New RLE Leadership and a New RLE Publication
Wonderful things are happening in RLE. Please join us to explore them.
2002 December Issue 1

The formation of RLE's new intellectual leadership team was complete in December 2001 when Professor Jacob K. White became one of RLE's two Associate Directors. White joined Professors Jeffrey H. Shapiro, RLE's Director, and Daniel Kleppner, RLE's other Associate Director. The interests of the three scientists span a broad cross section of RLE's diverse research and educational activities. Shapiro, Kleppner, and White now work together to promote and support innovative new RLE scientific initiatives, while also strengthening RLE's rich history as a premier research and learning environment that serves faculty, students, and staff.

RLE in 2002 is flourishing. RLE recently has inaugurated major multidisciplinary programs in ultracold atoms and fundamental atomic physics, quantum information and computing, and photonics and related materials fabrication. The Laboratory has completed extensive renovations to many areas of RLE's aging physical infrastructure. Other ambitious renovation projects are underway or are in planning. RLE's membership has seen a surge in new junior faculty. Other young researchers are coming to RLE in the near future, and will certainly further fuel the Laboratory's current unprecedented period of growth.

These are exciting developments. One of the missions of RLE's new leadership is to effectively communicate this news - and the fascinating directions today's RLE researchers are taking - to the RLE and MIT communities as well as our sponsors, friends, and alumni. The goal is to do so in a way that is timely, frequent, accessible, and engaging.

This new publication, RLE at MIT, is one part of these efforts. This is the first issue. RLE at MIT will appear four to five times during the academic year, complementing RLE's other publications. Each issue will present recent RLE news, developments, and researcher profiles. The articles will link to RLE's web site www.rle.mit.edu for more extensive treatment of each issue's contents.

Wonderful things are happening in RLE. Please join us to explore them.