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The Director’s CornerRadiationsReturning Serveby Gary WhiteThey say you can’t serve two masters, but in today’s world, where multitasking isconsidered a job requirement, it can sometimes feel like two is the mathematicallower bound, approached but never realized! Personally, I don’t always fare too wellin the mandatory multitasking environment in which we live—I’m better at singletasking,and I really excel at half-tasking!However, I’m pretty sure that I have turned the aphorism about serving two masterson its head—it’s not about what it feels like to be overwhelmed with the “tyrannyACTING EDITORGary D. WhiteASSISTANT EDITORTracy M. SchwabEDITORIAL ASSISTANTSElizabeth HookKendra RedmondCOPY EDITORCynthia FreemanART DIRECTORTracy M. SchwabSIGMA PI SIGMA PRESIDENTDiane Jacobs,Eastern Michigan UniversitySPS PRESIDENTToni Sauncy,Angelo State UniversitySIGMA PI SIGMA/SPS DIRECTORGary D. WhiteSIGMA PI SIGMA/SPSASSISTANT DIRECTORThomas OlsenABOVESigma Pi SigmaDirector GaryWhite briefsphysics outreachvolunteers inpreparation for the2012 Physics Day atSix Flags Americanear Washington,DC. Local membersof Sigma Pi Sigmaand the Society ofPhysics Studentshave joined otherphysics societiesat this annualoutreach eventsince 2002.Photo by Tracy M.Schwab.of the immediate” (to borrow a phrase from an otherwiselong-forgotten sermon), it’s about the reality that, when pushcomes to shove, the sole and true master will be revealed by theactions of the servant. It’s a biblical saying from an era whenthe use of the word “serve” had the taint of serfdom and slaveryassociated with it. Still, it carries truth in my view.Today, we use “serve” and “service” in many different ways,not usually so tainted—my Dad “served” in the Navy, a waiter“serves” us a meal, and we attend worship and memorial “services.”Service is one of the four pillars of the Sigma Pi Sigmamission—in fact, “Sigma Pi Sigma exists to ...promote anattitude of service of its members towards their fellow students,colleagues, and the public...” In this issue of Radiations, we seefine examples of physicists describing their service to the communityin a variety of ways, making tangible what the physicscommunity means by service. Other uses include “full service”gas stations (Remember those? Oh well, ask your parents ...oryour grandparents!), politicians routinely “serve” two terms,and in tennis we refer to “returning serve.”continued on page 23Radiations (ISSN 2160-1119) is the officialpublication of Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honorsociety. Published twice per year by the AmericanInstitute of Physics, One Physics Ellipse,College Park, MD 20740-3841. Printed in theUSA. Standard postage paid at Mechanicsburg,PA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:Radiations Magazine, Sigma Pi Sigma, OnePhysics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3841.Sigma Pi Sigma is an organization of the AmericanInstitute of Physics. It was founded at DavidsonCollege, Davidson, North Carolina, December11, 1921. Member, Association of CollegeHonor Societies. Contact us at: e-mail: 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 rightsreserved.Spring 2012 Radiations 3

Society NewsUW-River Falls Bestows Two Sigma PiSigma Outstanding Service AwardsThe American Institute of Physics is an organizationof 10 physical science societies, representing morethan 135,000 scientists, engineers, and educators andis one of the world's largest publishers of scientificinformation in physics. AIP pursues innovation inelectronic publishing of scholarly journals and offersfull-solution publishing services for its Member Societies.AIP publishes 13 journals; two magazines, includingits flagship publication Physics Today; and theAIP Conference Proceedings series. AIP also deliversvaluable resources and expertise in education and studentservices, science communication, governmentrelations, career services for science and engineeringprofessionals, statistical research, industrial outreach,and the history of physics and other sciences.Governing Board*Louis Lanzerotti (Chair), Barry Barish, Malcolm R.Beasley, G. Fritz Benedict, J. Daniel Bourland, RobertL. Byer, Timothy A. Cohn, Beth Cunningham,*Bruce H. Curran, Robert Doering, *Michael D.Duncan, *H. Fred Dylla (ex officio), David Ernst,Janet Fender, *Judith Flippen-Anderson, *Brian J.Fraser, Jaime Fucugauchi, A. Jeffrey Giacomin, MarkHamilton, Paul L. Kelley, Angela R. Keyser, JamesT. Kirby, *Kate Kirby, *Rudolf Ludeke, Jill Marshall,*Kevin B. Marvel, Christine McEntee, Elizabeth A.Rogan, Charles E. Schmid, *Joseph Serene, *BenjaminB. Snavely (ex officio), David Sokoloff, ScottSommerfeldt, Gene Sprouse, Gay Stewart, Hervey(Peter) Stockman, Michael Turner*Executive CommitteeManagement CommitteeH. Fred Dylla, Executive Director and CEO; RichardBaccante, Treasurer and CFO; Theresa C. Braun,VP, Human Resources; Catherine O’Riordan, VP,Physics Resources; John Haynes, Senior VP, Publishing;Benjamin B. Snavely, Corporate SecretaryMember SocietiesAmerican Physical SocietyOptical Society of AmericaAcoustical Society of AmericaThe Society of RheologyAmerican Association of Physics TeachersAmerican Crystallographic AssociationAmerican Astronomical SocietyAmerican Association of Physicists in MedicineAVS—The Science & Technology SocietyAmerican Geophysical UnionOther Member OrganizationsSigma Pi Sigma, Physics Honor SocietySociety of Physics StudentsCorporate AssociatesCurt Larson (left) and Neal Prochnow (right). Photo courtesy of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.River Falls, Wisconsin residents andformer University of Wisconsin-RiverFalls (UWRF) physics faculty membersCurt Larson and Neal Prochnow bothreceived Sigma Pi Sigma OutstandingService Awards at the UWRF springPhysics Department banquet March 23.Larson is both an alumnus ofUWRF (class of 1960) and an emeritusfaculty member of UWRF, teachingphysics from 1965 to 2001. He is acharter member of the UWRF chapterof Sigma Pi Sigma, serving as thefirst chapter advisor. Larson's efforts asprofessor, advisor and department chairwere vital to the growth and success ofthe physics program at UWRF, includingthe growth in the membership ofSigma Pi Sigma and the related studentorganization, the Society of PhysicsStudents. He has continued his supportof the program after retirement, includingendowing the Curt and Dee LarsonScholarship.Prochnow is also both an alumnus ofUWRF (class of 1962) and an emeritusfaculty member of UWRF, teachingphysics from 1964 to 1986, at whichtime he became Dean of the College ofArts and Sciences until 1998. Prochnowis a charter member of the UWRF chapterof Sigma Pi Sigma. During his tenureas faculty member, department chairand dean, he was always supportive ofthe activities of Sigma Pi Sigma and theSociety of Physics Students. He playedan important role in the growth and successof the program. He has continuedhis support of students at UWRF afterhis retirement, including endowing theDean Neal Prochnow Arts and SciencesScholarship. rSigma Pi Sigma chapters are encouraged to recognize noteable alumni withthe Sigma Pi Sigma Outstanding Service Award. For more information, see:www.sigmapisigma.org/awards/outstanding_service.htm.4 Radiations Spring 2012

Society News2012 Sigma Pi Sigma Chapter Project AwardsThe 2012 Sigma Pi Sigma (ΣΠΣ) ChapterProject Awards recognize chapterefforts to raise public awareness of thehonor society, build ties between ΣΠΣ’sstudent and alumni communities, andpromote interchapter activities. Thewinning chapters receive funds to helpenhance their ΣΠΣ induction ceremonyto include new activities as proposed bythe chapter members. This year’s winnersare listed below, along with a fewexcerpts from their award applicationsdescribing the events they have planned.Angelo State University, San Angelo,TX: Honoring Physicists—Past &PresentWe propose to hold an expanded versionof our ΣΠΣ induction in spring 2012.The dinner will include recognition ofoutstanding academic achievements ofundergraduate students in our department.To put this honor in perspective,the program will also acknowledge thevital contributions of the three foundersof the Physics Department and ΣΠΣ atAngelo State with ΣΠΣ OutstandingService Awards. A presentation by a recentalumnus will complete the evening.California State Univ., San Marcos,CA: Annual SPS Rocket Car Raceand Recognition CeremonyIn the spring we will host a Rocket CarRace, which will be followed by ourΣΠΣ and Graduating Seniors RecognitionReception. Students from ourcampus and our community collegesare invited to build and race rocket carsin a ladder-style tournament. We seekfunding for building materials, food,and prizes.University of Florida, Gainesville,FL: Induction Ceremony andBanquetThe University of Florida chapterof ΣΠΣ currently stands at an activemembership of one student. In orderto celebrate the reactivation of ΣΠΣ atthe University of Florida and a renewalThe Sigma Pi Sigma chapter at California State University, San Marcos. Photo by Stephen A. Tsui.of induction activities for the chapter,a commemorative banquet has beenplanned.University of North AlabamaFlorence, AL: 2012 InductionCeremonyThe University of North Alabamachapter of the ΣΠΣ honor society plansto host an induction ceremony for thespring 2012 semester. We are requestingfunds to cover the cost of hors d’oeuvresand publicity for a public lecture at theevent.St. John’s University, Jamaica, NY:Physics Jeopardy with Students,Alumni, and FacultyThe ΣΠΣ chapter of St. John’s Universityplans to host its 2012 inductionceremony ane invite students, alumni,and faculty for Physics Jeopardy. Thisevent will promote the study of physicson the St. John’s campus and will fosterinteraction between current students,alumni, and faculty. In addition toinducting new members into ΣΠΣ, wewill have a Jeopardy contest betweenthree to five teams, each formed by amix of current students, alumni, andfaculty. The event will inspire studentsto appreciate the study of physics andthe contributions made by the physicscommunity to our society. In addition, itwill promote fellowship among alumni,current students, and the faculty of ourdepartment. The award will be used tocover expenses for the Jeopardy prizesand the ceremony dinner.Utah State University, Logan, UT:2012 Induction Ceremony—“Fromthe Past and Through the Future”An induction meeting will be heldto honor scholastic and outstandingachievement in physics for past andcurrent students, increase awarenessof involvement within ΣΠΣ, and topromote the increased representation ofwomen in physics. To accomplish this, aformal induction and dinner will be heldfor alumni and prospective inducteesto listen to a renowned and successfulfemale physicist. rFor more information aboutSigma Pi Sigma Chapter ProjectAwards, including group photos,project reports, and applicationinstructions, see:www.sigmapisigma.org/awards/chapter_projects.htm.Spring 2012 Radiations 5

Spotlight on Hidden PhysicistsShare your story at www.sigmapisigma.orgElna M. NagasakoCommonwealth Fund/HarvardUniversityBoston, MAI am a generalinternal medicinephysician workingon ways to improvehealth outcomesfor vulnerablepopulations such aspatients from disadvantagedcommunities. I am currently aCommonwealth Fund/Harvard Universityfellow in minority health policy inBoston, Massachusetts. Before this fellowship,I was the director of the GlobalHealth Scholars in Medicine programand a Comparative Effectiveness ResearchScholar at Washington Universityin St. Louis School of Medicine, whichis also where I received all of my medicaltraining. It’s not the most commoncareer path for someone with a physicsbackground, but I use the skills I gainedfrom my physics training every day.I had originally intended to stay inphysics, but the volunteer work I didduring my time in graduate school ledme toward a career in medicine. Duringmy graduate work in optics at theInstitute of Optics at the Universityof Rochester, I volunteered at a crisishotline as well as visited patients on aneurology unit and helped prepare foodat a local church’s program for peoplewho were homeless. During my time asa volunteer, I kept being struck by theknowledge gap between physicians andresearchers in the university setting andthe everyday information familiar tothe general public. Seeing the way thisgap contributed to increased sufferingon the part of patients as well as therole physicians played in translatingresearch science into improved healthoutcomes steered me toward medicine.I began doing research at the Universityof Rochester Department of Anesthesiologyand then started medical schoolafter finishing my PhD in optics.Although my day-to-day work does6 Radiations Spring 2012not involve optical physics, as a physicianI have used many of the skillsdeveloped during my physics training,including experience in creatinganalytical frameworks for complexproblems, technical skills in mathematicsand programming, and familiaritywith the physics concepts that underliethe mechanisms of organ function inbody systems, such as the cardiovascularand pulmonary systems. I love my joband I appreciate the way the training Ireceived in physics helped prepare me forthe work I do today.Raymond R. MillerUS Department of Energy/NationalNuclear Security AdministrationKansas City PlantOverland Park, KSWith a BS in physicsfrom StetsonUniversity and anMS in physics fromthe University ofVirginia, I served asa logistics officer ina Pershing Missileunit and then as an intelligence analyststudying foreign R&D in directedenergy. This experience was followed byeight years as an electro-optics engineerand program manager. This lead to atwenty-year career at the Oak Ridge NationalLaboratory as a commercializationmanager and business deal negotiator forearly-stage technology. I expect to workfor several years during “retirement” as ahigh school physics and math teacher.Georgiana HallChildren’s NovelistMiami, FLFor the past fifteenyears I have workedin the Physics Departmentat FloridaInternational Universityin Miami,Florida. I began asan adjunct and eventuallybecame a full-time staff member,working as the laboratory supervisor forthe Astronomy labs in the department.This may seem like a perfectly normaljob for someone who holds a bachelor’sand master’s degree in physics as well asa second master’s in Engineering Management,but I have an “alter ego.” I alsolive under the pen name of G.G. Hall,the author of a children’s novel.My novel is about a pet rabbit whosecretly figures out how to explore hisowners' house, almost right under theirnoses! “Hershey—A Tale of a CuriousHouse Rabbit” is actually based on theantics and “escapes” of one of my ownpet rabbits by the same name. “Hershey”has been enjoyed by people of all ages,from eight year olds to grandmothers.And of course, I am not stopping there.My next novel in the works is a fantasynovel about a bear and a possum seekingout a magical bird to save their forest.So, keep your eye on the physicist withthe creative pen!Christopher J. MyattCEO, MBio DiagnosticsBoulder, COI am the founderand CEO of MBioDiagnostics, Inc., acompany developinga medical diagnosticsystem to be usedat the point-of-care:in clinics, doctor'soffices, and ultimately the home. Thesystem is based on fluorescent detection,using a laser and inexpensive imagingsystem (see www.mbiodx.com). Ourinitial work is in infectious disease, andwe are currently studying one of ourfirst product prototypes, for HIV andsyphilis screening, in two antenatal clinicsin western Kenya. The goal of thisproduct is to help reduce the more than1 million deaths due to congenital HIVand syphilis worldwide.My job is to guide the companythrough all aspects of starting-up: determiningmarket requirements, definingand developing products, securing

