Mission and Strategy

AIP Strategic Framework

Mission

The mission of the American Institute of Physics is to advance, promote, and serve the physical sciences for the benefit of humanity.

Overarching Strategy

AIP advances the physical sciences with a unifying voice of strength from diversity.

AIP provides the means for its Member Societies to pool, coordinate, and leverage their diverse expertise and contributions in the pursuit of the shared goal of advancing the physical sciences in the research enterprise, in the economy, in education, and in society.

Through their partnership in AIP, Member Societies broaden their impact and achieve results beyond their individual missions and mandates. AIP also acts as an independent institute where research in social science, policy, and history advances the discipline of the physical sciences.

Together, AIP and its Member Societies convey a unifying message for stakeholders in government, academia, the nonprofit and private sectors, the student and teacher communities, and the general public.

AIP’s Strategic Framework comprises an overarching strategy and four strategic goals—focused on AIP as a Federation and an Institute and AIP’s Reputation and Excellence.

AIP will be a vibrant federation that advances the success of our Member Societies.

Success Narrative:

By 2025, AIP is recognized as a productive and collaborative partner that seeks to advance the success of its Member Societies. Our Members trust that we understand their strategic direction and their goals, and their individual members and leaders look to AIP as a partner and advisor in their Society’s efforts to develop and pursue strategic and tactical initiatives of importance to their communities. Member Societies seek to partner with each other in AIP-convened forums focused on topics of shared interest, including on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. AIP is nimble, adaptable, and responsive to Member Society needs, offering a suite of Member-only resources and services to advance their success individually and collectively.

Strategic Objectives:

  1. Establish robust processes to identify and address mutual concerns on which AIP might partner with all or a subset of the Member Societies.
  2. Provide innovative mechanisms to build and sustain collaborative relationships among the Member Societies—and, where relevant, with other organizations—on topics identified by AIP and by Member Societies.
  3. Assist each Member Society in researching, analyzing, and addressing issues related to the evolving trajectory, needs, and desires of its membership community.
  4. Create innovative approaches and practices to assist Member Societies with matters including society management, enterprise risk management, program sustainability and capacity, and strategic planning.

AIP will be a center of excellence that advances the physical sciences enterprise through research and analysis aimed at improving the understanding of our heritage and promoting future progress.

Success Narrative:

By 2025, AIP is called upon for its research and analysis expertise in relevant areas that include public policy, the demographics of relevant scientific communities, education, scholarly publishing, career development, and the history of the physical sciences. AIP is sought as a critical resource in addressing opportunities and concerns of the multi-sector physical sciences community. AIP is seen as the Institute that leads the physical sciences community toward an impactful understanding of how to be more welcoming to and supportive of the full diversity of physical scientists throughout their careers.

Strategic Objectives:

  1. Research and develop innovative approaches to identifying opportunities for and challenges to the community of physical scientists on issues including public policy, education, scholarly publishing, the demographics of relevant scientific communities, and the professional development needs of the physical scientist from undergraduate through retirement.
  2. Facilitate dialog and the interchange of ideas among physical scientists in the government, academic, non-profit, and private sectors to identify and address opportunities for, and challenges to, promoting progress in the physical sciences.
  3. Execute research and analysis in support of the design and implementation of actions to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the physical sciences community.
  4. Establish innovative approaches to both preserving and advancing the study of the heritage of the physical sciences, and forecasting the trajectory of the physical sciences.

AIP will be a trusted and reliable source of information and analysis.

Success Narrative:

By 2025, AIP is recognized as an independent institute that provides innovative, valued, and impactful content that addresses our audiences’ needs. AIP is a trusted and accountable partner, promoting comprehensive dialog within the physical sciences communities. AIP’s brand is distinctive and clear, supporting a unified content strategy.

Strategic Objectives:

  1. Build capacity to listen to and understand better AIP’s diverse audiences and develop AIP’s communication channels to strengthen the value and impact to our audiences across the physical sciences and beyond.
  2. Develop AIP processes to ensure our adherence to and reputation for transparency, impartiality, and independence in our communications on matters including public policy, the heritage of the physical sciences, and science news.
  3. Establish AIP’s brand, so it empowers each member of our staff, our Member Societies, and other stakeholders to convey the vision of AIP as an independent federation and institute that advances the physical sciences.
  4. Create innovative marketing and media approaches to storytelling about the dynamics of and advances in the physical sciences enterprise.

AIP will be recognized for cultivating an effective, talented, diverse, and engaged staff that delivers excellence to our stakeholders.

Success Narrative:

By 2025, the Institute is recognized for empowering each member of the diverse AIP team to deliver leadership and success, for cultivating pride in all we do, and for being willing to take risks in the pursuit of success. At AIP, business processes are documented, formalized, and easily accessible across the Institute. AIP is recognized as a “best place to work” where staff retention is high and each member of a team feels valued, connected to AIP’s mission, and held accountable. AIP Member Societies, audiences, and other stakeholders trust that the Institute will deliver excellence in all its activities.

Strategic Objectives:

  1. Evolve AIP’s workplace culture to cultivate appreciation of, passion for, and pride in how we pursue our mission.
  2. Establish a model workplace environment that fosters collaboration, respect, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, thereby improving our capacity to achieve excellence in all of AIP’s programs and activities.
  3. Develop and adopt a comprehensive set of process standards and knowledge-management tools to strengthen and ensure timeliness, efficiency, and excellence in all that we do.
  4. Embrace excellence, integrity, accountability, transparency, openness, innovation, environmental sustainability, and leadership every day, in every AIP job.