50 Years on Long Island

APS Editor-in-Chief Marty Blume accepts "50 Years of Physical Review on Long Island" proclamation from Suffolk County Legislator Ginny Fields at APS Editorial Offices. Bob Kelly/APS

A "50 Years on Long Island" celebration bagel breakfast for staff and guests was held at the APS Editorial Office in Ridge, NY on 15 February, to coincide with the first issue produced on Long Island 50 years ago. Peter Bond, former Interim Director of Brookhaven National Laboratory, was in attendance as was Suffolk County Legislator Ginny Fields. Fields addressed the staff and presented a congratulatory proclamation from the County Legislature.

Founded at Cornell University in 1893, the Physical Review remained based at or near that institution until 1926, when it relocated to the University of Minnesota and John Tate became Editor. At his death, an interim Editor took over for a year until the operation moved to Long Island and Sam Goudsmit of Brookhaven National Laboratory became Editor.

From its beginning until 1951, the Physical Review operation was nimble and compact enough to be relocated when the Editor changed. But well before the end of Goudsmit's term in 1975 it was clear that henceforth the Editor-in-Chief would need to come to the journals, rather than vice versa. So it happens that the best physics journals in the world, by almost any measure, are put together in the peaceful and beautiful environs of eastern Long Island's Suffolk County.