Division of High Polymer Physics
June 9, 1999 Newsletter
Message from the Chair
Dear Division Members:
As we start planning for the next March meeting, now is a good time to think about encouraging colleagues and students to join the division. It is particularly helpful for students' and postdocs' professional development to feel that they belong and contribute to the APS and this division. This is also the time to think about renewing your own membership to the division. Becoming a member helps to ensure the growth of our community and the impact of our voice in APS matters.
I look forward to seeing you in Minneapolis!
A.B.
Program for March 2000
The next March Meeting will be held in Minneapolis, MN during the week of March 20-24, 2000. The DHPP Program Chair is Sanat Kumar (Penn State, e-mail: kumar@plmsc.psu.edu). Focused Sessions are planned on the following topics: Polymers with Quenched Disorder (co-sponsorship with DMP pending); Thermoreversibly Associating Synthetic and Biopolymers (co-sponsorship with DBP pending); Filled Polymers; Polymers Under Pressure; and Crystallization: New Perspectives on an Old Problems.
Suggestions for invited speakers (especially for the first two topics) and for session chairs are welcome.
Proposed Amendments to the DHPP Bylaws
The DHPP Executive Committee and the APS Council have approved changes to the DHPP Bylaws. These were discussed at the DHPP Business Meeting held in Atlanta, GA on March 24, 1999. All members of the DHPP are now asked to consider the proposed changes. Please mark and return the enclosed ballot to the Secretary-Treasurer. To be counted, ballots must be received no later than July 20, 1999. Adoption of the proposed amendments requires the approval of 2/3 of those voting.
The amendments address three issues: (1) changing the name of the division to the Division of Polymer Physics; (2) providing for electronic balloting; and (3) housekeeping changes to bring our Bylaws into conformity with those of the Society concerning the title of the Executive Officer of the APS.
The old wording and proposed wording for the changes are given below. The complete document is posted on the web at http://www.people.virginia.edu/?blf2v/bylaws.cfm where the proposed revisions are indicated in color.
(1) Name Change
NEW Title: Division of Polymer Physics
OLD Title: Division of High Polymer Physics
NEW Article I Name: This Division of the American Physical Society shall be called the Division of Polymer Physics.
OLD Article I Name: This Division of the American Physical Society shall be called the Division of High Polymer Physics.
(2) Electronic Balloting
NEW Article VII. Section 2. Ballot:
The Vice-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, Division Councillor(s) and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall be elected by ballots cast electronically or by mail as hereinafter provided.
OLD Article VII. Section 2. Ballot:
The Vice-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, Division Councillor(s) and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall be elected by mail ballot as hereinafter provided.
NEW Article VII. Section 3, in the second paragraph:
The Secretary-Treasurer shall poll the Division membership by electronic or mail ballot, stating a closing date at least three weeks prior to the Regular Meeting. Ballots shall be cast electronically or returned to and counted by the Secretary-Treasurer or his or her designate
OLD Article VII. Section 3, in the second paragraph:
The Secretary-Treasurer shall poll the Division membership by mail ballot, stating a closing date at least three weeks prior to the Regular Meeting. Ballots shall be returned to and counted by the Secretary-Treasurer or his or her designate.
NEW Article VII. Section 4, in the first paragraph:
The Secretary-Treasurer shall poll the Division by electronic or mail ballot, stating a closing date at least three weeks before 1 September. Ballots shall be cast electronically or returned to and counted by the Secretary-Treasurer or his or her designate.
OLD Article VII. Section 4, in the first paragraph:
The Secretary-Treasurer shall poll the Division by mail ballot, stating a closing date at least three weeks before 1 September. Ballots shall be returned to and counted by the Secretary-Treasurer or his or her designate.
NEW Article XII (at the end of the paragraph):
Not later than twelve weeks after said Regular Meeting, the Secretary-Treasurer shall again distribute copies of the proposed Amendment, accompanied by ballot forms. Ballots shall be cast electronically or returned to and counted by the Secretary-Treasurer or his or her designate. Adoption of the Amendment shall require a two thirds vote of those voting.