funds, attaining regulatory approval,scaling up manufacturing, forming partnerships,and setting up sales and distribution.Fundamentally, I hire goodpeople in each area, and oversee theirwork. Hiring is one of my key functions!MBio is a spin-out of my previouscompany, Precision Photonics Corporation(PPC), a laser technology productscompany which we started in 2000 andsold to IDEX Corporation in early 2012.When I started PPC, I had only a yearof experience in an industrial setting, ata laser company in Boulder. With a bitof luck, a huge amount of effort, and agreat deal of learning, we figured outhow to get PPC off the ground, and itultimately was a nice success.Through the early years, we had amantra that was a quip by Steve Chu,who said one time, "When I go intosomething new, I make as many mistakesas fast as possible." We managedto secure first customers early as theboom in optical communications wasdriving an insatiable demand for laserdevices. We parlayed that first customerinto funding, from Milton Chang, anentrepreneur and investor in the photonicsfield. However, the telecom partyquickly ended in 2001 and 2002, withmost customers going out of business.This led to a change in the business planfor PPC, as well as a search for otherapplications, which ultimately led to theMBio technology.I earned a BS in Physics and a BAin Mathematics at Southern MethodistUniversity in 1991, and a PhD inAtomic Physics at the University ofColorado in 1997, followed by a postdoctoralfellowship at the NationalInstitute of Standards and Technology(NIST) in Boulder. For my PhD, Iworked on Bose-Einstein condensation(BEC) under Carl Wieman (Nobel Prizefor BEC, 2001), and I helped achieve thefirst condensate in the Wieman labs—ßon a Saturday evening after monthsof intense effort. At the time, the onlyperson I could find in the department toshare my news with was Kurt Vogel, astudent of Jan Hall (Nobel Prize, 2005),who ended up co-founding my companieswith me. Good things happen atodd hours in a physics department!Andy MartwickAnalog Engineer, IntelHillsboro, ORAt Intel, I developanalytical modelsthat describe signalingand clocking forcomputer interfaces.My approach is differentfrom that ofthe engineers I workwith—they usually use simulations formaking design decisions while I preferequations. I find that one equation canreplace hundreds of thousands of simulationsand give a deeper understandingof the system behavior than manysimulations. In the past I wrote theelectrical specifications for PCI-Expressand USB3.0 using analytical models todescribe the circuit behavior. CurrentlyI’m working on signaling and clockingfor next-generation memory usingthree-dimensional interconnects thatare less than 1 mm in length and will beultralow power. I keep my physics chopsfresh by teaching E&M, circuits, mathmethods, and transmission line theoryas an adjunct physics professor at nearbyPortland State University.Jerome R. SimonsNatural Resources Defense CouncilWashington, DCIn October 2011,I started at theNatural ResourcesDefense Council(NRDC) as aScoville fellow. Thefellowship allowsme to work at aWashington-based, nongovernmentalorganization that engages in nuclearnonproliferation, arms control, and environmentalaction and research. The fellowshipreceived its name from the earlyarms control activist Herbert Scoville,Jr., a physical chemist.I employ my training as a physicistin making calculations about variouspolicy outcomes as they relate to nuclearpower or weapons. Nuclear powerremains in close relation to renewableenergy sources and climate change,which ties them into a physics-policynexus. Indeed, most methods of analysisshow a strong resemblance to approachesin physics or economics. Anthropogenicemissions, electricity needs, and theirstrain on resources are data-rich areas,and physics has equipped me with afaculty for these analyses. Thus I can saythat I work as a scientist in the publicinterest.I decided to study physics because itallows me to make judgments about ourincreasingly data-driven and technologicallyinfluenced world. A lack of technologicalexpertise or empirical data stallsmany arguments about effective policy,in whose remedy I see myself filling aniche. My idols from physics, RobertOppenheimer and Albert Einstein,became politically active in their careersand offered their scientific judgmentabout policy implications. Although saidto no longer be relevant, most nuclearweapons from Cold War stockpilesstill remain in place, as asserted by thepresident three years ago. Physicists whoengaged in Joe Montville’s “Track TwoDiplomacy” for disarmament and civildiscourse contributed to the end of theCold War between the United Statesand the Soviet Union.In the same spirit, I would encourageall young and aspiring physicists to considerour present-day politics. For me,it became imperative to participate in adiscourse that has evaded scientific inputand to work actively on making scientificopinion a part of politics. Manypeople hold stereotypes about physicists,which was another call to action for me.Indeed, physicists are receding from thelines in Washington. On that note, Ithank the likes of Rep. Rush Holt andmy mentor Tom Cochran at the NRDC,both physics PhDs, for providing professionalguidance and inspiration to allphysicists. rEditor’s note: You can find Jerome’sNRDC blog at http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jsimons/.Spring 2012 Radiations 7

In anticipation of the 2012 Quadrennial Physics Congress,we explore the “Science & Service” aspects of its theme.For the latest meeting details, see www.spscongress.org.8 Radiations Spring 2012At the Colorado Schoolof Mines "HauntedPhysics Lab" outreachevent, inquiring mindsexplore a plasma ball.Photo by Kenton Seward.

& ScienceServiceBy Diane Jacobs, Sigma Pi Sigma PresidentEastern Michigan UniversityWhy should honor societies asktheir members to do anythingbeyond achieving good grades?On the brochure students receivewhen they are invited to joinSigma Pi Sigma are printed thefollowing words: honor, encouragement,fellowship, service. These are the cornerstonesof our physics honor society. Eachprecept is important, but I would liketo focus our attention on service. Whyshould honor societies ask their membersto do anything beyond achieving goodgrades? The answer is that it is not sufficientto reward academic performance—that is the purview of a scholarship. Aprospective inductee should also be recognizedfor contributions to the honorsociety and the community in which itbelongs. When you become a memberof Sigma Pi Sigma you are joining acommunity whose mission statementincludes the directive “...to encourageinterest in physics among students at alllevels.” 1When does service as a memberof Sigma Pi Sigma begin? Right afterinduction into the society! Studentmembers of Sigma Pi Sigma can serve bybeing role models of scholarship in theirdepartments as well as leaders in studyor research groups. They can give presentationsabouttheir researchexperiences inseminars andcan participatein recruitmentinitiatives by showing high school studentsaround their department. Juniorsor seniors can use their knowledge ofphysics to tutor other students. Manyundergraduates enjoy participating inoutreach events. The most importantservice activity undergraduates can do isto take their studies seriously and to excelin their courses so they can, in theirturn, contribute to society.Long before I was inducted intoSigma Pi Sigma I thought it was importantto be involved in physics beyond theclassroom. As an undergraduate memberof the Society of Physics Students (SPS)at the University of Miami I had a blastdoing outrageous physics demonstrationsduring the fall campus carnivals.I also participated in the SPS tutoringprogram for pre-med majors whostruggled with physics. Later, I helpedstudents learn the constellations on adark, windy roof at the University ofTexas when I was a graduate student.I have engaged eager young children,excited teens, and thrilled adults inhands-on learning, at both the localand national level, my entire career as aphysics faculty member. I have helpedBoy Scouts and Girl Scouts earn sciencemerit badges, have spent many years as adocent at a local planetarium, and haveserved as an advisor for the high schoolmath and science curriculum in mytown.Perhaps the most rewarding thing Ihave done for our discipline has been toserve as the Society of Physics Students/Sigma Pi Sigma chapter advisor at EasternMichigan University. I have done sofor twenty-seven years—a commitmentthat has been only marginally shorterthan my marriage! One of my first studentsbecame the SPS advisor when hejoined the faculty at another university.I am proud tosay that he hasdone the job sowell that he waschosen as theSPS OutstandingChapter Advisorseven years ago.One of my morerecent studentshas restarted adormant chapterat his graduateschool. SeveralWhen doesservice asa memberof Sigma PiSigma begin?Right afterinduction intothe society!members of his chapter won awards fortheir research presentations at a Societyof Physics Students zone meeting.I asked several alumni of the EasternMichigan University Sigma Pi SigmaSpring 2012 Radiations 9

trains local people to provide medicalassistance when the foreign teams arenot present. 2 Mr. Mishler’s responsibilitiesas a volunteer project managerfor this organization include going toNicaragua ahead of medical personnelto arrange logistics and to set up computernetwork systems, which he takeswith him, for the doctors and nurses touse once they arrive. He has delightedme on several occasions with stories ofhis ingenuity in getting his equipmentinto very remote areas of Nicaragua.However, it is his tales of ministrationto a group of people that would otherwisehave little access to modern healthcare that are the most heartwarming.Mr. Joseph Lowry (inducted in1996 as a graduate student) is a fulltimeinstructor at Oakland CommunityCollege and has been involvedin outreach activities for many years.During the normal school year he goesto three or four different elementaryschools and does science activities withclasses ranging from kindergarten toeighth grade. He covers topics in bothphysics and astronomy through demonstrationsand hands-on activities;quite frequently undergraduates fromhis classes help him with this service.The past eight summers Mr. Lowryhas also volunteered at a Girl Scoutcamp where he works with 60 to 85girls constructing scale models of thesolar system, building solar ovens, andassembling individual compasses thatthe campers use for navigation.Several Eastern Michigan UniversitySigma Pi Sigma alumni help thenext generation of physics studentsMr. Joseph Lowry demonstrating Faraday’s Law to elementary school children.Photo courtesy of Diane Jacobs.by tutoring. Mr. Timothy Marvin(inducted in 1995 as an undergraduate)volunteers as an algebra tutor for ayoung man who left high school withouta diploma and who is now studyingfor his GED. Mr. Steven Schultz(inducted in 2011 as an undergraduate)is one of the newest members of ourchapter who aid the department by tutoringfreshman- and sophomore-levelstudents. Mr. Marvin, Mr. Schultz,and other alumni judge at science fairsor participate in science competitionssuch as the Science Olympiad. Mr.Mark Creps (inducted in 1997 as anundergraduate) works as a technicalexpert for Elastizell Corporation ofAmerica and had not used his physicsin the community until one day whenhe played hockey with a local highschool teacher who was organizing ascience fair. The teacher was lookingfor qualified judges and was havingdifficulty finding experts in physicsand engineering. Mr. Creps jumpedat the chance to be a judge and toldme, “I think our input was valuable tothe students. Some needed help witharticulating the theory behind theirproject and many needed help with thescientific process.”I have shared some of the serviceactivities of 4% of the Sigma Pi Sigmaalumni from my chapter, and my chapteris only one out of 547 in the nation.This should give us all a sense of thepower of ΣΠΣ to enrich the world, becausewe realize that “Sigma Pi Sigmapromotes a spirit of community amongits members and encourages them tooffer their collective wisdom and perspectivesin the service of the larger society.”3 I hope you will continue whateverservice you have been doing or, ifyou have been waiting for the right opportunity,I encourage you to contactyour local Sigma Pi Sigma chapter andask how you can be involved. The studentswouldbe excitedto learn howyour physicsdegree preparedyou foryour professionalcareer.It would beinvaluable forthem to learnthat physicistsare employedin many,many differentareas,some quiteunexpected.The mainpoint is that itdoesn’t matterwhere you areI hope you willcontinue whateverservice youhave been doingor, if you havebeen waitingfor the rightopportunity, Iencourage you tocontact your localSigma Pi Sigmachapter and askhow you can beinvolved.in your career as a student or a professional,you can make a difference. Evenservice you believe to be insignificantcan have a tremendous impact on othersand help you to learn somethingabout yourself. Through the practice ofcontinued service, and its rewards, youcan come to look at your contributionsas an essential component of what itmeans to be a physicist. Einstein oncestated, “Only a life lived for others is alife worthwhile,” 4 but I think MahatmaGhandi said it best: “Consciously orunconsciously, every one of us doesrender some service or other. If wecultivate the habit of doing this servicedeliberately, our desire for service willsteadily grow stronger, and will make,not only our own happiness, but thatof the world at large.” 5 rBibliography1. http://www.sigmapisigma.org/sig_mission.pdf2. http://www.hopeclinicinternational.org3. http://www.sigmapisigma.org/s_mission.pdf4. http://einstein.biz/quotes5. Easwaran, Eknath. Gandhi the Man: How OneMan Changed Himself to Change the World.Nilgiri Press, CA, 2011.Spring 2012 Radiations 11

