Recent Posts in Women at the Center

Discover the Perfect Science Book: A Holiday Gift Guide Curated by Physicists

Discover the Perfect Science Book: A Holiday Gift Guide Curated by Physicists

By Emily Taylor and Joan R. Najita

This holiday season, give the gift of wonder and discovery! We’ve asked physicists from Aspen Center for Physics to create a curated guide of must-read science books that inspire curiosity and deepen our understanding of the universe. Whether you’re shopping for a science enthusiast or looking for your own next great read, these expert recommendations offer something for everyone.

Paula Johnson, Jane Kelly, and Patty Fox

Essay from Jane Kelly

By Jane Kelly

Pierre Ramond started his first term as president (mid-year, which was an oddity, but I didn’t know it at the time), and I began a steep learning curve...

From left, Hans Bethe, Sally Mencimer and Phil Anderson

Letter from Sally Hume Mencimer

By Sally Hume Mencimer

In March of 1964, I was teaching English at Aspen High School, grades 9-12. Needing a summer job, I interviewed at the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies to be the Secretary for the newly formed Physics Division. I was hired.

arXiv smiley face logo, repeated

arXiv's Beginning at the Aspen Center for Physics

By Paul Ginsparg and Joanne Cohn

My first visit to the ACP was during its 20th anniversary year of 1982 (I still have my “30th anniversary” t-shirt from 1991), one year after my doctorate. Enchanted by the mountains, the music, and the open exchange of ideas, I returned frequently during the following decades.

“Physics Utopia:” The Aspen Center for Physics

By Aruna Balasubramanian

In 2001, The New York Times described the Aspen Center for Physics (ACP) as a “physics utopia,” and for good reason. The ACP is the only place on Earth where physicists can come to “talk, think and write [...] while training like Olympians – hiking, scaling 14,000-foot peaks, cycling up mountain passes, jogging and playing cut-throat volleyball in Aspen's thin air at 8,000 feet.”

Rosemary Wyse, ACP President 2010-2013, at the 60th Anniversary Celebration.

Presidential Essay from Rosemary Wyse

By Rosemary Wyse

The highlight of my tenure as President was undoubtedly the 50th anniversary of the ACP in 2012, which we celebrated with a summer filled with joyful events. The physicist members plus the indefatigable staff - Jane Kelly, Paula Johnson and Patty Fox

The First 35 Years

By Jeremy Bernstein

I made my first visit to the Aspen Center for Physics in June of 1969. The Center had been in operation since the summer of 1962 and from the beginning one of its founders, Michael Cohen, had been urging me to apply for a visit. There was a selection committee.