piner@pur-phy.UUCP (Richard Piner) (03/08/86)
Posted: Fri Mar 7, 1986 4:29 PM EST Msg: FGIG-2201-6177 From: RPARK To: WHATSNEW Subj: What's New, 7 March 1986 Washington, D.C. 1. THE 1983 PROTEST BY SCIENTISTS AT STANFORD did not involve an attempt by DoE weapons laboratories to conduct classified research at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, as reported by the press and repeated in What's New 14 Feb 86. Rather, we are informed, the protest involved unclassified work that was perceived to have weapons implications. Soon, however, SSRL may even be compelled to accept classified work. According to a 23 Jan 86 memorandum from Under Secretary of Energy Joseph Salgado, stating DoE policy on utilization of major research facilities: ...If an EXISTING facility has a unique research capability and there is a compelling national need for its use for either classified or unclassified studies, then appropriate contractual provisions shall be adopted to accommodate such work.... 2. DR. H. WILLIAM KOCH HAS ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT as Executive Director of the American Institiute of Physics, effective March 1987. In two decades at the helm, Koch oversaw the addition of three new member societies and a doubling in the number of pages published. The AIP is today an industry leader in the use of electronic publishing techniques and services. A search committee, headed by W. W. Havens, Jr., Executive Secretary of the APS, is soliciting nominations for a successor to Dr. Koch. 3. THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT FOR SCIENCE is discussed in a technical memorandum just issued by the Office of Technology Assessment. The report notes that the burden of proof is shifting to the researcher who must prove that the research is safe or anticipate whether the research results may have some adverse effect on the national interest. ("The Regulatory Environment for Science," OTA-TM-SET-34, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, $6.00) 4. JAMES C. FLETCHER HAS BEEN NOMINATED TO HEAD NASA after an eight year absence from the job. He replaces James M. Beggs who finally resigned as a result of his indictment. Deputy NASA administrator, William Graham, who has served as acting director since the Beggs indictment, fell into disfavor over his handling of the shuttle disaster. Those concerned about the militarization of NASA (WN 11 Oct 85) may not be reassured by the return of Fletcher, who headed the Defense Technology Study Commission. The Commission's 1983 report is generally credited with launching Star Wars. Although initially classified, those portions of the report supporting the SDI concept appeared overnight in Aviation Week, often referred to in Washington as "Aviation Leak." Robert L. Park (202) 429-1946 American Physical Society THAT'S ALL 3/7/86