Guiding Principles

Education and Diversity Programs and Activities

Vision

Provide effective programs, activities, and resources that advance education, diversity, and inclusion in the physics community

Guilding Principles

Education and Diversity departmental programs and activities are guided by the Committees on Education, Minorities, and Status of Women in Physics, and reflect core values and goals of the American Physical Society and its Strategic Plan. Activities are based primarily in physics and closely related disciplines, are designed to have impact on national or international scales and receive public recognition of APS efforts. Staff and volunteers actively evaluate programs for relevance, audience, and impact – modifying or restructuring as appropriate. As a member society, we insist on transparency and accountability in our actions and in the philosophical underpinnings of our programs.

Our programs:

  • Use our unique position – The APS has a unique and recognized perspective on national and global issues and provides, through consultation and deliberation, leadership on relevant issues. Our efforts are focused in areas where the APS has a constituency and knowledge that builds on our recognized strengths and allows us to have a profound impact on these concerns.
  • Leverage action – We magnify the impact of our programs by empowering individuals and groups, and by working collectively with organizations, committees, members, and other individuals. Wherever possible, we seek external funding to magnify our efforts, and build compelling relationships that reinforce positive interactions within the community.
  • Meet significant needs – Programs make substantial and recognizable progress in addressing compelling problems, clearly recognized by the physics community, and not currently addressed at a significant level.
  • Assess impact – Programs are evaluated against their ability to meet established metrics and address identified needs. Programs must reflect a standard easily recognizable and generally endorsed by the physics community. New or changing programs will be given adequate time to establish their effectiveness.