themselves to the service of the profession of physics thatthey once uttered upon induction into Sigma Pi Sigma.For some, it makes them strive harder to be part of a futureSigma Pi Sigma induction. As of the 2011 Angelo State SPSRoad Tour, the graduation rate of students who participatedin at least one week-long excursion was 100%. Inclusion ofall students who participated in atleast two outreach events of any kindin any one-year period brings thepercentage down . . . to 98%. Admittedly,whether or not their participationin professional service played arole in the success of these students isunmeasurable, but survey informationfrom a recent poll of alumni whowere actively engaged in service asstudents argues strongly in favor ofthe notion that the experience wasinvaluable to them and that it had aprofound effect on their careers andprofessional lives after graduation.These studentsare immersed inthe true cultureof scientificcitizenship, takingownershipof the physicsthey present.Why do professional service? Because that is what goodscientists do, and as mentors, our encouragement of undergraduatesto become engaged for the first time as professionalscientists at the very earliest stage of their career matters.These students are immersed in the true culture of scientificcitizenship, taking ownership of the physics they present,making an impact not just on the students with whom theyinteract, but on the profession of physics as a whole. Theidea of scientific citizenship starts here, with something assimple and otherwise unimportant as explaining to a fourthgrader why a ketchup packet floats in a two liter bottle butsinks when the bottle is gently squeezed. As undergraduatephysics programs across the nation find themselves facingprogrammatic cuts, the value of engaging undergraduatestudents in purposeful service as a means of retention in themajor should be considered not just a good deed, but a longterminvestment in the future of physics. r1 SPS Statement on Diversity, http://www.spsnational.org/governance/statements/2009diversity.htmWhen an undergraduate student learns how to presentand explain a demonstration, the “ah-ha!” moment is inevitable,as they truly understand and illustrate tangibly for otherssome physics principle learned previously in a classroom.It gives them purpose. And maybe having a true sense ofpurpose causes some to take seriously their oath to dedicateLEFTAngelo State University physicsstudent, Blake McCracken, slamsboiling water into a cooler withliquid nitrogen to demonstrate anitrogen thunder cloud. The boilingwater, at 212 F, and liquid nitrogen,at -320 F, react to quickly expandand form a cloud.Photos by Tim Fischer, MidlandReporter-Telegram.Spring 2012 Radiations 13

& ScienceServiceThe Importance of Science Outreach andTips for Doing it Wellby Steve Shropshire, Idaho State UniversityScience outreach can help reverse negative attitudes, expose studentsto more exciting aspects of science, spark interest and enthusiasm,and encourage communities to support science education.Science outreach activities are wonderful in so manyways. They can generate much-needed excitementand interest in science with students and the public.They generate appreciation in the community for yourprofession and institution. Delivering them brings a senseof accomplishment, camaraderie, and community. Providingscience outreach activities isEffective scienceoutreach is funand rewarding,but it is alsogreatly neededat this time inour society.also a great way to gain a deeperunderstanding of science and itsapplications, and develop valuablecommunication skills. If you learnto successfully explain an aspectof science or technology to a thirdgrader, your own level of understandingis greatly enhanced. It iscomparatively easy to communicatescientific ideas to another scientist.However, if we try to use the sametechniques with a nonscientist, it iseasy to annoy and alienate. If we want the general public tosupport the pursuit of science, we need to effectively conveyits nature and benefits. The communication skills to begained by engaging in science outreach will serve both youand your profession well.Effective science outreachis fun and rewarding, but it isalso greatly needed at this timein our society. Education is ofgreat importance due to its effecton the development of futurecitizens. With the advancementof technology, scientific literacyis essential for adequate participationin our society. There areconcerns that the United Statesis falling behind other countriesin science education and that innovation in this countrywill ebb because fewer students are interested in pursuingcareers in science and engineering. An unfortunate resultof the No Child Left Behind legislation is that many stateshave focused more on student progress in language, literacy,and mathematics than on science. Many states do not teststudent progress in science, or do not set goals for studentperformance on what science testing they do implement.This has resulted in a significant drop in the time, attention,and resources devoted to science education, especiallyin the elementary grades. As a result, many students enterjunior high or high school with less knowledge and interestin science. Even in states that do not neglect scienceeducation, there are a variety of social pressures that have anegative impact on student interest and enthusiasm towardlearning about science. Whatever the causes, there is oftena common attitude among students that science is too hard,too boring, and not worth the effort. Due to limitations inschool district budgets and teacher training, in many placesstudents rarely get to do more than read about the moreexciting aspects of science. Science outreach can help reversenegative attitudes, expose students to more exciting aspectsof science, spark interest and enthusiasm, and encouragecommunities to support science education.14 Radiations Spring 2012RIGHTThe Idaho StateUniversity SPS hauntedlab demonstration "Phunwith Phluorescence"Photo by Jordan Keough.

Find Science Outreach GroupsThe Society of Physics Students (SPS) chapter at IdahoState University (ISU) has been very active in science outreachever since I became the faculty advisor eighteen yearsago. Every year members visit between twelve and fiftyschools and provide numerous public presentations, events,and activities. The high demand for and appreciation ofthe ISU physics outreach programs is indicative of a veryeffective program. This effectiveness is due to enthusiasm,as well as trial and error. The following is a list of pointers,ideas, and suggestions that I wish had been given to ourchapter eighteen years ago:• Start small and keep it simple. Student organizationfairs at your school are a great place to start, as are singleclassrooms at nearby elementary schools. Borrow somedemonstration equipment or request a SOCK (ScienceOutreach Catalyst Kit) from SPS national and share itwith folks outside your department. SOCKs containexploratory physics and science activities specificallydesigned for SPS Chapters and collegiate physics departmentsto use in outreach presentations—they can berequested at www.spsnational.org/programs/socks/.• Encourage your department to host an “open house”event for the public with lab tours and hallway demos.You can easily scale this up to a full-blown demo showin a lecture hall.• Keep things safe and sane. Keep your presentationsflashy and exciting, but avoid the appearance of risk anddanger. (We have enough problems shaking the “madscientist” image!) Science should not be scary, except ina fun way near Halloween.• Find out if there is a science olympiad or science fair inyour area in need of volunteers to run events or judge.If there is a museum nearby, ask them if you can visit topresent demonstrations or hands-on science activities.• Try setting up a table of demonstrations at a countyfair, at a farmer’s market, in a local mall, or at a sportingevent. Van de Graaff generators and liquid nitrogendemos are quick and easy to set up, and always draw acrowd.• After some practice and experience, try visiting ahigh school class, presenting to an assembly of severalelementary classes, visiting a retirement community,engaging Boy and Girl Scout groups, or even visiting ajunior high classroom (by far the toughest audience).• Keep it fun, and avoid pressure. Our club at ISU almostdisintegrated one year because a few members very dedicatedto outreach tried to strong arm all other membersinto multiple school visits.Groups specializing in physics and astronomy outreachefforts are active across the United States. TheNucleus, a comPADRE digital collection, now houses anonline database of such groups that can be searched bylocation, audience type, and science topics.Are you a member of an outreach group you wouldlike listed? You can submit an outreach group by registeringon The Nucleus.The Nucleus website is provided by the AmericanAssociation of Physics Teachers in conjunction with theSociety for Physics Students and Sigma Pi Sigma. It issupported, in part, by the National Science Foundationand the American Physical Society Campaign for Physics.www.the-nucleus.org• Practice presenting demonstrations or hands-on scienceactivities to each other during club meetings. To reallyhone your presentation skills, entice your school's dramaclub to visit in exchange for pizza, and use them as a trialaudience. Ask them for pointers and listen to their advice.• If you want to make outreach a regular club activity,seek funding and obtain designated equipment. Thiswill greatly speed up preparation time. Good sources offunding are your school’s public relations and alumnioffices, and local community foundations. The SPS nationalorganization also funds the annual Marsh WhiteOutreach Awards—learn more at www.spsnational.org/programs/awards/white.htm. Talk to your school’s officeof sponsored programs for ideas regarding proposalsfor external funding sources.• Contact your local Boy and Girl Scout councils and offerto help with science merit, skill, or activity badges.• With skill and experience, you can tackle larger events,such as a haunted science lab around Halloween, ora pumpkin catapult competition. Determine yourstrengths and build on them.In all cases, support from your school, college, and departmentcan make a big difference in resources, funding, andlong-term success. A very useful selling point to obtainsupport is that science outreach improves public perception,goodwill, and community support. It also has the potentialto increase enrollment at your school, particularly in the sciencesand engineering departments, and improve the sciencepreparation of incoming students. At ISU we have morethan doubled both our enrollments in physics classes andthe number of physics graduates over the last 10 years, andour administration credits our numerous outreach programsas a factor in this success.The most important thing in any outreach activity is tohave fun—it is very contagious! rSpring 2012 Radiations 15

& ScienceServiceHow Do YouWe asked Sigma Pi Sigma members via email, Facebook,and LinkedIn, “How do you serve?” What follows issample of real-world stories from our membership.Edward M. Leonard, Jr.BS, Physics, Michigan TechnologicalUniversity, Houghton, MIMichigan TechnologicalUniversity’sMindTrekkers is a group ofundergraduate studentsfrom all disciplines that takeSTEM (science, technology,engineering, and mathematics)demonstrations to eventsranging from single schoolsto festivals with 100,000+participants and puts sciencein the hands of the nextgeneration of engineers andcritical thinkers (http://mindtrekkers.mtu.edu).The organization, with theMichigan Tech Center forPre-College Outreach as its16 Radiations Spring 2012umbrella, has been able toreach upwards of 500,000+students since its debut inJuly 2010. Flying under theflag of “informal STEMinstruction,” it has significantimpact in rural areasin particular, where middleand high schools do not alwayshave the time to do thekinds of experiments thatthe Mind Trekkers bring tothe table. From making icecream with liquid nitrogento demonstrating Lenz’s law,the Mind Trekkers havebeen making an explosiveimpact, literally, whereverthey go.I’ve been a member ofthis fantastic entity sinceI assisted in its creation inJanuary 2010, followed bythe first event in July of thesame year. I’ve been the residentphysicist on duty since,and I’ve loved every momentof it. Most recently, we tookthe Mind Trekkers to theUSA Science and EngineeringFestival in Washington,DC, an event for which Iskipped my undergraduatecommencement. Twoweeks before that, we heldan event forty miles frommy hometown of Dotyvillein Sheboygan, WI, wherewe were the main event,bringing one hundred MindTrekkers from MichiganTech to put on the first everSheboygan Science andEngineering Festival.The best part about thisgroup? It’s 100% volunteeron the student side. Afterfinishing homework forthe night, it’s Mind Trekkertime. There are alwaysmore logistics to work, morelessons to plan, and moredemonstrations to write, andit’s with the will power anddedication of the volunteersthat we are the dynamic sensationthat we are today. Icouldn’t be more proud thanto have been there from thestart. r

Serve?BELOWTwo middle school students compete in the NorthCarolina Science Olympiad Storm the Castle event.Photo by Robert Q. Topper.ABOVEEdward Leonard, Jr. runs a liquid nitrogen explosion demonstration at theFirst Annual Sheboygan Science and Engineering Festival in Sheboygan, WI.It entails filling a 2-liter soda bottle halfway with LN 2, capping the bottletightly, and sinking it with bricks to the bottom of a water-filled trash can.Photo by Michigan Technological University, University Marketing andCommunications. Courtesy of Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers.Bill Yeager, PhD (Retired)Fearrington Village, NCI’m a “hidden physicist” with degrees in physics and chemistry.Since 1993 I have been volunteering online to answer questionsat the “NEWTON Ask A Scientist” online service hosted byArgonne National Laboratory: www.newton.dep.anl.gov.This site connects K-12 students and educators from aroundthe world with scientists who try to help answer their questions ina technically correct but understandable fashion directed at theirgrade level.The system was developed and operated by Nathan Untermanand Steven Sample. They have been running it ever since its earlydays as an online Bulletin Board System (BBS) accessed via directdialup. Nate and Steve exemplify the important responsibility ofscientists to make continuing contributions to public service. rRobert Q. TopperProfessor of Chemistry, The CooperUnion for the Advancement ofScience and Art, New York, NYFor the past three years, I have worked with middleschool students competing in the North CarolinaScience Olympiad (NCSO) Storm the Castle event. Imeet once a week with the students from mid-October tolate February (for the regional tournament) and possiblylate April (if they qualified for the state tournament). Thestudents design and construct a trebuchet launching devicethat conforms to specifications in the rules for the event (seewww.scienceNC.org). It takes about three months to construct,test, and modify the device. During this time I alsoreview the principles of projectile motion with the students.After the design is frozen, the students test the devicewith various projectiles, ranging from 20 to 60 grams, andcounterweights ranging from 1 to 3 kg. They make fiveshots at each setting so that they can determine the accuracyand range of the device. Then they graph the resultsfor all projectiles with each counterweight. At the tournamentthe students are given a projectile and counterweightand told their masses. Using the graphs they have prepared,they must estimate the distance their device will throwthe given projectile with the given counterweight. Theyspecify the target distance and take two shots. Their scoreSpring 2012 Radiations 17

