For many physics students, the path to professional growth and academic recognition often begins with taking bold steps into new opportunities. This was exactly the case for Priyanka Saini, a third-year BSc (Hons) Physics student at University College Dublin, Ireland, whose journey from the deserts of Dubai to the drizzle of Dublin led to an inspiring role within the International Association of Physics Students (IAPS) and the AC5 Council, affiliated with the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP).
From Curiosity to Contribution: A Journey Begins
Priyanka’s engagement with IAPS began almost serendipitously during their second year at university, when they joined the UCD Physics Society as the Events Officer. While brainstorming activities for the academic year 2023-2024, they stumbled upon PLANCKS, IAPS’ international theoretical physics competition. Discovering that Ireland had secured the bid to host PLANCKS 2024 at Trinity College Dublin, Priyanka eagerly signed up as a volunteer.
“Little did I know that my enthusiasm would lead me to join the Organizing Committee alongside Conor Ryan, PLANCKS Chair from TCD. When the event finally kicked off, with 260 passionate physicists from 34 countries gathered in one place, the magnitude of what we’d accomplished truly sank in.”
This experience ignited a deeper involvement in the global physics community. Inspired by PLANCKS, Priyanka attended the International Conference of Physics Students (ICPS) in Tbilisi, Georgia, supported by the ICPS 2024 Fee Waiver Grant and travel funding from the Institute of Physics (IOP). Delivering the PLANCKS 2024 Preliminary Report at ICPS was a proud moment, and in an unexpected twist, they found themselves spontaneously running for a position on the AC5 Council—and winning.
The Early Career Prize: Celebrating Emerging Physicists
As part of the Early Career Prize subgroup, Priyanka now helps promote an award designed to recognize academic excellence and significant contributions to the global physics community.
“The Early Career Prize is more than just an award; it’s a recognition of the potential early-career physicists have to shape the future of our field,” they explain. “Presented at ICPS, this prize highlights groundbreaking contributions and encourages young researchers to pursue bold, original ideas.”
Beyond celebrating individual achievements, the prize promotes diversity and inclusion within the global physics community. It ensures talented individuals from diverse backgrounds are recognized, creating an environment where every voice can contribute to the advancement of physics.
“Recipients also gain invaluable networking opportunities at ICPS, fostering connections that often lead to collaborations and mentorships,” Priyanka adds.
The Impact of IUPAP: A Global Platform for Young Physicists
IUPAP’s support significantly enhances opportunities for IAPS members. “IUPAP provides resources, recognition, and a global platform for young physicists to excel,” says Priyanka. “Their endorsement of the Early Career Scientist Prize brings international visibility to emerging researchers, validating their work and opening doors to academic positions, collaborations, and funding.”
Moreover, IUPAP’s emphasis on diversity ensures that exceptional talent from all backgrounds is acknowledged, fostering an inclusive environment that enriches the global physics community.
Advice for Aspiring IAPS Members
When asked for advice for those looking to get involved with IUPAP or similar organizations, Priyanka emphasizes the importance of initiative and curiosity.
“Take the initiative, embrace opportunities, and be open to new experiences. Attend IAPS events like ICPS or PLANCKS, volunteer for committees, and don’t hesitate to network. Opportunities often arise from showing your passion and making connections.”
Staying informed through IAPS newsletters and actively contributing to local physics communities are also key steps. Whether it’s organizing events, promoting diversity, or engaging in science outreach, every effort counts.
Looking Ahead: Goals Within the AC5 Council
As for future goals, Priyanka is focused on enhancing the visibility and impact of the Early Career Prize.
“We aim to refine the selection process, promote the prize to underrepresented groups, and encourage applications from diverse regions. Our mission is to foster greater inclusivity and inspire the next generation of physicists.”
For physics students looking to make their mark, the Early Career Prize is not just an award—it’s a testament to the transformative power of curiosity, dedication, and community. So, why not take that first step, just like Priyanka did? You never know where it might lead.
In a country where scientific resources are scarce, building a cutting-edge quantum optics lab might seem out of reach. But for Syed Bilal Hyder Shah, that challenge became his mission. Through perseverance, creativity, and a commitment to advancing quantum science, Shah transformed a neglected space into Pakistan’s only single-photon laboratory, making strides that serve as a beacon for young scientists across the country.
Shah’s journey into quantum science began at LUMS, where he first met Dr. Sabieh Anwar, head of the university’s Physlab. As a sophomore, Shah joined a pedagogical project that paired faculty and students, working on a book of transcribed lectures on Modern Physics. “The project gave us a good understanding of what it was like to work together,” Shah reflects. Their collaboration laid the foundation for what would later become Pakistan’s leading research in single-photon experimentation.
In his third year, Shah approached Dr. Sabieh to join the lab full-time. What he found was a space lacking equipment, proper lighting, and support. “The lab had been inactive for over a year,” Shah recalls. “Most of the equipment was faulty or misplaced, and I was the only researcher.” Despite these obstacles, he threw himself into the work. “It never felt like a burden; I loved what I was doing,” he says.
Setting up a lab on a tight budget required ingenuity. Shah describes a common struggle in Pakistan: “If any equipment is damaged, it can halt the entire lab. Replacing even small items can take two to three months.” This is where Shah’s resourcefulness came into play.
He and his team designed an FPGA-based coincidence counting unit to replace the costly commercial photon-counting systems needed for single-photon experiments. They also used in-house milling to create mounting and alignment tools, bypassing the need for imported equipment. “It’s the financial constraints that push us to be creative,” he says, “and it’s our passion that keeps us going.”
Building a Legacy: Training the Next Generation
Over the years, Shah has poured his energy not only into upgrading the lab but also into building a community of skilled researchers. “When I joined, I was alone in the lab. By the time I left, I’d trained over 20 students to manage it independently.” His work has ensured that quantum research can continue to grow, even as he steps into new projects. For these students, Shah’s mentorship is an invaluable part of their own journey into experimental physics.
