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FALL 2012 VOLUME 18, ISSUE 2 CONTENTS 10 Sigma Pi Sigma Convenes at PhysCon 2012 Exploring the theme "Connecting Worlds through Science and Service," 800 are expected at the quadrennial congress in Orlando, FL. — Elizabeth Hook page 11 Speaker Profile: John Grunsfeld (p. 11) —Rachel Kaufman Speaker Profile: Mercedes Richards (p. 12) — Rachel Kaufman 13 A Crisis of Perception page 12 The public believes that science is all about developing technology. What does this mean for science? — Allen O. Scheie page 13 page 16 page 32 16 Elegant Connections in Physics: Science and Service, Appreciation and Awareness We can use our science in the service of connecting worlds, and in making this world a better place. — Dwight E. Neuenschwander Departments 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Director’s Space 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Message from the President 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Society News 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Initiates List 2011-12 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spotlight on Hidden Physicists 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Puzzle Corner 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Get Involved ON THE COVER Former Astronaut John Grunsfeld, Hubble repair mission specialist and a 2012 PhysCon plenary speaker, is positioned on a foot restraint on the end of the Space Shuttle Atlantis' remote manipulator system, as he participates in the final session to refurbish and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. Image courtesy of NASA. Correction: The authors of two stories on page 17 of the Spring 2012 issue were incorrectly identified. The “How Do You Serve?” story in column one about the NEWTON Ask A Scientist program was written by Robert Q. Topper, and the story in column two about the North Carolina Science Olympiad Storm the Castle event was written by Bill Yeager. This has been corrected in the online version at: www.sigmapisigma.org/radiations. We apologize for the error.
The Director's Space Connections in Space by Toni Sauncy For those who have followed Radiations for a while, you might be looking in this spot for a corner. Well, the “Director’s Corner” is now empty space, other than the 1025 or so nitrogen, oxygen, and small assortment of other gas molecules per cubic meter that now move about without randomly colliding with former director Gary White i . There is a new director in the nearby space, but as I assumed that position, I chose to leave the Director’s Corner empty, except for the dancing air molecules. Honestly, I’d rather not be in the Director’s Corner, or any other corner for that Toni Sauncy. AIP photo. matter, because I spent a fair amount of time there in my family home during my formative years. Outside of the corner, I am displacing air molecules as needed in order to fill the Society of Physics Students (SPS) director’s space. My recent occupation of this space implies that another space had to be emptied. So, about ten weeks ago, the approximately 30 m 3 room that I formerly occupied was vacated. Other than the suspended dust particles and a similar collection of air molecules that I no longer displace, my former space, an office in the Vincent Nursing and Physical Science Building at Angelo State University in West Texas, is now empty. Like my faculty position, my former space might be thought of as “on sabbatical”, with the air molecules and dust particles in that space free to move about without randomly colliding with me. Physically speaking, the transition from that space to this new space was just a change in the location at which I displace some collection of air molecules with my presence. But there are several other physical features that are uniquely different here in this new space—the rapidly varying gradient of the surfaces surrounding my new space when compared with the vast expanse of small gradient surfaces that one finds in the landscape of West Texas; the view of the horizon, which in my current space is obstructed by tall, leafy plants called trees; and the fact that this new space is just above sea level (approximately 20 m), while the flatland I left behind is elevated about 550 m above sea level. The space in which I live has certainly changed, but the reason I am here comes from a constant, connecting influence over the course of my career, that of the SPS. In making this transition in space, I began to think about all the different spaces and stations that I have occupied since my introduction to SPS as a student member and a Sigma Pi Sigma inductee. Like the blanket of assorted air molecules that at once covers each of those different spaces I have occupied, the constancy of the impact and influence of SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma on the course of my career is a connection between all the points in space and over time. My first phone call to the SPS national office was as an inexperienced graduate student looking for a ray of hope in what at the time seemed to be a dark sea of dismal news for physics PhD graduates. Since that time I have found the people, the programs, the support network, and the opportunities made possible by the existence of this unique group, whose sole purpose is to serve students, to be inspiring. My initial connection came through two influential mentors: esteemed former director Dwight (Ed) Neuenschwander, and tireless former zone 13 councilor Mary Beth Monroe. With Monroe’s encouragement, I requested that Dr. Neuenschwander, SPS director at the time, visit my school and give a talk in a session that focused on physics careers as part of the biannual Joint Texas Physics Meeting ii . I was just an ordinary frustrated graduate student, but the SPS director accepted without hesitation. It was the positive experi- continued on page 30 Radiations ACTING EDITOR Toni Sauncy ASSISTANT EDITOR Tracy M. Schwab EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Elizabeth Hook Kendra Redmond COPY EDITOR Cynthia Freeman ART DIRECTOR Tracy M. Schwab SIGMA PI SIGMA PRESIDENT William DeGraffenreid, California State University, Sacramento SPS PRESIDENT David Donnelly, Texas State University SIGMA PI SIGMA/SPS DIRECTOR Toni Sauncy SIGMA PI SIGMA/SPS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Thomas Olsen Radiations (ISSN 2160-1119) is the official publication of Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society. Published twice per year by the American Institute of Physics, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3841. Printed in the USA. Standard postage paid at Mechanicsburg, PA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Radiations Magazine, Sigma Pi Sigma, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3841. Sigma Pi Sigma is an organization of the American Institute of Physics. It was founded at Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina, December 11, 1921. Member, Association of College Honor Societies. Contact us at: email: sps@aip. org; telephone: (301) 209-3007; fax: (301) 209- 0839. Copyright © 2012, American Institute of Physics. Title registered in the US Patent Office. All rights reserved. Fall 2012 Radiations 3
Page 1: Radiations The official publication
Page 5 and 6: Society News The AIP Career Pathway
Page 7 and 8: Society News Honorary Member Dougla
Page 9 and 10: Society News Three Angelo State Fac
Page 11 and 12: ABOUT THIS IMAGE: A 180-degree aeri
Page 13 and 14: A Crisis of Perception by Allen O.
Page 15 and 16: Hadron Collider was a waste of mone
Page 17 and 18: Elegant Connections in Physics This
Page 19 and 20: Elegant Connections in Physics labo
Page 21 and 22: Elegant Connections in Physics the
Page 23 and 24: Elegant Connections in Physics We c
Page 25 and 26: Initiates List 2011-12 Colorado Mes
Page 27 and 28: Initiates List 2011-12 Montana Stat
Page 29 and 30: Initiates List 2011-12 Texas-San An
Page 31 and 32: Spotlight on Hidden Physicists Shar
Page 33 and 34: Crossword Puzzle: Connecting Worlds

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