Protokoll der Generalversammlung vom 23. August 2016 in Lugano

Agenda

  1. Minutes of the General Assembly held in Vienna on 2 September 2015
  2. Report of the President
  3. Projects 2016 -2017
  4. 2015 Finances and Auditors Report
  5. Modifications of the By-Laws
  6. Clarifications for the rules of the SPS Prizes
  7. Elections
  8. New Honorary Member
  9. Miscellaneous

The President opens the meeting at 14:30. The assembly counts 71 persons.

1. Minutes of the General Assembly held in Vienna on 2 September 2015

The protocol of the last General Assembly, published in the SPG Mitteilungen Nr. 49 on p. 7 is unanimously approved.

2. Report of the President

The President welcomes all the new members. As a small request, as there has been in the last year a slight decrease in the number of members, the president asks the audience to promote the SPS among their colleagues.
A brief report can be found in the last SPG Mitteilungen (Nr. 49) on the activities of last year like the project on "Physics and Society" or the project on "Physics input" to increase our country's competitivity (in collaboration with SATW).

A new prize for advanced physicists has been created in collaboration with the French Physical Society: The Charpak-Ritz Prize.
The Geneva-Bastion Building has been selected as EPS Historical site. The inauguration of the "plaque" will be done during the first months of 2017.
At the 2016 International Physics Olympiads, Markus Köhler from Balgach (SG) has won a Bronze Medal and 4 other members of the Swiss team have won "Honourable Mention".
The website of our society is being renewed with new features and new layout and a first "Newsletter" will soon be sent.
M. Q. Tran has been elected as member of the Executive Committee of the European Physical Society.

3. Projects 2016 - 2017

Completion of the project "Modernizing the Communication".
Completion of the projects "Physics and Society" and the joint project work with SATW.
Advanced career physicists: The first Charpak-Ritz Prize, in collaboration with the French Physical Society, will be awarded at the 2017 annual meeting (the prize will be given in alternation to a Swiss and a French nominee).
The next annual meeting, joint with our colleagues from Austria, will be held in Geneva (CERN and CICG) in the week from 21 to 25 August 2017.

4. 2015 Finances and Auditors Report

The 2015 Financial Report is presented by the treasurer, Dr. Pascal Ruffieux, on pages 8 and 9 of the SPG Mitteilungen Nr. 49. Prof. Dr. Ph. Aebi and Dr. P. Gröning, the revisers of this report, have approved the numbers and their statement can be found on page 9.

A benefit of 4’486.35 Swiss Francs is accounted for. The treasurer clarifies that the benefits or losses depend mostly on the success of the annual meetings but some reserves have been achieved allowing to target new projects like the improvement of the communications.
The Financial Report is approved unanimously by the General Assembly.

5. Modifications of the By-Laws

In order to share the power of signature between the President and the Vice-President, it is proposed to change the right of signature from "President + Secretary or Treasurer" to "President or Vice-President + Secretary or Treasurer" (see SPG Mitteilungen Nr. 49, p. 10).
Further modification: Members of VSMP (SSPMP) can now also become members of SPS at a reduced price.
These changes are approved unanimously by the General Assembly.

6. Clarifications for the rules of the SPS prizes

SPS prizes are given to young physicists. The committee proposes to define the term "young" by "physicists at the early phase of their career" (not necessarily right after their PhD). The criteria of scientific achievement should not be defined by the criteria of the publication policy as not everybody publishes in reviews. The criteria of "exceptional performance or achievement" of the candidate is now applied.

7. Elections

The new committee members are elected unanimously by the General Assembly:

  • Condensed Matter: Prof. Laura Heyderman (ETHZ and PSI) and Prof. Patrycja Paruch (Univ. Geneva)
  • Education and Promotion of Physics: Dr. Céline Lichtensteiger (Univ. Geneva)

New functions:

  • Vice-President: Dr. Hans-Peter Beck
  • TASK: Dr. Andreas Schopper (in agreement with CHIPP)

Special replacement: Dr. Antoine Pochelon (Secretary) and Prof. Jan Lacki (History of Physics) have reached the maximum of their term. As the Board could not find replacements for them, it asks the GA for an exception and to re-conduct these persons for 2 more years (one term).
After a short discussion about the difficulties in finding suitable replacements, this exceptional prolongation has been accepted by a vote (49 for, 6 abstentions, 0 against).
The president thanks Christian Rüegg (Condensed Matter and Prize Committee) for his contribution to the SPS.

8. New Honorary Members

The committee has received this year two proposals for new Honorary Members: Prof. Piero Martinoli and Prof. Norbert Straumann.

Laudatio for Prof. Martinoli: "for his contribution to solid state matter physics especially the fundamental experiments in two-dimensional superconducting systems and for his constant service to higher education and research in Switzerland."

Laudatio for Prof. Straumann:"in recognition of his extraordinary research and notably for his landmark results in General Relativity, as well as for the standards in teaching he set throughout Theoretical Physics."

The GA approves these 2 nominations.

9. Miscellaneous

Happy Birthday to our SPG Mitteilungen which will celebrate its 50th issue! Many thanks to Bernhard Braunecker and to all contributors for their high quality scientific articles.

 

The President closes the meeting at 15:25.

 

Protocol: Edith Grüter