AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS - SA branch minutes, April 2001 Minutes of the committee meeting held at 6pm on Tuesday 24th April 2001 in the tea room of the Dept. of Physics and Mathematical Physics at Adelaide University. PRESENT: Bouwknegt, Campbell, Wiltshire, Carter, Samardzic, Veitch, Cockshell and Leinweber. APOLOGIES: Kamleh, French and Kalloniatis. URGENT BUSINESS ARISING: Samardzic reported that the Science Quiz has problems because people are not responding to her emails. A particular problem is that Kalloniatis has not passed on the information about the booking, so she has no idea how to contact relevant people at Adelaide. Bouwknegt noted that Kalloniatis will be at the lecture on Thursday evening. Veitch said that Arlene Shaw has access to current bookings. Samardzic gave the details available, being that the Quiz will be on May 4th, 2-5pm, in the Upper Refectory (level 4). Cockshell said that they need to know what is available. Carter offered to investigate. Bouwknegt asked her to do so on Thursday, and also undertook to ask Kalloniatis about the situation. Veitch noted that there would not be entry to the venue until 2pm. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING: There were a number of corrections: - The "750" quoted for Scott theatre was actually the number of people it holds and not the cost in dollars. - Kamleh (not Leinweber) had scoured the web on membership benefits and it was Kamleh (not Leinweber) who was to merge the available information into one document. - It was Bouwknegt (not the National branch) who suggested that state branches establish connections with cognate societies. - Bouwknegt did not suggest that the web page refer to the display case. - The Science Policy subcommittee was to write a letter on the situation at Flinders and the danger of it happening elsewhere. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES: Bouwknegt asked what the problem is with the Gold Bragg medal guidelines. Leinweber answered that the problem is with item 4 of the guidelines, which say that the nomination should include a citation, the markers' reports and a justification of the work. It is not clear what should be included in the markers' reports, which are currently taken to include the standard University report form and the referees' reports. Different universities have different forms and criteria, which leads to difficulties. For example, the University of Adelaide has a check box for an outstanding thesis, while the other SA Universities do not. This weighs unfairly against the Adelaide candidate if the box is not ticked. Thus Leinweber suggested that only the referees' written reports be considered, and not the standard university form. He agreed to draft a letter to the national branch on the subject. Bouwknegt asked if 3rd-year students at Flinders had been invited to join the AIP. Campbell said he had received one application and knew that some other students had been given the forms. Leinweber suggested sending a message to the national branch endorsing the proposal to hire professionals to produce promotional material for the AIP. Bouwknegt said that he would do this before May 8th. CHAIR'S REPORT: Bouwknegt reported that he and Samardzic had attended the National Science Week meeting. National Science week is in some disarray, with different opinions on what is organised. He reported that they are happy with the AIP's lecture and will organise a radio interview for Dr Gonzalez. Veitch suggested caution to ensure that this did not clash with the departmental seminar. Bouwknegt reported that National Science week may pay for the venue, and give the lecture some publicity. TABLED DOCUMENTS: Campbell tabled some copies of the posters for the two upcoming public lectures. Bouwknegt asked about the job-clipping process, noting that Natalie Traversa had reported despatching the originals two weeks ago. Leinweber said that he had not received any originals recently. TREASURER'S REPORT: Campbell tabled documents given on a disk to him earlier in the day by French. These were a Treasurer's statement for 31-10-00 to 31-3-01, with a closing balance of $7579.03, and details of cheques written during that interval. Campbell tabled an application to be sent to the bank declaring French, himself and Bouwknegt to be the branch members who can sign cheques. He asked for and received the approval of the committee for this arrangement. Samardzic lamented the absence of the treasurer as she needed to get money for the prizes for the Science quiz. She said that she had sent emails about this but received no response. Bouwknegt said that he also needed to speak to French about various issues, including the GST on sponsorship. Bouwknegt reminded subcommittees that he had asked for their proposed budgets, noting that the National Treasurer has asked for details of state-branch budgets. No subcommittee budgets were submitted. Samardzic revisited the issue of getting a video camera using national reserves. Leinweber noted that the existing status of this was that Samardzic should look for a suitable camera. Carter suggested getting "professionals" from the student film