In 2024, Shah co-authored the second edition of “Quantum Mechanics in the Single Photon Laboratory” with Dr. Sabieh. This book was born out of necessity; for many researchers in Pakistan and other resource-limited countries, practical guidance for conducting quantum experiments is hard to come by. “The first edition was instrumental in my early research, but we saw areas for improvement,” he explains. They standardized terminology, enhanced alignment instructions, and even added a new chapter on programming with FPGAs to make the book an accessible, all-in-one guide.
This guide, modeled after Mark Beck’s “Quantum Mechanics: Theory and Experiment”, is designed for researchers, students, and educators who want to bring quantum experiments into their own labs, regardless of resource constraints. “It’s a toolkit that gives others a starting point, showing that quantum experimentation doesn’t always require high-end equipment,” Shah says. His hope is that the book will empower a new generation of scientists to advance quantum research, especially in countries where resources are limited.
Why This Work Matters: The Future of Quantum in Pakistan
Quantum optics, the field that unites the study of light and quantum mechanics, is more than just theoretical exploration—it’s an essential building block for technologies like quantum computing, cryptography, and imaging. Shah is acutely aware of its significance: “Quantum mechanics may be one of the most successful theories in physics, but its applications are only beginning to unfold.”
In a time when quantum science is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, Shah’s contributions to Pakistan’s single-photon lab offer a vital opportunity for his country to engage with these advances. By establishing the lab and creating educational resources, he’s helping ensure that Pakistan is part of the global quantum science conversation.
Syed Bilal Hyder Shah’s work is a testament to what can be achieved with limited resources and an unyielding commitment to scientific advancement. Through his leadership, innovation, and mentorship, Pakistan’s only single-photon lab has become a place where the next generation of scientists can thrive.
If you are a student working in quantum science and technology contact us to share your story jiaps@iaps.info
Few YouTubers have made math as captivating as Grant Sanderson, better known as 3Blue1Brown. Through his unique visualizations and passion for teaching, Sanderson has not only amassed a dedicated following but has also created a lasting impact on math education. In this interview, he shares how his channel came to be, the journey of creating the popular animation tool Manim, and the rewarding experiences that continue to fuel his passion.
How did you transition from studying math to becoming one of the most popular YouTubers in math education?
Grant Sanderson: I’ve always enjoyed teaching, explaining concepts, and exploring programming, especially during my undergrad. Toward the end of college, I felt an urge to create a personal programming project. At a hackathon, I put together some very scrappy Python code for visualizing functions as transformations. And with that original fondness for teaching, I decided to make a short animated lesson out of it.
That initial video wasn’t particularly polished, but I enjoyed making it, and I kept improving the code and producing more videos. Around that time, I connected with Khan Academy about creating lessons for them, which turned into a one-year fellowship. Working with them made me realize how impactful online teaching could be, which made me more committed to creating lessons that could reach a broad audience.
Manim has grown into a popular tool used by other educators. What were your original goals, and how do you feel about its development?
Grant Sanderson: Honestly, I’m as shocked as anyone that it’s become popular! Initially, Manim was just some rough code I wrote for my own animations. I made it open source mainly because so many people asked how I animated my videos, so I figured sharing the code would be an easy answer.
As time went on, I worked hard to improve it, keeping in mind that others might find it useful too. The true credit for making Manim accessible to others, though, goes to the Manim Community. They forked the project, creating a version that’s much better documented and more beginner-friendly. It’s been amazing to see Manim evolve into something that anyone can use.
Was there a particular video that made you realize you were on to something special with 3Blue1Brown?
Grant Sanderson: There wasn’t a single moment when I thought, “This is it.” I never expected the channel to gain widespread popularity. My initial idea was to showcase math topics that weren’t taught in school but might intrigue math enthusiasts.
One turning point, though, was probably the linear algebra series. I applied a visuals-first approach to real course material, something I hadn’t done before. It may sound strange in hindsight, but up until that series, I hadn’t considered the channel as an educational resource. The positive response to that series helped me see the potential for deeper, course-related content on the channel.
With a wide range of topics, from neural networks to the best Wordle starting word, how do you choose what to cover?
Grant Sanderson: I start with whatever sparks my own interest and curiosity. If I’m not genuinely fascinated by a topic, I doubt I could convey it in a way that excites others. So, I focus on topics that get me nerding out, hoping that enthusiasm comes through for viewers.
What have been some of the most rewarding moments you’ve had as a math communicator?
Grant Sanderson: Meeting students in person who express sincere gratitude is incredibly rewarding. Sometimes they thank me for specific series, especially linear algebra, or for inspiring them to fall in love with math.
What’s interesting is that people often mention videos I hadn’t thought of as major, which reminds me that what matters most isn’t always what gets the highest views. Hearing how these videos have impacted people’s lives—whether helping with a course or sparking an interest in math—is the most gratifying part of this journey.
Sanderson’s journey from coding a few scrappy animations to creating a world-renowned math channel is an inspiring testament to the power of passion and curiosity. For Sanderson, it’s all about igniting a spark of interest, both in himself and in his audience, and his work with 3Blue1Brown continues to make math an adventure of discovery for millions around the world.
Subscribe to 3Blue1Brown’s channel here. Recommend to us other science communicators you’d be interested in learning about at jiaps@iaps.info.
BobbyBroccolididn’t start his YouTube journey intending to become the go-to source for scientific controversies. In fact, his early videos focused on something entirely different: video game design. Like many YouTubers, his channel evolved over time as his interests changed, eventually leading him to where he is today—a content creator with a passion for unpacking the most bizarre and shocking stories in the world of science.
The Early Days: From Comics to Video Games
BobbyBroccoli’s channel began in his early teenage years, serving as a platform to promote his comic strip. It wasn’t until high school that he shifted his focus to video game design content, inspired by the types of videos he consumed at the time. “I gave that a shot for a few years,” he recalls, but the audience engagement didn’t quite match the effort he was putting in.
Everything changed when BobbyBroccoli started his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics. Gradually, he began integrating scientific topics into his content. His early science-related videos, covering topics like Bill Nye the Science Guy and the technology behind the Nintendo 3DS screen, were just the beginning of a more focused approach. It wasn’t until his time in graduate school, however, that BobbyBroccoli found his true niche: scientific controversies.
