The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP; /ˈaɪjuːpæp,ˈjuː-/) is an international non-governmental organization whose mission is to assist in the worldwide development of physics, to foster international cooperation in physics, and to help in the application of physics toward solving problems of concern to humanity.[1][4][5] It was established in 1922 and the first General Assembly was held in 1923 in Paris.[6] The Union is domiciled in Geneva, Switzerland.[7]
IUPAP carries out this mission by: sponsoring international meetings; fostering communications and publications; encouraging research and education; fostering the free circulation of scientists;[8][9] promoting international agreements on the use of symbols, units, nomenclature and standards;[10][11] and cooperating with other organizations on disciplinary and interdisciplinary problems.[12][13][14]
In 1919 was formed the International Research Council[16] “largely through the representatives of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, and of the Royal Society, London, 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 and a number of physicists present decided that the formation of a Physics Union was imperative.
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.
The year 2022 marked the centenary of the IUPAP, organized and run by the physics communities of the world. In this context, the IUPAP sponsored the publication of Globalizing Physics: One Hundred Years of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, edited by Roberto Lalli and Jaume Navarro. This anthology brings together contributions on the history of IUPAP since its foundation.[17]
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.[18]
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 renamed Early Career Scientist Prize at the General Assembly 2021.[22]
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 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 Kennedy Reed Medal for Outstanding Contributions to the Enhancement of Physics in Developing Countries (C13)
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)
IUPAP was founded in 1922 with 13 members: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Empire of Japan, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, and South Africa. Since, then many new members have joined the union. Today, the IUPAP consists of 56 territorial member.
Below is the list of IUPAP territorial members:
List of the Current and Former Territorial Members of IUPAP[23]
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.
IUPAP, whose mission is to assist in the worldwide development of physics, to foster international cooperation, and to help in the application of physics toward solving problems of concern to humanity, has throughout its history defended the stand that no scientists should be barred from participating in conferences or events on the basis of their nationality or their affiliation.[5][46] Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, IUPAP issued a statement against the military offensive, while advocating for continued international scientific cooperation.[47][48][49] To alleviate sanctions in science and to promote principles and policies for international scientific collaboration,[50] IUPAP offers physicists, including students, from any country around the world, who feel excluded from academic exchange based exclusively on their affiliation and/or country of origin, to apply to use the IUPAP as their affiliation.[51][52][53][54]
^Schopper, Herwig; Gillies, James (2024), Schopper, Herwig; Gillies, James (eds.), "From Science to Science Diplomacy. See section "IUPAP Looks into the Role of Women in Physics"", Herwig Schopper: Scientist and Diplomat in a Changing World, Springer Biographies, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 175–176, doi:10.1007/978-3-031-51042-7_8, ISBN978-3-031-51042-7
^Alferov, Zhores I; Andreev, Aleksandr F; Borovik-Romanov, A S; Vaĭnshteĭn, B K; Gantmakher, Vsevolod F; Keldysh, Leonid V; Nikitenko, V I; Ponyatovskiĭ, E G; Timofeev, Vladislav B; Khalatnikov, I M; Shekhtman, V Sh; Shchegolev, I F (1991). "Yuriĭ Andreevich Osip'yan (on his sixtieth birthday)". Soviet Physics Uspekhi. 34 (2): 202–203. doi:10.1070/PU1991v034n02ABEH002340. ISSN0038-5670.
^Albrecht, M.; Ali, A.; Barone, M.; Brentjes, S.; Bona, M.; Ellis, J.; Glazov, A.; Jung, H.; Mangano, M.; Neuneck, G.; Raicevic, N.; Scheffran, J.; Spiro, M.; van Mechelen, P.; Vigen, J. (2023). "Beyond a Year of Sanctions in Science". arXiv:2311.02141 [physics.soc-ph].
