Session D5: Panel Discussion: Forum at Forty

Creativity and Funding Reality in Physics

This talk has three parts. In the first part I recount some of the early history of the APS Forum on Physics and Society. In the second part I discuss aspects of creativity in physics: ability to visualize, ability to go from imagination to reality, mathematical skills, laboratory skills. I point out that creativity in science is constrained by the reality of natural laws and by the reality of funding. In the third part I discuss what the individual researcher can do to remain creative as the present funding level for physics research in the United States is mostly static or slowly decreasing.   

Panelists Remarks -- The Start of the Forum on Physics and Society

The early days of the Forum on Physics and Society, its leadership and programs will be reviewed. Science was late in joining the major changes taking place in American society in the late 1960s. At the time, APS and other professional science societies were limited to research, education and history. The concept that the APS would, at its meetings, deal with physics and society matters was not seen as part of the Society's mission. At the time there was turmoil in American society concerning the Vietnam War, civil rights, free speech issues and the military-industrial complex. Also exacerbating the situation was the sharp downturn of employment opportunities for the large numbers of Ph.D. scientist produced by the post sputnik encouragement and funding of science education. I and Emanuel Maxwell of MIT collected the 1 percent (approximately 200) signatures of the then APS membership required to establish a new unit to be named, The Division of Physics and Society. This resulted in much debate within the Society and ultimately resolved with the establishment of new class of APS units designated as Forums.   

Physics and Society: A sub-discipline of Physics

The Forum on Physics and Society was born in the tumultuous 1960's and 70's and has a long record of accomplishments over the past 40 years. \begin{itemize} \item {303 APS session in 40 years, an average of 7.7/year.} \item {10 Books (3 Forum Studies, 7 AIP Conf. Proceedings, 4 booklets).} \item {Physics and Society has published results that have been widely referenced.} \item {2 Forum Board Members became U.S. Congressmen [V. Ehlers (R-MI), R. Holt (D-NJ)], others have had notable public service careers.} \item {Szilard and Burton-Forum Awards recognize positive contributions of physicists in society.} \item {The Forum helped establish the Congressional Science Fellowships.} \end{itemize} This talk will update the 1999 \textit{Forum History} (http://www.aps.org/units/fps/history.cfm) and provide anecdotal humor. Lastly, back-of-the-envelope calculations from my text, \textit{Physics of Society Issues: Calculations on National Security, Environment and Energy} (Springer, 2007), will be provided.   

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Physics and Society in the new millenium

I joined the Executive Committee of FPS in 2001, served for two consecutive terms as Secretary/Treasurer (2001 - 2006), and then one 3-year cycle as Vice Chair-Chair-Past Chair (2007 - 2009). During this first decade of the new millenium, FPS made significant changes to how we carried out elections (fully electronic) and gradually reduced the paper editions of the newsletter from four to two (with two electronic) to, finally, fully electronic. The changes, with the resultant decrease in costs associated with printing and mailing, gave the Forum the financial freedom to expand its activities. Ironically, the last paper edition of our newsletter was also, perhaps, our most infamous as we found ourself no longer simply reporting on the climate change controversy, but a part of the story. In this talk, I will reflect upon my experiences during this period and what it might imply for the next 40 years of FPS.   

Panel Discussion

The session celebrates forty years of the Forum's activities and looks to the future. A keynote address by one of its founding fathers and remarks from a panel of the past chairs are planned. All are invited to come and participate in the discussions and to join us at a reception following the session.