EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Prize 2025

OBJECT: The EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Prize recognises outstanding research contributions in the area of statistical physics, nonlinear physics, complex systems, complex networks.
CANDIDATES: One or two persons that have made independent or convergent ground-breaking and agenda-setting contributions for the development of the field. Prize winners can have any nationality.
NOMINATIONS: Self nominations will not be considered. The nominators must send an email attaching a letter with a brief description of the most important research contributions of the candidate and a list of up to 6 key publications (maximum 2 pages) to the Chair of the board Raffaella Burioni (raffaella.burioni@unipr.it) with the subject header "EPS-SNPD award nomination". We encourage nominations of scientists from groups currently underrepresented in Statistical and Nonlinear Physics.
DEADLINE: 30th May 2025

EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Early Career Prize 2025

OBJECT: The EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Early Career Prize recognises outstanding research contributions in the area of statistical physics, nonlinear physics, complex systems, complex networks.
CANDIDATES: One or two persons in their early career stage (defined as having obtained the PhD degree less than 6 years ago at the time of nomination) that have made independent or convergent ground-breaking contributions for the development of the field. Prize winners can have any nationality.
NOMINATIONS: Self nominations will not be considered. The nominators must send an email attaching a letter with a brief description of the most important research contributions of the candidate and a list of up to 6 key publications (maximum 2 pages) to the Chair of the board Raffaella Burioni (raffaella.burioni@unipr.it) with the subject header "EPS-SNPD award nomination". We encourage nominations of scientists from groups currently underrepresented in Statistical and Nonlinear Physics.
DEADLINE: 30th May 2025

Further information is available on the website of the Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Division of the EPS: https://www.eps.org/members/group.aspx?id=85204

 

Author: Gina Gunaratnam

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The beginning of 2023 was marked by the opening ceremony of the 150th anniversary year of the French Physical Society (SFP). The event took place on 16th January in the prestigious Grand Amphithéâtre de la Sorbonne, located in the heart of Paris.

Guy Wormser, current president of the SFP, introduced the course of the afternoon, starting with the patrons of the event: Françoise Combes, laureate of the CNRS Gold Medal in 2020, and Serge Haroche, laureate of the Nobel Prize in physics in 2012. They were followed by numerous and illustrious speakers, among whom Sylvie Retailleau (French minister of high education and research), David Elbaz (research director at the CEA, French centre for nuclear research), Caroline Collard (director of the Hubert Curien Institute) and Valérie Masson-Delmotte, palaeontologist and co-president of the GIEC (Groupement d’Information et d’Etude sur le Climat/International Panel on Climate Change). All through the afternoon, various topics such as the history of the French Physical Society, the scientific and societal challenges for the future of physics and our warming planet were addressed by historians and researchers in presentations and round-table discussions.

From these exchanges, it was revealed that the Society has always been dynamic and at the cutting edge of physics, it has gathered together members from different backgrounds like scientists, philosophers and teachers since its inception. Its history was detailed in a video and presented by Olivier Darrigol (Université Paris Cité) and Denis Gutleben (CNRS), both historians of science. Famous scientists including Jean Perrin, Hubert Curien and Irène Joliot-Curie were referenced having influenced and developed the Society through the ages.

The SFP evolved with the international spread of knowledge and now represents all the fields of physics. Professor Combes, astrophysicist and laureate of numerous international awards, underlined this relevance. In her specialised field, the diversity of physics is needed for her research: condensed matter, plasma physics, vacuum, to name but a few. As for Professor Haroche, he spoke about the importance of the SFP in the internationalisation of physics by its involvement in the main physical societies throughout the world (American Physical Society, Chinese Physical Society, European Physical Society, etc.)

The French Physical Society was also mentioned as essential to science communication. Several speakers underlined the need to address challenges such as inspiring the younger generation, in particular girls. They also emphasised encouraging and supporting young women in their work. In a context of mistrust in science and success of dystopias, societies such as the SFP should play a key role to disseminate scientific knowledge.

The discussions were followed by a panel of representatives of several physical societies, who spoke of their fruitful collaborations with the SFP. Guy Wormser closed the day by inviting the participants to share a cocktail in the Réfectoire de la Sorbonne and discover the exhibition « 15 physiciennes » showing 15 female scientists. He concluded by detailing the numerous events organised all through 2023 to celebrate physics and the 150 years.

The next rendezvous is given in person in July for the SFP congress and any time online to discover all the SFP activities.

More info

• Ceremony on YouTube
• Agenda for 2023
• Exhibition of portraits of physicists "15 physiciennes"
  
• Website of the SFP
• History of the SFP in video
  

The American Institute of Physics (AIP) Center for the History of Physics and the Niels Bohr Archive are pleased to host the fifth international conference for graduate students and early career scholars, to be held from 31st August to 3rd September 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark. “Early Career” includes graduate students and recent PhDs, independent scholars, post-docs, and those in early-stage academic positions.

The goal of this conference is to foster communication and collaboration across national and disciplinary boundaries amongst junior scholars and to provide a forum for exploring and reflecting upon current issues in the historiography of the physical sciences. In addition to sessions with submitted papers, the conference program will feature roundtables, workshops, and other events designed to promote a community of scholars and develop career skills. The conference will also provide an opportunity for junior scholars to interact with invited senior scholars.

We welcome submissions, including works-in-progress, from all time periods and areas of the history of the physical sciences, including the earth sciences, industrial physics, astronomy, chemistry, space sciences, and more. All historiographical perspectives are welcome, from socio-cultural to highly technical. Past subject areas in the history of the physical sciences have included biographies of physical scientists, histories of education, technology, issues of gender and race, intellectual movements, and more. Cross-disciplinary perspectives are welcomed.

Presentations should be 20 minutes in length. Paper proposals should include the following:

• Your name
• E-mail address
• Institutional affiliation
• Presentation title and abstract (250 words max. not including title)
• A short biography, indicating where you are in your studies and/or career (250 words max.).

Supplementary travel funds will be available for all participants.

Paper proposals should be sent as an attachment in a single document (.pdf, .docx, or .doc) to EarlyCareer.AIP@gmail.com or uploaded to the conference website by 1st March 2023. Applicants will be notified by 1st April 2023. Please let us know if you need an earlier notification. All questions may be directed to the conference committee at EarlyCareer.AIP@gmail.com.

https://www.aip.org/history-programs/physics-history/early-career-conference

Author: Christian Beck

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We would like to ask you for suggestions of suitable candidates for the 2021 prizes of the Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Division (SNPD) of the European Physical Society (EPS) (https://www.eps.org):

1. EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Prize

The EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Prize is awarded by EPS every 2 years for outstanding research contributions in the area of statistical physics, nonlinear physics, complex systems and complex networks. The prize winner will have made ground-breaking and agenda setting contributions for the development of this field. The prize can be shared by up to 2 persons. The prize consists of a glass trophy and a cash sum. Prize winners can have any nationality.

2. EPS-SNPD Early Career Prize

This prize is awarded every 2 years to an early career scientist (defined as having obtained his/her PhD less than 6 years ago at the time of nomination) who has made outstanding research contributions to an area of statistical physics, nonlinear physics, complex systems, or complex networks, as evidenced by a top quality and highly cited paper in an international journal. The prize can be shared by up to 2 persons. The prize consists of a glass trophy and a cash sum. Prize winners can have any nationality.

Please send your nomination to c.beck@qmul.ac.uk with the subject header "EPS-SNPD prize nomination", attaching a brief description of the most important research contributions of the candidate (maximum 2 pages), and a list of up to 6 key publications.

Deadline for nominations for the 2021 prizes is 20 June 2021.

The prize selection committee consists of the current board members of the Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Division of EPS in consultation with external experts.

Further information is available at the website of the Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Division of EPS: http://www.eps.org/members/group.aspx?id=85204