From: Mark Chesnek <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 11:13:30 -0400

EAST LANSING, MI, June 22, 2017 – Michigan State University (MSU)
Distinguished Professor Michael Thoennessen has been named Editor in
Chief of the American Physical Society (APS). The APS Editor in Chief
is responsible for the editorial stewardship of all APS peer-reviewed
research journals. Thoennessen assumes the position on September 1,
2017.

“Michael Thoennessen has a broad knowledge of physics, extensive
leadership experience, and the ability to work well with others. He is
forward-thinking, especially regarding the future of our journals,”
said Caltech professor of physics and 2011 APS President Barry Barish,
who chaired the search committee. “We are very fortunate to have
attracted him to become our next Editor in Chief."

At MSU, Thoennessen is the Associate Director for user relations at
the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), and University
Distinguished Professor of physics in the Department of Physics and
Astronomy. Additionally, he has been deputy executive director of the
Nuclear Science and Security Consortium since 2015, and served as
supervisory editor of Nuclear Physics A from 2004 to 2016. An APS
Fellow, he received the Physical Review Outstanding Referee Award in
2013.

Thoennessen earned his doctorate in experimental nuclear physics in
1988 from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He served
as a research associate at the Joint Institute for Heavy Ion Research
at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 1988 to 1990, before joining MSU
in 1990 as an assistant professor.

“It is a tremendous accomplishment for Michael to be selected for this
prestigious position, and speaks to the outstanding physicist and
researcher he is,” said Thomas Glasmacher, FRIB laboratory director.
“I am delighted Michael was chosen and confident he will do an
outstanding job in this new role.”

Thoennessen’s research focuses on the study of extremely neutron-rich
nuclides. While normal neutron-rich nuclei decay by converting a
neutron into a proton in milliseconds or longer, these nuclides
contain so many neutrons that they decay by emitting one or two of the
excess neutrons in a zeptosecond, or one sextillionth of a second. The
exploration of these very exotic nuclides help to explain the nature
of the nuclear force that binds protons and neutrons into stable
nuclei and rare isotopes. His group performs their experiments as part
of the MoNA collaboration at the National Superconducting Cyclotron
Laboratory, one of the few facilities in the world where these nuclei
can be explored.

He has recently published a book entitled The Discovery of Isotopes: A
Complete Compilation where he describes the discovery of every isotope
observed on Earth to date.

“It is a great honor to be appointed as the APS Editor in Chief,”
Thoennessen said. “I am looking forward to working with the excellent
editors and staff at the APS Offices in Ridge, New York, and the APS
leadership team.”

"I am delighted that Michael has accepted this position and the
Board's vote was unanimous," said 2017 APS President Laura Greene. "I
know the challenges, especially in this rapidly changing publishing
landscape, having personally spent more than a decade as Editor in
Chief of Reports on Progress in Physics," she said. "Michael has had a
great deal of experience in this area, and in working with
professional publishers."

“Michael has an outstanding pedigree as a scientist and administrator,
in addition to his experience in journal publishing,” added APS
Publisher Matthew Salter. “I look forward to partnering with him to
ensure that the journals in the Physical Review series continue serve
the research community, and are fit to meet the future demands of
scientific publishing."

Thoennessen will succeed Pierre Meystre as Editor in Chief. Meystre
announced his resignation earlier this year, and will continue as
Editor in Chief until the end of August, when Thoennessen steps in.

"I'm very pleased that Michael Thoennessen will become our next Editor
in Chief and will be joining the APS Senior Management Team," said APS
CEO Kate Kirby. "His past leadership experience in publishing, his
engagement with APS programs in education and diversity, and his
service in many capacities, including as Chair of the APS Division of
Nuclear Physics, provide him with valuable perspectives and a deep
understanding of APS."

---------------------------------------

About MSU

Michigan State University has been working to advance the common good
in uncommon ways for more than 150 years. One of the top research
universities in the world, MSU focuses its vast resources on creating
solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, while
providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive
academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17
degree-granting colleges. For MSU news on the Web, go to
msutoday.msu.edu/. Follow MSU News on Twitter at twitter.com/MSUnews.

About APS

The American Physical Society is a nonprofit membership organization
working to advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics through its
outstanding research journals, scientific meetings, and education,
outreach, advocacy, and international activities. APS represents over
54,000 members, including physicists in academia, national
laboratories, and industry in the United States and throughout the
world. Society offices are located in College Park, MD (Headquarters),
Ridge, NY, and Washington, D.C.