Carlos R. Ordonez, assistant professor of physics at the University of Houston, was recently elected vice chair for the Texas section of the American Physical Society (APS).

A four-year post that lasts until March 2008, this position upholds the mission of the APS “to advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics.” As an officer on the executive committee of the Texas section of the APS, Ordonez plans to promote Latinos in physics and scientific collaborations between North and South America, as well as upgrade the teaching of physics in middle and high schools in Texas.

Ordonez’ research at UH centers on high-energy theoretical physics with support from a grant from the theoretical physics division of the National Science Foundation (NSF). His work in chiral lagrangians in nuclear physics has been widely cited, and he has an active group of students, postdocs and collaborators engaged in the research of quantum field theory, with applications in nuclear, condensed and high-energy physics, as well as current interest in black holes and string physics. Over the years, Ordonez has been interested in promoting participation of the Hispanic community in science and technology and is the director of the World Laboratory Center for Pan-American Collaboration in Science and Technology at UH. He brings up to four Latin American postdoctoral fellows for two-year sojourns at UH, where they work with prominent local scientists.

With a history spanning more than a century, the APS was founded in 1899. Its activities have broadened considerably since its inception, stimulated by an increase in federal funding and by the increased public involvement of scientists. The APS is active in public and governmental affairs, as well as in the international physics community, and conducts extensive programs in education, public outreach and media relations. The Texas section is one of eight organized by geographical region.

Of its more than 40,000 members in the arena of national, international and governmental affairs, the APS publishes the world’s most prestigious and widely read physics research journals, develops and implements effective programs in physics education and outreach and communicates with the public and policymakers.

Lisa Merkl
lkmerkl@uh.edu