The Editors Look Back

MAY 01, 1998

Toni Feder

PHYSICS TODAY, the flagship magazine of the American Institute of Physics (AIP), turns 50 this month. Over the decades, as the magazine’s staff has grown in size from three to seventeen, its coverage of history, international and political news has also grown, and the staff still finds itself stretching to cover both the shifting and expanding field of physics and the physics community. And, as recent chats with the six past and present editors reveal, many of the rewards and challenges of working on PHYSICS TODAY have remained steady through the years.

This article is only available in PDF format

More about the authors

Toni Feder, American Center for Physics, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, Maryland 20740‐3842. tfeder@aip.org

Physics Today is looking for a Senior Editor. Apply Now.

Related content

Features

Article

A brief guide to science outreach

Figuring out how to communicate with the public can be overwhelming. Here’s some advice for getting started.

December 16, 2025 04:38 PM

Features

Article

The urgent need for research governance of solar geoengineering

Amid growing investment in planetary-scale climate intervention strategies that alter sunlight reflection, global communities deserve inclusive and accountable oversight of research.

December 15, 2025 12:05 PM

Features

Article

Superconducting quantum circuits: At the heart of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics

Although motivated by the fundamental exploration of the weirdness of the quantum world, the prizewinning experiments have led to a promising branch of quantum computing technology.

November 25, 2025 03:04 PM

Features

Article

Solid-state batteries: Hype, hopes, and hurdles

As conventional lithium-ion battery technology approaches its theoretical limits, researchers are studying alternative architectures with solid electrolytes.

November 10, 2025 10:22 AM

This Content Appeared In