Discovering the Power of Controversy
The shift toward covering controversies was sparked by a lecture where he heard the story of Jan Hendrik Schön, a physicist whose work had been widely celebrated before he was exposed as a fraud. “I looked around and realized no one had done a video on him,” BobbyBroccoli says. That realization led him to create his first series on a scientific controversy—an academic true-crime story that would lay the foundation for his future success. The series was well-received (the first video currently has 3 million views), and BobbyBroccoli’s channel gained momentum, eventually attracting a large following.
But the real breakthrough came when BobbyBroccoli tackled the story of the Bogdanoff twins and their questionable PhD theses. Part 2 was released just months before the twins passed away, BobbyBroccoli’s video went viral, propelling his channel past 100,000 subscribers in the summer of 2022. “In a morbid way, I owe my current success to them,” he reflects.
Blending Science and Storytelling
BobbyBroccoli’s videos, whether it’s Schön’s fraudulent research or the rise and fall of the Canadian tech giant Nortel, focus on the human element of science.
“A three-hour science documentary has to reel people in,” he explains. “In between those salacious ‘true crime’ elements, you can teach an audience about the mundane parts of physics.” For example, while covering Victor Ninov, who faked a discovery related to the periodic table, BobbyBroccoli had to frame the story within the larger context of Cold War-era lab rivalries to make it compelling.
The Role of Innovation in YouTube Content Creation
BobbyBroccoli credits much of his style to Jon Bois, a sports writer and filmmaker who inspired him to use tools like Google Earth to create engaging animations. For BobbyBroccoli, the challenge was turning a subject with limited visual material—such as Jan Hendrik Schön’s research—into something dynamic. “If Jon Bois can make me interested in sports, surely I could do the same for academic true crime,” he jokes.
BobbyBroccoli has since developed his own style, incorporating the 3D modeling software Blender and experimenting with new animation techniques for each project. He has also made tutorials to help others dive into the technical side of animation, though his advice to aspiring creators is simple: “Get a cheap microphone, a free video editor, and write something. Your first project won’t be amazing, but you need to do it at least once to figure out what you’re doing.”
Tackling Big Topics and Keeping It Engaging
For BobbyBroccoli, selecting topics is one of the most time-consuming parts of the creative process. Every topic represents months of research and production, so it has to be something that not only interests him but also captivates his audience. Some stories, like that of Jan Hendrik Schön, are obvious winners. Others, like Victor Ninov’s, require more creative framing to hook viewers. But BobbyBroccoli believes the investment is worth it because, at the end of the day, people love stories about interesting characters in science.
The Dark Side of Science
One of the things that continually surprises BobbyBroccoli is how far people will go to cover up scientific misconduct. His series on Hwang Woo Suk, a South Korean scientist who fabricated stem cell research data, highlighted just how deeply political and ethical issues can become intertwined in the world of science. “The breach of bioethics was appalling,” BobbyBroccoli recalls, particularly noting how authority figures defended Hwang even after the truth came to light.
BobbyBroccoli also reflects on how quickly misinformation can spread and how science can capture public imagination—whether for good or bad. His recent documentary on Cold Fusion revealed the massive scale of media attention it received, with headlines and TV segments covering it almost daily. “I expect we will never see anything quite like it again,” he says, noting how rapidly the internet now debunks shaky science.
Looking Forward
As his channel continues to grow, BobbyBroccoli remains committed to tackling new scientific controversies and finding creative ways to make them accessible to his audience. “It’s ultimately about people doing science,” he says, emphasizing that the human stories are what keep viewers coming back. With each new project, BobbyBroccoli continues to explore the boundary between science and storytelling, and there’s no doubt his audience will be along for the ride.
Subscribe to BobbyBroccoli’s channel here. Recommend to us other science communicators you’d be interested in learning about at jiaps@iaps.info.
Here’s the latest in the series of EC Interviews – the jIAPS Editor-in-Chief challenged themselves to interview all of the EC members before the end of the year. This one was completed on time, but we’ve only just got around to uploading it.
This time, it is the turn of Niloofar, the IAPS Events Manager, to be interviewed:
What are you currently studying?
I’ve just graduated from my Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Astroparticle Physics subdivision, at Isfahan University of Technology in Iran. I’m looking for the next step for graduate studies and considering options for PhD.
What does your role as IAPS Events Manager involve?
My main task is to supervise, maintain and assure that all events are completed successfully, and to support every Organising Committee (OC) along the way on behalf of the EC. This may sound cringy, but it often feels like a motherhood experience where you feel equally and deeply responsible for every single detail about each event as if it’s your child but you also believe in the OCs, respecting them to thrive freely and have their own creativity towards a successful event. To state the obvious, the events IAPS organises would not be as great without their amazingly dedicated and skilled OCs. The role of the Events Manager is to be present in the background, providing support and guidance, and making sure that everything is going well.
Every single IAPS event is close to my heart – I want to be available 24/7 to them. It doesn’t matter whether they have an IT or a financial issue, or if a hotel is not going along with the room bookings, it is my responsibility to jump in. The Events Manager also has the knowledge and connections to direct the OCs to more skilled people in a particular area.
Which events have you supported this year?
ICPS 2023 (International Conference for Physics Students), PLANCKS 2023 (Physics League Across Numerous Countries for Kick-ass Students), IPT 2023 (International Physicists’ Tournament) – they are the main ones, the major ones in 2023. I also joined IAPS4Materials and represented IAPS at the ‘Women of the World in Physics!’ Event, the second edition of which will be jointly organized by IAPS. There are also the events from the previous year which I have a smaller contribution to, completing the final steps of PLANCKS 2022 and ICPS 2022. Then, we are continuing the process for PLANCKS 2024 and ICPS 2024.
What is your favourite event that you have supported as IAPS Events Manager?
That is like asking which is my favourite child – once again all of the events are close to my heart. I got to experience PLANCKS 2023 in person and it was amazing. I’m also looking forward to ICPS 2023. All of the events are great!
At PLANCKS 2023, you had to introduce IAPS at the Opening Ceremony. Do you enjoy the public speaking element to being IAPS Events Manager?
