The American Physical Society is a non-profit membership organization based in College Park, Maryland, dedicated to the advancement and diffusion of the knowledge of physics through the publication of research journals, the hosting of scientific meetings, and education, advocacy, and other activities. Members include physicists in academia, national laboratories, and industry in the United States and abroad.
Overview
Website
Type of Organization
Provider Role(s)
Details
Alternative Names
APS
Still in Operation
Yes
CRL Analysis & Profile
Mission Statement
"The American Physical Society strives to:
- Be the leading voice for physics and an authoritative source of physics information for the advancement of physics and the benefit of humanity;
- Provide effective programs in support of the physics community and the conduct of physics;
- Collaborate with national scientific societies for the advancement of science, science education and the science community;
- Cooperate with international physics societies to promote physics, to support physicists worldwide and to foster international collaboration;
- Promote an active, engaged and diverse membership, and support the activities of its units and members."
From https://www.aps.org/about/mission/index.cfm (accessed January 2017)
History
1889: American Physical Society founded in New York, "to advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics."
1913: APS took over the operation of the journal Physical Review, which had been founded in 1893 at Cornell University, and initiated its journal publication program.
1929: Physical Review was followed by Reviews of Modern Physics.
1958: APS began publishing the journal Physical Review Letters.
Governance: Board / Owners / Parent organization
The APS is governed by a President elected by the membership and a Board of Directors. The President presides over the Board, which has ultimate responsibility for the actions of the Society. The Board includes President, Vice President, President-Elect, Past President, Treasurer, and nine Councilors elected by the Council of Representatives.
The Speaker of the Council presides over the Council of Representatives and is elected from the Council. "The Council consists of four General Councilors, four International Councilors, the Treasurer, and Councilors representing the Divisions, Forums, and Sections." -- https://www.aps.org/about/governance/index.cfm (accessed January 2017).
Access
Perpetual access to APS journal content consists of the publisher providing the subscriber a set of complimentary CD-ROMs for each year during the term of the subscription agreement. The CD-ROMs contain PDFs of the year's journal articles and are the functional equivalent of a bound volume.
Sources
APS website
ICOLC list serv 2017