Farewell from APS CEO Kate Kirby

Dear APS Members,

It has been a pleasure and an honor to lead the American Physical Society as its first CEO. This job can only be successful if one has exceptionally smart, committed colleagues, staff, and collaborators as partners. As I reflect on my 11 ½ years in leadership positions at APS, there is much that we can take pride in having achieved together. I would like to highlight some of these accomplishments and thank many of you who have given generously of your time in working with us on behalf of the physics community.

We have seen tremendous growth in our membership (1 - 2% per year), particularly in our graduate and undergraduate student cohorts. They are our future! New units have been started, reflecting the evolution in the breadth of physics and the interests of our members. This growth is also reflected in the increasing number of journals in our physics publishing portfolio. Attendance at our meetings has grown significantly as well, with the 2019 March Meeting in Boston being our largest to date, with 12,234 attendees.

The APS Office of Government Affairs has become more effective than ever, helping our members connect with their congressional representatives to advocate on issues affecting physics and speaking out on policies which harm science and threaten international scientific exchange.

APS programs in education, diversity and inclusion, and careers have expanded in scope and excellence by leveraging federal funding with the involvement and support from so many of our members who help us to make these successful. Physics is a global enterprise and we have been expanding our programs internationally and raising the visibility and importance of industrial physics within the Society.

This past year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the APS staff has pivoted to serve the physics community virtually and, in many instances, they have worked to expand our offerings. It has been a tough year for everyone, but our organization is strong and resilient. I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to the staff, who every day demonstrate their commitment to APS.

And finally, I thank all of you, my wonderful colleagues in our physics community with whom I have been privileged to work – the various members of the presidential line, Board and Council representatives, unit leaders, and committee members, who give so much time and effort to the Society. Talented and committed people – both on our staff and from our membership – are what makes APS strong!

With warmest best wishes for the holidays and for a brighter New Year,

Kate P. Kirby
APS Chief Executive Officer