In IAPS, the community is always friendly and warm, making you forget about the worries of a big stage. So since the beginning I found any presentation very comfortable and enjoyable, which is honestly the best practice for soft skills improvement. As soon as I stand up to speak, it feels like talking to a big group of friends!
What are some of the biggest obstacles of supporting events?
This is completely different with smaller events and major ones. With major events, these are big projects, and you have a team of very dedicated people involved for two years. As the time gets closer to the event, the pressure becomes really high. The role of the IAPS Events Manager is to dial down the pressure and by clear guidance make sure that the OC feels supported. As for minor events, I would say an obstacle is to maintain consistency as these events must take place more frequently. For these OCs, members are expected to remain in the project in a shorter period of time. This means a totally new OC composition is required for the next edition in only a few months. So once the project is over, finding a new OC and transferring the knowledge may be a bit challenging.
Who do you have to work closely with in your role as Events Manager – both on the IAPS EC (Executive Committee) and beyond it?
Outside of the EC and before the OCs, the Events Secretary is the main one, aware of the details of the job obviously as the main source of assistance for the Events Manager; however, the IAPS Events Manager is connected to almost all areas of IAPS and you have to remain in really close contact with everyone involved. I’d have to name all the EC members… Who do I have to work most closely with on the EC? I’d say Cyrus (President), Mario (Treasurer) and Gabriel (Vice-President and Recruitment Officer).
On the management side, I have to keep in contact with the president(s) of each OC. There were times when we had meetings with the OC of a major event which lasted two or three hours – these meetings were long but a blessing and absolutely essential. The details of the event become very important. You have to work long hours for these meetings and it may seem really strange, but I suppose that’s the side of the story unseen by many. From these long meetings, you sometimes feel closer and attached to that event even more than you already have, which is a beautiful experience on its own.
I’ve just thought of another question from that answer – approximately how many people have you become in close contact with through being IAPS Events Manager that you wouldn’t have spoken to otherwise?
How many? Many, many people… I don’t think I can put an accurate number on it. I’ll go with fifty or more, regarding people I’ve worked with directly – and maybe twenty people I have been contacting as a weekly routine and know well – but I’m sure it’s more than that. These are the people I’ve spoken to regularly.
What skills do you need to become IAPS Events Manager?
You need a complete set of skills! The most important is perhaps time management – you have a lot of tasks and ongoing projects, as well as projects which have already happened and those upcoming events. The workload is no joke. Also, the ability to communicate with different OCs – each is from a different country, with a different culture which is very exciting; they are truly international. It can be a challenge to choose the pace each OC feels comfortable to go with while securing the success of the tasks; so you definitely need communication skills and time management on top of everything else.
How can IAPS members get involved with organising events?
It’s very simple: just drop an email to events@iaps.info. If you have a brand new idea for an event, we’d love to hear from you. The EC is there to guide you, as the organising committee of an event, and to provide support for you, so you can learn step-by-step as you organise the event. Organising events may seem scary from the outside, but the EC is very supportive and can show you the way. You shouldn’t be hesitant about contacting us – whatever idea you have within IAPS context, we’ll find a place for it!
How have you found the experience of being part of the IAPS EC?
It has been quite a challenging experience for me this year. There have been some environmental difficulties in my country which have provided some serious challenges and affected my work pace as well. But even though this happened to me on a personal level,… how can I phrase it? IAPS is more than an association. I have gained friends for life. I am grateful for the support of my fellow EC members. I’ve learnt lots of lessons and definitely enjoyed this experience. This is more than a community; it is like a family. You are involved in so many things for such a long time, it really helps to form unbreakable bonds. Having such valuable friendships touches upon personal development as well.
What has been one of your best moments as part of the IAPS EC this year?
The ending of the Mulhouse meeting* – it was the first time we had all met each other. By the end of the meeting, we really felt like a team, gathered together and backing each other up. When you’ve been working for a year together and only meeting through the screen, it’s hard to create the human element of the community. Meeting in person was amazing.
*You mentioned the Mulhouse meeting. Can you summarise what this is?
Sure! IAPS as an association has its official seat in Mulhouse, France, where the headquarters of the European Physical Society (EPS) is located. The Mulhouse meeting is a memorable and important time of the year when the respective IAPS EC of the term gather from all around the world to meet in person in the headquarters of EPS, in order to have constructive discussions over the work plan of the term and much more. It usually happens a few months into the EC term, around December. In a nutshell, it means about a week of highly intense and productive meetings in Mulhouse, nice IAPS stickers EVERYWHERE, accompanied by even nicer people but very bad weather, ending it all with a wholesome EC photo in IAPS t-shirts (no jackets on!), in -1 °C outdoors in front of the EPS building, questioning your life decisions – things we do for IAPS!
The bids for PLANCKS 2025 and ICPS 2025 are currently open. Can you summarise why people should bid to be the organisers of one of these events?
In a nutshell, it’s awesome. Both are very huge projects. The process takes two years, plus the aftermath. At the end of the day, it leaves you with a very valuable experience. The result of your work is something which people, as participants of the event, remember for a long time. On the surface, it is just a conference or a competition, but it’s actually a life-changing experience – I’m not exaggerating here. These are actual words we’ve received from participants. It’s that beautiful. You as an organiser of these events get a chance to gain and create awesome experiences for physics students around the world, and an amazing time for everyone.
The interview concluded with reminiscences of previous IAPS events.
The jIAPS Editor-in-Chief is continuing to interview the 2022-23 EC – theyhave nearly reached the end, both in terms of the EC members to be interviewed and of their time as jIAPS Editor-in-Chief! This time, we have combined two interviews into one so you get two-for-the-price-of-one. Enjoy reading the interview.
What are you currently studying? Anna (IAPS Outreach Officer): I’m currently in my last year of Bachelor studies at the Physics Department of the University of Athens. My special interests include (but are not limited to) Photonics, Plasmonics and Biophysics. My thesis on Computational Electromagnetics is titled: ‘A Comparative FDTD/Analytical Theory Study of EM Wave Propagation in Dielectric, ENZ and Plasmonic Media’. Marisol (IAPS PR Manager): I finished my Bachelor degree of physics at the Physics Department of the University of San Carlos de Guatemala. My main interests are Complex systems, Biophysics and Computational Neuroscience.
