Things you might not know about AIP
Why was AIP founded in 1931?
The Great Depression endangered scientific societies and journal
publication, as impoverished scientists stopped paying dues and libraries
dropped subscriptions. Cooperation would save money on operations.
Moreover, alienation of the public from science and technology, and
the fragmentation of the physics community, called for joint efforts.
What were AIP’s annual operating expenses in its first
years?
Operating expenses of AIP, salaries and all, came to roughly $25,000
per year. That’s $350,000 in 2006 dollars — about 0.4%
of AIP’s 2006 budget.
Where did the money come from at first?
AIP’s initial expenses were supported by the Chemical Foundation,
which was established during the First World War to handle income
from German patents that were confiscated as enemy assets.
Where did these come from and what are their names?
 Statues of two dogs flanked the entrance of the 335 E. 45th St.,
NY building. They were replicas, created in the 1940s, of a stone
dog brought back from Italy (probably modeled after Roman guard dogs), created by prior owners of the 335 East 45th St. building,
Jacobson & Company — a
shop where cast plaster and stone ornaments were made. Called “Proton” and “Electron” and
later by some, “Phy” and “Do”. They were
moved to the American Center for Physics in Maryland in 1993. They
now flank the entrance area to the ACP Child Care Center playground.
How large was AIP’s Publishing staff when they moved
to Woodbury, LI? How many employees did AIP have overall around that
time?
At the time of the move, 155 people occupied the newly renovated
building. In
1981, AIP’s 50th Anniversary year, the Institute had 420 employees. Introduction
of computers halted the increase of staff even as publication continued
to grow.
What’s happening here?
AIP’s Niels Bohr Library, made possible by a gift from Dannie
N. Heineman, was dedicated in September 1962. J. Robert Oppenheimer,
near the end of his life, spoke eloquently at the Library’s
dedication.
When did AIP start using personal computers?
The first IBM personal computers arrived at Woodbury in 1982. Some
divisions had been been using DECmate desktop computers since 1980.
When did AIP start putting material on the World Wide Web?
In June 1994, AIP launched its corporate homepage on the World Wide
Web. In 1996 the History Center mounted its exhibit Einstein: Image
and Impact, which soon became the most popular part of AIP’s
web site.
What became of AIP’s former headquarters in New York
City?
In 1993 AIP sold its 335 E. 45th St. building to the Republic of
Korea, which tore the old building down in 1997 and erected a new
building for its UN mission.
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