American Institute of Physics
AbbreviationAIP
Formation1931
Type501(c)(3) not-for-profit membership corporation[1]
PurposePromoting the advancement and diffusion of the knowledge of physics and its application to human welfare.[1]
HeadquartersAmerican Center for Physics (ACP)
Location
  • College Park, Maryland
Membership
120,000 scientists, engineers, educators, and students[1]
CEO
Michael H. Moloney
Budget
75 million USD[2]
Websitewww.aip.org

The American Institute of Physics (AIP) promotes science and the profession of physics, publishes physics journals, and produces publications for scientific and engineering societies. The AIP is made up of various member societies. Its corporate headquarters are at the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland, but the institute also has offices in Melville, New York, and Beijing.[1]

Core activities

The focus of the AIP appears to be organized around a set of core activities. The first delineated activity is to support member societies regarding essential society functions. This is accomplished by annually convening the various society officers to discuss common areas of concern. A range of topics is discussed which includes scientific publishing, public policy issues, membership-base issues, philanthropic giving, science education, science careers for a diverse population, and a forum for sharing ideas.[1]

Another core activity is publishing the science of physics in research journals, magazines, and conference proceedings. Member societies continue nevertheless to publish their own journals.

Other core activities are tracking employment and education trends with six decades of coverage, being a liaison between research science and industry, historical collections and physics outreach programs, and supporting science education initiatives and supporting undergraduate physics. One other core activity is as an advocate for science policy to the U.S. Congress and the general public.[1]

Historical overview

The AIP was founded in 1931 as a response to lack of funding for the sciences during the Great Depression. It formally incorporated in 1932 consisting of five original "member societies", and a total of four thousand members. A new set of member societies was added beginning in the mid-1960s. As soon as the AIP was established it began publishing scientific journals.[3]

Member societies

Affiliated societies

List of publications

The AIP has a subsidiary called AIP Publishing (wholly owned non-profit) dedicated to scholarly publishing by the AIP and its member societies, as well on behalf of other partners.[4]

Awards and prizes

Andrew Gemant Award

The Andrew Gemant Award is awarded to a person who has made substantial cultural, artistic, or humanistic contributions to physics. The award is named after the physicist Andrew Gemant.

Tate Medal for International Leadership in Physics

Presented for distinguished service to the profession of physics by a non-U.S. national

Compton Medal for Leadership in Physics

Presented for distinguished statesmanship in science

Prize for Industrial Applications of Physics

Sponsored by General Motors, the award is presented biennially to publicize the value of physics research in industry

Dannie Heineman Astrophysics Prize

The Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics, sponsored jointly with the American Astronomical Society, recognizes accomplishments in theoretical astrophysics. Named in honour of the Belgian-American engineer Dannie Heineman.

Dannie Heineman Mathematical Physics Prize

The Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics, sponsored jointly with the American Physical Society, recognizes accomplishments in mathematical physics

Abraham Pais Award for History of Physics

The Abraham Pais Prize for History of Physics recognizes outstanding scholarly achievements in the history of physics. Named in honour of the science historian and particle physicist Abraham Pais.

Meggers Project Award

Awarded biennially for projects designed to improve high school physics

Fluid Dynamics Prize

Recognizes outstanding achievement in research with demonstrated major impact on the discipline, jointly sponsored with the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "About AIP". AIP | American Institute of Physics. n.d. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  2. ^ "Organization and Governance". AIP | American Institute of Physics. n.d. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  3. ^ "History of AIP". American Institute of Physics. July 2010.
  4. ^ About AIP Publishing
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