Subject Groups

The Institute has around 50 groups that cover a wide range of subjects including:

• specialist areas of physics research and its application, such as the High Energy Particle Physics Group or Plasma Physics Group;
• professional aspects of physicists working in industry, such as the Engineering Physics Group;
• wider issues that relate to physics and society like the Education Group and the History of Physics Group;
• some groups are organised jointly with other societies with similar interests, for example the Polymer Physics Group is a joint group with the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.

What do groups do?
Groups have individual programmes, reflecting the needs of their members.  Their activities include:

• arranging conferences, seminars and workshops for their members and others;
• promoting interaction between physicists working in industry and research, providing opportunities for networking and a forum for meeting and discussion;
• producing regular newsletters to keep their members in touch with the latest developments in their field;
• providing information on relevant meetings organised by other bodies;
• awarding bursaries to help research students attend conferences via the Research Student Conference Fund;
• awarding prizes in their area.

Groups also provide an opportunity for members to get involved in Institute activities and to influence what goes on.

How do I join a group?

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