The European Physical Society (EPS) is a non-profit organisation whose purpose is to promote physics and physicists in Europe through methods such as
physics outreach, supporting physicists to engage in the design and implementation of European science policy, and advocating physics research. Formally established in 1968, its membership includes the national physical societies of 42 countries, and some 3200 individual members. The
Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
The German Physical Society (German: , DPG) is the oldest organisation of physicists. As of 2022, the DPG's worldwide membership is cited as 52,220, making it one of the largest national physics societies in the world. The DPG's membership peaked ...
, the world's largest and oldest organisation of physicists, is a major member.
History
In 1966, Gilberto Bernardini, then president of the
Italian Physical Society The Italian Physical Society () is a non-profit organization whose aim is to promote, encourage, protect the study and the progress of physics in Italy and in the world. It was founded in 1897.
It is associated with the journal series ''Nuovo Cime ...
, convened a meeting of 80 European physicists in
Pisa
Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...
to discuss possibly forming a Pan-European Physical Society. There was agreement in such a society existed, but disagreement about its form which led to the establishment of a Steering Committee. They would attempt to determine if a federation of national physical societies or an independent society with direct personal membership would be the preferred form for the European Physical Society. In a May 1967 meeting in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
determined the European Physical Society should be a loose federation of physical societies, and that it should be a service organization, which means it would organize conferences, coordinate European physics publications, and be a communication channel rather than attempting to organize physics research in Europe. On the 26th of September 1968 in
Geneva
Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...
, the European Physical Society was legally incorporated.
Governance
The EPS Council is held annually and reviews the activities of the EPS, discusses priorities and approves annual accounts; it has representatives from each of the 42 Member Societies as well as the 11 Divisions and seven Groups. Associate and Individual Members are represented by five delegates elected from their respective groups of members. Delegates are elected for four-year terms, and the elections typically take place between January and March.
The executive committee is elected by the EPS Council for a two-year term, with a term limit of two. It is made up of a President, who is the President of the Society and Chairman of the council, a Vice-president, a member from each Member Society with an effective membership greater than or equal to 10,000, three members elected from each other Member Society, four members elected from Divisions and Groups, one member elected from Individual Members, and one member elected from the Associate Members. Additionally, a Secretary and Treasurer exists as part of the executive committee.
The President must also serve as the vice-president the year before and after their two-year term. No one may serve more than one term as president.
[
Additionally, the EPS General Meeting occurs every three years.][
]
Publications
Its letters journal is '' EPL''; its other publications include ''Europhysics News''[Sébenne, Claude (Editor]
Europhysics News
(Print Edition), (Electronic Edition), Accessed 21 July 2012 and the '' European Journal of Physics''.
''Europhysics News''
''Europhysics News'' is a magazine owned by the European Physical Society, and produced in collaboration with EDP Sciences. It publishes review articles, advanced topic features, and reports to aid European Physicists. The current editor-in-chief is Dr. Antigone Marino, and Ferenc Igloi is a Science Editor for the magazine.
Conferences
One of its main activities is organizing international conferences.
The EPS sponsors conferences other than the Europhysics Conference, like the International Conference of Physics Students in 2011.
Units
Committees
Committees are groups entrusted with special tasks which are appointed by the executive committee.[
The following committees are part of the EPS:
* Conference Committee
* Distinctions and Awards Committee
* EPS Historic Sites Selection Committee
* Equal Opportunities
* European Integration
* Executive Committee
* Forum Physics and Society
* Young Minds Committee
]
Divisions
Divisions normally focus on specific physics disciplines.
Groups
Groups normally focus on general issues within physics.[
The current Groups of the EPS are:
* Accelerator Group
* Computational Physics Group
* Energy Group
* History of Physics Group
* Physics for Development Group
* Technology and Innovation Group
]
Prizes
The EPS awards a number of prizes, including the Edison Volta Prize, the EPS Europhysics Prize, the EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Prizes, the High Energy and Particle Physics Prize, the EPS Emmy Noether Distinction for Women in Physics, and the Rolf Wideroe Prize.
Historic Sites
The Historic Sites Initiative launched towards the end of 2011, and was inspired by a similar initiative launched by the American Physical Society
The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of ...
. The initiative is meant to commemorate places in Europe with significance to the development and the history of physics such as laboratories, and universities. As of September 2018, 41 sites are inaugurated in 21 different countries. Examples of recognized sites are the Blackett Laboratory (UK) in 2014,Residencia de Estudiantes
ESO Hotel at Cerro Paranal (or Residencia) is the accommodation for Paranal Observatory in Chile since 2002. It is mainly used for the ESO ( European Southern Observatory) scientists and engineers who work there on a roster system. It has been ...
(Spain) in 2015.
Presidents
* 2024–present : Mairi Sakellariaou (United Kingdom)
* 2021–2024: Luc Bergé (France)
* 2019–2021: Petra Rudolf (Netherlands)Herwig Schopper
Herwig Franz Schopper (born 28 February 1924) is a German experimental physicist. He was the director general of CERN from 1981 to 1988.
Biography
Schopper was born in Lanškroun, Czechoslovakia, to a family of Austrian descent. He obtained hi ...
(Germany)
References
External links
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Physics societies
International scientific organizations based in Europe
Scientific organizations established in 1968
1968 establishments in Europe