Aspen Center For Physics

THE CENTER IS A SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATION WHICH PROMOTES ORGANIZED RESEARCH IN PHYSICS, ASTROPHYSICS, AND RELATED FIELDS.

SUMMER AND WINTER PROGRAMS: SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1962, ASPEN CENTER FOR PHYSICS HAS PROVIDED A UNIQUE PHYSICAL AND SCIENTIFIC ENVIRONMENT IDEALLY SUITED FOR STIMULATING INTERACTIONS, COLLABORATIONS, AND INNOVATION IN PHYSICS RESEARCH. FOR 16 WEEKS EACH SUMMER, MORE THAN 500 LEADING INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHERS, FREED FROM THE USUAL CONSTRAINTS AND DISTRACTIONS OF THEIR HOME INSTITUTIONS, COME TO ASPEN TO ENGAGE IN RESEARCH AT THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR FIELDS. RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED: (A) IN THE CONTEXT OF WORKSHOPS IN AREAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF PHYSICS RESEARCH; (B) IN SMALL GROUPS FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS; OR, (C) BY INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATORS CARRYING OUT THEIR OWN RESEARCH. THE SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMS EMPHASIZE OPEN PROBLEMS AT THE CUTTING EDGE AND ARE DESIGNED TO MAXIMIZE INFORMAL INTERACTIONS WITHIN EACH AREA AND CROSS-FERTILIZATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT AREAS. WHILE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP IN THE CENTRAL AREAS OF PHYSICS (PARTICLE PHYSICS, ASTROPHYSICS, AND CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS), ASPEN CENTER FOR PHYSICS HAS BEEN OPEN TO NEW DIRECTIONS IN PHYSICS AS WELL AS TO SCIENCE AT THE INTERFACE BETWEEN PHYSICS AND OTHER DISCIPLINES (BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, ENGINEERING, MATERIAL SCIENCE, AND MATHEMATICS). IN ADDITION, 8 TO 9 ONE- WEEK WINTER CONFERENCES BRING TOGETHER 60 TO 100 RESEARCHERS PER WEEK IN AREAS OF CURRENT INTEREST IN PHYSICS AND INTER-DISCIPLINARY PHYSICS RESEARCH. THE CENTER PROVIDES OFFICE SPACE, OFFICE SUPPLIES, MEETING SPACE, LIBRARY FACILITIES, AND NETWORK ACCESS TO ITS PARTICIPANTS. SUPPORT IS PROVIDED TO ALL INDIVIDUALS DURING THE SUMMER SESSION FOR WHOM LODGING IS ARRANGED BY THE CENTER. PHYSICISTS' SUMMER BILLS ARE REDUCED BY THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT; OVERPAYMENTS ARE REFUNDED BY CHECK. WINTER SUPPORT IS USUALLY AWARDED TO JUNIOR SCIENTISTS AND THOSE WITH A DEMONSTRATED NEED IN ORDER TO ATTEND. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2022, THERE WERE 350 SUMMER PARTICIPANTS (SUMMER 2021) AND 424 WINTER PARTICIPANTS (BETWEEN DECEMBER 2021 AND MARCH 2022).

OUTREACH PROGRAM: ASPEN CENTER FOR PHYSICS OUTREACH PROGRAM INCLUDES MANY OPTIONS AND AVENUES FOR THE PUBLIC TO BECOME INFORMED ABOUT CUTTING-EDGE PHYSICS RESEARCH, AND TO ENGAGE CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER EDUCATION IN THE SCIENCES. (1) PUBLIC LECTURES. A CORE OUTREACH ACTIVITY FOR THE CENTER. RENOWNED PHYSICISTS DELIVER WINTER AND SUMMER LECTURES IN ASPEN VENUES DELINEATING THEIR CURRENT RESEARCH OR CURRENT SCIENTIFIC TOPICS OF GENERAL INTEREST. SUMMER ATTENDANCE AT 10 LECTURES WAS 434 PEOPLE. WINTER ATTENDANCE AT 8 LECTURES WAS 448. (2) SUMMER CHILDREN'S PICNICS. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ASPEN SCIENCE CENTER, THE ASPEN CENTER FOR PHYSICS HOSTS CHILDREN'S WEEKLY SUMMER PICNICS THAT INCLUDE A PRESENTATION BY A PARTICIPATING PHYSICIST. THIS AFFORDS CHILDREN THE CHANCE TO MEET WORKING PHYSICISTS, TO LEARN ABOUT THE PROFESSION, AND TO LEARN SOME SCIENCE IN FUN AND ENTERTAINING WAYS. ALL PICNICS WERE CANCELLED IN 2021. (3) HIGH SCHOOL MENTOR PROGRAM. ACP HIRES RISING SENIOR PHYSICS STUDENTS FROM 3-5 VALLEY HIGH SCHOOLS TO WORK FOR A SUMMER WEEK AT THE CENTER TO SEE WHAT THEORETICAL PHYSICISTS DO AND TO CHAT WITH 2 OR 3 PHYSICISTS ABOUT COLLEGE, CAREERS, AND/OR SCIENCE. ABOUT 19 PHYSICISTS AND STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN 2021. (4) HIGH SCHOOL MONTHLY RADIO SHOW--RADIO PHYSICS. VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS STUDENTS FROM 3-5 SCHOOLS INTERVIEW PHYSICISTS ON A MONTHLY RADIO SHOW. THIS INTRODUCES THE STUDENTS TO SCIENCE, PUBLIC SPEAKING, AND INFORMS THE LISTENING PUBLIC ABOUT CURRENT PHYSICS TOPICS. THERE WERE 14 STUDENT AND PHYSICIST PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR. (5) ALL PUBLIC LECTURES ARE RECORDED AND ALL VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING ON THE ASPEN CENTER FOR PHYSICS YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND WITH LINKS FROM THE ACP WEBSITE. THERE ARE OVER 300 ACP SCIENTIFIC LECTURES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT NO CHARGE. (6) ASPEN CENTER FOR PHYSICS WEBSITE. IN AN ON-GOING PROJECT TO SHARE THE SCIENCE DONE AT THE CENTER, ACP HAS A SECTION OF ITS WEBSITE TITLED, "THE SCIENCE,"WHICH LISTS PUBLICATIONS GENERATED AT THE CENTER AND INCLUDES SLIDES FROM SCIENTIFIC COLLOQUIA ATTENDED BY SUMMER PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS OTHER SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION. TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLIC LISTENING TO RADIO BROADCASTS OR VIEWING VIDEOS ON TELEVISION OR ONLINE IS UNKNOWN.