APS Office of Public Affairs Mission Statement

The APS Office of Public Affairs (OPA) was established to facilitate communication between physicists, the public, and government on scientific issues of concern to APS members and to the nation as a whole.

OPA, located in Washington, D.C., coordinates the interaction between APS in the federal government, directs the efforts of the Physics in Government Network our national group of grassroots scientist-activists and sponsors Congressional and Media Fellowships.

Policy Committees

The APS Office of Public Affairs activities are overseen by two APS standing committees.

Panel on Public Affairs (POPA)
POPA addresses public policy issues that have a technical dimension of interest to physicists.

Physics Policy Committee (PPC)
PPC focuses on issues that affect the resources available to physics and the health of the institutions in which physics is practiced.

Within the framework of its committee activity, APS has for many years carried out studies on issues of national importance on which members of the Society have specific technical knowledge. Examples include:

• Energy Efficiency
• Hydrogen Initiative
• Modern Pit Facility
• Power Line Fields and Public Health