& ScienceServiceHow Do You Serve?is the specified target distanceminus three times the distancefrom the target of their closershot. This scoring system emphasizesaccuracy over range.You can see photos at my picasawebsite (picasaweb.google.com/wmyeager2/20110219#),the NCSO website (www.scienceNC.org),or the nationalScience Olympiad website(SOinc.com). You can alsofind videos on YouTube.Storm the Castle is onlyone of the twenty-three ScienceOlympiad events, andScience Olympiad is a nationalprogram, so there are tens ofthousands of opportunities forvolunteers to mentor middleschool students in variousfields of science. I encourageall scientists to volunteer withtheir local Science Olympiadprogram. If you can’t workwith a team of students for sixmonths, perhaps you can volunteerto assist at a Saturdayregional tournament. You willbe inspired by the preparationand enthusiasm of thestudents. r“I was pleased to see that everyoneattempted the revisionproblems I assigned from ourcurrent topic, the magneticeffect of electric currents. Asa reward, I’m going to teachyou an American phrase,” Iannounced. Proclamations ofexcitement billowed throughthe overcrowded, scorchinglyhot classroom faster than thecloud of dust swept out of iteach morning and evening.“When you’re in a lesson withyour other teachers, theyalways ask, ‘Are we together?’to see if you are understand-Emily MayPeace Corps Volunteer/High School Science Teacher, Oyugis, KenyaAthat morning with an extra ing the material. And how dobounce in my step.you respond?”round the sixth orseventh week ofschool, my highschool students begin to dragtheir feet. They show up latein the morning, don’t want toreenter the classroom afterbreak time, and can be foundsneaking off the school compoundto buy avocados andmandazi (a donutlike pastry)before the 6 o’clock bell ringsto send them home. Not onlyare the students struggling tostay awake, but the teachersare also desperate for newways to keep their teenagersintrigued by the subjectmatter. So, the day I decidedto introduce an “Americanphrase” to my studentsbrought much excitement toour six-classroom schoolhousesituated high in therolling green hills of WesternKenya. I marched into theForm 2 Physics class“Good morning students!” Iproclaimed.“Morning Madam,” a few studentsmurmured in response,while the majority kept theirheads down.“‘Yes, we are together,’” eagerstudents in the front replied.“Well, instead of that, I’mgoing to say ‘Got it?’ andyou’re going to respond with‘Gotcha.’”A short burst of laughtererupted. I raised my eyebrowsin acknowledgment, aslight smile on my face, andturned to face the chalkboard,right hand outstretched.“So, everyone show me yourright hand, point your thumbin the direction of the electriccurrent, and wrap your fingersin the direction of the magneticfield. Got it?”“Gotcha!” The entire classshouted in unison. rRIGHTPeace Corps VolunteerEmily May standswith a few of herForm 2 students justafter teaching themhow to use magneticcompasses. Compasseswere donated to thehigh school for use inpractical experiments.Photo byKenneth Okoth18 Radiations Spring 2012

Alice J. RamsayBS, Physics; MS, Electrical EngineeringLombard, ILWhen my daughterwas in preschool,she wasfascinated by my telescopeand astronomy magazines,but our library had practicallyno astronomy material forher age group. Her preschoolteacher agreed the kids hadan interest, but without theright materials it was easierto stick to fluffy bunny storybooks.She jumped at myoffer to talk to the class aboutastronomy.After researchingpreschool-level astronomy, Isettled on two topics: day andnight and naming the planets.The kids and I enjoyed it.It was successful enough toget me invited the next yearto talk to both the three- andfour-year-old classes.Eleven years of that hasdefined my mission: fillingthe astronomy void for kidsin third grade and under.Plenty of age-appropriate materialsexist for fourth gradersand up, so I focus on theyounger stargazers. I regularlytalk with the second andthird graders at my daughter’sschool. Using hands-onactivities, the second graderslearn the phases of the moonand how to recognize constellations,and third graders eagerlyhear about the life cycleof stars and what happenedto Pluto. That always comesup in the Q&A sessions.This year I added thepreschool and kindergartenat my church’s day care. Thepreschool kids were introducedto constellations withsewing cards, “star scopes,”and a make-your-own-constellationactivity. We readthe constellation stories aloudand decorated star cookies.I spent a week with the kindergarteners,talking aboutthe planets and space travel.We learned a planet song andbuilt a space ship and spacesuits out of grocery bags. Iread about dogs travelingthrough space. The last daywas a trip through the solarsystem. Each room in thechurch was a different planet.As we rocketed from oneroom to the next, we talkedabout what each planet waslike. The kids loved it andlearned a lot, too. When theysaw me coming they’d yellout, “Here comes the SpaceLady!”The teachers appreciatethe age-appropriate materialsand activities, and theytell me the kids can see mypassion. A bonus is that theteachers, too, have becomemore comfortable with thesubject. For years to comeI’m planning to find moreways to get kids excited aboutastronomy and science. rAnna M. Quider, PhDAAAS/APS CongressionalScience Fellow & 2012Quadrennial PhysicsCongress Workshop LeaderWashington, DCYou are just like Ms.Frizzle!” Anyone whohas been led on anadventure by the endearinglyenthusiastic and quirky scienceteacher from the MagicSchool Bus series would takethis as nothing but the highestcompliment. This is a loadedcompliment, though, whenit comes from the volunteercoordinator for the 2nd AnnualUSA Science and EngineeringFestival held in Washington,DC, on April 28–29, 2012. Andthat is how I found myself in aplanet-themed dress, Jupiterand Saturn dangling from myears, being Ms. Frizzle at theABOVE LEFTAlice Ramsay talksto four-year-oldpreschool childrenholding homemade”starscopes” aboutthe constellations.Photo courtesy ofAlice J. RamsayABOVE RIGHTAnna Quider asMs. Frizzle withScholastic’s MagicSchool Bus exhibitbefore the 100,000attendees arrived atthe USA Science andEngineering Festival.Photo courtesy ofAnna M. QuiderSpring 2012 Radiations 19

& ScienceServiceHow Do You Serve?Festival’s Magic SchoolBus exhibit. That weekend Iwas Ms. Frizzle for about 17hours, and I estimate I was inabout 1,000 photos.Everyone had a storyto tell Ms. Frizzle. Childrentold me about their favoriteMagic School Bus story,and we brainstormed newscience adventures they’dlike Ms. Frizzle to take themon. Parents relayed how thisseries has started a sciencedialog in their household andrekindled their own interestin science. Young adultswere excited to tell me abouttheir favorite real-life scienceteacher and how that educatorembodies the spirit ofMs. Frizzle. Everyone was soexcited to meet Ms. Frizzle, Ihad to hide behind the MagicSchool Bus to eat my lunch.People even approached mein the bathroom to tell metheir stories!I enjoy engaging in scienceoutreach because Iwant to help other people feelthe same excitement and joyI feel when I’m exploring andlearning about the naturalworld. Being Ms. Frizzle wasa twist on this because everyonewho visited me was alreadyexcited. As Ms. Frizzle,I created a space for peopleof all ages to articulate theirenthusiasm for science andlearning. My hope is that thepeople I met will keep thisdialog going. rDr. John HartkeProfessor of PhotonicsUnited States Military Academy at West PointNote: From West Point's Colonel Bryndol Sones: “I would like to nominate a member of mydepartment to be included in the special issue of Radiations focused on science and service. Hisname is Professor John Hartke. I cannot think of a more deserving Sigma Pi Sigma member.”Dr. John Hartke is aProfessor of Photonicsat the UnitedStates Military Academy atWest Point where he managesthe two-semester, calculus-basedintroductory physicscourses in mechanics andelectricity and magnetismrequired of approximately1,100 West Point cadetsannually. He is also an activeduty Lieutenant Colonel(LTC) in the US Army witha twenty-four year record ofselfless service to the Armyand our nation. At WestPoint, his teaching andcourse management establishthe standard which his peersand academy officials useto benchmark professionalexcellence. However, whatmost distinguishes LTCHartke is his service to thegovernance of the academy,to the field of high-energylaser research, and to the nationas a soldier.LTC Hartke played acrucial role in the operationsof the academy. For the pastsix years, he was the officerrepresentative for the WestPoint Men’s Soccer team inwhich he monitored academicand professional developmentof the team members,facilitated logistical supportfor home competitions andaway travel, and liaisedbetween the coaching staffand other academy officials.Since his arrival in 2005,he has served on numerousinstitutional committeesfocused on (1) curriculumassessment and refinement,(2) faculty research andbudget allocation, and (3) acomplicated transition fromgovernmental to privatizedhousing at West Point.In total, he served on tenimportant committees thatfacilitated the achievementof West Point’s strategicgoals and improved the community’squality of life. Hismost lasting contributionwas in his role in redesigningand executing the renovationof West Point’s newscience building, a threephaseeffort lasting overfive years and worth over$250M.LTC Hartke was a keyleader in the Department ofDefense (DOD) high-energylaser program where hisefforts contributed directlyto advancing this technologyinto operational fielding forthe DOD. He was chairmanof the Advanced ConceptTechnical Area WorkingGroup for the High EnergyLaser Office and chairmanof a directed energy weaponsconference. He was instrumentalin acquiring a 1 kWlaser system for West Pointfaculty and cadet research.Additionally, he was cochairmanof the InfraredDetectors and Focal PlaneArrays Conference at theSPIE Optics and PhotonicsConference.LTC Hartke has contributedsubstantially to nationaldefense. On three occasionshe has deployed to hostilecombat environments. Earlyin his career as a combatDr. John Hartke.Photo courtesy of Bryndol Sones.engineer, he participated inOperation Desert Storm tohelp liberate Kuwait fromthe occupying forces of SaddamHussein. More recently,he has contributed to OperationEnduring Freedom bydeploying into the combatzone in Afghanistan twice insupport of the NATO missionthere.Dr. Hartke is a memberof the Society of PhysicsStudents and Sigma PiSigma. He recently receivedthe West Point chapter ofPhi Kappa Phi ScholasticAchievement Award. He is atremendous role model whodemonstrates how scienceand service are interrelated.r20 Radiations Spring 2012

The Puzzle CornerThis edition’s crossword puzzle celebratesservice. Service is a hallmark ofthe mission of Sigma Pi Sigma (ΣΠΣ),has been the theme of ΣΠΣ PresidentDiane Jacobs’ term of office, and willbe central to the 2012 Physics Congress,hosted by ΣΠΣ: “Connecting Worldsthrough Science and Service.”Prizes!For each physics puzzle, the submitterof the first correct answer, and a secondchosen at random from all correct answerswill be awarded a $25 gift card fora book vendor of each winner’s choice,and the winners’ names will appear inthe next issue of Radiations.Last month’s crossword winner wasDr. Diedrich Schmidt of North CarolinaA & T University, Greensboro, NC.Ms. Alison Hoffman of Seneca HighSchool, Louisville, KY, and Dr. CharlesRombough of CTR Technical Services,Manitou Springs, CO, homered on thebaseball puzzle. All three are now enjoyingtheir gift cards.Please submit your answers to thephysics puzzles by surface mail to ΣΠΣPuzzle Corner, One Physics Ellipse,College Park, MD 20740, or by email totolsen@aip.org.Deadline31 August 2012AnswersAnswers will appear atwww.sigmapisigma.org/radiations/puzzlecorner/ on 5 September 2012.Contribute a PuzzleWe welcome any interesting puzzles youmay have to share with your fellow ΣΠΣalumni. Please submit your puzzles tothe previously mentioned address.2012 Congress Prize ContestΣΠΣ President Diane Jacobs, authorof this issue’s crossword puzzle, hasgenerously funded a prize contest withan award of $1,000 for use towards attendingthe 2012 Quadrennial PhysicsCongress for ΣΠΣ and Society of PhysicsStudents (SPS) Chapters who submitanswers to the crossword.To enter the prize drawing, send thecompleted crossword puzzle, along withyour name, chapter name, and contactinformation, to the address at left. Anyonecan submit, but only 3 people fromany given chapter can be entered in thedrawing. If you are an alumnus, you arewelcome to submit and designate thechapter you’d like the prize to go to.In order to verify that the funds areused for the 2012 Congress, recipientswill be required to send a short, simplesummary of what they thought of theCongress and what it meant to themdirectly to Diane Jacobs.Physics Puzzle 1I. Our first puzzle is by Thomas Olsen.Each August a meteor shower rainsdown upon the earth, seemingly arrivingfrom the constellation Perseus:the Perseids. These meteors are piecesof debris that have been shed from thecomet Swift-Tuttle. Obeying Kepler’slaws of planetary motion, they followthe same path as the comet itself, witha perihelion distance (closest approachto the sun) of about 1 AU (an astronomicalunit of distance, the typicaldistance of the earth from the sun,about 150,000,000 km) and an apheliondistance (furthest from the sun) of about51 AU.Suppose that one of these pieces ofdebris, as it passed through the perihelion,caught up with, and hit from behind,an object of comparable mass thathad been orbiting the sun in a circularpath (on the same plane as the comet’sorbit). Assume the objects depart withvelocities tangential to the circular orbit,just as they arrived at the collision.A. If we assumed that they collidedelastically, what would be the new apheliondistance of each?SunCircular orbitB. If we assumed that they collidedin such a way that they stuck together,what would be the new aphelion distanceof the merged object?Comet orbit (not to scale)Spring 2012 Radiations 21

