Crossword Puzzle: Pro Bono Omniumby Diane Jacobs, <strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> President, Eastern Michigan UniversityAcross2 Service7 Large amplitude vibration9 Rate <strong>of</strong> change <strong>of</strong> magnetic flux13 Change in momentum14 Service (2 wds)16 Prepare17 Service21 Transmitted light propagation22 Coil <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> doing work48 Short print announcement49 Equality <strong>of</strong> measure50 Wandering starDown1 State <strong>of</strong> water3 All forces4 Energy storage device5 Incline6 Pulling force8 Evolves heat10 Proportional to normal force11 Systematic universe12 Touch15 Add upMost <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> words for <strong>the</strong> "Service" clues can be found in "Science & Service," by Diane Jacobs, pp. 9-11.16 Service18 Indisposition to a change <strong>of</strong> motion19 Service20 Massless particle23 Ohm second25 Change in kinetic energy27 Fractional charge particle30 Measure <strong>of</strong> disorder32 Force per area34 Moment36 Service37 Coulomb/volt38 Base39 Recede40 Not dot product42 Short hairs43 Modify45 Revolt
Physics Puzzle 2Graduations and recognizingservice got <strong>the</strong> author <strong>of</strong> oursecond puzzle, Gary White,thinking about what he calls<strong>the</strong> “gift-wrapping” problem:A. Given a square piece <strong>of</strong>wrapping paper with an area<strong>of</strong> one square meter, what is<strong>the</strong> largest volume box thatcan be gift-wrapped?Scan with a QRcode reader onyour smart phoneor tablet on orafter 16 Augustto see <strong>the</strong> answersonline.SPS_full 4/21/11 2:37 PM Page 1B. Suppose you allow any rectangularsheet <strong>of</strong> wrapping paper with an area <strong>of</strong>one square meter. Can you wrap a largervolume with a rectangle ra<strong>the</strong>r than asquare <strong>of</strong> equal area?Note: The terms “gift-wrapping” and“boxes” are shorthand for <strong>the</strong> usual method<strong>of</strong> covering rectangular parallelepipeds withpaper—folding and overlapping is allowed,but no stretching, tearing, cutting, etc. rExperimenting withyour hiring process?Finding <strong>the</strong> best scientific job or hire shouldn’t be left tochance. SPS Jobs (<strong>the</strong> online job site <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Society <strong>of</strong>Physics Students and <strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>) is your ideal recruitmentresource, targeting over 125,000 undergraduates,graduate students, early pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, and mentors inphysics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, medicine,ma<strong>the</strong>matics, geology, and o<strong>the</strong>r science-related fieldsworldwide. Whe<strong>the</strong>r you’re looking to hire or be hired, SPSprovides real results by matching hundreds <strong>of</strong> relevant jobswith this hard-to-reach audience each month.http://jobs.spsnational.orgThe Society <strong>of</strong> Physics Students (SPS) and <strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> is a partner in <strong>the</strong> AIP Career Network,a collection <strong>of</strong> online job sites for scientists, engineers, and computing pr<strong>of</strong>essionals. O<strong>the</strong>r partnersinclude Physics Today, <strong>the</strong> American Association <strong>of</strong> Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), AmericanAssociation <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> key ingredients <strong>of</strong> service <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>kinds featured in this <strong>issue</strong> <strong>of</strong> Radiations. The analogy is notperfect, but think <strong>of</strong> two friends enjoying a cordial tennisgame—where improved play is more important than <strong>the</strong> score—ra<strong>the</strong>r than acting as tooth-and-nail competitors. As you readwhat your colleagues have written in <strong>the</strong>ir reflections on service,you’ll see that <strong>the</strong>y seem to get as much as <strong>the</strong>y give... that <strong>the</strong>returns from serving are as important as <strong>the</strong> service itself.That’s <strong>the</strong> way that I feel about my eleven years here as director<strong>of</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>. While in some sense I feel that my role hasbeen to serve <strong>the</strong> needs <strong>of</strong> physics students and <strong>the</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong>belonging. It has been a terrific eleven years that has seen <strong>the</strong>development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> SPS web presences, <strong>the</strong> expansion <strong>of</strong> SPSzone meetings, <strong>the</strong> reinvigoration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> Congresses,and an increase in overall SPS activity and participationthat parallels <strong>the</strong> unprecedented numbers <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> absence from my current SPS positionto become a member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> “rotating” staff <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> National ScienceFoundation (NSF). As a “rotator” I will work as a full-timegrants <strong>of</strong>ficer for one to two years at <strong>the</strong> NSF, but I will retainmy formal affiliation with <strong>the</strong> American Institute <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>the</strong> director <strong>of</strong> SPS, and it will be hard towatch from <strong>the</strong> sidelines for a while. With its tremendous staff<strong>of</strong> dedicated pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, though, SPS remains in very goodhands. In addition, SPS is fortunate that Dr. Toni Sauncy <strong>of</strong>Angelo State University will be replacing me in <strong>the</strong> leadershiprole. Toni has served SPS and <strong>Sigma</strong> <strong>Pi</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> admirably aspresident <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> SPS Council and in many o<strong>the</strong>r ways. She hasalso filled many o<strong>the</strong>r leadership roles impressively, includingservice as president <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> campus faculty senate and asPresident <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Texas section <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> American Association <strong>of</strong>Physics Teachers. By <strong>the</strong> time this is printed, I have no doubtthat she will have already hit <strong>the</strong> ground running.I am especially grateful to so many <strong>of</strong> you for all <strong>the</strong> supportfor physics students, for SPS, and for me that you have shownover <strong>the</strong> years—<strong>the</strong> “return service,” if you will. I look forwardto working with you to improve <strong>the</strong> climate for physics studentseven fur<strong>the</strong>r as I transition to this new role.Sincerely and humbly,Gary WhiterReturning Servecontinued from page 3Spring 2012 Radiations 23
Change language