the SPSVolume XLVI, Issue 4 Observer Winter 2012-13 Women in Physics Unconscious Unfairness Questions & Answers Advice Guess Who? Women’s Words Pathways Awards Elegant Connections Jocelyn Bell Burnell: PhysCon Competitions in Physics Resolved Outstanding Advisor Diffraction, Part 1 THE DIRECTOR VECTOR Physics for All by Toni Sauncy, SPS Director PHYSICS STUDENTS dance at the What a fantastic time to be involved in the great science of physics! Admittedly, there 2012 PhysCon “Club Congress” probably hasn’t been a time when that was not true. Those with physics backgrounds join event. Photo by Ken Cole. a professional community in which opportunity abounds and graduates are sought after as valuable members of the STEM workforce. The Society of Physics Students holds high the ideals of professional development, support, and service to the growing number of phys- Editor Devin Powell ics majors. Working with undergraduates brings the privilege of witnessing fresh energy and enthusiasm, where awe and respect for their physics predecessors is mixed with bold, Assistant Editor Kendra Redmond unapologetic curiosity about pushing limits and understanding more. This is a relatively small (approximately 14,000 undergraduate physics majors in the US), yet powerful group Editorial Assistant Elizabeth Hook of young scientists who will infiltrate the world in ways that we have not yet imagined with creativity, wisdom, insight, skills, and problem-solving abilities. Copy Editor Cynthia Freeman One of the highest callings of SPS is inviting all kinds of people into physics, as voiced in the 2009 SPS Statement on Diversity (www.spsnational.org/governance/ Art Director Tracy Schwab statements/2009diversity.htm). Diversity is beneficial to physics: people of diverse back- grounds working on the same problem will view it from different perspectives and bring their SPS President David Donnelly, own life experiences into the project. Diversity of people adds diversity to the work. Texas State University In this issue, we take a look at the current status of one of the underrepresented groups in physics: women. As a beginning student, I was privileged to be influenced by some SPS Director Toni Sauncy outstanding mentors who introduced me to the APS Committee on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP). It was a life-changing experience to walk into the CSWP reception at my first American Physical Society (APS) March meeting and discover a room full of physicists talking about interesting science, all of whom happened to be women. I had never before been in any room where there were more women than men talking about the subject that I adored. That interaction helped me begin to be part of the conversation. CSWP has had a tremendous One Physics Ellipse impact on the climate for women in physics departments. The conversation has continued. In College Park, MD 20740 recent years, growing numbers of students have been powerfully impacted by participation in 301.209.3007 (tel) the Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics, now sponsored by APS. 301.209.0839 (fax) The less-than-desirable state of diversity among the physics community is not new. Our [email protected] hope in this issue of The SPS Observer is to engage new voices among the communities that www.spsnational.org continued on page 14 Table of Contents Volume XLVI, Issue 4 Winter 2012-13 THE DIRECTOR VECTOR FEATURE: WOMEN IN PHYSICS 02 Physics for All 11 Unconscious Unfairness STARS | SPS Awards and Accolades 12 Questions & Answers, and Advice 03 Outstanding Advisor 14 Guess Who? 04 PhysCon Competition 14 Women’s Words 05 Future Faces in 2013 MEETING NOTES | SPS Reporters at Science Conferences PATHWAYS | Advice from Experienced Voices 16 AGU: What a Week! ON THE COVER Resolved 16 AAPT: The Gift of Perspective 06 Top: Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a longtime friend 18 SCUWiP: Making Space INTERACTIONS | SPS Chapters in Action of SPS, during her college years (see the 08 Eggcelent Education ELEGANT CONNECTIONS IN PHYSICS related content on pages 6, 7, and 15). 09 Inside Argonne 20 Diffraction: Part 1 Bottom: Aida Bermudez, Florida Internation- BUILDING BLOCKS | Undergrad Research Projects GET IN THE ZONE! al University, presents her poster at PhysCon 10 Staring into the Light 24 2013 Spring Zone Meetings 2012 in Orlando, FL. Photo by Ken Cole. 2 Winter 2012-13 / The SPS Observer STARS | SPS Awards and Accolades Outstanding Advisor MEET THE 2012 SPS OUTSTANDING CHAPTER ADVISOR The 2012 SPS Outstanding Chapter Advisor Year by the college in 2012. Award goes to Ajay Narayanan from Green Our wonderful students have set up numerous outreach events for the campus River Community College in Auburn, WA. AJAY NARAYANAN teaches physics and This is the highest recognition given by SPS community and local elementary schools. astronomy at Green River Community to chapter advisors. It celebrates an individ- GRCC students have secured three Marsh College. Photo by Angela Winner. ual who has made exceptional contributions W. White Outreach Awards, won a couple F For