Crossword Puzzle: Pro Bono Omniumby Diane Jacobs, Sigma Pi Sigma President, Eastern Michigan UniversityAcross2 Service7 Large amplitude vibration9 Rate of change of magnetic flux13 Change in momentum14 Service (2 wds)16 Prepare17 Service21 Transmitted light propagation22 Coil of wire24 Efferent26 Linear conductor28 Quantum number29 Flipped period31 Employ33 Current measurer35 Curving outward38 Far from sun41 Number and unit22 Radiations Spring 201244 Heavy particle46 Blackberry47 Rate of doing work48 Short print announcement49 Equality of measure50 Wandering starDown1 State of water3 All forces4 Energy storage device5 Incline6 Pulling force8 Evolves heat10 Proportional to normal force11 Systematic universe12 Touch15 Add upMost of the words for the "Service" clues can be found in "Science & Service," by Diane Jacobs, pp. 9-11.16 Service18 Indisposition to a change of motion19 Service20 Massless particle23 Ohm second25 Change in kinetic energy27 Fractional charge particle30 Measure of disorder32 Force per area34 Moment36 Service37 Coulomb/volt38 Base39 Recede40 Not dot product42 Short hairs43 Modify45 Revolt

Physics Puzzle 2Graduations and recognizingservice got the author of oursecond puzzle, Gary White,thinking about what he callsthe “gift-wrapping” problem:A. Given a square piece ofwrapping paper with an areaof one square meter, what isthe largest volume box thatcan be gift-wrapped?Scan with a QRcode reader onyour smart phoneor tablet on orafter 16 Augustto see the answersonline.SPS_full 4/21/11 2:37 PM Page 1B. Suppose you allow any rectangularsheet of wrapping paper with an area ofone square meter. Can you wrap a largervolume with a rectangle rather than asquare of equal area?Note: The terms “gift-wrapping” and“boxes” are shorthand for the usual methodof covering rectangular parallelepipeds withpaper—folding and overlapping is allowed,but no stretching, tearing, cutting, etc. rExperimenting withyour hiring process?Finding the best scientific job or hire shouldn’t be left tochance. SPS Jobs (the online job site of the Society ofPhysics Students and Sigma Pi Sigma) is your ideal recruitmentresource, targeting over 125,000 undergraduates,graduate students, early professionals, and mentors inphysics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, medicine,mathematics, geology, and other science-related fieldsworldwide. Whether you’re looking to hire or be hired, SPSprovides real results by matching hundreds of relevant jobswith this hard-to-reach audience each month.http://jobs.spsnational.orgThe Society of Physics Students (SPS) and Sigma Pi Sigma is a partner in the AIP Career Network,a collection of online job sites for scientists, engineers, and computing professionals. Other partnersinclude Physics Today, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), AmericanAssociation of Physics Teachers (AAPT), American Physical Society (APS), AVS Science andTechnology, and IEEE Computer Society.The Director’s CornerReturning serve... I especially like this phrase because it evokeswhat strikes me as one of the key ingredients of service of thekinds featured in this issue of Radiations. The analogy is notperfect, but think of two friends enjoying a cordial tennisgame—where improved play is more important than the score—rather than acting as tooth-and-nail competitors. As you readwhat your colleagues have written in their reflections on service,you’ll see that they seem to get as much as they give... that thereturns from serving are as important as the service itself.That’s the way that I feel about my eleven years here as directorof Sigma Pi Sigma. While in some sense I feel that my role hasbeen to serve the needs of physics students and the larger physicscommunity, it is also true that I have received even morein return—more education, more fellowship, more encouragement,more science, more fulfillment, and more sense ofbelonging. It has been a terrific eleven years that has seen thedevelopment of the SPS web presences, the expansion of SPSzone meetings, the reinvigoration of the Sigma Pi Sigma Congresses,and an increase in overall SPS activity and participationthat parallels the unprecedented numbers of recent physicsdegree recipients. But it has also been terrific in what I havereceived in return. Thank you, SPS!As you may have sensed, I am leading up to an announcement.I will be taking a leave of absence from my current SPS positionto become a member of the “rotating” staff of the National ScienceFoundation (NSF). As a “rotator” I will work as a full-timegrants officer for one to two years at the NSF, but I will retainmy formal affiliation with the American Institute of Physicsand plan to return to AIP after my rotation is completed.Of course, I have mixed emotions about this, but all in all,it is a very exciting opportunity. It has been my honor andprivilege to serve as the director of SPS, and it will be hard towatch from the sidelines for a while. With its tremendous staffof dedicated professionals, though, SPS remains in very goodhands. In addition, SPS is fortunate that Dr. Toni Sauncy ofAngelo State University will be replacing me in the leadershiprole. Toni has served SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma admirably aspresident of the SPS Council and in many other ways. She hasalso filled many other leadership roles impressively, includingservice as president of the campus faculty senate and asPresident of the Texas section of the American Association ofPhysics Teachers. By the time this is printed, I have no doubtthat she will have already hit the ground running.I am especially grateful to so many of you for all the supportfor physics students, for SPS, and for me that you have shownover the years—the “return service,” if you will. I look forwardto working with you to improve the climate for physics studentseven further as I transition to this new role.Sincerely and humbly,Gary WhiterReturning Servecontinued from page 3Spring 2012 Radiations 23

2011 ontributors o ∑∏∑Thank you for your generous contributions.Your support is greatly appreciated byall who value the mission of Sigma Pi Sigma.Abilene ChristianUniversityMontgomery, Richard C., '62Villegas-Bustos, Aurora, '62Adelphi UniversityGibbon, Paul K., '62Martin, David S., '62Rallo, Jack, '62Redmond, Neal J., '80Roldan, Susan Y., '80Wicker, Harold J., '63Akron, University ofHarris, Gary M., '70Meyer, Ronald A., '76Pitts, Patricia S., '71Redfield, John S., '81Rosich, Michael A., '88Seman, Ted R., '95Alabama-Huntsville,University ofHuckle, James R., '71Alabama, University ofDeLorenzo, Joseph D., '55Denham, Samuel, '77Moore, Robert A., '52Pyle, Bobby E., '65Thompson, Donald L., '62Albion CollegeZook, John W., '69Appalachian StateUniversityRokoske, Thomas Leo, '79Arizona State UniversityMarzke, Robert F., '83Arizona, University ofCoppa, Brian J., '99Gardner, John K., '58Hochdorf, Martin, '50Ingraham, Stephen E., '66Jones, Edwin R., '58Kesler, Jack, '67Lipsky, Sanford, '64Lyons, Peter B., '62Mitchell, Todd, '79Ramo, Simon, '53Schutt, Paul F., '58Shellhorn, Dale, '58Young, Stephen L., '62Arkansas-Fayetteville,University ofClark, Clifton B., '48Culp, Gary, '61Williams, Karen A., '86At LargeBrodsky, Marc H., '00Dylla, H. F., '07Ford, Kenneth W., '00Franz, Judy R., '00Hammer, Philip W., '99Hehn, Jack G., '00Lanzerotti, Louis J., '08Marburger, John H., '05O'Riordan, Catherine, '09Schwartz, Brian B., '90Slick, F L., '67Stillwell, John W., '78Auburn UniversityBeiersdorfer, Peter, '79Catrett-Tamblyn, Leanne, '86Cauthen, Kendall D., '93Echternacht, Kenneth L., '85Fearn, Richard L., '59Fitzsimmons, Timothy E., '79Hartsfield, Henry W., '53Jackson, Harold W., '58Roquemore, William M., '63Worozbyt, Theodore S., '57Augustana CollegeGallagher, Karen J., '90Jensen, James D., '79Roby, Stephen H., '72Taylor, Mark S., '75Austin Peay StateUniversitySlosberg, Carson R., '942011 Annual Giving Color KeyDonors’ Names appearing in color have given$100 or more to Sigma Pi Sigma.The four highest levels of giving are:Leader, Patron, Mentor, and SponsorBall State UniversityPresdorf, Tom A., '79Taylor, Ronnie M., '79Baylor UniversityGeeslin, Bertram B., '69Goodwin, Donald W., '59Stiegler, Roy W., '59Wedel, John A., '69Benedictine CollegeAnthony, Joseph B., '71Berea CollegeBulman, Warren E, '47Birmingham-SouthernCollegeStalcup, William S., '70Bloomsburg UniversityHarper, David J., '70Boston CollegeHosker, Rayford P., '64Pagliarulo, Robert P., '54Plansky, William M., '55Reagan, Joseph B., '55Sheridan, Philip H., '64Turnbull, Joseph F., '63Bowling Green StateUniversityDarwin, Pamela J., '72Synk, Joseph W., '72Bradley UniversityKeith, Scott A., '79Bridgeport, University ofBasarab, Douglas J., '86Read, Marc E., '71Brigham Young UniversityDespain, Kate M., '01Jensen, Layne K., '76Polgar, Peter, '61Staffanson, Forrest L., '50Wood, O. L., '57Bucknell UniversityFawcett, Matthew J., '00Faylor, Frances R., '64Greene, Gordon A., '56Lowrie, Richard W., '48Butler UniversityDixon, H. Marshall, '08Cal Poly-PomonaMelliz, Emill A., '99Cal Poly-San Luis ObispoKallas, Endel, '06Leff, Harvey & Ellen S., '94California StateUniversity-DominguezHillsPappatheodorou, Sofia, '03California StateUniversity-Long BeachFranco, Albert J., '74Perl, Neil K., '73California StateUniversity-Los AngelesLymberis, Costas, '70Means, Joseph D., '70Miranda, Gilbert A., '64Swank, Jean H., '67California StateUniversity-NorthridgeAltshiller, Arthur, '66Anticevich, Steven E., '74Goffman, Hirsch T., '72Stevenson, Lance C., '72California StateUniversity-SacramentoBuchholz, Gwendolyn M., '74Hunt, Charles H., '73California StateUniversity-SanBernardinoLowande, Karen, '08California-Berkeley,University ofCummings, Julian C., '88Kazato, Isaac H., '86California-Davis,University ofEaton, Ryan W., '99California-Irvine,University ofBonner, Eric J., '84Parker, William, '70Tyler, Stanley C., '75Vaccarella, Cawley D., '95Vodhanel, Richard S., '73California-Los Angeles,University ofAires, David L., '75Cady, Robert L., '64Castrup, Howard T., '72Chen, David M., '78Farrand, Donald V., '61Garfinkle, David R., '61Johnston, Shaida S., '80Jurist, John M., '63Kagiwada, Reynold, '60Klapman, Gerald A., '63Kvitky, Joel S., '65Lane, Gerald R., '57Ross, Erno H., '53Scharre, Douglas W., '77Simmons, Larry L., '67Stewart, Gordon E., '54Wood, John J., '66Cameron UniversityDavis, James H., '80Little, David R., '74Vogele, Jacquelene R., '9724 Radiations Spring 2012

