer and director of TV ral ultraviolet light to break down dirt in science communication after com- Short features highlighting latest shows for Bulgarian National Television, on floors, walls and cars. pleting her PhD because of what she research results in atomic, molecu- and has had two prior internships: one Andreeva notes that although the perceives as a “growing need” for bet- lar and optical physics, lasers, at the BBC in London, England, and magazine calls its section “Science and ter communication between scientists, materials physics, astrophysics, bio- another at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia, Technology,” most of the stories that the media, and the general public. logical physics, plasma physics and organized by the University of Dela- are published relate to technology or Baccouche held several prior me- many more. ware. applied scientific research. There is dia-related internships before joining Andreeva’s time at Business Week very little published on basic scientific the APS program, most with radio or Nontechnical Highlights: gave her the chance to work closely research, although “this is understand- television formats. So she had some • The future of science policy with professional science writers and able because of the business preparation for the fast-paced environ- • History of physics in the national to learn more about what it takes to orientation of the magazine,” she says. ment of CNN’s Science News unit, defense communicate science to the public. On the whole Andreeva is apprecia- which is solely responsible for produc- • Women in physics “Science news is often presented too tive of the support she received during ing daily science packages for the • Impact of immigration on U.S. effectively in popular news maga- her internship. And she was gratified Continued on page 5 physics • Renewable energy Inside… Special Events: INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Fernbank Museum Gala NEWS • International reception and banquet Yale Olympics Show Students That • Nobel Laureate luncheon/exhibit Physics Can Be Fun ................................... 2 About one hundred high school students opening gathered in New Haven for the first Yale Physics Dakar Workshop Fosters Research • Adventures at the Physics Festival Olympiad. APS Resolution Urges Amending Data Collaborations in Africa Regular features in each issue will Access Law .................................................. 2 include monthly columns featuring APS The APS Executive Board approved a cientists from the US, Europe and research collaborations between units, as well as the first 100 years of resolution affirming that government agencies should rely only on scientific results that have Sten African countries — Cameroon, scientists in Africa and their US and APS history, culled from the popular been peer reviewed when establishing federal Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, European counterparts, and to Centennial exhibit. There will also be regulations and policies. Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, and promote regional scientific monthly profiles spotlighting many of FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT: Teaching the South Africa — gathered in Dakar, cooperation in Africa. the artists and performers featured at Science Behind the Magic ......................... 3 Magician Bob Friedhoffer tells all. Senegal, December 14-18, 1998, for The workshop was jointly spon- the Physics Festival, such as: the International Workshop On Continued on page 6 Prominent Physicists of the 20th Century .. 3 • Bob Friedhoffer, science magician (see Spectroscopy and CD-ROM photo collection of noteable physicists. page 3) Applications. Its IN BRIEF ....................................................... 6 • Ken Laws and the “Physics of Dance” Clinton Names Fermi Award Winners; Online purpose was to • Felice Frankel, science photographer Heisenberg Exhibit; National Science and highlight recent Technology Week To Be Held in April. extraordinaire developments in • Robert Greenler, intrepid explorer of OPINION spectroscopy, Arctic phenomena APS Views .................................................... 4 with particular • “Man-on-the-street” interview with David Hafemeister reviews the history of the emphasis on basic Forum on Physics and Society. “Albert Einstein” atomic and Letters .......................................................... 4 • “Mr. Magnet” (a.k.a. Paul Turner) molecular DEPARTMENTS spectroscopy and Zero Gravity ................................................. 5 Centennial Bulletin Factals “Our Favorite Net Myth” applications in medicine, • Number of printed abstracts = 8,783 Quoteworthy Science ................................ 5 • Number of pages = 2,080 Announcements ......................................... 7 agriculture and Call for Prize and Award Nominations; Now environmental (Part I - 896; Part II - 1,184) Appearing in RMP; Physics in the 20th Century monitoring. It was • Weight of Centennial BAPS about 10 The Back Page ............................................ 8 also intended to pounds Dennis Matthews (extreme left) and Kennedy Reed (extreme right) Authorship credit—Eugen Tarnow discusses stimulate interest • Three 18-wheeler semis hauled them results of a recent survey of junior physicists with hospital staff members during visit to Yoff Hospital in Dakar to to Atlanta on authorship credit. in developing discuss interests in medical applications of lasers. APS News April 1999 Yale Olympics Shows Students That Physics Can Be Fun onstructing an electromagnet, vector with complicated experiments or ideas,” C navigation, and applying the said Beausang. “Instead, our plan was to principle of superposition were among give them tasks that they could complete the challenges tackled by the with a limited knowledge of physics, a approximately one hundred high school modicum of common sense, and a bit of students who attended the first ever Yale team work.” Physics Olympics on October 17, 1998, One of the outdoor events required at Yale University, in New Haven, students to determine how large an over- Connecticut. Jointly sponsored by Yale’s hang they could make by stacking 10 physics department and Wright Nuclear bricks on top of each other. A second Structure Laboratory, the event focused outdoor event focused on vector navi- on experimental measurements using gation. The teams followed a series of simple fundamental physics principles, directions all over a grass quadrangle, unlike the more familiar International equipped with a meter stick, a piece of Physics Olympiad, which emphasizes paper, a pencil, but no protractor. The theoretical concepts and problem teams were required