Message from the Chair

Dear FECS members,

It is an honor and pleasure to welcome you to this first issue of the FECS Newsletter, as this year’s Chair of the Forum of Early Career Scientists.

We are proud to represent currently around 2000 members from all the world and our community is constantly growing in these last months.

We strongly believe that the early career stage is a critical period in the life of scientists. It is often a transitional moment between different fields of physics and non-academic career path decisions. Support services are necessary to promote networking and integration of these members into the larger international scientific community and we are trying to focus our efforts in this direction.

I want to underline here that one of the FECS’ main purposes is to integrate early career members into the broad community of scientists working in academic and non-academic fields, including industry, national laboratories, related STEM fields, and non-STEM fields, both nationally and internationally.

The FECS have strong interdisciplinary and international character and we are currently developing joint activities with other APS Units to provide increased opportunity for inclusion with members of the physics community.

As an example, for the next years we are organizing shared sessions and receptions with other APS Units at the March and April Meetings.

FECS recognizes the importance of communication with its members. Don’t forget to follow us on our Facebook group and to send us your feedback and ideas for next year’s FECS activities.

I want to close with a special thanks to all the Executive Committee and, in particular, to the FECS Chair Elected Jason Gardner for their efforts during this first year.

I hope to see you numerous at our sessions and reception at the next APS meetings and let me thank each of you for being part of our FECS community!

Best wishes to all of you

Maria