What does your role involve? Marisol: The PR manager is responsible for overseeing the outward look of the association, managing its public voice and promoting important information to the members. They actively manage social media and run advertising campaigns on different topics, while promoting inclusivity. Additionally, they handle the creation, design, and distribution of advertising materials such as flyers and brochures. They also manage the merchandise store. They work closely with jIAPS to publish the IAPS magazine annually and support the IT manager in website management. Anna: Apart from organizing and supervising School Day and IDL activities/events as well as reviewing and approving the outreach grant proposals, the role of the outreach manager is being unfolded mostly behind the scenes. Having weekly meetings with various associations, organizations and outreach initiative projects, takes up most of my time as an outreach manager. The goal is to get to know people in the outreach fields, connect them with IAPS and brainstorm accordingly to create collaborative projects. So even if 20-30% of those meetings turn out to become a direct outreach project, all of them are a different learning experience.
What is your favorite part of your role? Anna: The aforementioned meetings are definitely my favorite part of my role. More specifically, getting to know and interact with different personalities with a common passion for outreach. One of the most emotional experiences was getting to know the Pakistanee Professors Dr. Anisa Qamar and her colleagues, who are organizing the International Young Physicist Tournament (IYPT) 2023 for the first time in Pakistan. These women are real fighters in the science communication field against all obstacles, they truly inspired me. Another example that comes immediately to mind, is the opportunity to connect with Dr. Pranoti Kshirsagar and The Science Talk project. A YouTube channel owner, podcast creator, invited speaker to conferences and workshops, scientific blogger and of course an active researcher, she does most of her work voluntarily with the goal of helping fellow scientists communicate their work better. A humble and giving person to the core, Pranoti has become a mentor to me, we are having meetings regularly and the collaborative ideas are many to date. Marisol: My favorite part was being able to express the message we wanted to convey in each post or activity through art and design. Art is a voice that doesn’t need to speak. I enjoyed including everyone, and that was reflected in the posts and campaigns we created, such as Women in Physics.
Can you give one top tip for applying to become part of the EC? Anna: Give as much thought to your letter of candidacy as to your CV. A strong CV is nothing if not supported by an organized and realistic letter of candidacy. Marisol: One top tip for applying to become part of the EC is to demonstrate your passion and commitment to the organization’s mission and goals. Being genuinely passionate about the organization and its mission will make you stand out as a dedicated and enthusiastic candidate. It will also show that you are genuinely interested in making a positive impact and contributing to the organization’s growth and success
Which part of IAPS do you enjoy the most? Anna: Getting to travel and meet people with similar interests, all around the world. Marisol: Sharing with different people and cultures which have similar interests but different perspectives. Besides, go to events and meet amazing people with whom you create networking.
What’s it like being on the EC? Anna: Being part of the EC is first and foremost way more time consuming than I imagined. But I am really grateful that even though I became a member in the middle of the year, I was immediately welcomed by the other guys that helped me adjust to the workload and the EC routine procedures. I truly believe that the EC experience is directly dependent on and changes according to the people that constitute it. Marisol: What I liked the most about being on the EC was the diversity of people and cultures I encountered. Each of them taught me valuable lessons that helped me grow both professionally and personally. Despite the challenges we faced, it taught me to work as a team and improved my skills.
What advice would you give to someone who was thinking of joining IAPS? Anna: Do not even think about it. I am a firm believer that one should seize every opportunity that comes their way. Any physicist can find or create something around their interests in IAPS. Marisol: Be honest and clear with your goals, and assess if you have the necessary time to perform the role adequately. Enjoy the constant learning.
How do you prefer spending your summer? Anna: A kind of childish literature book at a nice, calm beach in Crete (the biggest island of Greece, where I am from). Marisol: I enjoy climbing volcanoes or mountains. I love watching the sunset, listening to the ocean waves, and appreciating nature. I also meditate and go cycling.
For the latest in the series of jIAPS Interviews, the jIAPS Editor-in-Chief interviewed the IAPS Treasurer. Mario is studying for a PhD at the University of Stuttgart and the International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems (IMPRS-IS).
Interspersed with IAPS tales and discussions about the jIAPS Photo Competitions, Mario answered the following questions:
Why did you decide to do a doctorate?
I chose to do a PhD because I wanted to dive deeply into an interdisciplinary scientific topic. My project is on physics-inspired machine learning; the method is called reservoir computing. It can be used to perform time-series prediction tasks, even for cases where a prediction is very difficult to make – for example for chaotic systems, like the Lorenz attractor. For an introduction, I recommend this article in Quanta Magazine. The core of my work is replacing a neural network reservoir with simulations of physical systems. This way, we can understand the learning system in physical terms, tune it, connect its physical characteristics with its learning behavior, and potentially construct novel devices for unconventional computing in the future.
I started by studying for a Bachelor’s degree in Materials Physics at Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. Then I studied for a Masters’s degree in Physics (with a focus on biophysics) at the Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Germany. So I started by studying dead matter, then went on to studying living matter, and now I’m studying what makes matter “intelligent.”
What’s your favourite thing about IAPS?
Meeting people from different countries and cultures; going abroad and talking to new people… My IAPS addiction began in 2016, when I attended Lights of Tuscany and visited Pisa and Florence. I met physics students from Italy and other countries. I enjoyed being part of the community. That’s what I like about IAPS.
What are some of your IAPS memories?
When I was studying in the UK, I went to iaps4fusion, which was really cool. We visited the Culham Centre for Fusion and saw the tokamak. Then I attended ICPS in Turin, Italy – ICPS is cool and crazy! [Please ask Mario for his ICPS anecdotes, we’re not recording them here! – Editor] And bringing so many physics students to Munich, Germany through contributing to PLANCKS 2022 was truly amazing.
Why did you decide to apply to become IAPS Treasurer?
I have an interest in financing student events. It started with PLANCKS 2022 in Munich – Monique Honsa asked if I’d be interested in joining the organising team. I didn’t have much experience in finances then, though I’d co-organised some events, e.g. the DPG-Schülertagung (a national conference organized by physics students for high school students) in Germany in 2020. Through volunteering, I gained lots of experience: designing the budget, contacting sponsors, working in an international team, and learning about legal and fiscal details of association law in Germany and France.
