Industrial Physics Advisory Board

Industrial Physics is a Technology Engine for the U.S. Economy

The APS Industrial Physics Advisory Board has issued a report on The Impact of Industrial Physics on the U.S. Economy. Labor statistics, industrial output, and other U.S. government data were analyzed by experienced economists to highlight impacts including:

  • Economic Impact: U.S. physics-based companies directly contributed approximately $2.3 trillion to the U.S. economy (12.6% of GDP) and exported about $1.1 trillion of goods in 2016.
     
  • Job Creation: Approximately 11.5 million people were employed by U.S. physics-based companies in 2016, 6% of total employment.
     
  • Most Physicists Work in Industry: Approximately 70,000 physicists joined industry from 2003-2016 or about 58% of all physics graduates.

Economic Impact Report cover image


IndBoard Mission

The Industrial Physics Advisory Board (IndBoard) was formed in May 2016 with a focus on enhancing interactions between APS and physicists working in the private sector. It complements the work of the APS Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics (FIAP) and seeks to raise the profile within APS of industrial physicists and entrepreneurs.

  1. Sharpen APS focus on industrial physics as an economic driver and vital contributor to the long-term health of science (and APS)
  2. Advise APS on programs, issues, and policies that affect the industrial physics community
    1. APS Board of Directors – strategy, finance, and publishing
    2. APS Council - science, membership, programs, and policy
  3. Provide input from industry so APS will better serve physics
    1. Represent all physicists: fundamental, applied, and industrial
    2. Become a strong voice for the industrial physics community
  4. Enhance relationships between industry and APS functions including:
    1. Membership
    2. Policy
    3. Development
    4. Education
    5. Awards

Composition & Structure

The IndBoard is comprised of leaders from a mix of large, small, and entrepreneurial businesses. Listed below are the present members:

  • Audra Macie, Power Engineering Manager, BAE, Nashua, NH (Linkedin)
  • Charles Ruggiero, Patent Attorney - Partner, Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero, & Perle, Stamford, CT (Linkedin)
  • Claudio Mazzali, Vice President Technology, Corning, Corning, NY (Linkedin)
  • Heike Riel, IBM Fellow, Dept. Head Science and Technology, IBM Research-Zurich, Rueschlikon, Switzerland (Linkedin)
  • Lorne Whitehead, Professor, University of British Columbia (Linkedin)
  • Michael Gordon, Master Inventor, Research Staff Member, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center (Linkedin)
  • Robert Doering, Research Manager, Texas Instruments, Dallas TX (bio)
  • Jie Ren, Associate Principal Scientist, Data Science, Merck, West Point, PA (Linkedin)

APS Staff

  • Dan Pisano, Director of Industrial Engagement
  • Cortney Bougher, Director of Membership


IndBoard Projects

Three projects are underway at present.

  1. Industry input and resource for APS Office of Public Affairs
    1. Suggest policy positions from industry for APS committees
    2. Mike Tamor is the Indboard rep on the Panel on Public Affairs
  1. Contribute to the APS Task Force on Industrial Physics
    1. Evaluate past 5 years of activities
    2. Recommend future directions
  1. Work with the Committee on Membership to develop a program to mentor entrepreneurs using a framework similar to the APS IMPact program that connects students and postdocs with physicists working in the private sector.

Completed Projects

  1. Report on The Impact of Industrial Physics on the U.S. Economy
    1. Report released in January 2019, see details above
    2. Subcommittee chair: John Rumble
  1. Recommendations about industrial physics for next APS Strategic Plan
    Provided input on industrial physics for the APS Strategic Plan. This included the results of a survey about possible services that APS could offer to private sector physicists. View a summary of the survey results.format_pdf

Contact Information

To learn more about the Industrial Physics Advisory Board, contact:

Dan Pisano
APS Director of Industrial Engagement
Office: (301) 209-3664
E-mail: pisano@aps.org