The Institute of Physics traces its roots to the foundation of the Physical Society of London in 1874, founded to help promote the study of physics and its applications. In the early 1900s, the Council of the Physical Society entered partnerships with the Faraday Society, the Optical Society, and the Roentgen Society in order to develop ways of promoting physicists in the professional world. After securing special license from the Board of Trade in 1920, the Physical Society formally founded the Institute of Physics in 1920, placing Sir Richard Glazebrook at the helm of the organization. The primary concern of the Institute in its early years was publicizing itself. The Institute achieved this feat through the publication of the Journal of Scientific Instruments and its annual Reports on Progress in Physics, which is still printed today. In order to carry out the original goal of advancing physics as a profession, the Institute started a “Graduateship” course and examination program in the 1950s, which remained in operation for just over three decades. The present-day Institute of Physics was created in 1960 when the Physical Society of London and the Institute of Physics officially merged. The resulting organization combined the Physical Society’s emphasis on research and scholarly discussion with the Institute’s promotion of professionalism. In 1970, the new organization was granted a Royal Charter, and its name, The Institute of Physics and the Physical Society, was officially shortened to the Institute of Physics. The Institute now has almost 40,000 members around the world, and I am proud to be a part of the organization. Focusing on the professional development of its members, the Institute offers career advice and industry networking. The Institute also works to engage the general public in the study of physics and its impact on the world. Moreover, the organization publishes the magazine Physics World, an invaluable resource for physicists around the world.
Physical Society of London: History
June 1, 2010Volkmar Hable’s Blog
February 19, 2009Hello everyone and welcome to my blog!