OLD Article XII (at the end of the paragraph):
Not later than twelve weeks after said Regular Meeting, the Secretary-Treasurer shall again distribute copies of the proposed Amendment, accompanied by ballot forms. Adoption of the Amendment shall require a two thirds vote of those voting.
(3) Change Title of APS Executive Officer (previously Executive Secretary)
Replace all instances of the term "Executive Secretary" to "Executive Officer". The obsolete title appears in Article VI, Section 5; Article VII, Section 4; Article VIII, Section 1; and Article IX, Section 1.
New Fellows
The following DHPP members were elected Fellows of the American Physical Society in 1998. They were recognized at the last Business Meeting of the Division.
Yachin Cohen, Technion
For his insightful microstructural studies of polymer-solvent complexes of rigid polymers and their role in phase transformations from solution to the gel and to the solid state.
Ralph H.Colby, Pennsylvania State University
For advancing the understanding of the dynamics of macromolecular liquids.
Glenn H.Fredrickson, University of California, Santa Barbara
For contributions to the theory of block copolymers and polymer blends.
Sanat K. Kumar, Pennsylvania State University
For his pioneering simulation work on thin films of polymers and thermodynamics of polymer blends.
Paul C. Painter, Pennsylvania State University
For theoretical and spectroscopic characterization of hydrogen bonded polymer blends.
Robert A. Weiss, University of Connecticut
For outstanding contributions to the understanding of viscoelastic and phase equilibria in high polymers, especially in ionomeric and liquid crystalline high polymers.
Up-Coming Deadlines
Padden Award Nominations Nov. 3, 1999
Abstracts Deadline, March Meeting Dec. 3, 1999
Short Course Registration Feb. 15, 2000
Papers for the Special Issue April 1, 2000
Nominations for Fellowship April 15, 2000
Short Course: Adhesion and other Issues in Polymer Thin Films and Coatings.
The DHPP Short Course will be offered March 20-24, 2000 in Minneapolis, MN. It will be organized by Steve Granick (sgranick @uiuc.edu).
Membership
Growth in membership is an important, continuous issue for our division. Those of you who attended the APS Centennial meeting in Atlanta and came to the DHPP Business meeting Tuesday evening heard that we once again have a membership issue. Andy Lovinger spoke of the recent decline in DHPP membership, while that of the APS increased. To maintain the 3% of APS membership that allows us to retain our divisional status, we must grow with the APS, and preferably grow more. Although the recent amendment to the bylaws puts a little elasticity into the 3%, we cannot let this reduce our commitment to increase membership in DHPP.
To address the membership issue, we are expanding the membership committee to include a representative from each of the 50 or so institutions which comprise the bulk of our membership. Each representative will receive membership forms and will be asked to recruit students and colleagues for the division. They will also receive a list of all the institutions and representatives with the current DPOLY membership - friendly competition is encouraged!
One of the greatest strengths of our division is its commitment to students. A very high percentage of the DHPP membership attends the March meetings, and the student attendance and participation is also high. There are few other scientific meetings that provide such a supportive scientific atmosphere and so many opportunities to interact with other students, present research work, and exchange ideas. The Padden Award symposium of graduate student talks has become one of the most popular sessions.
The APS offers a 1 year trial membership for students (undergraduate or graduate) at no charge, which can include membership in up to 3 divisions. Additional benefits (e.g. a free on-line journal subscription) as well as an on-line registration can be found at the APS membership website (/memb/guide/prbook-benf.cfm). Students who have already used the 1 year trial can renew their membership for only $25; and after receiving their PhD, they can be junior members for only $45 per year for 3 more years. Please remember to indicate your interest in the Division of High Polymer Physics (DHPP, an additional $6, five of which come back to the division) on the registration form. Increasing student membership is one of the simplest steps we can take to grow our division, and the students benefit from an introduction to a major scientific society.
Please:
- Renew your own membership in APS and DHPP
- Encourage students in polymer research to join the APS (and DHPP!) as free trial or $25 student members
- Encourage your colleagues who may already be members of APS to consider adding DHPP to the divisions they join.
Business Meeting Minutes March 24, 1999
DHPP Committees 1999-2000