centre to tape the lectures. Samardzic explained that national reserves could not be used for this. There was some discussion as to what type of tape would be appropriate (ie to go for the length of a lecture). Bouwknegt stressed the importance of getting details of the budget to the national branch and asked for last year's budget. Campbell did not have it, but Bouwknegt produced a summary which he handed to Wiltshire, who is to draft a letter about it to the National Treasurer. Wiltshire asked for details of individual cheques for last year in order to be able to do this. Campbell undertook to obtain these. Samardzic asked again about getting money from the Treasurer to her for the Science Quiz. Various options were discussed and discounted, with Cockshell resolving the issue by offering to pay in advance using her credit card and then be reimbursed. Bouwknegt noted that SPACED is to propose an event, and that we need to know what is proposed. Carter said that some of the money allocated would be used for an upcoming Quiz Night. Campbell noted that there is a problem in using the post via Adelaide University, with the mail office asking the branch to open a business credit account. He said that he would email those concerned, but suggested that it may be better to put stamps on envelopes, with the drawback being in reclaiming the GST. Cockshell and Veitch suggested that this could be done as an Australia-Post receipt is a tax invoice. Several members voiced their concern that other members are not doing the jobs that they have undertaken. Bouwknegt noted that the web site has not been changed. Samardzic said it is hard when people don't respond to emails, and that her jobs take ten times as long when everyone has to be chased. Leinweber said that it needs to be said that things must be done, otherwise disaster happens. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS: MEETINGS: Wiltshire said that the next two public lectures are organised. For the Festival event, Weinberg has pulled out but Wertheim can talk on Friday 13th July on "Out of the lab. - seeing science in cultural terms". The event must be members only. There was some concern that insufficient people might turn up. A dinner/talk was proposed, with Samardzic suggesting Naja's (upstairs), which requires more than 12. Samardzic will investigate the venue. The event will be advertised to Women-in-Physics, AIP and SPACED members. Bouwknegt voiced his concern over the Veltman lecture, as there is no confirmation available over what has been booked. He raised the issue of the front row being reserved for the awardees and asked how many there would be. Campbell said that Blankleider had not told him, and warned that it was not enough to put reserved notices on seats as people would not see them. He suggested a notice on the doors and Bouwknegt undertook to produce an overhead. It was decided that Bouwknegt should talk about the award and call out the student names. Leinweber said that it would help if Blankleider spelt out the students names phonetically where appropriate. Campbell said that he had sent an email to Jim Dennie asking for a table and chair to be put at the front of the lecture theatre for Blankleider, but had received no reply. It was reported that Jim Dennie is away until Thursday. Campbell said that someone needed to check that the booking is OK, but it was difficult for him to come in on Thursday morning. Bouwknegt undertook to check that the Hall booking is OK on Thursday. Campbell reported that he had booked the Equinox. Leinweber said he was concerned in case there was loud music, which had caused us to abandon the Equinox earlier. Campbell suggested that we were not in a position to make special requests, given that our booking is vague on numbers. Leinweber undertook to talk to the Equinox on Thursday, with the intention being to move the dinner elsewhere if the Equniox cannot promise an appropriate environment. Veitch reported that the Gonzalez lecture is under control. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS: EDUCATION: Samardzic reported that another teacher-training session will be held on 1st-2nd June. Veitch is to talk on "from corona to field emission" and Robyn Storer about electric and magnetic fields in cyclotrons. One more speaker is needed, but on one of the small number of "applications" which have not yet being covered. Some of these appear boring, but the teachers appreciate it. Bouwknegt reminded Samardzic about sending information on the teacher training for the web page. (Leinweber asked about Kamleh. Bouwknegt said that he had been doing the web page because Kamleh didn't have time.) Samardzic reported that she and Cockshell had been the only ones to turn up to a meeting on the previous evening about the Science Quiz. She reported that Peter had obtained $200 in sponsorship from the University of Adelaide. Through John Pattison the UNISA has given $100, but will not provide questions. Samardzic had emailed Blankleider, French and Ford asking for sponsorship from Flinders, but had received no reply. Bouwknegt suggested that she ask one person only. Leinweber noted that the CSSM had put in $100, but declined