Physics is an enabling science that provides the basis for much of our current understanding of the world in which we live as well as underpinning many established and emerging technologies. As such it is of critical importance to Australia’s cultural and economic development.
Since its beginnings in 1963, The Australian Institute of Physics has served the needs and interests of professional physicists, and those with an interest in physics, by:
- fostering a strong professional identity and fellowship among physicists by providing a forum for their views and enabling them to meet with their colleagues on a regular basis
- helping to maintain the standards of physics qualifications through the review and accreditation of tertiary physics courses
- expressing the views and interests of physicists to government bodies and other employers
- promoting the value and interest of physics as a discipline
- holding regular conferences and publishing the views of members along with other matters of interest
- supporting and promoting women in science through the Women-in-Physics workgroup and the Women-in-Physics lecture series
- encouraging excellence in research and teaching with prizes and awards
- encouraging outstanding students with awards and prizes
- providing a broad range of member benefits, including discounted membership of related societies, such as the IOP, lifetime email addresses, financial support for conferences, and others.
A number of medals and awards are given out by the AIP each year.
Read more about the AIP medals and prizes.
Student Members of the AIP are invited to apply for financial support for conference attendance. Applications must be sent to the AIP Secretariat, aip@aip.org.au. Applications for the first round must be received by 31 October 2010. Applications for following rounds must be received by 28 February and 31 August each year. The following conditions apply:
- Funding is limited to students presenting a paper, either orally or by poster, at National or International level meetings in Australia and New Zealand, or International meetings held outside Australasia. The conference or the material must relate substantially to Physics. The application may be submitted before acceptance of the paper is advised.
- Funding will be provided only for travel and accommodation where the location of the conference requires relocation from a student’s place of domicile. Registration fees are not covered.
- The applicant must have been an AIP member for at least six months prior to the application deadline and must be enrolled for a higher degree at a recognised tertiary institution in Australia.
- Applications must be received in electronic form prior to travel, outlining the full travel costs, support requested, other support received or expected, budgeted expenses and titles of papers or posters to be presented. Each application must be accompanied by a letter of support signed by the principal supervisor and the Head of School or Discipline.
- The maximum support for any one meeting will be $500 for students in their final year of postgraduate study. Smaller amounts may be available in earlier years. Individual students may be granted funds on more than one occasion, subject to a lifetime maximum of $500. Original receipts will be required and will be returned marked with the amount reimbursed.
- Awards are conditional on the student providing a brief report on his/her presentation. The abstract will be posted on the AIP website, together with brief details of the conference and support provided. The Institute is to be acknowledged in all presentations, posters and subsequent publications of work that receives support.
Download these resources:
The AIP Conference Support Scheme offers two types of support: a) seed funding to help conferences cope with initial financial demands, typically $5k-$10k, and b) financial underwriting where the expectation is that the conference has a reasonable chance of breaking even or making a profit. The former is to be repaid regardless of the financial outcome of the conference, the latter is offered on a risk/profit sharing basis.
Support is offered for Physics-based conferences held in Australia and may include both domestic and international meetings. Requests for funding should be sent to the Executive and should include:
- A statement of the aims of the conference including the scope of material and the involvement of the physics community.
- A Clear statement of what is requested from the AIP.
- A full budget showing all expected income and expenditure for different numbers of attendees.
- A Clear statement of what other underwriting or sponsorship arrangements have been made with other organisations.
- Agreement from organisers that if the AIP underwrites the conference the AIP:
- will be fully acknowledged in all publicity
- will receive regular reports on organisation and budget details from the organisers
- will only be liable for the amount initially agreed to by the AIP Executive
- will receive 50% of any profit made by the conference (if there are more than one underwriter then profit will be pro rata to fraction of original total amounted underwritten).
Note that the conference organiser making the funding request must be a financial member of the AIP.
The Australian and New Zealand Institutes produce a magazine six times per year called Australian Physics. As a member you automatically receive a copy of this magazine. This magazine is only as good as the people who contribute to it. Submit your article to the Editor.
Letters to the editor are also welcome, and should be sent as plain text.
The Australian Institute of Physics and the Institute of Physics (UK) offer a reduced rate for joint membership that will provide valuable benefits to members and an easier method of payment.
With the payment of the $100 joint fee (in addition to their AIP subscription) members of the AIP will receive the following benefits:
- Membership of the Institute of Physics
- Physics World each month
- Discounts on IOP conference registration
- Access to subject groups and divisions in the IOP
- 25% discount to IOP books
- Portable e-mail address (user.name@aip.org.au)
Members who hold the qualification of Chartered Physicist (CPhys) must pay an additional fee of $38 to retain the qualification.
Membership of the IOP will commence at 1 January in each year following payment of AIP membership fees. This option will be included in your membership renewal notice and payment will be made at the same time. The conditions associated with this arrangement are:
- Available to financial Members and Fellows of the AIP only
- Available to commence from 1 January in each year
- ONLY available if membership renewal payments and IOP supplement are received by the AIP before the early-bird deadline.
This is great value for members. Don’t miss it!
IOPimember
As part of our ongoing partnership with the Institute of Physics (UK) we are pleased to tell you that the new IOPimember category of membership of the IOP is available to AIP members for only $20 – a 20% discount on the standard price.
Become an IOPimember today and get all this:
- a digital issue of Physics World delivered direct to your inbox each month, twelve issues per year
- unlimited access to physicsworld.com, including the archive of video interviews and online lectures.
- myiop.org – online networking for IOP members
Please note that IOPimembers cannot use the postnominal MInstP or FInstP.
Joining is easy. Just visit the safe and secure site to complete your application. (The link to the AIP application form is IOP Application
Some years ago the AIP, in collaboration with the IOP, developed an email facility that provided members with a permanent email address. Members could use the facility as they would any other email system. However the most valuable benefit was that members could redirect mail from it to any other address, thus providing a permanent address regardless of any changes of ISP, institution or employer.
Regrettably, a rising incidence of software problems and spam attacks forced the IOP to reduce the service in mid-2010 to solely a forwarding service.
The forwarding service will be maintained for existing users but, given the availability of schemes such as gmail and hotmail, has been closed to new applicants. Existing users who need to change their forwarding addresses can no longer do so themselves. Instead they should contact John Humble with details of the required changes.
