Dear Colleagues,
"It is essential for men of science to take an interest in the administration of their own affairs or else the professional civil servant will step in- and then the Lord help you" said Lord Ernest Rutherford over 60 years ago. Nobody predicted then how serious this warning could be...
We all can see that, in the current climate, Physics is facing extinction. This bitter remark is a consequence of watching the documentary film "Facing the Music" last night. In these days anything which does not bring $$ in the 3-year term is not worth pursuing. Shame!
We probably look like a group of Don Quixotes, pursuing lofty but unattainable ideals. Let us hope the climate for fundamental/enabling sciences will improve very soon and that the next report will be far more optimistic.
As a Branch we have been busy promoting Physics in the community via public lectures (six in 2001), the annual quiz for year 11/12 students, special youth lectures, and participation in the "Open Days" at the University. Additionally, we have been helping to promote Physics among first year science students through lectures presented by "role models".
All Physics students were asked to express their opinion on the part the AIP could play in assisting Science/Physics students. We have collected their responses. The material will be used to develop more efficient strategies in promoting Physics next year.
The Branch assisted two students ($50 each) in attending the Harley Wood Winter School and the associated ASA meeting.
May 2001 was truly celebrated by our Branch as a "month of science".
There were three public lectures:
11 May - Dr Gabriela Gonzalez, AIP Women in Physics Lecturer for 2001, who talked about gravitational waves as a new window to the Universe,
23 May - Prof. Ray Norris analysed possibilities of finding ET in the lecture "Is there anybody out there?", and on
28 May - Prof. J. Keith Moffat presented the 2001 Selby Lecture "Big Science and Little Science at Synchrotron Light Sources in the 21st Century". This lecture was organised jointly with RACI.
Prof. Ray Norris also presented special youth lectures at the Hutchins School and the Launceston College on 21 and 25 May, respectively.
Furthermore, there were special lectures for the first year Physics students presented by Prof. Ray Norris and Dr Gabriela Gonzalez in May.
We needed some break after such an intense month!
The next lecture was presented on 23 August by Prof. Roslynn Haynes (from University of NSW) on Aboriginal Astronomy and was well attended. On 2 October Dr Roland Warner gave a talk on "Antarctica and global warming - estimating the long term response". Our last public lecture this year will be presented by Prof. Richard Wielebinski, ex-Tasmanian, who is a Director of the Max - Planck - Institute for Radioastronomy in Bonn. The topic will be "Astronomy in the 21st Century".
The Tasmanian Branch held its annual year11/12 physics quiz on 1st September at the Don College in Devonport. This was the 9th Quiz in which 11 teams from 6 schools participated. The event is well established now and students are looking forward to it. This year it was another success. It was possible through the generous support of local Tasmanian business and organisations like Comalco, the Australian Antarctic Division, the Bureau of Meteorology, The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, CSIRO Marine Science and the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Tasmania. "Sky and Space" Magazine also sponsored the 9th AIP Physics Quiz.
This year our Branch nominated a candidate for the Bragg Medal although the result is not yet known.
Our Branch also took part in the Science Policy Committee discussion, via e-mail.
Our small AIP community (less than 50 full members) desperately needs new members. This year eight 3rd year Physics students joined AIP as a part of the National Body initiative of free membership for 3rd year students. We hope that they will continue their membership in 2002.
Problems of lapsed AIP membership and fees for non-AIP members at the AIP Congress, have been on the agenda but still require further consultation.
We held ten Committee Meetings during 2001, with usually too many items on each agenda!
I would like to acknowledge generous assistance of Dr Gary Burns - Secretary, Dr John Humble and Dr Steve Newbery - past and present Treasurers and Prof. Robert Delbourgo - Vice-Chair. All of these worked beyond the call of duty in their respective positions.
Special acknowledgments of assistance also go to Dr Ian Newman, who has looked after our web pages and has organised the Teachers Seminar, and to Dr Marc Duldig, who kept the outside world informed about activities of the Tasmanian Branch of the AIP.
I would like to thank the Committee for tremendous support over the year.
Additionally I would like to thank Dr Raymond Haynes, who substantially helped to organise two Public lectures and took part in the examination committee for the 2001 Bragg Medal.
I look forward to another active, yet better, year for Physics.
Elizabeth Chelkowska Hobart, 15.11.2001
Chair, AIP Tasmanian Branch
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