Committee on Scientific Meetings

The Committee on Scientific Meetings (COSM) proposes guidelines and rules for the organization and operation of all scientific meetings of the Society. These may govern such topics as: how APS Units jointly participate in Society meetings, the enforcement of guidelines for conduct, the selection of meeting locations, and accessibility of APS meeting content to the physics community. The APS Board and Council, the APS staff and the leadership of APS Units may also consult COSM for advice on issues related to specific meetings, or other meeting-related topics as needed.

The membership of the COSM includes the CEO (non-voting), the CFOO (non-voting), the APS Director of Meetings (non-voting), one (1) representative from each of the Forum on Early Career Scientists (FECS), the Forum on International Physics (FIP), and the Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics (FIAP). The Forum representatives are recommended by the respective Chair of each Forum, in consultation with the executive committee of the Forum, and they are appointed by the President-Elect as voting members to staggered three (3) year terms. Six (6) additional voting members are nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three-year terms and up to three (3) external association experts selected by the Chair and CFOO, confirmed by the Council Steering Committee (CSC), and appointed by the President-Elect. The external experts are not required to be members of the APS and they serve at the pleasure of the committee Chair.

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 COSM is a Council Committee.