The Director's Corner

Greetings!
February 8, 2008

Going to Congress?

Want to represent your SPS Zone at the most interesting meeting of physicists this fall?

I mean, of course, the Sigma Pi Sigma Congress of physicists at FermiLab this coming November 6-8. If you want to help shape how SPS moves forward then, nominate someone appropriate (even yourself!) for the SPS Council. Deadline is Feb. 15th and you can see more detail here about the SPS Council elections...

…and about the Congress here. Plan now on being there whether you run for office or not! It promises to be the physics event of 2008.

Many other things below: scholarship applications deadline (also Feb. 15th)… summer jobs galore on www.the-nucleus.org, and check out the presidential candidates positions on a variety of science issues, even contribute to the blogs at the Science Health and Related Policies (SHARP Network) website, see http://sharp.sefora.org/ and there’s much more below…check it out!

—Gary

PS. As an FYI, I’m in the classroom this semester teaching a “How Things Work” class…I’m learning tons of stuff and I gave my first test this week; nobody ran out screaming! If I seem more frantic than usual, it’s probably because I have to figure out how to explain how an LCD panel works (or something like that) in 30 minutes or less, and learn how it works myself!

1. REPRESENT your region on the national physics student council! Nominations due Feb 15.
   
   
2. APPLY for an SPS Scholarship! ($2000 & up), due February 15.
   
   
3. Hundreds of summer research opportunities for physics students, in dozens of fields, at www.the-nucleus.org.
   
   
4. Play Physics Jeopardy at the NSBP meeting and hear 2007 Nobel Prize winner John Mather—it's in Washington, DC, Feb. 20-23.
   
   Physics Jeopardy is featured, so come JOIN US! It's a lot of fun, with low-key physics, and high-octane entertainment, and some fabulous prizes for the contestants and chapters.
   
   Planning on being there? …then send me a note at gwhite@aip.org and I’ll see about getting your chapter added to the Jeopardy game list…If you can’t make it to DC in February, no worries! Look for more Physics Jeopardy at a meeting near you in 2008 as part of the SPS Future Faces of Physics drive. Planning a zone meeting or regional meeting of physicists? Apply for your Jeopardy kit today!
   
   
5. The SHARP Network is community driven. All our content is added by users like you; so get involved, start contributing, and help hold elected officials and candidates accountable for the positions they’ve taken on critical health and science issues. See http://sharp.sefora.org/, also check out the Student Pugwash site http://www.spusa.org/pledge/ for other opportunities to wield your political savvy.
   
   
6. Teach for America! Use your physics skills to effect meaningful change…Applications due February 17.
   
   
7. CHECK out the APS March Meeting in New Orleans (March 10-14)or the APS April Meeting in St. Louis (April 12-15). It is free to undergraduates and there will be more Physics Jeopardy (with even a little travel assistance for those chapters interested in participating!), student presentations, great plenary talks, and lots of other students getting in on the physics fun.
   
   Planning on being there?…then send me a note at gwhite@aip.org and I’ll see about getting your chapter added to the Jeopardy game list and addressing your travel support request.
   
   
8. INQUIRE about the physics honor society, Sigma Pi Sigma, on your campus. Spring inductions are imminent nationwide, your chapter should be planning now. Discuss your eligibility with your advisor.

Gary White
Director, Sigma Pi Sigma and Society of Physics Students
Assistant Director of Education
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse
College Park, MD 20740
Tel: 301-209-3007
FAX: 301-209-0839