one of our fund-raising events our chapter president dressed up in a deviled egg costume and rode a bike under an The most rewarding part overpass while students, staff, and faculty pelted him with eggs. By charging one OF OUR EFFORTS HAS BEEN THE LETTERS WE GET dollar an egg we raised over a hundred dollars. The cleanup was not fun, but the event was a success! toward promoting student leadership, de- of SPS Leadership Scholarships as well Being part of SPS provides our veloping a broad spectrum of activities, and as an internship, and served on the students with opportunities to make inspiring enthusiastic student participation. SPS National Council as associate zone science-related activities the focal point councilors. I am incredibly proud of all the of their interactions with other students Says Narayanan: students have done. and faculty members. I believe this type We chucked head-sized pumpkins a of support keeps students interested in It has been my great pleasure to serve as distance of 350 feet, imploded large steel physics in ways that classroom activities the SPS chapter advisor at Green River drums, shot liquid nitrogen bazookas that cannot achieve. Being a chapter at a two- Community College (GRCC) in Washing- spray columns of water three or four floors year college has its challenges, including ton state. When we restarted the dormant high, and participated in other mayhem limited funding, but over the years we chapter in 2003, four students signed up that would appeal to most SPS members. have found solutions to many of these as members. Since then our membership The most rewarding part of our efforts has problems. What makes this possible is has grown steadily. Our chapter, known been the letters we get from the grade the tremendous support, encouragement, as the Physics Club, has raised its profile school students and teachers who have and participation we receive from all our on campus and was selected Club of the participated in our events. faculty members and staff. After receiving his PhD in physics from the The SPS Observer (ISSN 2160-1305) is the maga- Physics Students and the Niels Bohr Library and University of Arizona in 1997, Narayanan Archives. AIP owns AIP Publishing LLC, a schol- zine of the Society of Physics Students. Published turned his attention to full-time teaching. He quarterly by the American Institute of Physics. Print- arly publisher in the physical and related sciences. ed in the USA. Standard postage paid at Columbus, www.aip.org served for one year as an adjunct instructor at OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The the University of Arizona, then joined GRCC’s SPS Observer, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, AIP Member Societies: American Association of Physics and Astronomy Department in 2000. MD 20740-3841. Physicists in Medicine, American Association of Narayanan has been involved with SPS Physics Teachers, American Astronomical Society, since his graduate school days. Green River The American Institute of Physics is an organiza- American Crystallographic Association, American Community College’s chapter advisor since tion of 10 physical science societies, representing Geophysical Union, The American Physical Soci- more than 135,000 scientists, engineers, and edu- ety, Acoustical Society of America, AVS–The Sci- 2003, he also served two terms as zone coun- cators. Through its Physics Resources Center, AIP ence & Technology Society, OSA–The Optical So- cilor on the SPS National Council. // delivers valuable services and expertise in educa- ciety, The Society of Rheology tion and student programs, science communica- tions, government relations, career services for Other Member Organizations: Sigma Pi Sig- science and engineering professionals, statistical ma, Physics Honor Society, Society of Physics FURTHER READING research in physics employment and education, Students, Corporate Associates For more information about this award industrial outreach, and the history of physics and allied fields. AIP publishesPhysics Today, the most and how to nominate your advisor, visit influential and closely followed magazine of the www.spsnational.org/programs/awards/ physics community, and is also home to Society of advisor.htm. The SPS Observer / Winter 2012-13 3 STARS | SPS Awards and Accolades PhysCon Competitions Best in Show (pictured right) POSTER AND ART SESSIONS LIVELY AND INSPIRING Glenn Marsch, Grove City College Artists’ Choice & People’s Choice “If there is any take-home message Two of the most energetic and dynamic sessions during the 2012 SPS Quadren- Christopher Frye, University of Central Florida from the [PhysCon] poster session, it nial Physics Congress (PhysCon) were the joint poster and art sessions. Over 200 is that students are capable of great student presenters engaged with peers, science faculty, and practicing physicists, Connecting Worlds Jordan Guzman, things and should be encouraged to while discussing research, outreach, and artwork in more than two dozen catego- University of Central Florida pursue these opportunities.” ries.