Committee on International Freedom of Scientists

The Committee on International Freedom of Scientists (CIFS) is responsible for monitoring concerns regarding human rights for scientists throughout the world. It apprises the President, the Board and Council of problems encountered by scientists in the pursuit of their scientific interests or in effecting satisfactory communication with other scientists and may recommend to the President and Council appropriate courses of action designed to alleviate such problems.

The membership of CIFS includes nine (9) members nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms.

The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.

The CIFS is a Council Committee.

  • Kenny Breuer, Chair
    (Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024)
    Brown University
  • Virginia Trimble, Past Chair
    (Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024)
    University of California, Irvine
  • Detlef Lohse
    (Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2025)
    University of Twente
  • Ivan Schuller
    (Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2025)
    University of California, San Diego
  • Maury Goodman
    (Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2025)
    Argonne National Laboratory
  • Natalia Berloff
    (Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2026)
    Univ of Cambridge
  • Renata Wentzcovitch
    (Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2026)
    Columbia University
  • Jean Bio Chabi Orou
    (Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2026)
  • Sumeyra Tek
    (Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2024)
    Texas Lutheran University
  • Peter Steinberg
    (Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2024)
    Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL)
  • Michele Irwin, Staff Advisor
    (Jan 1, 2003)
    American Physical Society (APS)

Join your Society

If you embrace scientific discovery, truth and integrity, partnership, inclusion, and lifelong curiosity, this is your professional home.