Stories from February 2009
International Physics Council meets in London
Institute of Physics
6 February 2009
On Friday 6 February, the Institute of Physics (IOP) in London welcomed physicists from around the world to the first meeting of the new Council and Chairs of Commissions of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP).
The Council will consider reports from each of IUPAP’s eighteen commissions, and review resolutions agreed at the General Assembly held in Japan in October 2008. These resolutions ranged from the redefinition of SI units, to promoting the universality of science through free access between countries. Another issue under discussion is the expansion of IUPAP’s membership to take in additional countries, including those in the developing world.
IUPAP is the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, which brings together the physics communities in 48 member countries 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.
Some 30 physicists from 13 different countries are meeting in London on 6 and 7 February to mark the election of new office bearers. The new President is Professor Sukekatsu Ushioda of Japan’s National Institute for Materials Science. From 1 January this year, IOP’s Chief Executive Bob Kirby-Harris has taken on the role of Secretary General to IUPAP.
IUPAP’s Commissions cover all the sub-disciplines of physics. The UK is represented on 15 Commissions and C17, the Commission on Quantum Electronics, is chaired by UK physicist Professor Alan Shore, of Bangor University’s School of Informatics.
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