Largest Physics Meeting of the Year Canceled

American Physical Society cancels annual March Meeting as concerns about coronavirus transmission escalate

The 2020 American Physical Society (APS) March Meeting that was to be held in Denver, Colorado from March 2 through March 6 has been canceled. The decision was made late Saturday (February 29), out of an abundance of caution and based on the latest scientific data available regarding the transmission of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

APS Chief Executive Officer Kate Kirby and Deputy Executive Officer & Chief Operating Officer James Taylor today addressed members of the media. Please contact media@aps.org for a recording of the press conference.

“We have been monitoring the spread of the disease leading up to the meeting and determined, in consultation with the APS Board Executive Committee as well as meeting leadership and APS staff input, that canceling the meeting was necessary to avoid any transmission at our meeting,” said Kirby.

Many of the 10,000 expected attendees were traveling from outside of the United States, including countries where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 3 Warning a few hours before the cancellation. APS knows of no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Denver at this time.

“The health and well-being of our meeting attendees, staff, vendors, and the Denver community are our primary concern,“ said APS President Phil Bucksbaum. “We recognize and sincerely regret that the timing of this decision has significantly inconvenienced many members of our community.”

Registrants will receive a full refund of their registration fees. APS is also working with involved hotels and U.S. government funding agencies to help mitigate financial hardship to people who were planning to attend. Those currently in Denver are advised to arrange their return travel as soon as possible.