by Trish Lettieri, APS Director of Membership

After a full year of existence, the total FECS membership is just over 2,900. That’s an impressive percentage of the total 4,100 Early Career members in APS (although membership is not limited to EC members). Your FECS officers have been working hard with other APS units to have a presence at all the national APS meetings, and it’s paying off! If you will be attending either of the upcoming March or April meetings, be sure to look for FECS sessions and special career-related events.

APS has been focused on providing relevant information and career resources to those in the Early Career member category. Three years ago, the name off the “Junior” member category changed to “Early Career”, and eligibility was also extended from three to five years. This member category allows for a half-priced membership, with full benefits, along with a reduced APS Meeting registration fee for the March and April meetings.

Be sure to take advantage of other benefits and services that specifically have our Early Career and Student members in mind. A couple programs mentioned in previous newsletters include the APS Local Links and IMPact Programs. They both provide excellent opportunities for networking and mentorship outside of the framework of APS scientific meetings. APS Local Links brings together physicists from all sectors at the local level to meet on an informal basis every six weeks or so to build relationships and learn about opportunities. Many industry employers utilize Local Links gatherings as an opportunity to recruit recent graduates or those close to graduating. The APS Industry Mentoring for Physicists (IMPact) Program creates an opportunity for graduate or early career physicists to connect with mentors in industry for individual guidance on how to pursue careers in industry.

Lastly, make sure you take the opportunity to get involved; volunteering can range from helping plan a session at an APS meeting, participating on one of the Forum committees, or serving on the FECS Executive Committee. All these avenues are not only great ways to learn how APS as an organization works and to offer feedback into how the Society should operate, but they also provide opportunities to network with colleagues from all backgrounds — up to and including Nobel Prize winners. FECS will also be eligible to elect a representative to the APS Council of Representatives once the Forum membership exceeds 6% of the total APS membership for two consecutive years (the 2018 official count looks to be right around 5%). Please spread the word to colleagues who may not be a member, and then consider nominating a FECS colleague, or even yourself, to serve when you receive a call for nominations!

If you know someone who is not an APS and/or FECS member, please send them to the APS website to join!

Trish Lettieri
APS Director of Membership