Major Facilities for Physics Research

The idea for a special issue of PHYSICS TODAY on major physics research facilities originated at a meeting of the APS Executive Committee in June 1984 during discussion of a report presented by L. Charles Hebel, Chairman of the APS Panel of Public Affairs, recommending what APS could do for the physics community about several proposals to the Federal government for the construction of large and expensive research facilities. The editors of PHYSICS TODAY enthusiastically reacted to the APS suggestion, and this special issue became a cooperative endeavor. Hebel's article, beginning on page 25, is based on that POPA report.