American Physical Society

American Physical Society
Name	American Physical Society
Formation	May 20, 1899
Headquarters	College Park, Maryland
Membership	~50,000
President	Robert Rosner
Website	aps.org

American Physical Society. Founded on May 20, 1899, at Columbia University by a group of 36 physicists, including Arthur Gordon Webster, it was established to advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics. With a current membership of approximately 50,000, it is one of the world's largest and most influential organizations for professional physicists, publishing leading journals, convening major conferences, and advocating for science policy. The society is headquartered in College Park, Maryland.

History

The society was founded in 1899 at Columbia University, with early leadership from figures like Henry Augustus Rowland and Albert A. Michelson. Its initial growth was steady, but it expanded significantly after World War II, paralleling the massive increase in federal funding for scientific research, notably from agencies like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Energy. A pivotal moment in its history was its courageous decision in 1999 to hold its annual March Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, despite the state's controversial legislative stance, demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity. Throughout its existence, it has been instrumental in shaping the modern landscape of physics research in the United States.

Organization and governance

The society is governed by an elected Council and an executive board, with the current president being Robert Rosner. Its operations are divided into numerous topical units, including divisions focused on specific fields like condensed matter and plasma physics, and forums addressing broader issues such as Education and International Physics. Key operational locations include its headquarters in College Park, Maryland, and the American Center for Physics. Membership is organized into tiers, including regular, fellow, and student categories, with fellowship being a distinct honor conferred for exceptional contributions to the field.

Publications

It publishes a prestigious suite of peer-reviewed scientific journals that are central to the global physics literature. Its flagship titles include Physical Review Letters, a premier rapid-communication journal, and the Physical Review series, which encompasses specialized journals such as Physical Review A and Physical Review D. Other significant publications include Reviews of Modern Physics, which features long, authoritative review articles, and Physics, a magazine providing commentary and analysis for a broad audience. These publications are produced in partnership with its publishing arm and are a primary conduit for disseminating groundbreaking research from institutions like CERN and Fermilab.

Meetings and events

The society organizes a large number of scientific meetings annually, which are critical for the exchange of ideas within the global physics community. The largest of these are the March Meeting, focused on condensed matter physics, and the April Meeting, which covers a broader range of topics including particle physics and cosmology. It also sponsors or co-sponsors major international conferences, such as those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics. These events regularly feature plenary talks by renowned scientists like Jocelyn Bell Burnell and presentations on research from major facilities including the Large Hadron Collider and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory.

Prizes and awards

It administers a comprehensive portfolio of over 130 prizes and awards that recognize outstanding achievements in physics research, education, and service. The most prestigious of these is the APS Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Research. Other notable awards include the Sakurai Prize for theoretical particle physics, the Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize, and the Tom W. Bonner Prize in nuclear physics. It also bestows awards for teaching and public outreach, such as the AAPT-sponsored award for excellence in undergraduate physics teaching. Many recipients of these awards, such as Steven Chu and Frances Hellman, have later been honored with the Nobel Prize.

Advocacy and public outreach

The society engages actively in science policy advocacy and public outreach to promote the understanding and value of physics. Its Office of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C., works to inform policymakers on issues ranging from research funding for the National Institutes of Health to nuclear non-proliferation. Public outreach initiatives include programs like PhysicsQuest for middle school classrooms and the popular Physics Central website. It also takes public stances on critical issues, having issued statements on topics such as climate change, the importance of STEM education, and the ethical conduct of research, often in collaboration with organizations like the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Category:American Physical Society Category:Physics societies Category:Organizations established in 1899