Amercian Physical Society

On May 20, 1899, 36 physicists gathered at Columbia University founded a new organization to “advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics.” Initially, APS’s main activity was to host scientific meetings, holding four per year. Arthur Gordon Webster, a professor of physics at Clark University who came to be known as “the father of APS,” organized the first of these meetings at Fayerweather Hall at Columbia University.

After World War II, federal funding for physics research increased, as did scientists’ public involvement. As a result, APS became more active in public and government affairs, and we continue to advocate for and amplify the voice of physicists.

Today, our initiatives advance physics in education, support the career development of physicists, and elevate physics both in the U.S. and around the world. Our membership is represented by 50 units, spanning geography, interests, and areas of physics.

The Physical Review journals, encompassing both hybrid and open-access journals, features 17 leading peer-reviewed publications including Physical Review Letters, Physical Review X, and Reviews of Modern Physics.

APS is a founding member of Purpose-Led Publishing, a coalition of publishers who pledge to put purpose above profit in support of researchers and ethical scholarly communications.

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