And when did I meet Cyrus [the current IAPS President – Editor] and how does that come into this story? Well, like me he was part of the committee which organised PLANCKS 2022. He was thinking of running for IAPS President and asked me if I’d consider joining the EC. Initially I wasn’t sure… I mean, it’s lots of work. In the end, I decided: let’s do it!
For me, IAPS is not just some hobby. It’s about being professional and absolutely reliable, representing international physics students and always acting in the interest of our members.
What can IAPS members request funding for, and how do they do this?
There are currently two grants available. First, you can apply for a grant to run an international event for IAPS members. At least 40% of the participants should be from a different country than the host country. IAPS can award grants of up to €1000, with the grant funding no more than half of the total budget. The international event can be anything from a summer school, to excursions, workshops or an iaps4x event: iaps4materials, iaps4fusion… You just have to present your budget, draft your programme and plan how many students you want to attend your event.
You can find more details about how to apply here.
The other grant is for Outreach activities. For example, the School Day annual event, where you can receive funding to go into high schools and tell school children about physics, and do experiments; or the school children can visit your university. There’s also the International Day of Light, or you can come up with your own idea and receive funding for currently up to €300.
What’s the strangest thing someone has requested money for?
As surprising as it may be, we’ve only received requests for solid, sensible things this year… All I can think of is that at PLANCKS 2023, someone came up to me and said that they’d heard that IAPS has the funds to pay for their private travel after PLANCKS had finished. I don’t know where they got the idea from, but I thought they seemed serious, though it sounded like a joke. Our budget is limited in IAPS and will only be spent in the interest of our members! I had to decline their request of course.
[Editor – I also overheard conversations at PLANCKS with people asking IAPS Treasurer whether he could fund their dinner and drinks and other things, but let’s not go into that… ]
What advice would you give to someone who was thinking of joining IAPS?
Just do it!
All you need to create IAPS events in your area are some physics friends, then you can form a local committee. You could organise small talks. In my local groups in NC Germany, we had events where you had a quiz-show style ‘answer questions against your professors’.
Be active, go to IAPS events! If there are no events, create events!
To get started you don’t need much; you just need motivated, engaged students, ideally with an international perspective. And of course you can also join IAPS as an individual.
What skills do you need to be the IAPS Treasurer?
Being IAPS Treasurer… What is takes a sense of responsibility. You have to be professional and have a true commitment to the role. It has happened in the past that a Treasurer has not been reliable and it has horrible consequences for the whole organisation; so I would say: if you do it, do it properly.
It is quite some work, but there are so many benefits to being Treasurer of IAPS – you get to contact lots of people. You have some influence in shaping the spending of IAPS (within what has been approved at the AGM and in the end, the whole EC has to vote… but your opinion matters. If you say ‘no, we don’t have the budget’, people will listen to you).
You get to go to some cool meetings – for example, I recently attended the Mid-Term Meeting 2023 of the International Science Council in Paris and got to meet representatives of so many international associations. You get to represent IAPS and have a lot of fun. I focused on potential partners who could support IAPS and on connecting with organizations in the Asia-Pacific region to make the ICPS 2023 in the Philippines more known. But I also met people from international associations I had never heard of: the International Union For Quaternary Research, which is about studying the ice age, the International Union of Speleology, an international body for caving… People you’d never meet, you can meet through IAPS.
Any last words?
IAPS has a great network – you have friends in the whole world. If you need help applying for an internship or a placement, you can ask on the IAPS Discord and people answer you and provide support. The benefits are infinite!
For only €10 a year, you can become a full member – join IAPS now! [You can check whether your country has a national or local committee on the IAPS website, and you can join the IAPS Discord for free – Editor]
The current jIAPS Editor-in-Chief has been interviewing IAPS EC members. Now it is the time for two Editor-in-Chiefs to interview each other. Zlatan Vasović was the jIAPS Editor-in-Chief last year in 2021–22, as well as the IAPS IT Manager. He is now the IAPS Fundraising Manager and the Archivist (and spoiler alert, he is hoping to apply for a position to continue in IAPS next year).
jIAPS is currently looking for next year’s Editor-in-Chief. Could it be you? Email us at jiaps@iaps.info for more information on how to apply.
What do you consider to be the most important aspects of IAPS?
What makes IAPS unique is that it is truly international. Through IAPS events, like ICPS and PLANCKS, you can meet people from the whole world. One aspect is less known and harder to access: becoming an IAPS volunteer, by joining a working group, the EC (Executive Committee) or jIAPS [Especially jIAPS; that of course is the most important aspect to IAPS – Editor].
What is the most challenging thing about being the past Editor-in-Chief?
Answering the questions from the current Editor-in-Chief, especially when she messages me every day and when I don’t know what to expect from the questions. I take it as a challenge and I love to see how jIAPS is developing.
I know you are always on the IAPS Discord, messaging people. How many IAPS members have you messaged in the last 24 hours?
About 20… but that includes people from NC Serbia and the EC. It was a busy day though.
What do all past jIAPS Editor-in-Chiefs have in common?
One common trait is that they have a lot of interests – they are quite curious, versatile and multi-skilled. They can do a lot of things and be successful in all of them.
What has jIAPS done this year that you would have done differently?
Everything!
Actually, I’m not dissatisfied with anything in jIAPS. There are two main things I would have done differently: I would have pushed for a separate jIAPS website, like a real news site [For context, the plans for this have been ongoing for while and haven’t reached completion yet, and it doesn’t look like it will be happening anytime soon – the IT Working Group has lots to do].
The second would be more online meetings. I am just addicted to online meetings, so I would’ve run them more often, like every two weeks. [What’s the record we are on now? Is it a grand total of three meetings since last August? – Editor]
What is your advice for anyone who is interested in applying to join the EC?
Go through the website, read the information about the roles there. Read the reports from people who have previously held the position [These are on the IAPS Cloud. If you don’t know where to find this, just email jiaps@iaps.info – Editor]. Reach out to the current EC members – the most recent source of information is the person who is currently in that position. And don’t forget the internet – just google around and find more information about what that role is supposed to do in general.
