Trials and Tribulations of your FIP Editor

Ernie Malamud

Why produce a newsletter? In this time of information overflow is a periodic newsletter really necessary? All of us, professional researchers and educators have long “to-do” lists and a 20- or 30-page newsletter that only reaches us through an email announcement of its existence is often overlooked.

Is the newsletter worth the considerable effort required by the authors and Editor?

Issues and deadlines. There are 2 FIP newsletter per year (FIP bylaws Article IX-4). I have set the deadline for the spring issues enough in advance of the APS spring meetings so that copies (both on line and a few printed) are available at the meetings. Part of the spring issue contents is an encouragement to those attending either spring meeting to attend the FIP sessions. Consider the spring issue deadline to be “hard.”

Spring 2015 Deadline. February 1, 2015. I will only include material received by that date!
If you can, please send text in MSword format and graphical material as JPGs.

There is no “hard” deadline for the fall issue. However, I would like to space the issues roughly 6 months apart.

This fall 2014 issue has slipped several weeks for a variety of reasons. Another sign that a newsletter is not needed? And the number of articles contributed has tapered off significantly in recent issues. If FIP is to continue putting out 2 newsletters per year then FIP members are encouraged to suggest topics and authors for future issues.

This issue. I thank the authors for the 4 excellent articles included in this issue.

Sultana Nahar has contributed a trip report on her work in India. I learn a great deal from her articles about physics research and teaching in parts of the world quite unknown to me. Nahar’s tireless dedication in communicating in person with physicists in many countries is exemplary. Nahar is certainly working on the front lines and making things happen.

(…) if you feel that something is missing in the area of international scientific cooperation, join the FIP and make it happen! (from the FIP web page “mission statement”)

Ernie Malamud spent three decades at Fermilab participating in high energy physics experiments and accelerator design and construction. He is a Fermilab Scientist Emeritus and is on the adjunct faculty at the University of Nevada

Disclaimer - The articles and opinion pieces found in this issue of the APS Forum on International Physics Newsletter are not peer refereed and represent solely the views of the authors and not necessarily the views of the APS.