Sterling Hall on the University of Wisconsin Campus THE WISCONSIN P HYSICIST Vol. 4, No. 1 A Newsletter for University of Wisconsin Physics Alumni Fall, 1997-98 joined Pondrom’s administration as Associate Chair. • Hi, Physics alumni and friends: Joynt is from the Condensed Matter group and has been Hello again from the University of Wisconsin – a member of the department since 1986. Madison campus. First of all, I would like to thank you for your continuing support for this newsletter Thoughts on a New Chairship project. I like the fact that you say good things about our efforts to stay connected. This is our By Lee G. Pondrom fourth issue of THE WISCONSIN PHYSICIST and, I hope, our best! I agreed to assume the responsibilities of Department Many exciting activities continue to happen Chair during the summer of 1997. The Physics Depart- here. New and continuing faculty alike continue ment is in good shape, to initiate exciting research projects. Our Web with no really major presence is growing. Physics labs are really crises on the immediate becoming computerized. New faculty hires are horizon. We have been joining the staff. We actually compiled the first undergraduate major handbook. We established fortunate in hiring new three outstanding student awards thanks to staff in the past few generous gifts from Lily and Jeff Chen, Faye years, who have Ajzenberg Selove and the Dillinger family. strengthened the de- Undergraduate peer tutoring is actually becoming partment for the future. a reality. And, because of your continuing strong Thanks to vigorous re- financial and institutional support, we are cruiting efforts on the confident that the size of our incoming graduate part of alumni and oth- student classes will continue to increase. ers the incoming fall On a personal and professional note, I graduate class enroll- recently led a campus committee to establish a mentoring pilot program for all academic ment will be back up to Lee Pondrom, Chair staff on the Madison campus. We currently the level of two years have about 50 pairs of senior and junior people ago, thus easing the threat on graduate class size. Innova- connected. If you check out the physics web tive teaching techniques are attracting local attention, and site (http://www.physics.wisc.edu), you’ll find – Continued on page 2 – more information. Stay in touch, Jean Meyer Buehlman, Editor Inside Features: Faculty & Staff Research Awards ................... 4 Pondrom Elected Chair Physics Research ............................................ 7 Faculty News.................................................. 14 Professor Lee Pondrom began his chairship of the De- Physics Instruction ......................................... 14 partment of Physics on July 1, 1997. Pondrom, who re- Graduate Report ............................................ 17 ceived his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, has Graduate Degrees.......................................... 19 been a faculty member in the High Energy Physics group Undergrads .................................................... 21 at UW Madison since 1963. His specialty area includes Obituaries ....................................................... 24 experimental studies in elementary physics using elec- Alumni Corner ................................................ 26 tronic techniques and general instrumentation problems Fund Raising .................................................. 27 in elementary particle physics. Professor Robert Joynt has THE WISCONSIN PHYSICIST, Fall 1997–98 1 – Continued from page 1 – Looking Back Over Three Years may help in encouraging undergraduates to major in As Physics Department Chair physics, which will increase the undergraduate upper divi- by J. E. Lawler sion class sizes. Larger classes will mean that we can offer more courses, and This is my letter as outgoing Physics Department Chair. have a stronger A three-year term is standard in our Department. It has teaching program. been a valuable and rewarding experience for me to serve as Department Chair. I have learned a great deal about I believe that the job the administration of the University and about picture for people Wisconsin’s strong traditions of Faculty Governance. We with undergraduate have made progress toward solving a few of the problems or advanced degrees facing the Physics Department, but a few new problems in physics is improv- have surfaced. ing. US industry, under intense com- The highly competitive environment of the Physics De- petition, is inter- partment sometimes makes it difficult for faculty mem- ested in hiring bers to fully appreciate the excellence which exists in the people who can Department and to maintain good morale. Morale also think. Federal grant tends to suffer when raise money is