[What a technical answer… definitely an answer from an Archivist – Editor.]
You recently attended the finals of PLANCKS in Milan. What was your most memorable moment from this IAPS event?
The culinary exercises while everyone else was doing theoretical exercises – as the observers at PLANCKS, we had to prepare lunch for the competitors. It was a nice way to bond and connect with the other observers. We were split into teams preparing different kinds of food. I enjoyed organizing my team in the most efficient way possible, to finish our task first. It was a fun experience – food connects people.
What non-IAPS and non-physics activities do you do in your free time?
None. I don’t have any free time… okay, alright. My true hobby is socializing with people. Sometimes it’s mixed with work, but I just enjoy meeting new people.
I am a big fan of movies: not the mass produced ones, but high quality ones. Besides that, I like searching for random things on the internet and learning new things every day. [Other hobbies Zlatan has includes annoying Editor-in-Chiefs on a daily basis and lurking on the IAPS Discord waiting for new messages to be posted – Editor.]
Which movies do you most enjoy watching?
A lot of them, actually. Some of them are classic films, like Casablanca and the Godfather; then others are less well known, but still high quality, like some Serbian and Yugoslav movies. Then there are some films which are in many ways bad but still have something interesting or unique about them. Need movie recommendations? Message me on Discord!
Was there anything during your time as jIAPS Editor-in-Chief which didn’t work?
There were things we started doing and never finished, or planned to do and never did. It shows that throughout the year, you have to reassess your priorities.
For example, we were slow to set up the online edition of jIAPS, only publishing one or two articles on the website… but that works well this year. We also thought about sponsors. To be financially sustainable, jIAPS could have advertisements. But that didn’t work out, not yet.
What is your favourite part of your role as IAPS Archivist?
No one sees me. I can just hide in the archives, and it’s a refreshing change from the other roles I’ve had in IAPS. The most interesting part is that you get access to all the records of IAPS and can find out what happened in every year since IAPS started. It’s a great power and you have to use it carefully.
How do you overcome challenges in IAPS?
It’s not much different from the other challenges in life. I learn about the challenge, get more knowledge and skills, and then I can overcome it. Just like in your studies, you can learn more advanced topics from the current year, which in the previous year would have been a challenge. Now you can overcome that challenge.
By this stage, Zlatan was starving and wanted to go and have dinner, by don’t worry, all is not over – this article only includes half of the interview. The other half, with Zlatan as the interviewer, is yet to come.
The jIAPS Editor-in-Chief is enjoying interviewing the EC members so much that we already have another interview for you. This time, the jIAPS Editor-in-Chief interviewed Dimitris, IAPS IT manager, who is currently studying at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
The interview opened with a sneak preview of the most recent developments in the world of IAPS IT and a discussion of possible future plans for jIAPS.
Then, the actual interview started. The jIAPS Editor-in-Chief began with the usual opening question…
What are you currently studying?
I’m studying Medical Physics. To be more exact, I’m doing a small piece of research on a Gamma Camera, but thinking of shifting my focus towards neural networks and image reconstruction techniques, especially with all the fuzz on AI.
What is your favorite part of your role as IAPS IT Manager?
When I first took over as IT Manager, I had a completely blank canvas. There was room to create stuff and provide space to build things. It was the most amazing experience!
What does your role involve?
I can divide the tasks into two categories: first, developing new resources; making them from scratch; the creative tasks; like designing elements of the website and creating new resources. Then there’s the ‘boring’ stuff, like maintenance and debugging, and doing the sysadmin stuff.
What are your tips for overcoming challenges as IT Manager of IAPS?
You need to think outside the box and always assess possible risks. So, focus on maintaining things and keeping them running, rather than fixing them when they break down. Work smart, not hard.
What have you enjoyed the most about being part of the EC?
Being a part of the EC was more of a self-actualization thing for me; I really love to provide and care for people. Especially now that we provide for physics students across the world, you might think that we differ a lot, but in reality the phrase is “Different continents…same problems”.
Also by joining the EC you get the chance to meet some truly amazing people and some very interesting characters – the knowledge and cultural exchange is on another level.
What skills is it important to have to be part of the EC?
Time management is really important. You have to be able to keep to a strict schedule or you’ll be a goner. Being a team player and balancing tasks and supporting each other is necessary… it can be stressful at times; keeping that family vibe is very important. IAPS is just like a big family. What else? Do I need to think of another one? Communicating and being able to express yourself – that’s a big one. If you lose communication, it causes a lot of problems; a lot of problems. Communication is critical.
What is it like being part of the EC?
…what’s it really like? 50% of the time is spent dealing with bureaucracy and the other 50% is spent listening to the Treasurer’s obsession with fund-raising.
What has been your biggest success this year?
Being elected as IAPS Data Protection Officer (DPO); nah I’m messing with you. For me, overcoming the biggest challenge of IAPS IT infrastructure. Basically we managed to migrate to a different hosting provider, containerized everything and we have backups on top of backups. Before that, if something crashed, you had to pray that it would start again.
What is the role of the DPO?
Basically, it involves looking through the GDPR legislation. Every organization has one to ensure that the organization follows the legislation. In addition to that, the DPO acts as a legal in house advisor, assisting in creating Data Processing Agreements.
What advice would you give to someone who was considering the role of IT Manager?
Go for it! Just be sure to know the basics of sysadmin, PHP and network security. Without those you are a goner.
How can people get involved with the IT Working Group?
It is very simple: hit me up on Discord or throw me an email at dimitris.gkavakos@iaps.info
What advice would you give to someone who was considering joining IAPS?
When I first joined IAPS, I joined as the President of an already made NC (Greece). I started my journey through physics associations from EPS Young Minds and the American Physical Society, then I landed on IAPS.
If you ask me, why should you join IAPS…
IAPS has one of the most heart warming communities in the student association world, not just in Physics. You have the opportunity to meet new people, learn new skills and support your activities on a local level.
