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 <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>the</strong>maticallower bound, approached but never realized! Personally, I don’t always fare too wellin <strong>the</strong> 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 <strong>the</strong> aphorism about serving two masterson its head—it’s not about what it feels like to be overwhelmed with <strong>the</strong> “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 OlsenABOVE<strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>Director GaryWhite briefsphysics outreachvolunteers inpreparation for <strong>the</strong>2012 Physics Day atSix Flags Americanear Washington,DC. Local members<strong>of</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>and <strong>the</strong> Society <strong>of</strong>Physics Studentshave joined o<strong>the</strong>rphysics societiesat this annualoutreach eventsince 2002.Photo by Tracy M.Schwab.<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> immediate” (to borrow a phrase from an o<strong>the</strong>rwiselong-forgotten sermon), it’s about <strong>the</strong> reality that, when pushcomes to shove, <strong>the</strong> sole and true master will be revealed by <strong>the</strong>actions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> servant. It’s a biblical saying from an era when<strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> word “serve” had <strong>the</strong> taint <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>the</strong> Navy, a waiter“serves” us a meal, and we attend worship and memorial “services.”Service is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> four pillars <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>mission—in fact, “<strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> exists to ...promote anattitude <strong>of</strong> service <strong>of</strong> its members towards <strong>the</strong>ir fellow students,colleagues, and <strong>the</strong> public...” In this <strong>issue</strong> <strong>of</strong> Radiations, we seefine examples <strong>of</strong> physicists describing <strong>the</strong>ir service to <strong>the</strong> communityin a variety <strong>of</strong> ways, making tangible what <strong>the</strong> physicscommunity means by service. O<strong>the</strong>r 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 <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficialpublication <strong>of</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>, <strong>the</strong> physics honorsociety. Published twice per year by <strong>the</strong> AmericanInstitute <strong>of</strong> Physics, One Physics Ellipse,College Park, MD 20740-3841. Printed in <strong>the</strong>USA. Standard postage paid at Mechanicsburg,PA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:Radiations Magazine, <strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>, OnePhysics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3841.<strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> is an organization <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> AmericanInstitute <strong>of</strong> Physics. It was founded at DavidsonCollege, Davidson, North Carolina, December11, 1921. Member, Association <strong>of</strong> CollegeHonor Societies. Contact us at: e-mail: sps@aip.org; telephone: (301) 209-3007; fax: (301) 209-0839.Copyright © 2012, American Institute <strong>of</strong> Physics.Title registered in <strong>the</strong> US Patent Office. All rightsreserved.Spring 2012 Radiations 3