Vice Chair Candidate

Herman Winick is a Professor (research) emeritus at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) and the Applied Physics Department of Stanford University, where he has been since 1973. After receiving his AB (1953) and PhD (1957) in physics from Columbia University, he continued work in experimental high energy physics at the University of Rochester (1957-9) and then as a member of the scientific staff and Assistant Director of the Cambridge Electron Accelerator at Harvard University (1959-73). In the early 1960’s his interests shifted to accelerator physics and synchrotron radiation, moving to Stanford University in 1973 to take charge of the technical design of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Project. For the past 30 years he has played a leadership role in the development of synchrotron radiation sources and research at Stanford and around the world. He has served, and often chaired, review and advisory committees for projects in Armenia, Australia, China, Germany, India, Japan, Jordan, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand and the US.

His work on radiation sources, particularly wiggler and undulator magnets, has been recognized by awards from the DOE and the US Particle Accelerator School, Fellowship in the APS and AAAS, a Humboldt Senior Scientist Award and a Fellowship at the University of Tokyo. Recent research interests include linac-based x-ray free-electron lasers and high-brightness rf photocathode electron sources. He has strong interests in human rights and international scientific collaboration. His human rights activities include visits with, and work on behalf of, dissident scientists in the former USSR and China and chairing the APS Committee on International Freedom of Scientists (CIFS) in 1992. In 1997 he proposed the SESAME project (www.sesame.org.jo). He continues to play a major role in SESAME, which is now constructing a synchrotron radiation research facility in the Middle East to be shared by Israeli and Palestinian scientists as well as scientists from seven other predominantly Islamic counties in the Middle East.

Candidate’s Statement

I believe that the promotion of science and technology in developing countries can play a role in raising their standard of living, improving relationships with the US, countering fundamentalism, contributing to democratic regimes, and promoting peace. Through participation in 10 scientific workshops and 15 related meetings of the SESAME project, I have seen how scientists from developing and developed countries can work cooperatively to overcome political tensions in pursuit of a common goal, while building mutual understanding in the process.   

The APS, through FIP and committees such as POPA, CISA and CIFS, and with the strong support and leadership of Irving Lerch, the Director of International Affairs for the past 10 years, can be proud of its accomplishments in the international arena, promoting activities such as providing books to developing countries, conducting international workshops in the US and abroad, and supporting exchange visits and joint research. 

With the retirement of Lerch, FIP should work closely with the new Director to continue and expand these activities.  For example, FIP could work to facilitate the contribution of textbooks and journals by US scientists to universities in developing countries, extending and emulating the success of the Bridge to Asia project (www.bridge.org), which has distributed more than 5 million books to more than 500 schools, largely in China.