Discover
/
Article

The APS in 1977: public service in an era of limited growth

APR 01, 1978
Public service and concerns for human rights accompany The American Physical Society’s primary function of advancing and diffusing knowledge of physics.
George E. Pake

Some truly great figures have served as presidents of The American Physical Society. I am absolutely certain that I cannot measure up to the standards they have set, not just for the presidency of the society but also for their leadership within the science of physics and the community of physicists. Yet I would venture to guess that only my most recent predecessors found the presidency of APS as demanding of time and effort as I did, and that future presidents will encounter the same substantial demands on their energies that characterized my year. The presidency of the society has evolved into this circumstance as physics has entered a new, more complex, and a more difficult era. In this article marking the end of my term as APS president, after reporting on the activities of the society during the past twelve months I will offer some reflections on the characteristics, the differences and the challenges that this new era in physics presents.

This article is only available in PDF format

References

  1. 1. W. W. Lowrance, Science 197, 1254 (1977).https://doi.org/SCIEAS

  2. 2. F. Press, interview published in Research Management, September 1977, page 11.

More about the authors

George E. Pake, Palo Alto Research Center of Xerox Corporation.

Related content
/
Article
The ability to communicate a key message clearly and concisely to a nonspecialized audience is a critical skill to develop at all educational levels.
/
Article
With strong magnetic fields and intense lasers or pulsed electric currents, physicists can reconstruct the conditions inside astrophysical objects and create nuclear-fusion reactors.
/
Article
A crude device for quantification shows how diverse aspects of distantly related organisms reflect the interplay of the same underlying physical factors.
/
Article
Events held around the world have recognized the past, present, and future of quantum science and technology.
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1978_04.jpeg

Volume 31, Number 4

Get PT in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.