Protecting and Advancing the Physical Sciences; New Research Agenda Meets the Moment

In a moment when scientific expertise and funding — and science itself — is being challenged, AIP has a plan to support the physical sciences with research and data. This work aligns with its commitment to empower the organizations and people that make scientific discovery possible.

AIP’s research team spent months engaging leaders in the science and engineering community across AIP’s federation in a conversation to understand better their goals, challenges and needs. The result? AIP’s new research agenda for 2026 , which focuses on five key issues where social science, policy analysis, and historical research can provide useful context and foster positive change as the physical sciences community looks for ways to evolve and take action using a data-centered strategic approach. AIP’s work will focus on the following:

1. Understanding impacts of federal policy and funding shifts on the physical sciences enterprise.
2. Documenting a half-century of efforts to broaden participation in the physical sciences.
3. Ensuring digital records of scientific societies are preserved and accessible.
4. Understanding impacts of visa and immigration policy changes on U.S. global leadership in the physical sciences.
5. Surveying Member Organizations to understand evolving needs, employment situations, and identities of their interdisciplinary communities.
   

Why AIP’s Research Matters

Creating an annual research agenda is one part of an overarching commitment at AIP to catalyze positive change in the physical sciences enterprise by supporting our community with content, context and connection.

“The physical sciences are shaped as much by policy, culture, and institutions as by discovery,” said Richard D. Clark, professor emeritus of meteorology at Millersville University and chair of AIP’s Federation Assembly. “AIP’s strength is making those forces visible — and actionable.”

Throughout 2026, AIP will collect, analyze, and share valuable data. AIP will also focus on preserving and sharing the story of modern science to aid in decision-making and to provide context for future generations.

“AIP’s research focuses on the physical sciences enterprise and how it affects the people involved,” said Amy Walker, professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas and a member of AIP’s board of directors. “This is becoming even more critical as we move through significant societal, funding and policy shifts.”

Building upon the momentum and partnerships fostered in 2025, AIP kicked off the annual process of getting insights from across the community before the new year to refresh the research team’s focus for 2026.

“Over the past year, AIP’s research team, through their research agenda, generated key information that informed the work of APS including a systematic survey of physics departments to give us an early glimpse of the impact of federal policies on grad student enrollment ; a policy primer that informed our members about the proposed $100K fee on H1-B visas ; and the Documenting the Impact initiative that is collecting narratives that can describe the effect of federal policies on the US physics research community,” said Francis Slakey, chief external affairs officer of the American Physical Society, an AIP Member Society.

“The current research agenda will ensure that AIP continues to be a timely, compelling, and essential resource to help inform the advocacy work of the Member Organizations,” he added.

Volunteer leaders from AIP’s 10 Member Societies helped develop the focus for AIP’s 2026 research efforts, leading to an agenda that is responsive to the organizational needs of scientific societies.

“In a time of significant uncertainty, it is crucial to have data on both the tremendous successes of the scientific community and the impacts that are currently being felt,” said Roohi Dalal, deputy director of public policy, American Astronomical Society, an AIP Member Society. “The data collected by the AIP research team, including studies of the reductions in graduate admissions in physics and astronomy programs in 2025, has already helped provide a foundation to our advocacy efforts, and I look forward to continuing to work with AIP towards effecting outcomes to support the community using their 2026 Research Agenda.”

How You Can Take Action and Stay Informed

Efforts are already underway at AIP — the research team is documenting the impact of federal funding and policy changes and gathering information on disrupted science careers .

“Today’s disruptions demand fresh documentation,” said Trevor Owens, AIP’s chief research officer. “To meet that need, we are conducting research to better understand and gathering firsthand accounts of careers impacted by these funding and policy changes — before details fade and institutional memory is lost.”

You can take action today and share your story .

AIP will be engaging the community, gathering data and sharing results and resources in future newsletters all year. To stay informed on research projects, subscribe to AIP Research Updates .