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Launch of New Book by Claude Cohen-Tannoudji (Nobel Laureate) in Beijing, November 2011
 World Scientific launched the second book by Prof. Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Nobel Laureate in Physics (1997), titled Advances in Atomic Physics: An Overview, in Peking University on November 11, 2011. Prof. Cohen-Tannoudji co-authored this book with his colleague, Prof. David Guéry-Odelin, to "review the spectacular developments of atomic physics during the last few decades and to use this example for showing to a public as large as possible how science is exciting." The book launch was the first of a series of launches, the second of which will be held in Hong Kong, followed by a third in London.
Prof. Chen Xuzong, Director of the Institute of Quantum Electronics, Peking University, gave an introduction to the author, before Prof. Cohen-Tannoudji commenced his public lecture. The topic, "Advances in Atomic Physics: From Optical Pumping to Ultracold Atoms," captured the full attention of the audience - ranging from young students to senior academicians from the physics community of Beijing. It was with much pleasure that the former Vice President of Peking University, Prof. Wang Yi Qiu, presented a gift from the university to Prof. Cohen-Tannoudji at the end of the hour-long lecture. During the event, Prof. Wang also announced that the translation of the book into Chinese was progressing well, and a rave book review of the English version has already appeared in the magazine of the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Prof. Cohen-Tannoudji continued to speak about the motivation and
inspiration behind writing a comprehensive review of the new
developments in atomic physics. He was both excited and passionate in providing a global and synthetic vision in understanding the
evolution of the field and encouraged the audience to explore new
problems. He emphasized how the 25 chapters in the book were arranged
in eight different parts, accompanied by a detailed bibliography of about
1000 references. Towards the end, a lively question-and-answer session ensued, and the audience was enthusiastic about a price discount.
Prof. Cohen-Tannoudji's other titles with World Scientific includes Atoms in Electromagnetic Fields, published in 1994, and Atoms in Electromagnetic Fields, 2nd ed., published in 2004.
BCS: 50 Years on Physics Today Wish List of 2011
Physics Today reviewer Jermey Matthews has proclaimed BCS: 50 Years as one of his Top 5 reads of 2011. Hailed by field experts as "engaging," the volume is edited by Prof. Leon N. Cooper and Prof. Dmitri Feldman, including contributions from six Nobel laureates, and published by World Scientific in November 2010. The BCS theory of superconductivity was developed by Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer in 1957, and this volume masterfully weaves its historical background into the latest developments on the subject. Prof. Cooper, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1972, has published three books with World Scientific.
Superconductivity is expected to continue its popularity in the field, with five Nobel Prizes having been won on the topic thus far. Physics Today reviews more than 50 books annually, and its Top 5 picks this year included titles which skillfully blend history and science.
Selected New Titles
Albert Einstein Memorial Lectures, a Joint Publication with the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities
World Scientific's recent partnership with the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities has allowed us to jointly publish a volume titled Albert Einstein Memorial Lectures. This volume, edited by Prof. Raphael Mechoulam and Prof. Jacob Bekenstein, both from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, contains selected lectures presented on an annual basis at the academy. Delivered by eminent scientists and scholars, including Nobel laureates, these lectures cover a wide spectrum of topics, ranging from physics through the life sciences to social issues.
The distinguished lecture series was inaugurated by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities in 1980, following an international symposium held in Jerusalem in 1979 to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Albert Einstein. Considering that Einstein's interests, activities and influence were not restricted to theoretical physics but spanned broad fields affecting society and the welfare of humankind, it was felt that these memorial lectures should be addressed to scientists, scholars and erudite laypersons rather than to physicists alone.
Physics Today Review of More and Different: Notes from a Thoughtful Curmudgeon
A review of More and Different: Notes from a Thoughtful Curmudgeon by Prof. Philip W. Anderson has appeared in the January 2012 issue of Physics Today. Books editor N. David Mermin commented:
"Anderson has put together an entertaining and instructive collection of highly readable reviews, columns, talks, and unpublished essays on science and the scientists he has known. ... and he is a pleasure to read."
Interviewed recently by World Scientific, Prof. Anderson, Nobel Laureate in Physics (1977) commented on his motivation behind writing the book:
" ... I felt guilty that I had never tried to write the book which I should have, explaining for the layman what a wonderful and exciting field condensed matter physics is ..."
As an emeritus professor at Princeton University, Prof. Anderson remains active is research, being involved in high profile subjects, and is cited by his colleagues as one of the two physicists most often cited in the scientific literature, for several decades. His other works with World Scientific include a bestseller, Concepts in Solids: Lectures on the Theory of Solids, published in 1997, and A Career in Theoretical Physics, 2nd ed., published in 2005.
Nobel Laureate Releases Latest Volume
William Forsyth Sharpe, winner of the 1990 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, published his latest book chronicling his research, ranging from equilibrium pricing in capital markets, asset allocation, to risk analysis. William F. Sharpe: Selected Works, the second of the World Scientific-Nobel Laureate Series, also contains papers published during the period in which Financial Economics was still a fledgling field.
As one of the originators of the groundbreaking Capital Asset Pricing Model, Dr. Sharpe's contributions to the field span decades and include the well-known Sharpe Ratio for investment performance analysis. His significant advances in that area have enabled him to lend his knowledge to Merrill Lynch and Wells Fargo, thus allowing him to put his theories into practice. Prof. Sharpe has served as President of the American Finance Association.
WOLF PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY: An Epitome of Chemistry in the 20th Century and Beyond, Recently Published
Edited by Prof. Lou-Sing Kan and Prof. Sheng-Hsien Lin, both from the Academia Sinica, Taiwan, this volume provides a historical account of the Wolf Prize in Chemistry and includes the biographies and selected papers of the distinguished recipients from 1978 to 2008 (no prize was awarded in 2009 or 2010). Many of the recipients have extensive publication lists; this book brings together a wealth of information on the Wolf Prize, the prize winners, and especially a reprint of their most significant publications.
Both the editors of the book are veteran chemists who have worked in the field for many years. Prof. Sheng-Hsien Lin, an academician, is a theoretical chemist who has published more than 700 papers and 20 books. Prof. Lou-Sing Kan is a biophysicist focussing on structures of nucleic acids as well as an NMR specialist; he has authored 176 peer-reviewed papers and is also a popular science writer in Chinese.
MOU Inked with National Tsing Hua University
 Following a visit by Dr. K. K. Phua, our Chairman and Editor-in-Chief to Prof. Da Hsuan Feng, Vice-President of the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in November 2011 to discuss publishing collaborations with the university, World Scientific (WSPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the President of NTHU, Dr. Lih J. Chen. The MOU provides for joint publishing between NTHU and WSPC, with the latter responsible for the promotion and distribution of the co-published titles as well as other English publications of NTHU.
Substantial Book Deal with University of Queensland
The University of Queensland has made a substantial purchase of World Scientific's e-books and to a smaller extent, e-journals recently. Faculty members and students are now able to digitally access more than 2000 e-books published by World Scientific and Imperial College Press, across a wide range of subjects. Currently, World Scientific has over 4000 e-book titles on its platform. The University of Queensland thus joins a group of academic libraries such as Stanford, ETH Zurich, Weizmann Institute of Science, University of Maryland, and many others which are actively using World Scientific's content.
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