Home | Publications | APS News | April 2008 (Volume 17, Number 4)

April 2008 (Volume 17, Number 4)

April 2008 (Volume 17, Number 4) Entire Issue

News

April Meeting Features Fundamental Science and Societal Issues
Attendees will gather in St. Louis to hear the latest research results in particle, nuclear, plasma, and astrophysics

Michigan High Schoolers Capture Nanobowl Trophy
Contest challenged participants to create short YouTube videos explaining an aspect of physics and football

Electron Beam Lithography Creates World's Tiniest Trophy
A silicon chip the size of a penny is etched with a design of nested football fields by Cornell University scientists

Workshop Will Demystify Running for Public Office
One‑day event in Washington, DC, will focus on giving civic‑minded physicists the nuts and bolts of organizing a local campaign

Free E‑Journal Access for Minority‑Serving Institutions
Project will provide access to APS and AIP online journals to historically black colleges and universities and similar institutions

Workshop Emphasizes Systems Approach to Sustainable Energy
Held March 1‑2 in Berkeley, California, the workshop was sponsored by the APS Forum on Physics and Society and focused on using energy efficiently and producing it renewably

Conference Connects Physics Teacher Educators
The fourth annual Physics Teacher Educator's Coalition Conference (PTEC) provided the opportunity for educators to connect with others committed to improving physics education

APS Joins Call for Science Debate in 2008
Event is scheduled for April 18 at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA, pending candidates' acceptance.

Number of Physicists in Congress Jumps by Fifty Percent
Former Fermilab physicist Bill Foster is elected Representative for Illinois 14th Congressional District

Opinion

Letters
What Would a Physicist Do?  •  Not Dumb Enough to Run  •  Physicist Not the Best Choice for President  •  Needed: Young Physicist to Run for Senate  •  Better to Build Schools Than To Run for President  •  Physics Major Finds Fame as Cartoonist  •  Rowland Spinning in his Grave  •  Heisenberg Article Found Appalling

Viewpoint
Physicists Lead the Establishment of a Novel Research Institution in Cyprus for the Middle East

Inside the Beltway
Physicists Feel the Pain, Too

The Back Page
Nuclear Forensics

Departments

Members in the Media
As quoted in other publications...

This Month in Physics History
April 1, 1948: The alpha beta gamma paper explains the origin of the elements

Zero Gravity: The Lighter Side of Science
Physics Caption Contest

Physics and Technology Forefronts
New Utrasonic Medical Applications Based on Acoustically Induced Microbubbles

Make Your Voice Heard
Tawanda Johson at March Meeting

Photo: Ken Cole/APS

APS Press Secretary Tawanda Johnson (standing) explains to a March Meeting attendee the importance of letting Congress hear from the scientific community. The APS Contact Congress effort allowed physicists at the meeting to use specially designed software to send letters to their Senators and Representatives. During the meeting, a new record of 1745 attendees used the system to weigh in on the importance of science funding. More photos of Contact Congress.

The Night is Young
Amy Flatten in Ghana

Photo: Art Lilley

In mid-February, APS, together with the Institute of Physics (UK), and Ghana's Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment (KITE), hosted west African scientists, industrialists, and policy makers at a workshop in Accra, Ghana, to develop strategies for biomass energy projects in rural west Africa. Enjoying an evening break in the conference are (l to r): Art Lilley (Chairman, Community Power Corporation of Littleton, CO); APS Director of International Affairs Amy Flatten; Director of KITE Harriette Amissah-Arthur; and KITE Senior Projects Manager Ishmael Edjekumhene.

More information:
Ghana workshop.
KITE.

Money Matters

Photo: Ken Cole/APS

On February 23, about 80 officers of APS Divisions, Topical Groups, Forums and Sections gathered at APS headquarters in College Park for the annual Unit Convocation, to discuss important issues like grassroots lobbying by APS members, and encouraging diversity in physics. They also gained information from APS staff on the services that are available to help units with their activities. Here APS Director of Finance and Controller Michael Stephens (standing) goes over the finer points of unit finances with William Heidbrink of DPP (left) and Christoph Leemann of DPB.

©1995 - 2013, AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY
APS encourages the redistribution of the materials included in this newspaper provided that attribution to the source is noted and the materials are not truncated or changed.

Editor: Alan Chodos
Contributing Editor: Jennifer Ouellette
Staff Writer: Ernie Tretkoff
Art Director and Special Publications Manager: Kerry G. Johnson
Publication Designer and Production: Nancy Bennett-Karasik