2011 Contributors to ∑∏∑Catholic University ofAmericaMountcastle, Rose M., '05Sober, Daniel I., '96Central MichiganUniversityJaffri, Kasser A., '92Central Missouri StateUniversityRing, Merlin D., '70Central State UniversityAlexander, Buster O., '82Charleston, College ofArnold, Jeffrey, '00Bridgman, William T., '87Cincinnati, University ofCummings, John F., '84Citadel, TheCalvert, William M., '50Purcell, Trent K., '79Clark UniversityCaulfield, David, '63Smith, Webster F., '80Clarkson UniversityEagan, Kendra A., '92Ford, Stephen J., '80Romano, Eileen M., '76Clemson UniversityKalinosky, Michael A., '88Lunsford, Ralph D., '55Oberheide, Jens, '10Rice, Laurence B., '58Cleveland State UniversityHorvath, James J., '69Horvath, Joseph A., '72Sargent, Noel B., '70Colby CollegeBartels, Elmer C., '59Clark, David M., '01Garland, Catherine A., '99Porter, James A., '95Colorado Mesa UniversityPeterson, Michael E., '99Colorado School of MinesDeLuca, Frank A., '79Warrender, Torrin S., '79Colorado State UniversityKitterman, John H., '67Colorado-Boulder,University ofBellotti, John E., '79Brown, Benjamin T., '06Conklin, Richard L, '57Deines, Susan F., '87Guiteras, Joseph J., '50Guss, William C., '67Gustafson, Karl E., '57Ripple, Jeanine P., '53Rosing, Michael G., '75Talbert, Willard L., '52Vanzura, Eric J., '83Connecticut,University ofAlperin, Harvey A., '58Austin, Gary R., '76Bartram, Ralph H, '53Bossoli, Robert B., '74Browning, David G., '62Davis, Richard E., '58Delboca, Robert, '67Desnoyers, Roger W., '57Erickson, Robert V., '74Hasse, Raymond W., '57Holst, Gerald C., '65Keever, William C., '64Kessel, Quentin C., '63Lee, David M., '54Meli, Jerome A., '64Morgan, Gerry H., '57Ouimet, Alfred J., '53Owens, John R, '64Poulos, Peter T., '08Rawitscher, George, '74Thomas, Montcalm T., '57Welsh, Thomas J., '74Cooper UnionDe Palo, Armand M., '72Fischer, Elliot, '73Krane, Kenneth S., '70Kraus, Marilyn, '69McMahon, James M., '79Ruff, Robert L., '70Creighton UniversityBattey, Philip E., '58Huston, Edward S., '84Dallas-Irving,University ofLaba, Jeffrey, '88Davidson CollegeBenton, Frederick D., '53Shutt, William E., '70Woodbridge, Caspar L., '41Dayton, University ofAnthony, Philip J., '73Crume, Stephen V., '68Frederick, William G D, '68Hennecke, Hans J., '68Hieber, Richard A., '68Hornbach, Thomas S., '68Miner, George K., '79Schumacher, Howard H., '68Tiernan, Thomas O., '68Yaney, Perry P., '68De Paul UniversityBurlingame, C. M., '79Stinchcomb, Thomas G., '72Delaware, University ofLovorn, F. T., '64McLean, Edgar A., '49Strawbridge, Evelyn A., '53Sumner, Donald S., '65White, Willard W, '64Denison UniversityCoen, Lee H., '71Coplin, Kimberly A., '84Roswell, Roberta L., '73Denver, University ofBehnen, Stephen W., '69Calvin, Wendy M., '83Lof, John L., '37Risley, Allan Sanford, '54Depauw UniversityAdney, James R., '66Gau, Derek R., '92Gottbrath, Christopher L.,'94Detroit, University ofBow, Nancy J., '63Peters, James J., '64White, Thomas G., '66Xeras, Sylvia, '64Dickinson CollegeAlman, Gregory M., '81Murphy, Michael K., '06Drew UniversityBoeshaar, Patricia C., '89Drexel UniversityDegnan, John J., '67Miller, Irvin, '65Reetz, Ferdinand, '75Shomo, Lawrence P., '66Stanton, Robert J., '67Duke UniversityDaniel, Jerome M., '72Joyner, Weyland T., '50Lunsford, Gary H., '61Straub, Karl D., '57Duquesne UniversityMessmer, James R., '65East StroudsburgUniversityNesbitt, James B., '73Svok, George, '71Eastern Illinois UniversityAnderson-Horn, Merri L., '80Eastern MichiganUniversityMarvin, Timothy H., '95Moverman, Mark I., '90Mutart, Douglas L, '92Voss, Rachel A., '97Elizabethtown CollegeDotter, Ray E., '74Elmhurst CollegeO'Kelly, Roy J., '89Ramsay, Alice J., '97Emory UniversityCampbell, William G., '76Dyer, George R., '61Feng, Terry I., '74Funke, John, '78Rowe, John E., '63Evansville, University ofBatteiger, Byron B., '61Berry, Stephen W., '85Megli, Darrell, '63Thomas, Stephen B., '70Florida Institute ofTechnologyChambers, Susan A., '75Pearlman, Melvin, '69Florida State UniversityKromhout-Schiro, SharonE., '78Magee, Norman H., '63Nelson, Ron, '78Ofsowitz, Keith R., '88Schmidt, Charles W, '63Sica, Louis, '57Wyatt, Philip J., '58Florida, University ofDanese, John B., '66Dwyer, Robert D., '67Keyser, Ronald M., '66Sherman, Joel F., '63Fordham UniversityGogolak, Carl, '70Grissing, Edward L, '70Krupp, Joseph, '70Fort Hays State UniversityDuell, Arthur L., '42Schmeidler, Neal F., '69Weigel, Edna M., '64Franklin & MarshallCollegeBalent, James S., '90Broomall, James R., '66Dommel, John G., '62Mumma, Michael J., '63Frostburg State UniversityHendrickson, Gary L., '73Gannon UniversityJordan, David C., '76George Mason UniversityBjorklund, Christine L., '73Nagurney, Mark J., '80George WashingtonUniversityFrey, Mary A., '69Hughes, Mark V., '69Kelsall, Thomas, '56Messina, Carla G., '59Peterson, Harry E., '57Prather, John L., '56Schmid, Paul E., '54Georgia Institute ofTechnologyAlbritton, Daniel L., '61Epstein, Laurence D., '82Ethridge, Noel H., '49Fortenberry, Robert S., '80Gilliland, Clinton R., '58Laminack, Ivey B., '78Metz, Werner Adam, '81Patronis, Eugene T., '52Richmond, Brett L., '68Stallings, David C., '76Georgia State UniversityBlackburn, Thomas E., '71Taylor, Donald R., '76Georgia, University ofIvey, Henry F., '41Maddox, Marvin R., '62Gettysburg CollegeHorne, Bruce K., '59Keiser, Richard L., '49Kumler, Ruth S., '49O'Brien, Robert E., '50Guilford CollegeWright, Lois L., '85Hampton UniversityJohnson, Catherine D., '88Hanover CollegeWakefield, Joseph S., '74Heidelberg CollegeAdams, Paul E., '82Falvey, Suzzanne E., '78Stiegler, Marc D., '75Hofstra UniversityAndresen, Ted, '70Biss, Rita E., '51Hickey, Mary J., '52Huntsberger, Terrance L., '73Klatt, Robert W., '64Murnick, Daniel E., '60Pernick, Benjamin J., '73Spring 2012 Radiations 25

2011 Contributors to ∑∏∑Pirone, Alfred D., '51Richford, Daniel P., '08Seidel, Paul E., '55Stahl, Frieda A., '55Terrone, William M., '68Holy Cross, College of theDaly, Robert B., '73LaMesa, Salvatore F., '73Metzler, John E., '70Tangherlini, Frank R., '70Tyler, Daniel J., '00Hope CollegeKoeppe, Peter V., '82Houston, University ofDe John, Charles S., '63Gleason, William S., '64Hunter College of theCUNYSanthanam, Padmanabhan, '78Idaho State UniversityMorford, Larry J., '76Morford, Linda M., '76Idaho, University ofBennett, Gary L., '61Frye, Daniel D., '77Illinois BenedictineCollegeCavallo, William C., '65Kotek, Thomas J., '64Laho, Ralph R., '63Illinois Institute ofTechnologyAttard, Alfred E., '60Bragg, Robert H., '49Juhala, Roland E., '57Kull, Lorenz A., '62Illinois-Chicago,University ofAres, Julian Y., '89Goldberg, Howard S., '88Indiana State UniversityGrow, Susan J., '72Indiana University ofPennsylvaniaCouch, Russell H., '89Stobie, James A., '72Indiana University-BloomingtonGoodwin, William E., '65Ondrik, Michael A., '69Small, Timothy M., '62Iona CollegeCleary, Michael P., '81Iowa State UniversityKeever, Mark R., '76Vary, James P., '00James Madison UniversityZimmerman, Bryan A., '88Jamestown CollegePeterson, L. G., '72John Carroll UniversityBlakeley, Douglas M., '75Melich, Branden T., '92Newell, Catherine, '78Petti, Ernest J., '96Ursic, Joseph J., '76Johns Hopkins UniversityLucke, Robert L., '68Juniata CollegePapale, Andrew E., '07Kansas, University ofDike, Larry L., '59Francis, Charles L., '70Halderson, Dean W., '67Hawley, Steven A., '73Leamon, Richard G., '65Levi, Mark W., '53Martin, Jr., James, '79Nahman, Norris Stanley, '59Prosser, David F., '77Sellers, Francis B., '55Smith, Luther W., '54Spahn, Robert G., '66Woelk, Darrell W., '69Kent State UniversityChapman, Gilbert B., '75Christensen, Stanley H, '72Latta, Gregory P., '82Stanford, Jack D., '76Visintainer, James, '72Kentucky, University ofArvin, Alan D., '82Kemper, Raymond A., '49Pierce, Donna M., '95Lamar UniversityDimiceli, Emanuel V., '68Durling, George E., '79Lewis & Clark CollegeOmalia, Kasandra J., '05Lewis UniversityHu, Chi-Yu, '00Ressl, Michael, '84Linfield CollegeCohen, Ira M., '87Cram, Robert S., '66Louisiana at Lafayette,University ofMeriwether, John R., '71Miller, James E., '60Louisiana at Monroe,University ofWhite, Gary D., '81Louisiana StateUniversity-Baton RougeBall, Byrd M., '60Giammerse, Jack, '75Paine, Richard A., '80Rauch, Richard T., '76Shinners, Carl, '57Stoessell, Alfred L., '61Thomason, Richard S., '62Louisiana Tech UniversityEvans, William K., '74Louisville, University ofAllard, Peter L., '84Davis, Merrill L., '52Erhart, Herbert G., '61Krebs, Ramon B., '60Mulligan, Charles R., '67Nedelkoff, Bogdan, '60Schuhmann, George S., '03Verser, Dan W., '63Loyola University,New OrleansFaust, Donald C., '08Gross, James M., '65Villere, Monty P., '65Luther CollegeLehmann, Heather, '01Scholten, Roger C., '84Lycoming CollegeGarrett, Jeffrey W., '79Howes, Michael L., '73Stover, David R., '73Maine, University ofAmes, Allan E., '61Atkinson, Leland G., '77Brigham, Ernest B., '51Dickey, Dana H., '50Henderson, Wallace D., '56Hennings, John H., '57Knight, Richard A., '50Larson, Reginald E., '53Moore, Duncan T., '67Mortenson, Victor A., '68Otto, Fred B., '54Williams, John R., '49Manchester CollegeEbbinghouse, Joe C., '48Firebaugh, Morris W., '57Heisler, Gary L., '71Stauffer, Gary W., '73Manhattan CollegeMarczyk, Richard F., '57Rant, Stephen J., '64Marquette UniversityBudlong, Albert H., '49Maruszewski, David P., '91Mattson, Edward J., '63Miller, Paul G., '62Vandrevala, Cyrus M., '09Maryland-BaltimoreCounty, University ofMalloy, Katherine A., '97Maryland-College Park,University ofBingham, Joseph P., '64Fowler, John W., '65Futch, Archer H., '53Graham, Richard S., '69Lupton, William H., '56Massachusetts Instituteof TechHuber, Martin E., '82Kushner, David M., '82Massachusetts-Boston,University ofO'Brien, James J., '70Massachusetts-Lowell,University ofDeMartinis, Guy B., '93Hanfling, Edward B., '78Memphis, TheUniversity ofHanchett, Leslie E., '85Ladner, Daniel R., '68Miami UniversityBullis, W. M., '50Davis, Richard C., '79Hall, Maclin S., '48Johnson, Ramsey D., '58Leonard, Scott R., '79Mason, Franklin, '65Stewart, William M, '58Miami, University ofJacobs, Michael M., '71Sattin, William, '77Michigan State UniversityBrazee, Ross D., '53Musser, Susan E., '06Wagner, Richard N., '59Michigan TechnologicalUniversityConnolly, Paul A., '76Michigan-Ann Arbor,University ofHeller, Thomas G., '88Lau, Albert Y., '92Rose, Hugh, '00Michigan-Flint,University ofZick, David G., '96Minnesota, University ofAnderson, C. D., '83Christensen, Thomas M., '79Gogins, Mark A., '79Hladky, Jeanne, '79Pepin, Robert O., '80Roelofs, Greg, '83Mississippi, University ofRogers, Charles R., '81Missouri-Kansas City,University ofFroncek, Teresa M., '82Missouri-Rolla,University ofCawns, Albert E., '58Davisson, David C., '68Hardebeck, Harry E., '56Monmouth CollegeFeldmann, Peter, '68Monmouth UniversityBleier, Steven A., '74Porskievies, Thomas A., '81Montana State UniversityKirkpatrick, Larry D., '78Moravian CollegeSine, Larry F., '68Morehouse CollegeOz, Orhan K., '82Morningside CollegeGriffin, Paul D., '51Rasmus, Russell W., '49Strandburg, Donald, '50Yoder, Jerry L., '58Mount Holyoke CollegeGates, Elinor L., '92Muhlenberg CollegeDetwiler, David A., '72Murray State UniversityJohnson, Robert S., '84Park, Frederic C., '69Rose, Gerald T., '63Walker, Russell E., '7826 Radiations Spring 2012

