Generating APS Scinece Policy Positions

APS's policy positions are represented by our statements, which articulate our enduring positions on issues relevant to the physics community. These statements also guide and authorize APS's priorities for advocacy at the federal level and for other initiatives.

The process for generating, creating, and adopting APS statements takes place between our members, committees, and leadership to ensure we are advancing the physics community's needs. Statements are crafted through a meticulous review process, ensuring APS leaders and members can provide input. All statements must be approved by the APS Council, and the APS Panel on Public Affairs (POPA) is responsible for creating, editing, and archiving statements.

View APS Statements

Steps to creating an APS Statement

Because they represent enduring positions and priorities of the physics community, APS Statements are created through a robust and collaborative process. Crafting and adopting a statement can take up to a year, and not every statement will be adopted by APS. The process for generating a statement may begin at any time, if the Panel on Public Affairs decides doing so is necessary. The review process for a statement may also begin at any time, but the Panel on Public Affairs must review each APS statement every five years.

These steps for creating and adopting an APS statement are drawn from APS's Joint Oversight Policies and Procedures. For clarification on any of the steps in the APS Statement process, please contact the APS Government Affairs team.

Suggest a statement, activity, or action

Any APS member can suggest a topic for a statement or other APS public policy activities or actions. Before suggesting a statement topic, we encourage you to review APS's existing statements. To suggest a statement, please provide the following:

• Your name, email, and the topic of your suggestion, such as an APS Statement proposal or POPA report
• A short paragraph, no more than 300 words, about the statement proposal
• A brief description, no more than 100 words, about how the topic directly relates to physics
• A brief explanation, no more than 100 words, about the ways the proposal addresses an issue that directly impacts the physics community
• A list of existing APS Statements, if any, that relate to your proposal

You may submit your suggestion to the APS Government Affairs team via email. Please know that APS does not necessarily pursue all proposed statements or activities.

APS Board Statements

Unlike APS Statements, APS Board Statements can be crafted and adopted more quickly. They are a response to current events and used to create temporary, one-year policy positions. Like APS Statements, they are generated through a collaborative process involving the APS Board, Council, POPA, and PCC. If an APS Board Statement may potentially address an enduring position of the physics community, it may then go through the process of becoming an APS Statement.

Learn more about the APS Board