IUPAP has three main entities that are promoting Capacity Building: the Commission on Physics for Development, the Commission on Physics Education, and the Working Group on Women in Physics.
The mandate for the Commission on Physics for Development is:
To promote the exchange of information and views among the members of the international scientific community in the general field of Physics for Development including:
To help in appropriate ways the improvement of the conditions of physics and physicists in developing countries;
To propose and, if appropriate, support initiatives to promote the contribution of physics to industrial development;
To collect and distribute relevant information on opportunities for Physics Development.
The mandate for the Commission on Physics Education is:
To promote the exchange of information and views among the members of the international scientific community in the general field of Physics Education including:
The collection, evaluation, coordination and distribution of information concerning education in the physical sciences at all levels;
information relation to the assessment of standards of physics teaching and learning;
suggesting ways in which the facilities for the study of physics at all levels might be improved, stimulating experiments at all levels, and giving help to physics teachers in all countries in incorporating current knowledge of physics, physics pedagogy, and the results of research in physics education into their courses and curricula.
The mandate for the Working Group on Women in Physics is:
To survey the situation for women in physics in IUPAP member countries.
To analyze and report the data collected along with suggestions on how to improve the situation. To suggest ways that women can become more involved in IUPAP, including the Liaison Committees, the Commissions, the Council, and the General Assemblies.
The IUPAP Commission on Education (ICPE)contributed actively to one of the 2003 International Schools of Physics "Enrico Fermi" in Varenna, Italy, under the heading Research on Physics Education, as well as a conference in Udine, Italy, entitled quality Development in Teacher Training and Education.
Following a decision of the 2003 ICPE annual meeting a working group was established looking into the possibilities of helping teachers in developing countries in accessing publications on physics education
research.
An ICPE medal for physics teaching was first awarded in 1980 and has since then been presented to a total of 14 recipients. It recognizes excellence in contributions to international physics education and is one of the oldest awards for excellence given under IUPAP auspices.
The IUPAP Commission on Physics Education maintains close contact with one of the global physics competitions, International Young Physicists' Tournament, a team contest
where open discussions take place between students from the last pre-university grade, in front of an internationally composed jury. It is
expected that this year's event in Australia will see teams from all continents.
The IUPAP Working Group on Women in Physics found that women physicists tend to be quite isolated, and this is particularly true of women in developing countries. This is very discouraging and may keep additional women from entering the field. To help combat this isolation, in 2002 the Working Group launched a grant program to support women in underdeveloped countries to attend conferences. Each grant gives partial support (up to U$800.00) for travel and living expenses. In the first year,
28 female scientists participate in the program. Realizing the success of the initiative, the program was repeated in 2003 when 25 scientists received grants. We are now in the middle of the process of judging the applicants for the third round of grants. We hope to keep the program active for at least more 5 years.
The Working Group is now developing a new project: forming a network of women scientists in Africa. In preparation for this, it already has a mailing list of 40 female physicists in Africa. In order to design the type of network the women in African countries need, the Working Group is now preparing a workshop to take place in Cairo next August. During this meeting it will bring together representatives from north, south, east and west Africa for two days with the specific charge of identifying what actions will improve the scientific careers of the network participants. If the African network is successful, the Working Group will try to do something similar in South America and other regions of the world.
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