Reports and studies
Providing compelling information and analysis to address societal challenges
Science policy reports
The APS Panel on Public Affairs (POPA) oversees reports that present technical assessments in areas of interest to the physics community, policy decision-makers, and the general public. Topics covered in these reports range from energy and the environment to national security.
This report considers a number of missile defense systems that have already been deployed, are currently being considered, or have been proposed to defend against nuclear-armed ICBMs.
This APS report on emphasizes that although atmospheric carbon dioxide removal technologies hold promise, they come at a cost.
This report describes how, for methane emission regulation to be most effective, it should specifically target the small portion of leaks that are major emitters.
This report focuses on the competing goals of reducing nuclear proliferation risk while maintaining intense controlled sources of neutrons for vital scientific and industrial work.
Government Affairs reports
APS Government Affairs reports examine physics and STEM policy issues, such as research security and open science.
This report offers policy recommendations aimed at reformulating current research security policies to increase the ability of the United States to attract and retain international talent.
Surveys of more than 3,200 physics professionals and students show that the U.S. federal government’s current approach to addressing research security concerns is weakening, not strengthening, the U.S. scientific enterprise.
New APS survey results reveal that more than two-thirds of the international, first-year physics Ph.D. students who were slated to enroll in fall 2020 are still not on campus.
Task force and committee reports
A detailed climate survey, including in-depth interviews with individuals who self-identify as LGBT+
Recommendations and implementation strategies for strengthening global partnerships and integrating international affairs across APS
A report highlighting the importance of the Optional Practical Training and J-1 visa programs through stories about talented international students and scholars
APS annual reports
Annual reports provide our members, donors, and the physics community with transparent information about our initiatives, successes, and finances.
From major policy wins to international engagement, APS made meaningful strides in 2025. Explore the annual report.
From major policy wins to international engagement, APS made meaningful strides in 2024. Explore the annual report marking our 125th year of advancing physics.
APS joined IOPP and AIPP in the Purpose-Led Publishing Coalition, pledging to prioritize science over profit with ethical, high-quality standards. We also joined Research4Life to ensure fair access to our journals for lower-income regions, with reduced or waived fees for authors.
In 2022, APS hosted hybrid meetings with record attendance and launched the Advancing Graduate Leadership Conference.
Education reports
Education reports summarize the themes, findings, and recommendations of the events and initiatives that help prepare the next generation of physicists.
The American Physical Society held its first Advancing Graduate Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.
This report summarizes the AGEP-GRS Conference, held August 2-3, 2021.
The virtual 2021 Physics Department Chairs Conference took place on June 3-4, 2021.
The APS/AAPT Physics Department Chairs Conference took place June 18-19, 2020.
Industrial physics reports
APS has produced several reports examining the critical role of industrial physicists to U.S. economic growth and development and the need to support physicists who pursue careers in industry.
In partnership with the American Institute of Physics, a federation of physical science societies, APS asked the APS Industrial Physics Advisory Board to organize a study on the impact of U.S. industrial physics and to issue its findings in a publicly available report.
Physics has been a prime mover of industrial development in the United States for over 100 years. Physicists in industry have made possible the technological advances of modern products that make our lives safer, better, and easier, as well as improving the security and infrastructure of our nation. In many ways, industrial physics is responsible for the creation of the modern age.
The creation of economic value from research knowledge has moved from the province of vertically integrated firms to loose global consortia. Research projects and their funding have gone global, with contributors from all over the world working together via the Internet. Trained technical manpower has become globally available and plentiful, as has the capital for commercially oriented research and development projects.
Studies
APS studies serve occasional needs outside the scope of POPA reports by providing detailed data on technical issues of importance to APS, the physics community, and policymakers. For more information about APS studies, please contact the Government Affairs team.
APS study group report, 2008
APS study group report, 2004
APS study group report, 1975
APS studies, published in AIP Conference Proceedings, 1975
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