2011 Contributors to ∑∏∑Nebraska WesleyanUniversityBures, Marvin G., '52Cyr, Howard J., '56Harvey, Charles A., '49Nebraska-Lincoln,University ofGustafson, Lyal V., '64Sellmyer, David J., '86Nevada-Reno,University ofBurge, Dennis K., '61Gehrke, Robert J, '63Glass, James C., '66Pitchford, Ann M., '75Rosenbaum, Robert P., '62New Mexico StateUniversityDaggett, Paul H., '75Duncan, Richard H., '00Gillespie, James B., '40Lam, Foo W., '64Nunn, Elwin C., '63Voss, Robert A., '61New Orleans,University ofGeisler, Heike, '98Lawrence, Thomas N., '67Morris, Dane Joseph, '79Riedlinger, Lancelot M., '82New York Institute ofTechnologyBoehm, Raymond E., '73Frankel, Kenneth L., '80Nothdurft, Robert H., '71Silverstein, Laurence S., '80New York UniversityBruhns, Betty A., '58Hodara, Morris, '48Levine, Judah, '61Richman, Monroe F., '49Segal, Jack, '50Sherman, Harold, '53Sidran, Miriam, '51Spruch, Grace M., '51North Carolina StateUniversityBennett, Carson L., '87Cantrell, Jeff, '87Dickson, Paul W., '58Duncan, Donald P., '67Gould, Chris, '92Herman, Martin, '64Hurley, Jeffery D., '91Page, Earl M., '55Penny, Jack M., '73Waters, Dean A., '60Welt, Martin A., '59North Carolina-Greensboro, UniversityGarner, Larry W., '77North Georgia College &State UniversityKinkaid, Donald E., '76Pendleton, Winston K., '93North Texas, University ofCampbell, Roger D., '82Gardner, Robert A., '82Teague, Edgar C., '68Northeastern IllinoisUniversityLoftus, John T., '94Northern ArizonaUniversityCripps, Constance E., '85Eagan, Ann M., '79Sande, Linda R., '80Northern IllinoisUniversityBrown, Harold I., '74Sill, Larry R., '73Northern Iowa,University ofBehroozi, Fred, '95Heller, Paul R., '84Vo, Ducta, '87Occidental CollegeHutcheon, Ian D., '67Johnson, George L, '51Newell, John D., '72Newnam, Brian E., '62Worcester, John L., '51Wuerker, Ralph F, '50Zinn, Kenneth M., '95Ohio State UniversityCollier, J. R., '57Donlan, Vincent L., '68Gordon, David Marshall, '63Hagenlocker, Edward E., '61Hecht, Lewis C., '64Hill, John H., '60Kaleps, Ints, '68Keane, Joseph A., '66Kidder, Ray E., '46Kinzel, Evelyn S., '68Lautzenheiser, Robert E., '36Lea, Suzanne M., '65Lubich, Jeffrey N., '04Marshall, James L., '76McCaa, David J., '62Needels, Theodore S, '42Niple, Edward R., '73Patty, Richard R., '58Roll, Ronald E., '58Roop, Raymond M., '64Sayre, Joseph G., '44Simonson, Simon C., '66Walters, Craig T., '62Ohio UniversityBingley, John D., '62Brack, James P., '69Stumpf, Folden B., '58Oklahoma City UniversityDavison, David, '67Kirkpatrick, Ronald G., '65Nickel, James A., '63Oklahoma StateUniversityFreeman, John A., '65Oklahoma, University ofBranham, Donald W., '50Evatt, Bruce L., '59Floyd, Annette H., '43Rowan, William L, '68Willhite, Dale E., '51Old Dominion UniversityGlaser, Ronald C., '71Lutton, Russell T., '72Welch, Charles R., '72Oregon State UniversityGibbs, Bruce, '79Henning, Stephen M., '62Henry, Dennis C., '67Jones, Eric D., '56McLain, William H., '78Stekel, Shirley, '58Wood, Clyde R., '69Oregon, University ofBalsiger, Mel, '50Brenden, Byron B., '49Sanford, Cecil E., '48Park UniversityCramer, John J., '35Pennsylvania StateUniversityBrunner, James S., '58Burton, Marion B., '51Caplan, Sandor, '59Cox, Elizabeth E., '60Davies, Emlyn B., '49Eggen, Donald T., '44Faust, Barbara C., '64Herritt, John A., '67Kost, Lawrence M., '65McGrew, David L., '60McKay, Joyce M., '70Owens, Barbara R., '58Pryor, Richard J., '64Reinheimer, Julian, '48Shaffer, Fredrick B., '59Shepard, Richard B., '48Stanley, Robert W., '64Pittsburgh, University ofDevaty, Robert P., '88Engels, Eugene, '90Hausman, Hershel J., '51Janis, Allen I., '87Lauffer, Max A., '47Serenka, Russell G., '52Zlochower, Yosef E., '96Polytechnic UniversityDalsass, Louis J., '59De Canio, Thomas C., '65DeSerio, Robert, '75Di Rienzi, Joseph, '67Guidone, Raffael J., '67Sank, Victor J., '65Shustek, Leonard J., '69Yarr, Edward G., '65Principia CollegeBarton, Stephen C., '91Providence CollegeCoussa, Michael R., '57Purdue University-WestLafayetteAlexander, David H., '67Beitsch, Donald, '55Bennett, C L., '67Bicknell, Bruce A., '68Boesch, Harold E., '63Born, Richard G., '72Brill, Wilfred G., '54Brown, Ronald A., '60Cable, Daniel H., '66Carter, Robert E, '43Clark, Ronald R., '65Cole, Teresa L., '72Collins, Robert J., '51Cone, David, '65Cottrell, Larry K., '67Goodwin, Robert M., '62Gotwals, John K., '63Hoffman, Gerald M., '44Kay, John H., '73Kemple, Marvin, '63Kramer, Robert Allen, '73Lambert, Ralph E., '68Lawnicki, Victor F., '76Litscher, Helen F., '49Mansfield, Maynard J., '55Mazanek, Edward S., '67Mennel, John J., '66Michel, David P., '69Miller, Robert J., '64Montgomery, Stephen T., '70Nelson, Donald L., '65Peterson, Eugene W., '41Richards, Gerald T., '63Rinker, Jack N., '50Rittmann, Paul D., '72Seiler, John P., '68Skelley, E D., '55Soendlin, Richard R., '70Steed, Phillip W., '74Stendahl, Steven J., '76Stolberg, Carl G., '71Stretchberry, D. M., '61Tozer, William F., '67Verhoff, Stephen H., '74Voorheis, Howard T., '74Weber, Mark M., '82Redlands, University ofAnderson, Victor C., '47O'Neill, Brendan P., '95Rensselaer PolytechnicInstituteBentz, Edward J., '65Berman, Paul R., '63Dorsch, Robert R., '63Gunning, William J., '72Kalnin, Andrew, '77Kodosky, Jeffrey L., '01Leonardi, John C., '67Rapids, Richard F., '66Tishkoff, Julian M., '65Van Vranken, Randy C., '73Rhode Island,University ofAshton, Robert A., '70Rose, Jonathan W., '77Rhodes CollegeGhosh, Dipak, '95Kendrick, Stephen E., '69Smith, Jenna K., '08Smith, L Montgomery, '77Rice UniversityClark, Michael H., '85Geddes, Norman D., '71Studenmund, William R.,'90Trickey, Sam B., '74Richmond, University ofAmmerman, Don J., '59Berman, Herbert S., '70Chinnis, Carter C., '47Hurwitz, Alma, '44Kusheba, Michael C., '63Rothschild, Barbara G., '46Ryan, William S., '62Seelhorst, Judith B., '47Shelkey, David L., '55Wingfield, Harvey N., '61Ripon CollegeKatz, Lita R., '74Polanski, Xavier M., '73Polley, Walter W., '72Witt, Michelle M., '87Roanoke CollegeHagan, James D., '67Spring 2012 Radiations 27

2011 Contributors to ∑∏∑Rochester Institute ofTechnologyFederation, Dolores A., '70Schwaneflugel, Franklyn, '69Rochester, University ofHeinecke, Michael J., '98Rose-Hulman Institute ofTechnologyAlbers, Kendra R., '09Sorrell, Lee R., '85Rutgers University-CamdenCoates, Joann M., '83Manieri, Matthew F., '78Masucci, Christopher M., '97Saint Joseph's UniversityDibiase, James A., '59Morris, Robert A., '60Steckler, Kenneth D., '67Sunderland, Robert J., '72Sam Houston StateUniversityDecker, John, '00Jackson, Jared M., '65Jacobsen, Debra M., '79Jacobsen, Kelly S., '79Johnston, Karen L., '71Steele, Robert S., '78San Diego State UniversityCahill, Gerald D., '64Craig, Thomas E., '47Fischer, Joseph F., '50Lindman, Nils G., '69Mannix, Richard C., '71Maurer, Edward H., '58Morris, Richard H., '58Muhl, William O., '58Noon, Edward L., '64Zarnowitz, Richard M., '47Santa Clara UniversityBrown, David S., '81Kugland, Nathan L., '02Scranton, University ofSpigarelli, Robert P., '70Seattle UniversityCremers, David A., '71Wetzel, Jason D., '90Seton Hall UniversityKreidler-Moss, Jennifer L., '94Natale, Stephen V., '71Stamer, Peter E., '69Weber, Renata, '90Shippensburg UniversityDeardorff, Eugene A., '73Imler, James H., '73Siena CollegeKnight, Charles T., '83Smith, Paul J., '80South Carolina,University ofGoodwyn, Thomas J., '91Propst, Wyatt E., '57Rosenfeld, Carl, '86South Dakota School ofMines & TechnologyDorland, Louis J., '78Graham, Keith D., '51South Dakota StateUniversityCrossman, Leon D., '60South Dakota,University ofBetinis, Emanuel J., '50Cleland, Marshall R, '47Dargen, Donald F., '47Predoehl, Martin C., '54South Florida,University ofBooth, Donald C., '74Curry, James A., '92Twigg, Laurence W., '72Ward, David A., '80Southern ArkansasUniversityRutledge, Carl T., '72Southern California,University ofDickson, Richard L., '74Shigemitsu, Thomas M., '72Southern Colorado,University ofNeuenschwander, Dwight, '75Van Loon, Timothy G., '74Southern IllinoisUniversity, CarbondaleKenner, Jean, '54Southern Mississippi,University ofRayborn, Grayson H., '71Stevens, Harold W., '71Southwest Missouri StateUniversityRivera, Luis M., '93Southwestern OklahomaState UniversityBates, James R., '91Geswender, Chris E., '71St Bonaventure UniversityKovar, Frederick R., '60St. Lawrence UniversityCampbell, John B., '52Clark, Doris L., '41Kirby, June C., '46Klemens, Barbara G., '46Olin, William C., '42Reklis, Robert P, '69Watkins, Sylvia A., '46Wells, Lois S., '53Yates, Ann M., '62St. Mary's College ofMinnesotaDempsey, Patrick J., '90Morin, George J., '89Smith, Richard J., '68St. Olaf CollegeAggerbeck, Lawrence P., '66Arenson, John D., '69Carlson, Douglas H., '65Gimmestad, Gary G., '66Halsted, Lizabeth L., '78Kullberg, Craig, '69Larson, Paul D., '51Logghe, Sean B., '75Olson, Johanna, '05Paulson, Douglas N., '67Rockstad, Howard K., '55Schlichting, William H., '64Thern, Royal E., '62St. Peter's CollegeLopez, Jose L., '07Stony Brook UniversityGarrett, Randy, '99Shlesinger, Michael F., '69SUNY at AlbanyCoppola, Richard A., '66Dziczkaniec, Marlene, '73Raffaele, Robert A., '71Sanders, Stephen J, '71Sullivan, Joseph M., '67SUNY at BinghamtonGiamis, Andrew C., '03Veselka, John J., '74Zadrozny, Stanley A., '86SUNY at BrockportGentile, John P., '01Tahar, Mohammed Z., '01SUNY at FredoniaBicknell, Paul A., '75SUNY at GeneseoDeutsch, John L., '00Harke, Douglas J., '72Huebner, Manfred H., '91King, Paul M., '92Sullivan, Carol W., '75SUNY at OswegoWeber, Howard M., '00Syracuse UniversityBarroll, Sara D., '46Eisaman, L. C., '45Freer, Lester P., '47Hesselson, Burton M., '46Lehmann, William L., '47Richman, Gilbert C., '48Wright, Robert A., '50Temple UniversityReibel, Kurt, '54Weston, William W, '63Tennessee-Chattanooga,University ofBurnett, Sandra M., '69East, Charles B., '82Fincher, Arvel L., '55French, Mary J., '78Mathis, Joe T., '61Visser, Jon R., '63Tennessee-Knoxville,University ofBreeding, J. E., '61Cooper, David A., '68Crume, E. C., '68Dishman, Rose M., '70Duckett, Kermit, '62Fleming, Edward R., '67Hinsdale, Sandra J., '65Hubisz, John L., '64Jarratt, James S., '67Reeves, Charles A., '68Riedinger, Leo L., '77Sheffey, David W., '65Young, Glenn R., '72Tennessee-Space InstituteShelnutt, Riley C., '70Texas A&M University-College StationBurrow-Ludlow, Janet, '76Fabricius, Eugene D., '59Gruben, James H., '72Stewart, Robert D., '71Texas at Dallas,University ofCoogan, John J., '03Texas Christian UniversityHilley, Larry L., '63Hull, Gene H., '63Kent, Graham G., '65Texas Tech UniversityBerry, Richard E., '63Borst, Walter L., '85Buckner, Spencer L., '79Dannecker, Max F., '59Glenn, Stephen W., '65Herlin, Bruce G., '65Kelly, William F., '59Smith, David L., '70Texas-Arlington,University ofGuthrie, Don W., '68Skinner, Robert D., '66Texas-Austin, University ofBrown, Keith C., '53Evans, Steven W., '73Monahan, Edward C., '60Otto, William M., '55Wylie, Dennis C., '00Texas-El Paso,University ofGibson, Randal E., '73Texas-Pan American,University ofHennig, Thomas A., '67The College of New JerseyDeak, Melvin L., '79Jochem, Warren J., '74Thiel CollegeChesonis, Dawn C., '76Thomas More CollegeBarker, Thomas E., '98Eismann, Michael T., '84Toledo, University ofBagley, Brian G., '92Federman, Steven R., '90Simon, Henry J., '89Towson UniversityLottero-Perdue, Pamela, '07Ludwig, John J., '80Transylvania UniversityKuchenbrod, John A., '90Trinity CollegeElstein, Allen R., '65Knutson, Donald S., '53Roberts, Laurence H., '49Twardy, Stanley A., '73Washington, Allyn J., '50Trinity UniversityDecker, Howard E., '79Luckett, Larry W., '69Moore, Charles D., '74Tufts UniversityAltshuler, Edward E., '54Davis, William C., '48Halladay, Maurice E., '51James, William J., '49Lynch, David D., '55Striker, William W., '50Tulane UniversityDaniel, Charles D., '60Daubert, Henry C., '5028 Radiations Spring 2012

