AC5 Council

What is AC5?

The International Association of Physics Students (IAPS) officially became Affiliated Commission 5 (AC5) of IUPAP in November 2021, following a decision of the IUPAP Executive Council. This affiliation formalises a partnership of mutual benefit between IUPAP — one of the world’s leading international bodies in physics, and IAPS — the global representative of physics students.

As AC5, IAPS acts as the primary point of contact for physics students within IUPAP, while IUPAP provides institutional support, conference sponsorship, and access to its global network of commissions and working groups.

Aims of AC5

• To represent physics students and IAPS in its affiliated status within IUPAP.
• To determine ways of pursuing the shared objectives of IAPS and IUPAP.
• To develop strategies for advancing the various areas of IAPS activity through support from and collaboration with IUPAP.
• To facilitate the relevant links between the IAPS community and the IUPAP community.
• To promote the aims of IUPAP, particularly in what concerns physics students, young researchers and physics education.

AC5 Council secures IUPAP Conference Sponsorship for IAPS major events namely, ICPS and PLANCKS, and is actively involved in IUPAP’s C14: Physics Education, WG16: Physics and Industry and WG5: Women in Physics. IAPS is represented by the President of the Executive Committee and preferably accompanied by the AC5 Council Chair at the IUPAP EC&CC Meeting and General Assembly each year. The AC5 Council introduces an exciting initiative, the IUPAP AC5 Early Career Scientist Prize. This prestigious prize recognizes excellence in academic achievement and associative contributions to the global physics community, awarded at the IAPS flagship event, ICPS.

The AC5 Council

The AC5 Council is the steering body of AC5. It was formed to execute the day-to-day operations of the affiliation, handling contact and communication between IUPAP and IAPS so as not to overburden the IAPS Executive Committee. The Council is subordinate to the IAPS Executive Committee and reports to both the IAPS EC and the IUPAP Executive Council and General Assembly.

The Council runs on an annual term. At the start of each term, the Council agrees on its meeting frequency and goals.

Chair of AC5

The IAPS President is ex officio the Chair of AC5 (distinct from the Council Chair). The Council Chair works closely with the President in representing IAPS within IUPAP.

Chair of AC5 Council

The IAPS Vice-President serves ex officio as Chair of the Council. The Chair directs the Council’s work, chairs its meetings, and must be kept aware of all communications made to IUPAP on the Council’s behalf.

Vice-Chair of AC5 Council

Elected by the Council from among its own members. The Vice-Chair deputises for the Chair at meetings and assumes all Chair duties if the Chair resigns or is removed.

Secretary of AC5 Council

The IAPS Secretary serves ex officio. The Secretary takes minutes at all meetings, which must be made available to the IAPS EC, IAPS members, and IUPAP as soon as reasonably practicable.

structure

Council Composition

The AC5 Council is composed of nine members. Three are ex-officio officers from the IAPS Executive Committee; the remaining six are elected at the IAPS Annual General Meeting (AGM) or at an EGM, or appointed at any time, to replace vacant positions during a term. Council members may serve for a maximum of three years in total, except ex-officio members. For current Council members, see the [Current AC5 Council page →].

activities

What AC5 Does

Under the terms of the IUPAP-IAPS Memorandum of Understanding, both organisations carry specific commitments to the partnership. On the IAPS side, the AC5 Council coordinates the following activities each year:

• Applying for IUPAP A and B-type conference sponsorships to support ICPS and PLANCKS, and C/D-type sponsorships for other IAPS events.
• Ensuring the IUPAP logo is displayed prominently on the IAPS website and at all major IAPS events, and listing IUPAP as a partner organisation.
• Contributing articles to the IUPAP newsletter after each major IAPS event, and inserting notices about IUPAP activities into IAPS communications.
• Representing IAPS at the IUPAP Executive Council and Committee Chairs Meeting and General Assembly, with the IAPS President attending and the AC5 Council Chair where possible.
• Promoting IUPAP events and activities to IAPS members, and providing student volunteers and input to IUPAP activities.
• Co-organising online seminars, thematic lessons, and workshops with IUPAP to promote networking between students and the international physics community.

In return, IUPAP provides budgetary allocations, advertises IAPS events and publications, and works to help IAPS become a more globally representative association through shared contacts and networks.

Award

IUPAP-IAPS Outstanding Student Award

The IUPAP-IAPS Outstanding Student Award (OSA) recognises students from the first year of their bachelor’s through to PhD graduation who demonstrate outstanding associative engagement alongside significant academic achievements. Academic records alone are not the primary criterion — active contribution to the physics community matters equally. The award is typically presented at ICPS. All applicants must be current IAPS members; self-nominations are permitted.For full eligibility criteria, the application process, past recipients, and jury composition rules, see the IUPAP-IAPS Outstanding Student Award page →

Reporting & Transparency

Reporting Requirements

The Council submits an annual written report to the IAPS Annual General Meeting, including details of the use of AC5 funds. It also submits a written and oral report to the IUPAP Executive Council meetings and General Assemblies, and a report for every funded event. The AC5 Structure document, approved annually at the IAPS AGM, governs the Council’s operations in full.

Meeting minutes are made available to the IAPS EC, and IUPAP as soon as practically possible after each meeting. A permanent copy is kept in the IAPS archive.

The full AC5 Structure document (approved at the 2025 AGM) and the IUPAP-IAPS Memorandum of Understanding are available on the IAPS Documents page.

Get Involved

Elections & How to Apply

AC5 Council elections are held annually at the IAPS Annual General Meeting, following the election of Executive Committee members. Any IAPS Individual Member, Territorial or Local Committee member, or IAPS Alumni Representative is eligible to stand. Members are appointed for one term (one year) and may be re-elected for a maximum of three years in total.

Please contact president@iaps.info and vice-president@iaps.info, should you have any questions. To apply, send your CV and Letter of Candidacy to ec@iaps.info before the AGM.

See more information about the AGM and elections in the AGM 2022 Guide.