Executive Officer Commentary, March 2008

c holbrowHello from the New Executive Officer
By Charlie Holbrow
March 17, 2008


When I joined AAPT 46 years ago, I didn’t know what an Executive Officer was. Suddenly, kaboom! “now I are one,” scrambling hard to learn what AAPT’s dedicated staff and members do to make the organization useful and effective. I will need a lot of your help and good wishes to get up to speed to help them make AAPT’s impact on physics education and physics teachers advance and grow.

But I already have three important messages to share with you.

First, remember that if you are a U.S. citizen, you will need a Passport to attend the summer meeting in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It takes 6 to 10 weeks to get one if you don’t have one already. It’s going to be a great meeting in an interesting place, so don’t delay; get your Passport ordered now.

Second, send money to help AAPT be more successful. Don’t skip over this; it is an important message that you will hear from me often: Send money. Your contributions affirm and extend AAPT’s work with such fine programs as the Physics Olympiad, PTRA, the Physics Bowl, scholarships. Most important your gifts are needed to provide a stable and lasting financial basis for the Oersted Medal award and the Phillips prize.

Third, thank you all for your commitment and dedication to AAPT and its goals. We share the belief that there is order in nature, that the world works in a predictable and understandable way, and that physics is the fundamental description of that order. Physics is the rules of the game. It is a noble endeavor to pass on those rules to the rising generation as well as to discover new rules and teach them to each other. Show your pride in what you do and support AAPT’s efforts to help you do it better.

Return to Executive Officer's Reports & Editorials