WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2025 – In a milestone development in AIP’s transformation, the Institute is launching its first annual research agenda as part of a new strategy to explore pressing topics at the nexus of history, policy, and culture.

AIP is uniquely positioned to hear from and engage with staff and volunteer leaders across AIP's Federation of Member Societies and Affiliates to identify issues where social science, policy analysis, and historical research could provide useful context as the physical sciences community seeks to engage in positive change in how our science is done and by whom.

“The launch of the 2025 research agenda is a key part of AIP’s new research strategy,” said Trevor Owens, AIP’s first Chief Research Officer. “We’re focused on empowering physical scientists with research products that can cultivate positive change across the physical sciences.”

The Institute’s 2025 agenda spans relevant research disciplines and is the result of a monthslong engagement with stakeholders, including AIP’s 10 Member Societies. Throughout the year, AIP’s expert social scientists, historians, librarians, policy analysts, and archivists will work on projects aligned to this research agenda.

“I’m excited by this milestone development that has been nearly five years in the making,” said Michael Moloney, AIP’s CEO. “In thinking about the opportunity we have, I think back to 2020 when AIP released the results of a two-year one-of-a-kind research study that revealed and detailed the lived experiences of African American undergraduate students in physics and astronomy in the United States. That seminal work of social science research revealed the many stark barriers these students face and led to the development of our collective action initiative with our lead partners, TEAM-UP Together. This is the kind of work AIP can do to catalyze positive change in how our science is done and by whom.”

Throughout the year, AIP’s research team will engage with the physical sciences community to advance awareness, promote thought leadership, and foster collaborations in the following areas:

1. Understanding the experiences of and how to support better our next generation of scientific society leaders.
2. Telling the stories of a century of breakthroughs in quantum science and technology.
3. Exploring trends in the U.S. government physical science workforce.
4. Piloting studies on the climate, atmospheric, and oceanic sciences education pipeline.
5. Revealing the diverse faces of physical scientists through the decades.

“Our inaugural research agenda brings together the interdisciplinary research strengths within AIP's research team,” continued Moloney. “By broadly sharing AIP’s research agenda now as we get started on this work, we are also inviting others in the physical sciences community and beyond to join us in engaging in research on these issues as well.”

###