to give more on the basis that the other Universities should put something in. Leinweber undertook to produce a CSSM round of questions and to get them to Samardzic early enough for checking. Samardzic described the organisation of the sessions, including: - multiple-choice rounds to speed things up - 4 sessions of short-answer questions - use of a single submission sheet for each school to make marking easier - two head and tail games (for which the questions are ready) - using pictures of Physicists as was done last year, but with a twist Samardzic reported that she still needs: - An overhead projector - PA system - 10 tables with 10 chairs each - a table at the front - 4 markers (to do 2 pages each) Leinweber undertook to present the CSSM questions and to be half a marker, with Veitch agreeing to be the other half. Carter undertook to get markers through SPACED. Bouwknegt asked about the clash between the opening of National Science week and the Science Quiz. Samardzic said that she would go to the launch to put the flyers out before the Quiz. Samardzic asked about signs and said that sponsors can put up posters. Campbell said that we have only the large boards with "AIP" on them. Leinweber said that he will bring some posters and gained permission to set up a screen and projector to show a CSSM simulation. Veitch said he would bring the High-Energy Astrophysics poster. Leinweber reported that he had given the Nobel Posters to Sharon to laminate on the day after the last meeting and did not know what had happened since. Carter undertook to ask about poster boards. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS: STUDENT ACTIVITIES Carter reported that the WIP display is in the display case. Campbell said that the Physics club at Flinders was to start up on Friday and undertook to put them in contact with Carter. Carter asked about the criteria for student membership. Campbell said that only students in a Physics major qualified for "student" membership, which ruled out 1st and 2nd years, but Carter said she had been a member since 1st year. Associate membership was raised as an alternative, with disagreement over whether this is cheaper than student membership. Carter offered to go to 1st and 2nd year classes to talk about AIP membership. Veitch suggested it would be better to get students into SPACED first and then into the AIP. Bouwknegt was concerned about such active recruitment and suggested putting the relevant information into the display case. Leinweber said he would like to see half of the display case devoted to the AIP. Bouwknegt said it must be made clear that it is an AIP display, and offered Veltman's brochure for the case. Leinweber referred to the colour copies of web pages from last year, saying that a few of them should be in the display case, including the web page URL. Carter noted that it is a WIP display for the next two weeks. Leinweber reiterated that it must be clear that it is an AIP display. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS: MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS AND RECRUITMENT: Carter asked to be on this committee. Leinweber reported that the convenor Kamleh has not been active. The other members are Leinweber, Kalloniatis and Stewart Wright. Leinweber said he was delighted to have Carter join the subcommittee. He explained that Wright is still working on Membership Benefits although he was withdrawn from the Science Policy committee. Leinweber said he would like to see the subcommittee do more and offered to take over as convenor. Bouwknegt said to decide this within the subcommittee. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS: SCIENCE POLICY COMMITTEE: Bouwknegt noted that Canney is waiting for a response from Blankleider on the issue of membership of Flinders students. He undertook to email Blankleider, as the intention is to write to the National Science Policy Committee before 8th May to raise concern about things nationwide with Flinders as an example, to suggest that the national branch develop a policy. He reported that the accreditation committee will visit Adelaide and Flinders Universities next year, so there is no need for the state branch to call for action on accreditation. Samardzic asked that the email to Blankleider be copied to Canney. Samardzic asked if Bouwknegt would take part in the national SPC meeting. Bouwknegt said no as he would be in the USA, and that Canney should do it anyway. Samardzic indicated that there is a misunderstanding, in that both she and Canney thought that Bouwknegt was the representative on the national committee. Bouwknegt said that the convenor should be the representative. Samardzic suggested Canney did not think he was convenor. Leinweber said it was clearly determined at the last meeting that Canney would be the convenor. Veitch pointed out that as Bouwknegt is not available Canney should be the representative at the next national meeting. ANY OTHER BUSINESS: Samardzic referred again to the problems caused by people not doing the jobs that they have undertaken to do. Campbell suggested that he could do the web page, given that he writes most of the material anyway. Bouwknegt rejected