The Aspen Center for Physics is a research center where theoretical physicists work in an unstructured environment free to interact across their fields of specialization.
Founded in1962 by
George Stranahan, a graduate student at the Carnegie Institute of Technology
Professor Michael Cohen of the University of Pennsylvania
Bob Craig, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies
ACP was opened as the Physics Division of the Aspen Institute in summer, 1962
in 1968 ACP became an independent Colorado non-profit corporation
in 1991 ACP received permanent ownership of its four-acre campus, the circle of serenity
Participants, 1962-2012
10,000 physicists have participated at least once in winter, summer or both
more than 500 summer physicists have attended more than 5 times
65 countries have been represented
53 Nobel Laureates in Physics have participated
Summer Program
each year about 500 (513 average for past 5 years) physicists attend out of about 875 (879.4 average for past 5 years) applications
about 85 physicists are in residence each week for 16 weeks; average stay is about 2.6 weeks
each year, about 40% of participants have never attended before
worldwide, about 12% of physics faculty members are women; at ACP, 14 to 17% are women.
Winter Conferences
six or more intensive week–long conferences host 50 to 100 physicists each week from graduate students to full professors, theorists to experimentalists
nearly 5,000 physicists have attended since the Winter Conferences began in 1985
Scientific Impact
more than 10,000 scientific papers and books have acknowledged work done at the Aspen Center for Physics
string theory made significant headway here
the germ of Supersymmetry was conceived here
the concept for arXiv was born here
Impact on Aspen
physicists (not including family members) have spent more than 324,000 pillow nights in Aspen in summer; in 2012, summer physicists will spend about 9,500 nights in Aspen
in summer 2011, the ACP spent more than $686,000 for Aspen housing
in winter, physicists have spent 40,000 pillow nights in Aspen
in winter 2012, physicists spent more than $500,000 for Aspen housing
ACP owns more than 100 bicycles for use by physicists and family members
physicists bring their families, enroll their children in camps, shop, dine, attend concerts and special events, hike, bike, climb and enjoy every aspect of life in Aspen
Aspen businesses and residents have befriended the Center for the past 50 years
Facilities
Stranahan Hall was completed in 1962
Hilbert Hall (temporary, now removed) was completed in 1968
Bethe Hall was completed in 1972
Smart Hall, Hosier Hall and Flug Forum were completed in 1996
facilities include 43 double offices, a 100–seat auditorium, a 40–person seminar room, 2 breakout rooms, and a patio meeting space that is most in demand
Community Involvement
free public lectures and informal dialogues include the Heinz R. Pagels Memorial Lectures in summer and Maggie and Nick DeWolf Lectures in winter totaling about 20 events each year; audiences often exceed 250
in summer, family barbecues for local and visiting youth (with the Aspen Science Center) offer physics activities and an entertaining and informative physics talk
during the Physics Café before each winter lecture (also with the Aspen Science Center), the general public is invited to ask physicists questions informally
physicists visit schools and engage in one-on-one conversations with interested high school students
Funding
The National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Office of Naval Research, NASA, and dozens of corporate, university, and individual sponsors have supported the Center.
For further information patty@aspenphys.org or (970) 925-2585