Aside from the aforementioned, IAPS is also a great opportunity to learn how to run an NC or an LC, join a Working Group and transfer the knowledge back to your country. The knowledge that we have has been battle tested from the late 1990s.
The Editor-in-Chief is continuing to make their way around the EC. Read the latest interview below:
What are you currently studying?
Well, today I am not studying – I’m in the transition period between the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs. In the autumn, I’ll start an Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Planetary Geophysics. I would like to emphasize my career towards Environmental Physics, as that was the focus of my four year undergraduate degree course at the University of Costa Rica . It’s nice to have a break – I was overwhelmed with choice at the end of my degree. Plus, I have time for other projects, including IAPS and NC Costa Rica.
Which committee was it the most rewarding to recruit?
It’s the most rewarding to me working in the NC here in Costa Rica. Recruiting other committees in Central America and working with them to create a community, with the potential to grow is also very rewarding.
Have you been involved with the recruitment of anyone who has gone on to do anything significant in IAPS?
Well… I helped to recruit most of the current EC! There’s NC Greece. I did the process of upgrade from LCs to the current NC, and Dimitris [current IT Manager] is part of that NC; then LC Singapore – Soe [External Relations Officer]; and LC Santo Domingo – Thara [Secretary, also see jIAPS’ interview with Thara]; and NC Guatemala – Marisol [PR Manager]. Have I missed anyone? [And that’s just the people on this year’s EC! – Editor]
Which committee is the most difficult to recruit?
There’s one which we’ve devised a solution for, but they are stubborn. They want a national committee, but that would be a political statement… and then there’s the case no one talks about which is extremely difficult or impossible to recruit.
Which other tasks, apart from recruitment, have you been involved in?
I was the Data Protection Officer for half a term. It was only for a short time and it wasn’t much work. I’m also on the AC5 Council, organising meetings and trying to move further with the collaboration with IUPAP. As you know, I am Vice-President which has its set of tasks, including helping with the planning of the Mulhouse meeting and connecting with external relations. I’m helping with trying to organise another IAPS2CERN trip which is providing a challenge. There’s a financial problem with the organisation of that – it’s not one of IAPS’ major events, so it is more difficult to find sponsors who are willing to subsidise the laboratory visit [If you, dear reader, happen to be a millionaire, or know of any potential sponsors, please do get in contact with us – Editor].
Which IAPS event have you enjoyed the most?
I really enjoyed PLANCKS 2022 in Munich. It was really special to see people from the committees you have recruited participating in the competition and enjoying the event. It was very rewarding, especially seeing countries from outside Europe becoming more involved in IAPS.
PLANCKS 2022 was also the first time Costa Rica participated in person. They selected a team and entered the competition… and it’s fantastic to see it keep improving. Costa Rica participated this year too.
There were also so many activities at PLANCKS and I saw plenty of friends.
How do you convince new members to join IAPS?
Depending on the area, I say different things. If they are in Latin America, I tell them about the events we are hosting. Then there’s the grants you can apply to in IAPS. I also promote that it is beneficial to have a greater representation from their continent in IAPS, and how they can use it as a platform for future collaborations and to improve their countries. For everyone, I mention the main events IAPS organises, and then the regional engagement and planning of events too.
What are some of the skills you have learnt from being part of IAPS?
One of the benefits of IAPS has been learning management skills. I’ve learnt how to propose projects and have gained hands-on experience. Being part of the IAPS EC has changed my worldview completely. I have gained new tools and learnt so much.
On average, how many emails do you send a week relating to IAPS?
It varies a lot… maybe about ten a week. Some weeks it is only about three or five. Probably at least ten a week. This isn’t including messaging – that would go off the chart! [The Editor has just checked their email headcount and it is also at least ten IAPS emails a week]
I heard you recently completed some field work as part of your course. What was it like?
I completely like field work. You never know what is going to happen, whereas, in a lab, you have a very controlled environment. You also get to take nice pictures.
It was a comprehensive experience. Sometimes we had to wake up at 3am and get on the University transport to go to a far-off place in the country. We had to take our measuring equipment with us which weighed about 20 kg and plant the stations we were setting up. This was done to measure carbon dioxide and methane fluxes from the soil to study the interaction between soil and boundary layer in different environments. The stations were to measure Greenhouse Gases in real time. Usually it was very hot – about 30 °C – and about 97% relative humidity so we were all sweating so much.
[Here, we lapsed into a tangential discussion about snakes. The conclusion is that if you like snakes, go to Costa Rica. If you don’t, come to PLANCKS next year in Dublin.]
One funny story about the field work… we were setting up a station when we could hear a buzzing noise. We were in a field, with trees around it. The buzzing noise was getting stronger and stronger. “Let’s not panic,” said the professor, “Those are killer bees.”
“We’re going to finish setting up,” he continued, “and then run.”
He then encouraged us to start working faster. The buzzing noise was all around us, coming from all directions – we didn’t know where to run to, but we finished the task and got out of there.
Can you think of anything unusual you’ve had to deal with in your role?
Well, there’s one thing that was very surreal and bothered me.
One Individual Member who was trying to sign up to join IAPS was very intense, following the procedure. There was lots of emailing and it was quite problematic. Then I received a WhatsApp call at 2am. I woke up in the middle of the night and thought ‘who’s calling? Who is this who has got my number?’ It kept calling, about seven times.
All they needed to do was to pay the ten euro membership fee, by either bank transfer or PayPal. This started a whole month of missed calls. They wanted guiding through each small step to pay by PayPal… at that point, I lost patience. ‘I don’t care! Leave me alone!’ I thought… so I gave up and paid the fee for them. ‘Just go away.’ [Note – don’t expect Gabriel to pay your membership fee for you. You have to annoy him sufficiently to get that result, and next time, he is likely to resort to a different tactic instead.]
The lesson here is to never give your phone number in a situation to do with IAPS.
What is your favourite thing about your role?
I really enjoy engaging with more physics students and hearing the reality through their perceptions of IAPS. I like knowing the different perspectives and connecting with students.
Thank you so much Gabriel!
[Gabriel then left the video call to have a well-deserved lunch break, whilst it was the end of the day for the Editor-in-Chief, who returned home and typed up this interview.]
