The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP ) is an international
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in ...
whose mission is to assist in the worldwide development of
physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which ...
, to foster international cooperation in physics, and to help in the application of physics toward solving problems of concern to humanity.
It was established in 1922 and the first General Assembly was held in 1923 in Paris.
The Union is domiciled in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situa ...
,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
.
IUPAP carries out this mission by: sponsoring international meetings; fostering communications and publications; encouraging research and education; fostering the free circulation of scientists;
promoting international agreements on the use of symbols, units, nomenclature and standards;
and cooperating with other organizations on disciplinary and interdisciplinary problems.
IUPAP is a member of the
International Science Council
The International Science Council (ISC) is an international non-governmental organization that unites scientific bodies at various levels across the social and natural sciences. The ISC was formed with its inaugural general assembly on 4 July 20 ...
.
IUPAP is the lead organization promoting the adoption of the
, a proposal to be considered by the 76th session of the
UN General Assembly
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...
.
History
In 1919 was formed the International Research Council “largely through the representatives of the
National Academy of Sciences, Washington, and of the
Royal Society
The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...
,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, to coordinate international efforts in the different branches of sciences, under whose aegis international associations or unions in different branches of science could be formed".
In accordance with this principle, the 1922 General Assembly of the IRC convened at
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
and a number of physicists present decided that the formation of a Physics Union was imperative.
Thirteen countries (
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Empire of Japan
The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent form ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, ...
,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
and
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa ( nl, Unie van Zuid-Afrika; af, Unie van Suid-Afrika; ) was the historical predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into existence on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the Cape, Natal, Tr ...
) immediately announced their adherence to the new Union.
An Executive committee was formed which undertook to prepare rules, regulations, and activities of the organization. The committee consisted of ten distinguished physicists:-
W.H. Bragg, M. Brillouin,
O.M. Corbino, M. Knudsen, M. Leblanc,
R.A. Millikan, H. Nagaoka, E. Van Aubel, and H. Abraham. The committee had Bragg as President, Van Aubel as Vice-President, and Abraham as Secretary.
This was the birth of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.
Committees and governance
The Union is governed by its General Assembly, which meets every three years. The Council is its top executive body, supervising the activities of the nineteen specialized International Commissions and the four Affiliated Commissions – it typically meets once or twice per year. The Union is composed of Members representing identified physics communities. At present 60 Members adhere to IUPAP. The Members are represented by Liaison Committees. Members of the Council and Commissions are elected by the General Assembly, based on nominations received from Liaison Committees and existing Council and Commission members.
The IUPAP specialised Commissions are:
C1
Commission on Policy and Finance
C2
Commission on Symbols, Units, Nomenclature, Atomic Masses & Fundamental Constants
C3
Commission on Statistical Physics
C4
Commission on Astroparticle Physics The commission was previously known as the Commission on Cosmic Rays.
C5
Commission on Low Temperature Physics
C6
Commission on Biological Physics
C8
Commission on Semiconductors
C9
Commission on Magnetism
C10
Commission on the Structure and Dynamics of Condensed Matter
C11
Commission on Particles and Fields
C12
Commission on Nuclear Physics
C13
Commission on Physics for Development
C14
Commission on Physics Education
C15
Commission on Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
C16
Commission on Plasma Physics
C17
Commission on Laser Physics and Photonics
C18
Commission on Mathematical Physics
C19
Commission on Astrophysics
C20
Commission on Computational Physics
The Affiliated Commissions are:
AC.1.
International Commission for Optics
The International Commission for Optics (ICO) was created in 1947 with the objective to contribute, on an international basis, to the progress and dissemination of the science of optics and photonics and their applications. It emphasises the un ...
AC.2
International Commission on General Relativity and Gravitation
AC.3.
International Commission for Acoustics The purpose of the International Commission for Acoustics (ICA) is to promote international development and collaboration in all fields of acoustics including research, development, education, and standardisation.
The ICA is a Scientific Associate ...
AC.4
International Commission on Medical Physics
In addition IUPAP has established a number of Working Groups to provide an overview of important areas of international collaboration in physics.
Sponsored conferences
Each year, IUPAP endorses approximately 30 international conferences and awards grants to the majority of them. Applications for sponsorship can be made via the IUPAP website.
Sponsored conferences fall into four categories:
General Conferences - Type A
These provide a broad overview of an entire field (typically the field of interest to a Commission), and normally occur at two- or three-year intervals, as advances in the field warrant. Attendance in the range of 750-1000 would be anticipated.
Topical Conferences - Type B
These concentrate on broad sub-fields (e.g. nuclear spectroscopy, nuclear reaction mechanisms, heavy ion physics, are possible sub-fields in the field of Nuclear Physics). They would normally be scheduled in the years between the corresponding Type A General conferences. Attendance in the range of 300-600 individuals would be anticipated.
Special Conferences - Type C
These concentrate on much more specialised topics than in the case of Type B Conferences (e.g. angular correlations, lifetime measurements, neutron resonance studies in the field of Nuclear Physics). Attendance in the range of 50-200 would be anticipated.
Workshops in Developing Countries - Type D
These concentrate on meeting the needs of a developing region. Unlike the Type A, B and C conferences, they do not need to be truly international, but should involve neighbouring countries, and they should address the needs of the region. One Type D conference will be approved each year. All applications for Type-D Conferences must be submitted to the Commission on Physics for Development (C13).
Sponsored awards
IUPAP commissions sponsor various awards for scientists. These include:
* The IUPAP Young Scientist Prize, approved and adopted at the 2005 General Assembly for all commissions. The prize was rename
Early Career Scientist Prizeat the General Assembly 2021.
* The SUNAMCO Medal, given by the Commission on Symbols, Units, Nomenclature, Atomic Masses and Fundamental Constants (C2)
* The
Boltzmann Medal, awarded by the Commission on Statistical Physics (C3)
* The Fritz London Award, given by the Commission on Low Temperature Physics (C5)
* The Young Author Best Paper Award, established by the Commission on Semiconductors (C8) and sponsored by the semiconductor industries of USA, Japan and Europe
* ICM Award in Magnetism, established by the Commission on Magnetism (C9)
* The ICPE Medal, sponsored by the Commission on Physics Education (C14)
* Penning Award Excellence in Low-Temperature Plasma Physics, established by the Commission on Plasma Physics (C16)
* ICO Prize, awarded by the Affiliated Commission for Optics (AC1)
* ICO Galileo Galilei Award, awarded by the Affiliated Commission for Optics (AC1)
Sponsored symposiums
*
Symposium on Laser Physics
Member States of IUPAP
IUPAP was founded by 13 states:- Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Empire of Japan, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and Union of South Africa in 1922. Since then many new members have joined the union.Today the IUPAP consists of 56 member states.
Below is the list of Member States of IUPAP:-
List of IUPAP Presidents
The IUPAP President is the head of the Executive Council. IUPAP Presidents are elected by the General Assembly. During the election of the Executive Council, the future President is also elected to the post of President-Designate. Thus in every Executive Council the current President-Designate will succeed the incumbent President.
Below is the list of IUPAP Presidents since its inception in 1922.
See also
*
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC ) is an international federation of National Adhering Organizations working for the advancement of the chemical sciences, especially by developing nomenclature and terminology. It is ...
References
External links
International Union of Pure and Applied PhysicsIUPAP 'Red Book'
{{Authority control
Members of the International Council for Science
International scientific organizations
International organisations based in Switzerland
Physics organizations
International learned societies
Standards organisations in Singapore
Scientific organizations established in 1922
Members of the International Science Council