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An age of change

JAN 01, 1970
Physics is slowly changing; its definition, education, information transfer, and research and development are all being modified. At the start of a new decade, we look to a “systems” approach to see how we can influence these changes.

DOI: 10.1063/1.3021918

H. William Koch

PHYSICS IS UNDERGOING important social changes, as is the rest of society. In the last decade, the most obvious change for physics has been the change in the attitude of society in the US towards it. From being regarded as a science desperately needed for national survival and prestige it has become one that is being placed in a more conventional social context, with new priorities.

References

  1. 1. S. D. Ellis, PHYSICS TODAY 22, no. 3, 53 (1969).

  2. 2. PHYSICS TODAY 22, no. 4, 80
    and no. 6, 68 (1969).

  3. 3. “A Survey of the Draft Status of First and Second Year Science Graduate Students,” Science Manpower Commission, Washington, D.C. (1969).

  4. 4. S. D. Ellis, “Physics Manpower Survey 1969,” AIP report R 220 (1969).

  5. 5. H. W. Koch, A. Herschman, “A Network for Physics Information,” AIP report ID 68‐13 (1968).

  6. 6. V. Weisskopf, PHYSICS TODAY 20, no. 5, 23 (1967).

  7. 7. “A Program for a National Information System for Physics 1970–72.” AIP report ID 69R (1969).

  8. 8. “A Pressing National Problem and Recommendations for its Solution,” report of the NAS‐NAE committee on Scientific and Technical Communication (1969).

  9. 9. H. W. Mohrman, in Essays on Creativity in the Sciences, (M. A. Coler, ed.) New York University Press, N.Y. (1963).

  10. 10. “Federal Funds for Research, Development and Other Scientific Activities,” Published annually by the National Science Foundation.

  11. 11. C. Agyris, Am. Scientist, Winter 1968 (p. 34).

  12. 12. E. Fromm, The Revolution of Hope, Harper and Row, New York (1969).

  13. 13. W. Glasser, Schools Without Failure, Harper and Row, New York (1969).

  14. 14. G. Holton, PHYSICS TODAY 20, no. 3, 31 (1967).

  15. 15. PHYSICS TODAY 20, no. 3, 60 (1967).

  16. 16. E. A. Wood, “Pressing Needs in School Science,” AIP report R 216 (1969).

  17. 17. H. W. Koch, PHYSICS TODAY 21, no. 4, 41 (1968).

  18. 18. W. S. Brown, J. R. Pierce, J. F. Traub, Science 162, 1153 (1967).

More about the Authors

H. William Koch. American Institute of Physics.

This Content Appeared In
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Volume 23, Number 1

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