2011 Contributors to ∑∏∑De La Houssaye, Willie, '54Reeves, Mary B., '53Scott, Norvell O., '58Yeager, William M., '67Tulsa, University ofDavis, Linda R., '77Klingler, Eugene H., '64Lipke, Walter H., '63Tharrington, Reginald, '82Wetzel, Michael G., '67Union CollegeDockery, Stephen E., '85Johnston, John B., '82United States MilitaryAcademyde Graff, Christian E., '90Stith, James H., '86Williams, David C., '03United States NavalAcademyDrag, Matthew J., '95Ebersole, Carl H., '92Fordham, Earl W., '78Giessner, Jack B., '82Jourdan, David W., '74Klee, Carl R., '73Matzelevich, William W., '74McCumber, Leonard D., '68McIlvaine, James B., '68Nawrocki, Peter A., '66Paggi, Matthew, '80Parker, Gregory J., '90Schreiber, James E., '73Waddell, James B., '69Upsala CollegeCorwin, Vera-Anne V., '54Helfrick, Albert D., '67Nilson, Lennart H., '54Ursinus CollegeRhyne, Joan E., '81Utah, University ofBlackburn, Alan D., '71Bowman, Carlos M., '56Feingold, Arnold M., '59Gledhill, Jessica T., '61Jones, Allen S., '61Kingsbury, Paul I., '62Marquis, Marilyn A., '49Tatro, L. D., '51Wood, Calvin D., '64Utica College of SyracuseUniversityCapparelli, Michael J., '62Dyer, Fred S., '58Valdosta State UniversityRumstay, Kenneth S., '86Vanderbilt UniversityJenkins, John K., '82Seufert, Edward R., '86Vermont, University ofBlack, Carrie, '04Villanova UniversityLochner, James C., '80Virginia CommonwealthUniversityMorrow-Jones, Jane M., '81Virginia Military InstituteBenda, Peter H., '80Braunstein, Michael R., '77McCrary, James K, '81Serenbetz, Stuart W., '76Tucker, John H., '78Virginia State UniversityPayne, Jean C., '52Virginia TechAllison, Dennis O., '64Gilmer, Thomas E., '60Guida, Jan M., '77Long, Jerome R., '00McConnell, Benjamin, '66Nimick, Daniel S., '78Robins, C H., '65Virginia, University ofLynch, Edward H., '66Modlin, Raymond E., '68Wabash CollegeHsieh, Ke Chiang, '61Livengood, C. D., '62Monroe, Bruce M., '60Tait, William C., '60Wake Forest UniversityLove, Lane A., '77Washburn University ofTopekaMiles, Vincent A., '86Steps, Robert W., '62Washington, University ofRoberts, Katherine S., '76Wayne State UniversityGubbins, Harry L., '49Katz, Fern S., '49Morin, Dornis C, '48West Chester UniversityPasswaters, William R., '04West Florida, University ofBarlow, Paul Michael, '75West Virginia UniversityAllen, Anna M., '92Exton, Reginald J., '60Hoge, Frank E., '60Huffman, Gerald P., '60Pierson, Robert C., '73Shanholtzer, Wesley, '61Smith, Fred R, '70Western Illinois UniversityBoley, Mark S., '86Dickison, Alexander K., '65Horton, Charles E., '64Western KentuckyUniversityBennett, Maury T., '80Glasgow, Glenn P., '64Harris, Donald T., '63Hoffman, Eugene J., '83Leach, Kenneth D., '63Rogers, Mark D. and SarahE., '04Western WashingtonUniversityCline, John R., '76Fisher, Michael H., '99Westminster CollegeCetrone, Raymond G., '73Church, Charles C., '73Fontanella, John J., '65Mansell, Edward R., '89Metzler, Roger A., '69Smith, Harry W., '65Wheaton College - ILMc Carrell, James G., '43McDowell, H. C., '58Richert, Norman J., '71Riedesel, Charles P., '72Wichita State UniversityLadd, Nelson S., '62Pistotnik, Frank S., '72Scrivner, Timothy T., '75Wood, Gordon L., '61Widener UniversityGarneski, Charles J., '70Miller, Kenneth D., '91Schiller, Randall E., '68William & Mary,College ofHarrell, Lee E., '91Hoppe, John C., '63Jentzen, Marilyn E., '87Muench, Jean A., '67Pugh, Spencer A., '79Singh, Jag J., '64Slauson, William E., '64Stevens, Robert B., '72Tropf, William J., '66William Jewell CollegeBerry, Dean L., '58Brown, Randolph B., '70Dixon, John W., '58McElwee, Carl D., '63Philpot, John L., '55Wisconsin-Eau Claire,University ofDaniels, Keith, '53Pearson, Douglas H., '84Schneider, Robert S., '80Wisconsin-Oshkosh,University ofRobinson, Joseph H., '54Weber, William J., '71Wisconsin-Platteville,University ofDraeger, Erin J., '00Wisconsin-River Falls,University ofHagstrom, Daniel J., '96Wisconsin-Superior, UniversityofDiesslin, Blaine R., '71Lane, Richard H., '71Markon, Elaine M., '72Ringsred, John N., '68Sjostrom, Keith J., '84Wisconsin-Whitewater,University ofDe Voe, Michael J., '77Johnson, Marvin J., '71Wooster, The College ofCoffey, William N., '42Trautman, Miriam, '37Worcester PolytechnicInstituteBernacki, Stephen E., '70Colby, Paul Campbell, '73Tsakraklides, George, '92Wright State UniversityBeard, James B., '69Dierking, Matthew P., '84Hehmeyer, John L., '87Wiefling, Kimberly M., '83Wyoming, University ofBunch, Wilbur L., '49Xavier UniversityChurch, Austin, '63Grothaus, Jeff T., '77Kuhlman, William H., '69Martino, Anthony J., '81Swyers, John, '66Vonder Brink, Thomas J., '70Zeitz, William M., '68Youngstown StateUniversityAdams, Louis W., '72Friends of Sigma Pi SigmaCabell, BrendaKonno, RikioWilliamson, Step O.Corporations providingMatching GiftsDominion FoundationGE FoundationGoogleJ P Morgan Chase FoundationPitney BowesPJM InterconnectionThe P&G Fund2012 Congress Fundraising CampaignSigma Pi Sigma strives to keep the cost ofattending the Quadrennial Physics Congressesas low as possible so that the meetingis accessible to all students and alumni.If you would like to contribute to thiseffort, please consider participating in our2012 fundraising campaign with a donationof $20.12, $201.20, or whatever amount ismost comfortable for you. Donate online atwww.spscongress.org/donate.Spring 2012 Radiations 29

My Farewellby Diane Jacobs, Sigma Pi Sigma PresidentEastern Michigan UniversityIhave had a terrific term as the Presidentof Sigma Pi Sigma, with this past yearof service to the physics communitybeing particularly satisfying. I was able tohelp make a dream of my predecessor, Dr.Ann Viano, a reality— we can now processthe Sigma Pi Sigma induction informationand the fees online. No longer dostudents have to fill out the MembershipInformation Cards in duplicate (or triplicatein my day). Faculty initiate the onlineprocess after students are invited to joinSigma Pi Sigma, and then students can goto the website to complete the membershipinformation. We are doing the field testthis spring and it looks like the system willrun very smoothly. I could swear I hearda collective sigh of relief when the SigmaPi Sigma advisors read about the onlineprocess in their Green Folders this year.As I reflect on the power of the Society ofPhysics Students (SPS) and Sigma Pi Sigma tobring vitality to college and university physicsprograms and to connect diverse populationsof students, several of my experiences aspresident come to mind. I had the pleasure ofinstalling two new Sigma Pi Sigma chapters inthe fall. (I wish I could have installed all thenew chapters, but I must meet the obligationsof my regular job.)In November I went to the Universityof Buffalo. The students, primarily the SPSpresident Alec Cheney, planned the entireinstallation event. It was a small, simple affairheld in a classroom, that was attended by sixinductees, two faculty members, two parentsand me. After the ceremony the departmentchair took the students and me to a localrestaurant for dinner. The students at the Universityof Buffalo were looking for cohesivenessand a sense of belonging to a communityof scientists within the greater structure oftheir large state university.In December I went to Kenyon College inOhio. The faculty, particularly the advisor Dr.Tom Giblin, did most of the planning for theSigma Pi Sigma installation ceremony. Thistime eight students were inducted. The event30 Radiations Spring 2012was held in a beautiful auditorium and the entirefaculty from the department was present,but no parents were able to attend. After theevent we all went to dinner at a posh restaurantwith a grand banquet table set up for thegroup. The faculty at small, private KenyonCollege wanted to help the students find theirplace as scientists in the wider world.In March I visited the University of Miami,a medium-sized private research universityin Coral Gables, Florida. I was inductedinto their chapter of Sigma Pi Sigma moreyears ago than I care to remember. We had avery active SPS chapter back then where I gotto spend time with my best friends. We didgreat outreach projects, had picnics, went tolectures, and worked on our homework in acorner of the library. During my senior yeara top-flight physics conference was held oncampus and Richard Feynman was a keynotespeaker. Our department chair was a charming,old-school European who thought themeeting was not really appropriate for undergraduates.Several of us went to his office topolitely ask if we could attend Feynman’s talkand reminded him of all the things SPS haddone for the department. He thought it overfor a bit, and I remember him saying, “Youmust dress in your very best clothes, sit in theABOVESigma Pi Sigma PresidentDr. Diane Jacobs hands thenew Sigma Pi Sigma charterto Dr. Tom Giblin, theadvisor at Kenyon College.RIGHTSigma Pi Sigma PresidentDr. Diane Jacobs (frontrow, left) with the facultyadvisor and new Sigma PiSigma inductees atKenyon College.Photos byDr. Charles Jacobs.

ack row, don’t say a word, and leave assoon as the presentation is finished.” Wefollowed his orders to the letter, eventhough our best clothes were very lightweightand it snowed that morning forthe first time in Coral Gables’ recordedhistory! Going to hear Feynman speakwas definitely the highlight of my undergraduatecareer; I can still remembersome of his talk 35 years later.The SPS chapter at the Universityof Miami has been a bit dormant overthe past year or so, and they have notinducted students into Sigma Pi Sigmalately. However, about a dozen studentsmet with me to talk about why it is soimportant to have an active SPS chapteron campus. I shared my experiences inthe University of Miami SPS chapter somany years ago, even relating the storyof the Feynman lecture. The studentshad a good chuckle because my olddepartment chair is now one of theirfavorite faculty members, and he has notchanged a bit. The students offered someclever ideas about how to reinvigoratethe chapter that included having a roomdedicated to the Society of Physics Studentsin the beautiful James L. Knightphysics building. The students saw anSPS lounge as a place where a local communityof young physicists could thrive.The passion for an SPS lounge grew aseach student around the table suggestedstrategies for making their chapter vigorousagain, so much so that at the endof our meeting the department chairasked for names and student numbersso he could get everyone present keysto a dedicated space as soon as possible.The immediate response to their requestmade it clear to me that there was avision for student success in the Universityof Miami physics department andthat SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma were anintegral part of the plan.The place we can bring togetherstudents from these schools, and everyother school in the United States, is ata Sigma Pi Sigma Quadrennial Congress.Congresses are excellent places forstudents to start networking, for facultyto find that next dynamite graduatestudent to join their research team, forindustry leaders to find a new generationof well-prepared technical workers, andfor alumni to reconnect with the sciencethat still inspires them. One of the moredelightful duties of the president ofSigma Pi Sigma is to be on the committeethat plans the Quadrennial Congress;this is a committee with a verystrong student voice. I think we have puttogether an amazing conference, whichwe have dubbed “PhysCon,” with a dynamiclineup of speakers, including Dr.Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Dr. John Mather(Nobel Laureate), Dr. John Grunsfeld,Prof. Freeman Dyson, Dr. John Johnson,and Dr. Mercedes Richards. There willalso be workshops to “Connect WorldsThrough Science and Service” wherestudents, faculty, speakers, and ΣΠΣalumni will actively engage in timelytopics such as how to make connectionsbetween physics and the public.The most important element of theCongress is you. I invite all who have anenduring passion for physics to join mein Orlando in November. Registrationis ongoing, so reserve your spot now.I especially invite all alumni memberswho were inducted in the near, ordistant, past to come bask in the energyand excitement of several hundredundergraduates. I promise it will be anexperience you will not soon forget! Myfarewell to you as I pass on the president’sgavel is, “I’ll see you at PhysConin Orlando.” rSpring 2012 Radiations 31