Annual Report 2000

Introduction

The American Physical Society's Panel on Public Affairs (POPA) recommends to the Executive Board and Council actions that use physics to support the making of sound public policy and considers policy issues that might impact the physics community. POPA operates through a number of subcommittees that monitor policy issues. It recommends doing in depth studies and/or issuing APS statements on important issues. Statements of the APS either originate from POPA or are submitted to POPA by Divisions or Committees of the APS for approval before being passed on to the APS Executive Board and Council. POPA works closely with the Washington Office of the APS.

In keeping with the physics community's historical involvement in national security issues, the deployment decision, originally scheduled for June 2000, of the planned National Missile Defense system was a major focus of POPA activity in 2000. The Panel, along with other APS units, continued to monitor affairs at the Department of Energy, including funding for science programs at DOE and the effects of national security concerns on the laboratories. Other POPA concerns included strengthening the role of science expertise at the State Department, efforts to improve science education at the K-12 level, the health of the physics profession, and a joint program of several scientific societies to provide scientific information to Congress on climate change.

National Missile Defense

In spring of 2000, POPA proposed a statement by APS articulating the position that the US should not make a deployment decision on the proposed NMD system unless the system is shown to be effective against the types of counter measures that an attacker could reasonably be expected to deploy with its long range missiles. The following statement, adopted by the Council at its April meeting, was communicated to every member of Congress with a cover letter from APS President Jim Langer and attracted significant press attention.

00.2 STATEMENT ON NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY AND DEPLOYMENT
(Adopted by the Council, 29 April 2000)

The United States should not make a deployment decision relative to the planned National Missile Defense (NMD) system unless that system is shown -- through analysis and through intercept tests -- to be effective against the types of offensive countermeasures that an attacker could reasonably be expected to deploy with its long-range missiles. The planned NMD system is intended to defend US territory against tens of long-range ballistic missiles carrying biological, chemical or nuclear weapons. The ability of the NMD system to deal with countermeasures is a key factor in determining whether the system will be able to defend against the threats it is intended to meet.

A decision on whether or not to deploy the NMD is scheduled for the next few months. The tests that have been conducted or are planned for the period fall far short of those required to provide confidence in the "technical feasibility" called for in last year's NMD deployment legislation.

This statement implies no APS position with respect to the wisdom of national missile defense deployment and concerns itself solely with its technical viability.

References: National Intelligence Council, "National Intelligence Estimate (NIE): Foreign Missile Development and the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States Through 2015," unclassified summary, September 1999, p. 16. Available at: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/nie/nie99msl.html

"Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, FY 1999 Annual Report," submitted to Congress February 2000, p. VI-13. Available at: http://www.dote.osd.mil/reports/FY99/index.html

POPA's recommendation with respect to a study of technical issues relating to National Missile defense sparked the appointment by the APS president of an advisory committee to consider whether the APS should initiate a study of aspects of national missile defense, and if so, to outline technical issues to be addressed and assist in identifying possible leaders and members of a study group. The Advisory Committee unanimously recommended that the APS initiate as soon as possible a study of several key technical issues related to proposed NMD systems, that APS studies should address technical issues that have substantial physics content, and that an initial study should focus on several important technical questions related to boost-phase intercept technologies and systems for national missile defense. The recommendations of the Advisory Committee were accepted by the APS Council at their November 19, 2000 meeting and initial funding was approved subject to finding suitable leadership for the study.

For additional information, see the Report of the APS Advisory Committee for Technical Studies of NMD.

Ethics and Discrimination

The Panel on Public Affairs' Committee on Ethics and Discrimination reviewed the Society's 1987 Statement on Integrity in Physics, [insert link] and its 1991 Guidelines for Professional Conduct [insert link] in view of current publication practices. The principles presented in the existing statements continue to be valid, though the nature of authorship today necessitated a small change defining the different types of intellectual contributions that authors can make to a publication. In the course of the review, it was agreed that the visibility to the physics community of the existing Guidelines, of ethical issues in general, and of available resources relating to questions of professional ethics in science had to be increased. This has been implemented through the web pages of the Society, and its publications. The 1993 Statement on Protection Against Discrimination, which contained dated material, was replaced by the following statement.

00.4 STATEMENT ON PROTECTION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION
(Adopted by the Council, 19 November 2000)

The Council of the American Physical Society affirms the commitment of the Society to the protection of the rights of all people, including freedom from discrimination based on race, gender, ethnic origin, religion or sexual orientation. This principle will guide the Society in the conduct of its affairs, including the selection of sites of meetings of the APS.

Broad Based Funding for Physics

The APS endorsed a statement by the Coalition for National Science Funding, a group of scientific societies, universities, and corporations, supporting funding increases for the National Science Foundation. In addition, to highlight the critical role of the Department of Energy in supporting research in physics, POPA prepared the following statement on broad-based funding for physics.

00.1 STATEMENT ON BROAD-BASED FUNDING FOR PHYSICS
(Adopted by the Council, 29 April 2000)

The Council of the American Physical Society applauds and strongly supports the significant funding increases for science contained in the President's FY2001 Budget.

The nation's research in physics is broadly supported through several agencies, principally DOE, NSF, NASA, and DOD. The ability of US physics to continue contributing to the nation's economic growth and its national security depends critically on adequate funding for all these agencies.

The DOE provides the majority of the funding for a wide range of basic research in the physical sciences. Therefore, the Council is particularly concerned that the DOE's science funding remain healthy.

