USLC_IUPAP_Activities

Activities

IUPAP Hosts World Conference on Physics and Sustainable Development
Following a successful General Assembly in Cape Town, South Africa in October 2005, many of the delegates flew to Durban where they were joined by several hundred other scientists and educators at the World Conference on Physics and Sustainable Development (WCPSD). The October 31-November 2 event followed up on the UNESCO-ICSU World Conference on Science, held in June 1999, as well as the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development, during the summer of 2002.

Conference presentations and discussions in Durban focused on four themes: Energy and Environment, Physics and Health, Physics Education, and Physics and Economic Development. For each theme, an international program committee was formed to help conference participants summarize an action plan for the future. Much of this work is occurring electronically, and bulletin boards have been established on the WCPSD Web site for this purpose.

World Year of Physics 2005
The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics declared 2005 as the World Year of Physics to raise the worldwide awareness of physics and physical science. The U.S. physics community’s efforts are led by the American Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers, and the American Institute of Physics. The theme for the World Year of Physics is “Einstein in the 21st Century,” timed to coincide with the centennial celebration of Albert Einstein’s “Miraculous Year.” More information about the 2005 World Year of Physics is available here.

Collaborations in Latin America
Following the successful Nanotechnology Synchrotron Radiation Workshop in Campinas, Brazil, in 2001, the USLC/IUPAP in collaboration with USNC/Cr and the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) held a Workshop on the Use of Synchrotron Radiation: Applications to Macromolecules and Biological Systems, December 9-11, 2002. In addition to plenary colloquia of broad interest, the workshop had oral and poster presentations on crystallographic structures of proteins, protein-lipid interactions, macromolecular assemblies, biocompatible polymers, polymeric drug carriers, and biocomposites.

2002 IUPAP General Assembly
The 24^th IUPAP General Assembly took place October 7-12, 2002 in Berlin, Germany with a special session on "Physics Research in Germany". The triennial meeting involved IUPAP officers, council members, commission members and delegates from 46 member countries. The United States was represented by Delegates (P. Hohenberg, B. Barish, T. Gaisser, I. Lerch, V. Luth, M.B. Ruskai, R. Wald), Officers (B. Richter, J. Franz) and Guests (K. Gebbie, M. Blume). A full report of the General Assembly can be viewed here. Of the resolutions passed, special note was made to the recommendations of the IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics. The next IUPAP General Assembly will be held in 2005, which has been designated as the World Year of Physics.

Women in Science
IUPAP, with the USLC and other member country representatives, organized the International Conference on Women in Physics held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. The conference took place March 7-9, 2001. It focused on the under-representation of women in physics and the development of strategies to increase their participation. The recommendations of the conference covered topics such as attracting girls into physics, launching a successful physics career, improving the institutional structure and climate, getting women into the power structure, and balancing family and career. The proceedings of the conference are available here.

International Scientific Collaborations and Policy
Norman Neureiter, the former Science and Technology Advisor to the Secretary of State, was invited to speak at the annual meeting of the USLC/IUPAP held June, 2001. In response to U.S. scientific communities’ concerned over U.S. visa issues, Neureiter discussed how the State Department was working to reduce barriers to international scientific exchanges and collaboration. Neureiter also spoke about the State Department's capabilities in science, the focus of the NRC report The Pervasive Role of Science, Technology, and Health in Foreign Policy: Imperatives for the Department of State

1999 IUPAP General Assembly
The U.S. hosted the IUPAP General Assembly in Atlanta, Georgia, March 1999. The meeting was held in conjunction with the American Physical Society Centennial Celebrations with emphasis on international programs. The U.S. Delegation, lead by Robert Richardson, nominated candidates for officers, discussed the structure of commissions in condensed matter and materials physics, and addressed mechanisms to strengthen global participation in IUPAP.

National Security and Scientific Openness
The USLC/IUPAP held their annual meeting in June 1999 in Washington, DC. An issue of particular concern was the restrictions placed on foreign scientists at the Department of Energy’s weapons laboratories. Subsequently, they were asked to provide input in structuring the workshop on the balance of national security and scientific openness. The workshop resulted in several statements by the Academies Presidents and the publication: Balancing Scientific Openness and National Security Controls at the Nation’s Nuclear Weapons Laboratories, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1999.

Meetings
The USLC/IUPAP meets once a year in Washington, D.C. for extensive discussions involving the federal agencies and professional societies in the deliberations. In addition, American Physical Society annual meetings provide a venue for special meetings and sessions.

The USLC/IUPAP committee meetings address difficult challenges that face the international physics community. The following are the principal objectives of the USLC: