IUPAP Executive Council and Commission Chairs

13 Jan 2025, 13:30 → 15 Jan 2025, 17:05 Europe/Zurich

Michel Spiro (Université Paris-Saclay (FR)), Silvina Ponce Dawson

The meeting will take place in Zoom in the room indicated below (Videoconference—only registered users can access).

13 January: EC&CC meeting (13.30 to 16.30)  CET (Trieste Time)

14 January: EC&CC meeting (13.30 to 16.30)  CET (Trieste Time)

15 January : EC&CC meeting (13.30 to 16.30),  Executive Council Meeting (16:35 to 17:05)

Monday 13 January

13:30 → 13:35 Welcome by Presidential line

Speakers: Silvina Ponce Dawson, Dr Michel Spiro (Université Paris-Saclay (FR)), Sunil Gupta

13:35 → 13:40 Approval and adoption of the Agenda

Speaker: Silvina Ponce Dawson

13:40 → 14:10 Introduction of the Participants

Speaker: Dr Michel Spiro (Université Paris-Saclay (FR))

Participants.pdf

Participants.pptx

Screenshot 2025-01-13 at 13.46.47.png

Screenshot 2025-01-13 at 13.46.56.png

14:10 → 14:30 Introduction to IUPAP and what is expected from its structures

Speaker: Silvina Ponce Dawson

Information for IUPAP commission chairs revised.pdf

14:30 → 14:38 Report on the Singapore office

Speaker: Dr Michel Spiro (Université Paris-Saclay (FR))

Singapore Company Account.pdf

14:38 → 14:48 Report on the Association in Geneva

Speaker: Dr Michel Spiro (Université Paris-Saclay (FR))

Geneva_HQ.pdf

14:48 → 14:58 Report on the Trieste Office

Speaker: Stefano Fantoni

IUPAP-Trieste_secretariat_EC&CC-2025.pptx

14:58 → 15:10 Tea and coffee break

15:10 → 15:25 Overview of the resolutions approved by the 33rd General Assembly

• Resolution on IUPAP elections and procedure for handover of responsibilities for EC&CC
• Resolutions on Membership and Units, including ratification of decisions made by EC on these matters.
• Resolution on dues for 2025, 2026 and 2027
• Ratification of decisions made by EC on matters different from Membership and Units
  • EC resolution on nominations (resolved electronically first week of March 2024)
  • IUPAP letter of support for the integrity of Argentina’s science system
  • IUPAP co-signed with physics societies around the world the statement Principles and policies for international scientific collaboration
• Resolutions regarding modifications to IUPAP's Articles and Internal Regulations
  • Resolution on modifications to Articles I.7.B and I.7.F of IUPAP Minor modification to avoid conflicting statements.
    • Proposed change to Article 7—Executive Council and Officers
  • Resolution to modify Articles II.5.5, II.6.2 and II.6.6 of IUPAP's Internal Regulations ( to adapt to the most recent modifications of the Articles of the Union).
• Resolutions regarding Working Groups (decided in view of the internal and external evaluations and the future restructuring of IUPAP).
  • Proposal to establish a Working Group in the Field of Major Neutron Research Facilities (submitted by the US Liaison Committee).
  • Proposal to establish a Working Group on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) for the Physical Sciences (submitted by the US Liaison Committee).
• Resolution on position papers, statements and declarations from the IUPAP Executive Council (EC) (submitted by the US Liaison Committee).
• Resolutions related to Conferences (based on proposals submitted by WG5, Women in Physics).
• Specification of Corporate Associate Members rights and number of elected members in the commissions
• Expansion of commissions from 14 to 15 members
  • Required change in Internal Regulations, Article 5
• Resolution on IUPAP restructuring
• Exclusion from the Union

Speaker: Dr Michel Spiro (Université Paris-Saclay (FR))

33rd-IUPAP-GA-main-outcomes.pdf

15:25 → 15:40 Minutes of the previous EC&CC meeting, To Do List, Confirmation of Decisions taken since last GA

Speakers: Dr Michel Spiro (Université Paris-Saclay (FR)), Silvina Ponce Dawson

Draft Minutes EC&CC meeting_8_9_10_Oct 2024.docx

Draft Minutes EC&CC meeting_8_9_10_Oct 2024.pdf

Summary of EC & CC October 2024 and To Do list_SPD.pdf

15:40 → 16:10 Commission Matters

Discussion on Associate members and other matters related to commissions. A brief discussion on ACs will also be included.

Additional information presented at the 33rd GA:

• Information on Commissions
• Information on Affiliated Commissions

Speaker: Silvina Ponce Dawson

Associated Members of Commissions.pdf

Information for IUPAP commission chairs revised.pdf

Recommendations_gender.pdf

Regular members of C13.pdf

16:10 → 16:25 Matters arising

Speakers: Michel Spiro (Université Paris-Saclay (FR)), Silvina Ponce Dawson

16:25 → 16:26 EC&CC adjourns for the day

Tuesday 14 January

13:30 → 13:50 In-person GA + conference in 2027

On November 14th 2024 we sent an email to the LCs of all IUPAP's territorial members inviting them to submit "Expressions of Interest for hosting the IUPAP General Assembly and "restarting" the IUPAP International Conference on Physics series in 2027". You can see the full text of the call (which was also posted on IUPAP's website) in one of the attached documents below. As mentioned in the call, we had been discussing the possibility of having a major physics conference organized in parallel with the in-person GAs (as is being done by some other unions such as IUPAC, IMU, etc.). We decided to try to do it with the in-person GA of 2027.

As a result of the call we received 4 letters of intent (from JINR, UK, Mexico and South Africa) with different levels of detail. In this session we will go over the proposals and discuss how to move defining the exact timeline. As mentioned in the call, the successful bidder(s) will be requested to submit a comprehensive proposal for an initial assessment by the IUPAP EC in March 2025, after which the successful bidder(s) may be requested to update their proposal to include missing information. The due date for the final update will be the end of April 2025. The final decision will be made in May-June 2025.

We provided the following guidelines for the preparation of the proposal.

WG21 on Physics for Climate Change Action and Sustainability issued a call to organize a major international conference in 2027 to provide a forum for the global physics community to engage more closely with climate change action and sustainable development. As mentioned in the call, it could be possible to combine these events, offering the climate change and sustainability science conference as the ICP.

Speaker: Silvina Ponce Dawson

call_2027_GA_ICP.pdf

Expression of Interest IUPAP GA 2027 & WG21 conference SAIP 10Jan25.pdf

presentations.pdf

Proposal for the GA IUPAP 2027 & IUPAP International Conference on Physics_JINR.pdf

Summary venue choices IUPAP GA 2027 & WG21 conf.pdf

13:50 → 14:10 Membership committee

Speaker: Irvy Gledhill (U. Witwatersrand, South Africa)

IUPAP Membership Committee nominations.pdf

IUPAP Membership Committee nominations v02.pdf

Terms of reference Membership Committee v04.pdf

Terms of reference Membership Committee v04.pdf

14:10 → 14:30 Special Projects and Sponsorship

Speaker: Kuijuan Jin (Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Talk About Progect 1.pdf

14:30 → 14:50 Prizes (ECSP in general, Interdisciplinary prize, Henri Abraham Award)

Speaker: Sunil Gupta

Call & Procedure Interdisciplinary Early Career Science Prize 2024-25 Revised.pdf

Henry-Abraham.pdf

IECSP.pdf

14:50 → 15:05 Rejuvenation task force

After having turned 100 years old IUPAP entered a process of self-reflection. One of the aims of this process was to see how to increase IUPAP's visibility and the impact of its action. As part of this process, a self evaluation report was produced in 2023 and an external evaluation committee was appointed in 2024 which produced a report that was presented to the 33rd GA which was held in person in Haikou, China, in October 2024.

The 33rd GA tasked the incoming President to put together a Rejuvenation Task Force that would analyze these previous documents and bring an initial proposal of changes to the 34th GA to be held in October 2025. IUPAP members were invited to send suggestions of people who could serve on this task force. The composition of the Rejuvenation Task Force was then defined based on this input and on the aspects that need some renewal (also see the analyses on Commissions, Affiliated Commissions and Working Groups that were shared at the 33rd GA). We expect that the EC&CC meeting will approve this composition and also discuss ideas of how to help with its task.

Speaker: Silvina Ponce Dawson

15:05 → 15:13 Coffee/tea break

15:15 → 15:40 Working Groups

• Status and reports Silvina Ponce Dawson. See also Working Groups
• WG on Industry (WG16) — progress report, prospects for Corporate Associate Members by Christophe Rossel

Speakers: Michel Spiro (Université Paris-Saclay (FR)), Christophe Rossel, Silvina Ponce Dawson

notice_to_WGs.pdf

15:40 → 16:00 Procedures for sponsorship and endorsment of conferences

Rudzani Nemutudi, Associate Secretary General, to introduce the procedures and to answer questions about the procedures as described on the web pages:

• Sponsorship, deadline 1 June 2025 for 2026 conferences
• Endorsment, no specific deadline defined

Reports of sponsored conferences must be submitted within two months of the close of the conference and never later than 1 June of the year after it was held. Reports shall be submitted online.

Speaker: Rudzani Nemutudi (South African National Research Foundation: iThemba LABS)

IUPAP-1 Procedures for Sponsorship and Endorsement of Conferences C&CC Introductory Meeting 13-15 January 2025.pdf

16:00 → 16:20 Financial matters

The supporting documents are protected—will be shared upon request

• 2023 report approved by the 2024 General Assembly
  • Balance sheet and notes
  • Auditor report
• Financial result of IYBSSD from 2019–2023 (Neutral with regards to the total IUPAP funds)
• Budget for the cycle 2025–27 (including membership dues, allocation to commissions, affiliated commissions and working groups)
  • The annual allocation per commission is 2580 CHF (equal to 1 IUPAP unit)
  • Commissions will start 2025 with 4000 + 2500 CHF “in the bank” (2025 allocation included)
  • Accumulation allowed for the next cycle
    • Exceptions: AC5 starts with 2580 CHF (already exhausted the reserve), C8 has additional 15000 CHF due to a private donation
  • Eligible fees are typically linked to the organization of commission meetings and travel support, production of reports etc.
  • IUPAP dues for the cycle 2025–2027
    • Dues for 2025–2027 are set to 2580 CHF/unit

Speaker: Boris Sharkov

16:20 → 16:30 Matters arising

16:30 → 16:31 EC&CC adjourns for the day

Wednesday 15 January

13:30 → 13:45 Review of Day 1 and Day 2

Speaker: Silvina Ponce Dawson

review_day_1_2.pdf

13:45 → 14:15 Communications

• IUPAP internet, website
• ECSP nominations and declarations – quarterly lock-in
• Newsletter

Speaker: Sandro Scandolo

communication_2025.pdf

communication_2025.pptx

14:15 → 14:35 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology

The UN General Assembly declared 2025 as International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ2025). IYQ2025 will be launched at a ceremony to be held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, on February 4-5, 2025. It is expected that several events will be organized throughout the world to celebrate the year. Joe Niemela (chair of IUPAP C13) and Silvina Ponce Dawson (IUPAP President) are serving on the steering committee of IYQ2025. The steering committee is planning to (partially) support about 11 global events around the world. Shohini Ghose (chair of IUPAP WG19 on Quantum Science and Technology) and Igle Gledhill (IUPAP VP for Membership and Development and Secretary of IUPAP WG21 on Physics for Climate Change Action and Sustainable Development) are expected to be involved in the organization of an event on QST and Sustainability that has been proposed to be held in UAE. Regardless of what is being supported/organized by the Global Events Subcommittee of the IYQ2025 Steering Committee, we expect IUPAP to be engaged in the organization of activities related to IYQ2025. We started this discussion during the 33rd GA and concluded that liaising IYQ2025 with the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD) could be the main contribution of IUPAP. Several ideas came up from the discussions and exchanges that we have had so far. We expect to continue this discussion during this EC&CC meeting defining possible activities and assigning tasks to make them happen.

Speakers: Igle Gledhill, Shohini Ghose, Silvina Ponce Dawson

IYQ additional notes.pdf

14:35 → 14:55 International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD)

The UN General Assembly declared the years spanning 2024-2034 as the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD). IDSSD is the direct result of the very successful International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (IYBSSD) which was celebrated in 2022-2023 and in which IUPAP played a key role mobilizing the participation of many international organizations and stakeholders.

IUPAP is also expected to play key role for IDSSD. In particular, it is directly involved in the Earth-Humanity Coalition (EHC) which was created in April 2024 as an answer to the call by the UN GA to mobilize the organizations involved in the IYBSSD. In particular, IUPAP's past President, Michel Spiro, chairs the Steering Committee of EHC.

The types of activities that are expected to be carried out associated with IDSSD include programs, projects and diverse activities. We expect IUPAP to be deeply involved with several of these initiatives, for which the active participation of all its structures and members is very necessary. In this slot the decade and the EHC will be presented and a discussion will be held to see how IUPAP could indeed contribute with actions to achieve the goals of IDSSD.

Speakers: Igle Gledhill, Michel Spiro (Université Paris-Saclay (FR))

EHC Presentation very short Januay 13th, 2025.pdf

EHC Presentation very short Januay 13th, 2025.pptx

IDSSDv04 regenerative.pdf

IDSSDv04 regenerative.pptx

14:55 → 15:10 International Science Council (ISC)

IUPAP is a Category 1 member of the International Science Council (ISC). The ISC is holding its GA in Muscat, Oman, on January 26-31, 2025 (you can find more details here). The GA will include a session on Jan 29 for Category 1 members (international scientific unions) to meet and discuss. In particular, we are planning to address these issues:

• problems with visas
• liaising among unions to produce reports on specific issues for IDSSD
• what we expect from the ISC in the next cycle
• problems with unions membership.

The latter will actually be addressed in more detail in a separate meeting planned to be held later the same day.

Speakers: Silvina Ponce Dawson, Sunil Gupta

concerns_about_visas.pdf

ISC-Resolution.pdf

15:10 → 15:25 Tea and coffee break

15:25 → 15:45 IUPAP representation on other bodies

IUPAP representation on other organizations.pdf

15:45 → 16:00 Any other business

16:00 → 16:15 Review of meeting and future procedures

16:15 → 16:16 Close of EC&CC meeting

16:16 → 16:30 Break

16:30 → 17:00 Executive Council Meeting

• To consider decisions proposed by EC&CC meeting and resolve on them
• To consider future actions and assign responsibility for them