Minorities in Physics

APS is committed to the inclusion of underrepresented minorities in physics and has spent decades working on programs to increase recruitment and retention of African American, Hispanic American, and Indigenous physicists.

National Mentoring Community

An effort to increase the number of underrepresented minority students who complete bachelor’s degrees in physics.
More about National Mentoring Community

APS Bridge Program

Encouraging African American, Native American & Hispanic American PhDs
Created to measurably increase the number of physics PhDs granted to underrepresented minorities over the next ten years by establishing a set of bridge programs that facilitate student transitions from undergraduate degree programs to graduate school.
More about Bridge Program

Climate Site Visits

By inviting a site visit team to provide external perspectives and suggestions, this program helps physics departments and research facilities warm the "chilly climate" that underrepresented minorities and women in physics often experience. Site visits are a joint effort between CSWP and COM.
Site Visit Information

Inclusive Graduate Education Network

The NSF INCLUDES Alliance: Inclusive Graduate Education Network (IGEN) is a partnership of over 30 societies, institutions, organizations, corporations, and national laboratories poised to lead a paradigm shift in increasing the participation of Black, Latinx and Indigenous students who enter graduate or doctorate level programs in the physical sciences.
More about IGEN

Webinar Series:
Making Physics Inclusive & Equitable

As physicists interested in the advancement of the discipline we must address systemic barriers in academia that have led to a gross underrepresentation of minorities, particularly Black Americans, in our field. In this joint physics society webinar series, attendees will learn about ideas and concrete actions they can take toward diversifying the next generation of scientists.

Quick Links

APS Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance

The APS Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance (APS-IDEA) is a new initiative with a mission of empowering and supporting physics departments, laboratories, and other organizations to identify and enact strategies for improving equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). It will do so by establishing a community of transformation.
Learn More

HBCU and BSI Physics Chairs Group

Over the last two decades, the number of physics bachelor's degrees earned by African Americans has decreased substantially. In an effort to reverse this alarming trend, the APS Committee on Minorities in Physics founded the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Black Serving Institutions (BSI) Chairs Group.

Chairs who would like to join this group, please email your request to minorities@aps.org.

View the 2017 Summit Report format_pdf

Profiles of Minority Physicists

mcneese-thumbMarta Dark McNeese
Marta chose physics mostly because she was fascinated with optics, and a little bit because she was afraid of chemicals and disliked knives.

View all Profiles

Brochure & Poster

Brochure: Explore, Understand, Succeed
minority brochure coverA brochure encouraging minority students to study physics and providing information about physics careers. If you would like to order copies of this brochure in English or Spanish, please visit the APS Store and get your copies today!
English Format - PDF or Spanish Format - PDF

Poster: Conquer Your Universe, Master Physics!
Minorities PosterAimed at minority students, this vibrant poster will encourage all students to master physics and gain a better understanding of their physical universe.
Learn more and order copies