Announcing the African Physics Newsletter
The American Physical Society (APS) is pleased to announce the African Physics Newsletter, a new quarterly, electronic publication launching in early 2019, produced by and for African physicists, with editorial board members representing North, South, East, and West Africa.
2019 APS Abraham Pais Prize for History of Physics to Helge Kragh
The 2019 Abraham Pais Prize for History of Physics was awarded to Helge Kragh, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, “For influential contributions to the history of physics, especially analyses of cosmological theories and debates, the history of the quantum physics of elementary particles and the solid state, and biographical studies of Paul Dirac and Niels Bohr, and his early quantum atom.” Helge Kragh was awarded the first EPS Echophysics PhysicsEstoire Prize in 2016.
Editorial — The Complexities of Inter-societal Cooperation
The planning for the International Year of Light 2015 has brought to the fore the complexities of inter-societal cooperation. Each learned society has a geographically defined membership base. For example, the European Physical Society attracts mainly physicists from Europe. And while the American Physical Society has many international members, the majority of members are based in the USA. Moreover, each learned society defines its membership by scientific discipline, which can be more or less broad. The Optical Society of America…
Landau-Spitzer Award
The American Physical Society [APS] and the European Physical Society [EPS], through their respective Plasma Physics Divisions, are seeking nominations for the Landau Spitzer Award.
The Award is given to an individual or group of researchers, not exceeding three, who has/have made outstanding theoretical, experimental or technical contribution(s) in the area of fundamental plasma physics, fusion plasmas, astrophysical or space plasmas, low-temperature plasmas, or high energy density plasmas. The prize may be awarded to a team or collaboration of up to four persons if such a team consists of individuals from both Europe…
Call for APS Committee nominations
At the end of each year, about a third of the members of the APS committees finish their terms and the American Physical Society [APS] seeks nominations for their replacements.
Self-nomination is allowed. Interested parties are invited to send nominations to the Committee on Committees by using the online form on the APS website or by sending an email to the APS governance.
Nominations should be submitted by 31 August 2013. The Committee on Committees will meet in the middle of…
POPA-CSIS Workshop exploring Nuclear Reductions after New START available
In February 2013, the Panel on Public Affairs of the American Physical Society [POPA] and the Center for Strategic & International Studies [CSIS] organised a workshop to study the technical and policy challenges associated with reducing the non-strategic nuclear weapons [NSNWs] currently deployed in Europe and Russia, commonly referred to as “tactical nuclear weapons”. The workshop focused on a discussion of policy and technology aspects of a hypothetical agreement between the US and Russia…
The American Physical Society comes to Europe
The American Physical Society [APS] held its Executive Board Retreat at Chicheley Hall (Buckinghamshire, UK), home of the Kavli Royal Society International Centre. This is the first time in history that APS has held its Executive Board Retreat in Europe. On Monday 17 June, a special international session was organized with representatives of European Societies, namely from the Institute of Physics [IoP], the German Physical Society [DPG] and the European Physical Society [EPS], with the goal to “better understand each others’ interests and discuss new…
Fostering APS-EPS collaboration through CISA meetings
The spring meeting of the Committee for International Scientific Affairs [CISA] of the American Physical Society [APS] took place in Washington DC, on 11 May 2013. The meeting was attended by Luisa Cifarelli as EPS representative.
In a very lively and friendly atmosphere, based on “elective affinities” between the two societies, many relevant matters were discussed. The meeting, organized by Amy Flatten, APS Director for Scientific Affairs, was chaired by Alan Hurd and attended, in particular, by the Chairs (past and elect) of the APS Forum on International Physics [FIP]…
American Physical Society publishes new strategic plan
The American Physical Society [APS] has published its Strategic Plan for 2013-2017. The plan – which has been in development for the past year – was formulated by the APS Executive Board, its operating officers and staff.
The plan aims to review APS activities, and highlight methods to improve how the society serves its members, the wider physics community and society in general.
Feedback on the plan – specifically concerning implementation ideas – is being encouraged…
Promote your scientific heritage!
Dear Readers,
The world over, organisations like UNESCO can be seen declaring sites, buildings, monuments and gardens as the cultural or natural heritage of humankind. We are convinced that the same should apply to our scientific heritage – since science is a fundamental part of our culture. Inspired by a similar initiative of the American Physical Society, the European Physical Society [EPS] Historic Site initiative will take care of the survey of the European territory…
American Physical Society approves strategic plan
At a recent meeting of the American Physical Society [APS] Council executive board, the APS Strategic Plan for 2013-2017 was approved.
The plan takes into account the evolution of the APS, and the new challenges concerning physics and physicists: especially APS members. It provides a roadmap for ensuring that the APS will continue to fulfil its role and duties, in accordance with a number of prime goals which have been identified to shape the future activities of the society…
APS Sexual and Gender Diversity Issues in Physics
A special session on ‘Sexual and Gender Diversity Issues in Physics’ will be held, as part of the March 2012 meeting of the American Physical Society, on the 28 February, in Boston. The event, which aims to draw attention to these issues, will feature talks and panel discussions on research outreach, and advocacy for greater inclusion and visibility of gender and sexual minorities in physics.
Planned talks include: “Shattering the Lavender Ceiling: Sexual Minorities in Physics”, “The State of Higher Education…
