Rüdiger Voss is the next EPS President-elect

The European Physical Society [EPS] is pleased to announce that Rüdiger Voss has been elected as the next EPS President-elect. He will take up office as the President of EPS in April 2017, when the term of the current President, Christophe Rossel comes to an end.

Editorial – EPS and Physics for Development

A round table on the theme “Physics for Development” was organised during the Council Meeting of the European Physical Society (EPS) on 1 April 2016. There is no doubt that science and technology are essential elements to meet the challenges for sustainable development. Fundamental and applied scientific research lay the foundations for new methodologies to identify, clarify and provide solutions to global challenges. Science contributes to social and technological progress, improving the quality of life through advances in medicine, agriculture, energy supply, education, communication, etc. Science is also in itself a way of crossing national, cultural and mental borders by fostering international cooperation.

2016 EPS CMD Europhysics Prize

The European Physical Society Condensed Matter Division is proud to announce that the 2016 EPS CMD Europhysics Prize is awarded to P. Böni, A.N. Bogdanov, C. Pfleiderer, A. Rosch, and A. Vishwanath “for the theoretical prediction, the experimental discovery and the theoretical analysis of a magnetic skyrmion phase in MnSi, a new state of matter”.

EPS distinctions 2016

EPS Members can recognise individuals whose achievements in physics, whether in research, industry or education and/or through commitment to the SOCIETY and award them the distinction of a Fellow on the European Physical Society. In 2016, EPS Council welcomed the following individuals as EPS Fellows.

Luc Bergé French Commission for Atomic Energy, CEA, Paris, FR, for his outstanding theoretical contributions to the wave propagation in nonlinear media and for his service to the European Physical Society.

Report on the EPS Council 2016

Over 80 participants attended the EPS Council meeting which was held on the campus of the Université de Hate Alsace, in Mulhouse (FR). EPS Council is the opportunity for the EPS Divisions and Groups, member Societies and Action Committees to meet, and share information on the development of the EPS.

EPS Executive Committee meeting in Athens

The EPS Executive Committee met in Athens, Greece on 22-23 January 2016. The meeting was hosted by S. Sotiriou, who is the head of the physics department at the Ellino Germaniki school in Athens. This school is a leader in inquiry based science education. The Executive Committee discussed, among other affairs, the preparation of the EPS Council meeting 2016, the creation of a new EPS Advisory Board for Science Policy and the review of the EPS Strategy. A short summary of the meeting is available for EPS members here.

Season’s Greetings from the European Physical Society

Gentle Reader of e-EPS,
The European Physical Society would like to take this opportunity of thanking you for your interest and support throughout 2015. Everything the EPS does depends on the active involvement of its members and volunteers. And you should be proud of your accomplishments, in particular the International Year of Light. We hope that you spend a peaceful and restful holiday season, to prepare for 2016, and its challenges. We look forward to regularly providing you with content of interest to and about the physics community in Europe.

Proposal to increase Individual Membership fees

The Executive Committee has decided to propose to the EPS Council Meeting on 1-2 April 2016 to increase the membership fees for EPS Individual Members.

Any increase decided by Council 2016 will not take effect until 2017.

Meeting of Member Society Presidents

On 2 October 2015, Christophe Rossel welcomed Presidents and representatives from 23 EPS Member societies to discuss and elaborate EPS actions on a European level in the coming years. In order to provide background and context, three introductory talks were provided.
T. Karapiperis, Head of Unit, EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service, Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA), European Parliament presented Technology Assessment and Scientific Foresight in the European Parliament: STOA’s mission, structure and activities. The talk focused on the role of the STOA (Science and Technology Options Assessment), which is an interface between science and policy making. The STOA is an official body of the EU Parliament launched in 1987. It studies the medium to long term impact of science and technology on society. It is in the agenda setting phase of the science policy cycle.

EPS Executive Committee meeting in Brussels

The EPS Executive Committee met in Brussels on 17-20 October 2015. The meeting was chaired by the EPS President, C. Rossel. The Members of the Executive Committee present were: A. Bracco, L. Di Ciaccio, A. Friberg, Z. Fulop, C. Hidalgo, G. Leuchs, E. Rachlew, M. Reiffers and F. Saunders. Excused were J. Dudley, T. Müller, and S. Sotiriou. Invited were E. van Groningen, C. Latimer, D. Lee, and V. Velasco.

The first joint EPS-APS Historic Site: the Einstein House in Bern

Walking through the historic centre of Bern, the curious traveller comes across a sign at Kramgasse 49 indicating the “Einsteinhaus”. Walking up the steep, narrow staircase, it is possible to visit the apartment where Albert Einstein lived from 1903 to 1905.
During his time in Bern, A. Einstein lived with his wife and baby while working a 48 hour week as a clerk in the Patent Office. Despite a busy family and professional life, A. Einstein also published the 4 papers that revolutionised physics at the beginning of the 20th century.

EPS Edison Volta Prize 2016: Call for nominations

Nominations are now open for the Edison Volta Prize of the European Physical Society [EPS]. The award – intended to promote excellence in research – will be given in recognition of outstanding research and…