Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
The German Physical Society (DPG ), whose tradition dates back to the year 1845, is the oldest national, and with over 62,000 members (as of June 2012) and largest physics society in the world. It is a non-profit, membership organization based in Bad Honnef.
The DPG is a member of the European Physical Society and represents Germany in the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.
President since the April 16, 2012 Johanna Stachel, since the founding of the DPG in 1845 the first woman at the helm of the Society is so.
History
The company emerged from the participants of the set up by Heinrich Gustav Magnus physical Colloquium and was on 14 January 1845 in Berlin Physical Society of Berlin ( PGzB ) was founded. The founding members were, among others, Emil Du Bois- Reymond and Ernst Wilhelm von bridge. On January 1, 1899 set forth the German Physical Society from her. After the Second World War, the DPG was dissolved by the Allies and only consisted of the Association of German Physical continued societies. In 1963 she was re-established. The PGzB persists as an independent club and regional association of the DPG.
Following the German reunification, the Physical Society of the GDR in 1990 integrated in the DPG. Seat of the DPG, Bad Honnef. There is also the office, which is headed by the Chief Executive Bernhard Nunner since 2004. Since 1976, the DPG was awarded the Physics Center Bad Honnef, which hosts the meetings in rapid succession. Located in Berlin- Mitte, the Magnus-Haus, the DPG maintains a branch office. There is also the historical archives of the DPG.
Activities
The company operates independently and also mixes on relevant issues in the public debate. For example represented at a forum of the 51st Meeting of the Society on 2 April 1987, the scientists of the opinion that the planned by the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative ( SDI) is not feasible. It sees itself as representative of all people living in Germany physicists to the public and to promote exchanges among members and with foreign counterparts.
The DPG not conduct its own research in physics, but with conferences promoting the exchange of information on the latest physical findings. To meet the traditional " spring meetings of the DPG ," distributed each year over the whole Federal Republic to take place, approximately 10,000 professionals from home and abroad. At these meetings on a regular basis is one of the largest physics meeting in Europe.
The young talent is another major concern of the DPG and so their meetings are a platform especially for the young generation: Here students can come up with well-known scientists in person this week. Moreover, the DPG a nationwide network for physics students: the " young DPG " ( jDPG ). A separate forum is also available for women in physics: the " German physicists meeting " that takes place every year.
In addition to the promotion of young talent, the DPG also offers numerous activities for physicists from the environment of the industry & the economy. These are organized by the Working Group business and industry and carried out. In addition to the conference series research - development - innovation in many places regular regional or industry calls are offered to exchange experiences.
Awards and Honors
The DPG recognizes outstanding achievements in physics with honors from international renown. The two most important are the " Max Planck Medal of Theoretical Physics " and the " Stern-Gerlach Medal of Experimental Physics". Some awards - such as the " Gustav -Hertz- Prize for Young Physicists " - serve the promotion of young scientists, others - such as the Otto Hahn Prize - awarded by the DPG in cooperation with organizations from home and abroad. The "Medal for scientific journalism " awarded by the DPG personalities who have particularly made matter deserves to represent scientific facts to the public. To members who have worked in an outstanding manner for the interests of DPG, a badge of honor is awarded. In addition, the DPG awards prizes to high school seniors for outstanding achievements in physics. It supports student competitions such as the International Young Physicists' Tournament ( IYPT ) promotes innovative school projects and organizes training courses for teachers.
Publications and Public Relations
The member magazine - the Physics Journal - reports on news from the physics and DPG. Articles older than three years are available here as Open Access. Furthermore, are the DPG, together with the British Institute of Physics, an electronic magazine out: the New Journal of Physics. All items in this open- access journal can be read and downloaded for free. The article published here have undergone a rigorous testing procedures ( peer review ). Under the name of "negotiations" the conference program of the DPG, year after year appears listing the abstracts of approximately 8,000 technical presentations.
With popular science publications and public events, the DPG involved in the dialogue between science and the public. These activities include the highlights of physics. This annual Physics Festival, organized by the DPG together with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, one year after year some 30,000 visitors. This makes it the largest of its kind in Germany. The web portal " world of physics " is operated by the DPG together with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, it is aimed at non-specialists.
Previously, the DPG also edited the journal for physics which is now merged into the European Physical Journal, and there was the predecessor organizations of today DPG additional magazines.