SECRETARY'S REPORT 93 



Florida, and at the International Symposium on Astrophysics, Liege, 

 Belgimn. Dr. ^Vliitney, Carl W. Tillinghast and Charles E. Moore 

 attended a symposium on orbital computation held at the Jet Propul- 

 sion Laboratory of the University of California Institute of Tech- 

 nology. In March, the Director attended the meetings of the Panel 

 on Science and Teclmology with the Committe on Science and Astro- 

 nautics, held at the House of Representatives in Washington. Dr. 

 Bakos attended the General Assembly of the Royal Astronomical 

 Society of Canada. ISIr. Peterson attended a joint conference held 

 by the Smithsonian Institution, the National Aeronautics and Space 

 Administration, and the National Space Surveillance Control, in 

 Washington, May 15 to 21, 1960. Dr. Hodge was present at the meet- 

 ings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and 

 the Astronomical Society of the Pacific held concurrently ui Oregon, 

 June 13-15, 1960. Dr. Fireman attended a special meeting of the 

 National Academy of Sciences held in Highland Park, 111., June 19-22, 

 1960. 



CHANGES IN STAFF 



Dr. Theodore E. Sterne accepted a position at the Johns Hopkins 

 LTniversity, Office of Operations Research. He left the Observatory 

 during the summer of 1959. 



Dr. Karl G. Henize resigned to join the staff of the Dearborn 

 Observatory, Northwestern University. 



Dr. J. Allen Hynek accepted the position of Head of the Depart- 

 ment of Astronomy and Director of the Dearborn Observatoiy, 

 Northwestern University, and will leave the Observatory in the sum- 

 mer of 1960. 



As of June 30, 1960, 265 persons were employed at the Observatory. 



BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT 



The Astrophysical Observatory occupies space in six separate leased 

 buildings. Construction of Harvard University's new Space Science 

 Building on the grounds of the Harvard College Observatory has 

 advanced rapidly, and it is expected that Astrophysical Observatory 

 offices will occupy the building under lease in December 1960. 



DIVISION OF RADIATION AND ORGANISMS 



The Division continued its research in the field of photobiology, 

 using the teclmiques of biochemistry, biophysics, and plant physiology. 

 Particular emphasis was placed on understanding the cellular and 

 subcellular mechanisms involved in photomorphogenesis and photo- 

 tropism and how these responses are mediated by radiant energy. 



Oxidative phosphorylation is the process by which energy is made 

 available for growth of etiolated plant tissue. Investigations were 



