For APS student members, APS meetings and conferences kickstart careers

It can be tricky for undergraduate and graduate students to gain footing in the physical sciences. But at every stage of the journey, APS offers support and opportunities — including through its diverse meetings.

Below, three APS members and students share their experiences from APS events.

"It all traces back to the connections and inspiration that APS made possible."

"APS played a direct role in sparking the idea for what became Summer of Quantum in Los Angeles. At the 2025 Annual Leadership Meeting, I attended a talk about the International Year of Quantum that really got me thinking about what a large-scale community effort could look like here in Los Angeles. I shared the idea with colleagues from other LA institutions who I also met there, and together we began shaping it into a city-wide initiative.

Six months later, that seed grew into Summer of Quantum in LA, a collaboration across Caltech, USC, and UCLA that brought public talks, lab tours, panels, and kid-friendly events to the wider LA community. In total, more than a thousand unique attendees participated across the summer. It was a true success, and it all traces back to the connections and inspiration that APS made possible at ALM."

— Sadman Ahmed Shanto, Ph.D. candidate in physics at the University of Southern California

"I was persuaded to apply to their master’s program … I’m now working in their group."

"I presented my undergraduate research at the 2025 Global Physics Summit in Anaheim. At the conference, I connected with a research group that I had some familiarity with, but didn't know a lot about. Their research was fascinating, and I was persuaded to apply to their master's program, which I did after the conference. I'm now working in their group as a first year master's student in the program. The APS Global Physics Summit helped connect me with this opportunity."

— Ryan Krismer, candidate for M.S. in physics at California State University, Fullerton

"[APS DNP] was a pivotal experience … I am now applying to pursue a Ph.D. in the field."

"APS has played a huge role in helping me find my place within physics. After attending conferences like the Conferences for Women and Gender Minorities in Physics, I was able to meet both peers and professionals in the field who look like me and share my experiences. This motivated me to found the Physicists of Underrepresented Genders (PUGs) group at my home institution, with financial support from an APS Women in Physics (WiP) grant.

I have also been provided so many opportunities to present my research and learn about the new frontiers in different subfields. For example, presenting at the poster session of the 2024 Fall Meeting of the APS Division of Nuclear Physics allowed me to build connections with physicists and graduate programs in nuclear astrophysics. This was a pivotal experience for me, and it inspired me to apply to and attend a summer school on nuclear astrophysics, NS3, hosted by the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. I am now applying to pursue a Ph.D. in the field.

I am incredibly grateful for the network I've been able to grow through APS, and for the impact it's had on my academic journey."

— Olivia Nippe-Jeakins, astronomy and astrophysics major at the George Washington University