I’ve mentioned before that I’m going to be giving an invited talk in the LaserFest session at the APS March Meeting. I finally got around to registering for the meeting, and booking my travel. $1,500 on the college credit card– whee! The March Meeting program is one of the more intimidating meeting programs I’ve ever… Continue reading Where I’m Going to Be: Physics Conferences
Month: January 2010
Academic Poll: Hail, Stranger
I’m getting considerably more email from people I don’t know these days, which has me wondering about the ways people address one another. Hence, a poll: You are writing an email to a person you have never met before, who you know to be employed by a college or university. What salutation do you use?(survey… Continue reading Academic Poll: Hail, Stranger
Au Revoir, Cognitive Daily
Set the bloggy flags at half-mast, for Dave and Greta are shutting down Cognitive Daily. OK, maybe three-quarter-mast, because they’re doing it of their own free will, but still, they’ll be missed. And now I need to find a new example of an extremely successful blog that is always and unfailingly about science, with no… Continue reading Au Revoir, Cognitive Daily
Links for 2010-01-21
arXiv.org help – arXiv Support FAQ “This FAQ addresses questions raised in response to Cornell University Library’s work to develop a diversified funding model to support arXiv. In a nutshell: We are working with peer libraries to investigate voluntary contributions from institutions that are the heaviest users of arXiv. “ (tags: science publishing funding academia)… Continue reading Links for 2010-01-21
Seven Essential Elements of Quantum Physics
The previous collection of things everyone should know about quantum physics is a little meta– it’s mostly talking up the importance and relevance of the theory, and not so much about the specifics of the theory. Here’s a list of essential elements of quantum physics that everyone ought to know, at least in broad outlines:… Continue reading Seven Essential Elements of Quantum Physics
Four Things Everybody Should Know About Quantum Physics
Derek Lowe has a post talking about things biologists should know about medicinal chemistry. It’s a good idea for a post topic, so I’m going to steal it. Not to talk about medicinal chemistry, or biologists, of course, but to talk about my own field, and what everyone– not just scientists– should know about quantum… Continue reading Four Things Everybody Should Know About Quantum Physics
Radio DogPhysics: Progressive Talk Edition
Another mass media appearance for How to Teach Physics to Your Dog: I will be interviewed on the Thom Hartmann Program at 1pm (give or take a small amount) this afternoon. If you’re a regular listener, well, this will plug right into your schedule. If you’re not, but would like to hear what I sound… Continue reading Radio DogPhysics: Progressive Talk Edition
How to Teach Physics to Your Dog: Obsessive Update
The college bookstore has set up a display table right at the front of the store with a bunch of copies of How to Teach Physics to Your Dog, which is kind of a kick. Some of my students asked me about it in lab yesterday. The big news, though, is that the Associated Press… Continue reading How to Teach Physics to Your Dog: Obsessive Update
Links for 2010-01-20
james_nicoll: In the spirit of Christopher Wren “How much would it cost to rebuild Port-au-Prince with the infrastructure a modern, first-world city should have? Large sections of it will have to be rebuilt so it might as well be done right.” (tags: economics politics world blogs james-nicoll) Hester Prynne, Schmester Prynne, or Sarah Palin’s Ressentiment… Continue reading Links for 2010-01-20
Syracuse vs. Notre Dame
I watched most of Syracuse’s win over Notre Dame last night. Two basketball games in the same week! Luxury! The thing that really jumps out at me about this team as opposed to last year’s is that they’re calm. Last year Eric Devendorf in particular, and to a lesser extent Johnny Flynn, tended to panic… Continue reading Syracuse vs. Notre Dame