very limited as it has support for research been for the last two years. Although this is not the best Bob Joynt, Associate Chair in the physical sci- of times, we should take great pride in the recognitions ences shows signs of stabilizing after a period of uncer- received by our faculty and staff. A partial list of these rec- tainty. So the situation is easing a bit, although there is ognitions received during the last three years includes: still a shortage of privately funded research, and pressures Prof. Anderson’s election to the UW Teaching Academy; on the federal budget will continue for the next several Prof. Balantekin’s American Physical Society (APS) Fel- years. lowship, Humboldt Research Award, and Mid Career Award; Prof. Bruch’s APS Fellowship; Prof. Chubukov’s A periodic external review of the Physics Department is Sloan Fellowship; Prof. Cox’s election to the UW Teach- planned for this fall. While the Department is basically ing Academy; Prof. Randy Durand’s Distinguished sound, there is always room for improvement. State sup- Teaching Award; Prof. Haeberli’s Hilldale Award; Prof. port has been squeezed by the property tax relief initiative Himpsel’s election to the New York Academy of Sciences; and the many other demands on state funds. As a result, Prof. Joynt’s Nordic Institute Visiting Professorship; Madison campus salaries have fallen behind those of peer Prof. Lagally’s APS Davisson Germer Prize; my Interna- institutions. Indeed the decline in the overall ranking of tional Penning Award; Prof. Lin’s APS Allis Prize; Prof. the Department, partly because of the salary picture, is a McCammon’s Vilas Associateship; Prof. Olsson’s APS cause for concern. The external review committee could Fellowship; Prof. Onellion’s Vilas Associateship; Prof. make positive recommendations which would, in due Prager’s University Houses and Hilldale Professorships; course, strengthen the position of the Department as a Prof. Reeder’s University Houses Professorship; Prof. whole. Smith’s Vilas Associateship and APS Fellowship; Prof. The duties of the faculty include research, teaching, and Sprott’s Van Hise Outreach Teaching Award; Prof. service. The strength of the Department depends on the Walker’s Romnes Fellowship; Prof. Wu’s European faculty, staff, and students. For the next few years it will Physical Society High Energy Physics Prize and election be my job to maintain the qualities that we now have, to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; and Prof. and improve them wherever possible. I will have lots of Zeppenfeld’s Romnes Fellowship. Physics Department competent help. It will be interesting to read what I have Scientist Dr. Robert Morse won the Chancellor’s Award to say this time next year. Look for it. ❏ for Excellence in Research. There have also been numer- ous promotions of faculty and staff members during the last three years. I have an uneasy feeling that I may have missed something important, but it is nevertheless an im- pressive list for three years. Lee Pondrom Professor of Physics Faculty and staff recruiting has been quite successful over Chair of the Physics Department the last three years. The list of successes in recruiting in- cludes: Prof. Franz Himpsel in experimental condensed 2 THE WISCONSIN PHYSICIST, Fall 1997–98 matter physics, Asst. Prof. Cary Forest in experimental gible for an ITR appointment. Graduate students’ sti- plasma physics, Assoc. Prof. Tao Han in phenomenology/ pends during the first three years have been a problem theoretical physics, Assoc. Prof. Peter Timbie in astro- because of the high cost of in-state graduate tuition. The physics, Mr. Steve Narf as the lecture demonstration initiation of the ITR appointments and somewhat more manager, and Mr. Bill Grogan as our computer support generous partial fellowship awards to prospective graduate person to help with the instructional laboratory modern- students helped recruiting this year. Unfortunately, we ization. In addition, many research groups have success- may have made partial fellowship awards this year at a fully recruited both scientists and support staff. There are higher level than we can sustain. We are very grateful to numerous retirements anticipated in the next few years, those of you who have helped with our Fund Raising and continued success in recruiting excellent faculty and Drive to endow Graduate Fellowships. We need help staff will be vital to the Physics Department. The Depart- from the rest of you at any level you can afford. We need ment established a Long Range Planning Committee dur- help from all of you in encouraging talented young ing my first year as Chair. The Long Range Planning people to choose a career in science. I remain concerned Committee finished and released a multi-year recruiting