Committee on the Status of Women in Physics

The Committee on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP) provides guidance for and actively participates in APS activities related to the goals of the production, retention, and career development of physicists who identify as women, and other APS efforts related to these goals. The CSWP also provides advice to APS staff and the APS Council and committee members both participate in activities and lead activities related to these topics.

The membership of CSWP includes nine (9) members nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms. The committee also includes one (1) or two (2) members representing the Forum on Diversity and Inclusion (FDI) executive committee. The Forum representatives are recommended by the respective Chair of the Forum, in consultation with the executive committee of the Forum, and they are appointed by the President-Elect as voting members to staggered three (3) year terms.

The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.

The CSWP is a Council Committee.

  • Rana Ashkar, Chair
    (Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024)
    Virginia Tech
  • Mingsheng Wei, Vice Chair
    (Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024)
    University of Rochester
  • Angela Hight Walker, Past Chair
    (Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024)
    National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
  • Jessica Eskew
    (Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2025)
    Auburn University
  • Edmund Bertschinger
    (Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2025)
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Laura McCullough
    (Jan 1, 2023 – Jan 31, 2026)
    University of Wisconsin - Stout
  • Idaykis Rodriguez
    (Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2024)
    Florida International University
  • Vidushi Adlakha
    (Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2024)
    Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
  • Leo Hollberg
    (Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2024)
    Stanford University
  • Prajval Shastri
    (Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2026)
    Raman Research Institute
  • MOUMITA DAS
    (Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2026)
    Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Crystal Bailey, Staff Liaison
    (Nov 13, 2023)
    American Physical Society (APS)

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