APS to Change Name: Share Your Suggestions

[Gokul43201]

From an email to APS members

"At its June meeting, the APS Executive Board strongly endorsed changing
the public name used by APS from American Physical Society to American
Physics Society. The reason is simple: the word "physical" means
several things to the general public, most often not physics. This
causes confusion and uncertainty regarding what kind of organization
APS is, and dilutes the impact APS can have in representing the physics
community to the media, the government, and the public at large. "

"The Board is mindful of the 106-year history of the American
Physical Society, and would continue to use this name for internal
purposes, such as our journals and prizes."

Do you think the APS should make a change ? If yes, what alternative do you suggest ?

 

[ZapperZ]

Well I voted already at their website agreeing to the name change. It makes it clearer, at least to the public, on what the organization represents.

Besides, that name change doesn't require a change in the acronym. So they don't have to reorder all new towels. :)

Zz.

 

[dextercioby]

I voted for the first option. I see no reason to change it. And if they eventually do it, who'll notice ?

Daniel.

 

[Gokul43201]

And if they eventually do it, who'll notice ?

When there's an APS March/April meeting happening somewhere (especially if its not in a large metro, like LA or Seattle) a lot of people in the area actually get to hear the name "APS" and many will see hordes of people walking down the streets (to or from the conference) with APS nametags and what-nots. Nearby shop and restaurant owners will be seeing hundreds of physicists for perhaps the first time in their lives.

We can't have all these people thinking were doctors, can we ?

 

[ZapperZ]

When there's an APS March/April meeting happening somewhere (especially if its not in a large metro, like LA or Seattle)

I don't think that's possible, Gokul! :)

Well, at least not for the March Meetings, which typically get 5000+ attendees. Those usually are planned several years in advance and can only be located in cities with large conference area, so those tend to be large cities too. I was at the 1999 APS Centenial March Meeting in Atlanta, and it was a ZOO! (No, the conference was a zoo, not the location) :)

In any case, we are often called "physicians" anyway by many people. So we are already being confused as medical doctors with or without the APS logo. :)

Zz.

 

[Gokul43201]

Oh, I consider Indianapolis a tiny village ! Any dissenters ?

 

[ZapperZ]

Oh, I consider Indianapolis a tiny village ! Any dissenters ?

Hahaha... you have a point there. For a city that size, they sure have a very large convention center. They were very happy to have us there a few years ago - the downtown shopping mall had the APS sign all over the place.

Zz.

 

[Gokul43201]

In any case, we are often called "physicians" anyway by many people.

Not to say anything about "psychics" !

 

[Gokul43201]

Even this year, in LA, a waiter at a restaurant asked me "if I was there for the conference" and something like "what's this big conference all about anyway" ?

Then he wanted to know what some of the interesting things that have just been discovered were. Luckily for me, one of the big things this year was Chan's paper on supersolid He4...which is something that can be discussed in lay terms and will evoke a response of interest from a non-physicist. Try explaining why MgB2 is a big deal !