Award winners; FPS-Hosted sessions at Dallas Meeting

2011 Forum Award Recipients Announced

Recipients of the Forum’s Joseph A. Burton and Leo Szilard Lectureship Awards for 2011 have been announced. The Burton Award is given to recognize outstanding contributions to the public understanding or resolution of issues involving the interface of physics and society. The recipient for 2011 is M. Granger Morgan, Head of the Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University “For his public service and major contributions in the field of risk analysis and its application leading to increased public understanding of issues at the interface of physics and society.” The Leo Szilard Lectureship Award is given to recognize outstanding accomplishments by physicists in promoting the use of physics for the benefit of society in such areas as the environment, arms control, and science policy. The 2011 recipient of this award is John F. Ahearne (Sigma Xi) “For nearly four decades of selfless dedication to the nation, and for providing a voice of reason in advising on the use of physics for the benefit of society in areas as diverse as nuclear energy, arms control, risk communication, biological safety and ethics in science and engineering.” P&S extends hearty congratulations to Drs. Morgan and Ahearne on their well-deserved recognitions, and extends thanks to the members of the selection committee for their careful work: Donald Prosnitz (Chair), James L. Bonomo, Anthony Fainberg, and Rich Muller.

The deadline for nominations for the 2012 Burton and Szilard Awards is July 15, 2011. Information on Forum prizes and awards.

New Fellows Elected through the Forum

We are pleased to report that four members of the APS were elected to Fellowship at the November Council meeting through FPS nomination. These are Neil De Grasse Tyson (American Museum of Natural History), for his leadership as an educator who has excited millions of people about astrophysics and science, and for his service to the United States on commissions on NASA, space exploration, and the aerospace industry; James Fuller (University of Washington) in recognition of his pivotal contributions to international arms control, nuclear disarmament, and proliferation prevention and for his leadership in educational outreach; Richard Rowberg (National Academy of Sciences), for many contributions to the incorporation of technical insight into government decisions through his many advisory roles to the Congress on science and technology policy; and Andrew Zwicker (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory) for his outstanding service to Physics and Society issues and his excellent leadership on innovative education research and education outreach. Thanks are also due members of the Fellowship Committee for their good work: Pushpa Bhat (chair), Charles Ferguson, Siegfried Hecker, Usha Varshney, and Pete Zimmerman. 

FPS Election Results

Results of Forum elections were announced just as P&S was going to press.  Congratulations to t Valerie Thomas (Vice Chair) and Pierce Corden and Norman Gelfand (Members At-Large).

APS Congressional Science Fellowships

Applications for APS Congressional Science Fellowships are due January 15, 2011. Details can be found at aps.org/policy/fellowships/congressional.cfm. Congressional Fellowships are an opportunity for physicists who want to apply their knowledge and skills beyond the lab bench to the conduct of national policy. Fellows serve a one-year term working in the office of a Member of Congress or for a congressional committee. The fellowship term is for one year, usually running September through August. Benefits include a stipend of $70,000 per year, a relocation allowance, an allowance for in-service travel for professional development and reimbursement for health insurance up to a specified maximum.

FPS to Host Sessions at APS March Meeting

The annual March meeting of the APS will be held at the Dallas Convention Center from March 21-25, 2011. FPS is hosting two sessions by itself plus one jointly with the Forum on Education. The tentative titles of presentations are given here. Details of times and locations were not available at press time.

The Physics, Technology, and Future of Robotics.  Randy M. Dunse: Finding Fun and Fame in Physics with Robots; Paul Bouchier: Recent Advances in Robotics and Career Opportunities for Physicists; Brian L. Huff: The Use of Physics in the Engineering of Robots; Steve Rainwater: Robot Competitions Around the World. Science, Art, and Culture. David Hanson: Robotics in the World of Entertainment; Stephen Warton: XPower plus the Physics of Rodeo; Joe DiPrima: Singing Tesla Coils; Davey Griffin: The Science of Barbeque (Texas Style). Broader Impact: Partnerships and Resources to achieve Successful Public and K-12 Outreach and Engagement (jointly with FEd). Larry Bell: Science Museum Resources and Partnerships for Public and K-12 Outreach and Engagement; Philip Hammer: Professional Society Resources and Partnerships for Public and K-12 Outreach and Engagement; Aditi Risbud: National Laboratory Resources and Partnerships for Public and K-12 Outreach and Engagement; James Wynne: Marshaling Corporate Resources for Public and K-12 Technical Education Outreach and Engagement; Greta Zenner Petersen: University Research Center Resources and Partnerships for Public and K-12 Outreach and Engagement.

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These contributions have not been peer-refereed. They represent solely the view(s) of the author(s) and not necessarily the view of APS.