this, as what is needed is someone to redesign things, rather than just change the material, which is the easy part. He said that he would talk to Kamleh about it. Samardzic said that she needs someone to talk on the electron microscope for teacher training. Veitch suggested that John Pattison at the USA may be in an appropriate field. Samardzic said that she would contact both John Pattison and John Patterson about it. Bouwknegt suggested Roger Clay may talk, as he is interested in contacting teachers. Bouwknegt asked who has a list of teachers. Cockshell reported having a new "Alan Pepper" list. Campbell reported that the Veltman lecture would be advertised in the "public notices" section of the Advertiser on the next day, but asked whether such an advert would be necessary for the Gonzalez lecture, given the publicity of National Science Week. Samardzic undertook to ask about whether National Science week would publicise it, but thought that National Science Week events will be published in the paper each day. Campbell undertook to implement a request by Leinweber to produce 200 copies of the Gonzalez poster to hand out at the Veltman lecture. Leinweber confirmed that he will go to the Equinox on Thursday to check its suitability for the dinner. Samardzic raised the venue payment issue. Bouwknegt reported that he had obtained the previous correspondence on this from John Patterson (on the fourth attempt) and was now waiting to get a copy of the new guidelines. Veitch said to ring John Keefe about this. Samardzic said that a similar group were not being charged for ordinary lecture theatres on the basis that they were bringing science to the public, but had asked that we not name them. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: This was set for Tuesday June 5th. 2001 L Campbell, 25-4-01 ACTION SUMMARY: BLANKLEIDER - Submit a budget for the Awards subcommittee. - Spell difficult names phonetically on the Bragg award envelopes. - Respond to Canney about the membership issues at Flinders. - Respond to Samardzic about Quiz sponsorship from Flinders. BOUWKNEGT - Check on Thursday morning that things are OK with the Union Hall booking. - Ask Kalloniatis on Thursday evening about the Quiz booking. - Write to the national branch on hiring professionals for promotional material. - Prepare an overhead directing Bragg awardees to the front row. - Email Blankleider to ask him to respond to Canney, with a copy to Canney. - Talk to Kamleh about the web page. CAMPBELL - Get details of last year's budget to Wiltshire. - Inform those concerned about the options for postage in the future. - Prepare notices to direct Bragg awardees to the front row. - Supply the AIP signs for the Quiz. - Arrange contact between Carter and the Flinders Physics club. - Produce 200 copies of the Gonzalez poster to hand out on Thursday. CANNEY - Submit a budget for the Science Policy subcommittee. - Represent the branch subcommittee in the May national Science Policy committee meeting. CARTER - Investigate what is available in the upper refec for the Quiz. - Investigate getting poster boards for the Quiz. - Organise some markers for the Quiz. - Submit a budget for student activities. - Inform the committee of details of proposed student events. - Put AIP membership application information in the display case. - Make it clear on the display case that it is an AIP display. - Put Veltman's brochure in the display case. - Put some AIP wep-page material, including the URL, into the display. COCKSHELL - Pay for Quiz prizes on the understanding that this will be reimbursed. FORD - Respond to Samardzic on Quiz sponsorship from Flinders. FRENCH - Respond to Samardzic on Quiz sponsorship from Flinders. KALLONIATIS - Submit a budget for the Meetings and Publicity subcommittee. - Inform Samardzic as to what is booked for the Quiz and who should be contacted at Adelaide Uni. KAMLEH - Submit a budget for the Membership Benefits and Recruitment subcommittee. - Update the Web page. LEINWEBER - Draft a letter to the national branch about the guidelines for the Bragg gold medal. - Talk to the Equinox on Thursday. - Get a round of CSSM questions to Samardzic early enough for review. - Present CSSM questions at the Quiz and be half a marker. - Take some posters to the Quiz, and set up a projector and screen. - Find out about the Nobel posters. - Consult within the Mem. Ben. & Rec. subcomm about its organisation. SAMARDZIC - Liase with Veitch on the time of the Gonzalez interview. - Submit a budget for the Education subcommittee. - Choose and prepare costing on a video camera suitable for recording lectures. - Investigate a venue for a dinner/talk on July 13th. - Send information on teacher training for the web page. - Put out colour Gonzalez flyers at the National Science week launch. - Contact John Pattison and John Patterson about a talk to teachers. - Clarify what publicity Nat. Science Week will do for the Gonzalez lecture. VEITCH - To be half a marker at the Quiz. - Take the High-Energy Astrophysics poster to the Quiz. - Liase with Samardzic over the timing of the Gonzalez interview. WILTSHIRE - Draft a report to the national treasurer on last year's budget.