The DOE Office of Science is responsible for the construction and operation of most major facilities in particle and nuclear physics, and for many other facilities needed in multidisciplinary research programs relevant to materials sciences, energy sciences, biology, and medicine. These efforts have been instrumental in the success of important national scientific programs.

The Council urges, therefore, that the DOE share fully, in FY2001 and in subsequent years, in the funding increases aimed at maintaining the health of the US scientific enterprise. Present concerns regarding management and security issues should not obscure the need for sustaining and enhancing the essential DOE-supported science programs.

APS Positions on Other National Issues

POPA has contributed to a review of APS positions on critical national issues, leading to the following statements

00.3 ENERGY STATEMENT
(Adopted by the Council, 19 November 2000)

ENERGY POLICY FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

On May 6, 1996, as part of its "Statement on Energy: The Forgotten Crisis," the American Physical Society cautioned, "Our nation's complacency about the energy problem is dangerous. While the understandable result of currently abundant supplies of energy at low prices, such complacency is short-sighted and risky."

Since 1996, demand for oil and natural gas has continued to grow with the expansion and globalization of the world's economy. In addition, our nation's dependence on imported energy has increased, and the effects of burning fossil fuels on the global environment are becoming a major concern. The Council of the American Physical Society believes that the use of renewable energy sources, the adoption of new ways of producing and using fossil fuels, increased consideration of safe and cost effective uses of nuclear power, and the introduction of energy-efficient technologies can, over time, promote the United States' energy security and reduce stress on the world's environment.

Therefore, the Council of the American Physical Society urges the Administration and Congress to make a significant increase in Federal investment in energy research and pre-commercial development. Further, we urge the adoption of policies that promote efficiency and innovation throughout the energy system, including conservation and the development of alternatives to fossil fuels.

The United States will remain dependent on imported energy for the foreseeable future. Investment in a broad portfolio of energy research is essential for providing the options that will allow us to effectively manage this dependence. Our national security, the preservation of our environment and our standard of living are all at stake.

00.5 STATEMENT ON K-12 EDUCATION
(Adopted by the Council, 19 November 2000)

POLICY STATEMENT ON K-12 SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

In an age of rapid technological advances, a strong educational program in science and mathematics is essential for the United States. Despite the heroic efforts of many teachers and the large investments of school districts, in too many places we currently fail to provide it. Too many citizens leave school without the scientific literacy necessary to deal with new technologies and their far-reaching societal implications. Our country is not educating enough technologically skilled and knowledgeable workers, a situation that will compromise our competitive advantage in an increasingly global economy. Particularly in the physical sciences, too many students receive instruction from teachers insecure in their subject area knowledge.

Some progress is being made. The efforts of experts in science, mathematics, and education have yielded appropriate learning standards that are being increasingly adopted by teachers and school districts around the country as a first step toward improvement. Yet, further steps are necessary. To support a vision of science and mathematics education that ensures that all students receive high quality instruction, APS recommends that policy makers:

Enhance support for the preparation of prospective science and mathematics teachers, particularly those programs that involve collaborative efforts of college or university departments of science and mathematics with their departments of education.

Recognize the critical importance of professional development activities for science and mathematics teachers, particularly by increasing investment in sustained in-service programs.

Support sustained efforts to develop and implement high quality instructional materials for science and mathematics.

Increase research on how students learn science and mathematics, and develop and disseminate strategies and conditions that promote effective teaching, learning and appropriate assessment.

Provide increased resources and incentives to enhance science and mathematics teacher recruitment, retention and professional status.

Support efforts to increase the participation and achievement of underrepresented groups in the sciences, mathematics and engineering to foster a strong, diverse workforce.

Provide incentives for partnerships among the private sector, universities/colleges and school systems to develop quality educational programs.

Support specific, targeted funding of national programs to improve the quality of science and mathematics teaching, such as the Eisenhower Professional Development Program.

Encourage coordination of efforts among federal agencies that provide support for K-12 science and mathematics education.

REFERENCES:

"Educating Teachers of Science, Mathematics, and Technology: New Practices for the New Millennium," National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council, 2000. http://www.nap.edu/books/0309070333/html/

"Before its Too Late. A Report to the Nation from the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century." (The Glenn Commission), 2000. www.ed.gov/americacounts/glenn

"To Touch the Future: Transforming the Way Teachers are Taught. An Action Agenda for College and University Presidents" American Council on Education, 1999. http://www.acenet.edu/resources/presnet/

"Shaping the Future: New Expectations for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology." The National Science Foundation, 1996. http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf9873

"National Science Education Standards," National Research Council, National Academy Press, 1996. http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/

"Principles and Standards for School Mathematics", NCTN, Reston, VA, 1989. http://standards.nctm.org/

"Science for All Americans," 1990; "Benchmarks for Science Literacy," 1993; "Blueprints for Reform: Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education," 1998; American Association for the Advancement of Science, Oxford University Press. http://www.project2061.org/tools/

Climate Change

Over the past two years, POPA and the APS Washington office spearheaded a joint society strategy on global climate change. The coalition now includes ten research societies that, together, encompass the major scientific areas in the climate change debate. The effort has led to a monthly e-mail bulletin called Climate Focus that provides congressional offices with a dispassionate synopsis of scientific advances in climate-change research. The report has won praise for its objectivity. POPA continues to oversee the project."