Hellenic Physical Society

Hellenic Physical Society
Ένωση Ελλήνων Φυσικών
AbbreviationΕΕΦ
Formation1930 (1930)
TypeScientific
PurposeTo develop scientific research, pedagogy, and professional code of conduct in Physical Sciences, in Greece and abroad.
HeadquartersGrivaion 6, Athens, 10680, Greece
Membership3,056 (as of 2020[1])
Official language
Greek
Websitehttps://eef.gr

The Hellenic Physical Society (Greek: Ένωση Ελλήνων Φυσικών) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines.[2] Its mission is to develop scientific research, pedagogy, and professional code of conduct in Physical Sciences, in Greece and abroad. Since January 1970, the Hellenic Physical Society (ΕΕΦ) is a member of the European Physical Society[3]

History

The Hellenic Physical Society was founded in 1930, in Athens, where it is headquartered. According to a report by Europhysics News, ΕΕΦ had 1,050 members in 1974,[4] while in 2020, its members were 3,054.[1]

Activities

The Hellenic Physical Society is active in research and pedagogy in physics, by organizing conferences, seminars, outreach events, and by publishing physics-related educational and scientific publications, such as conference proceedings.[5] The Society participates in various international networks of scientific associations, such as the European Physical Society[3] and the Balkan Physical Union,[6] and seeks to further expand communication and international cooperation in physics. The Society offers awards to distinguished physicists for their contribution to education and science, such as Giorgos Grammatikakis, and Stamatios Krimigis. ΕΕΦ is also involved with the advancement of teaching physics in secondary education.

Criticism

The Hellenic Physical Society has faced criticism for endorsing activities and claims considered pseudoscientific.[7] A notable dispute involved a five-year legal case with the fact-checking website Ellinika Hoaxes, which questioned the scientific validity of certain EEP-endorsed events and statements.[8][9] The lawsuit filed by the EEP was dismissed by both the Athens Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal, which ruled the articles constituted fair criticism.[8] Critics argue these activities undermine the credibility of science and physics education in Greece, while the EEP maintains that its educational contributions are often overlooked.

References

  1. ^ a b "Members". Hellenic Physical Society (in Greek). Retrieved 2022-08-07.
  2. ^ "About us". Hellenic Physical Society (in Greek). Retrieved 2022-08-07.
  3. ^ a b "EPS member societies". European Physical Society. Retrieved 2022-08-07.
  4. ^ "The Hellenic Physical Society". Europhysics News. 5 (9): 6. 1974. Bibcode:1974ENews...5i...6.. doi:10.1051/epn/19740509006.
  5. ^ "7th International Conference of the Balkan Physical Union". S2CID 154233472.
  6. ^ "BPU members". Balkan Physical Union. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
  7. ^ "Διαμάχη για επιστήμη και ψευδοεπιστήμη" [Dispute over science and pseudoscience] (in Greek). Kathimerini. 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Greek fact-checkers exonerated after years of legal disputes against country's most established physicist's association". Ellinika Hoaxes. 2024-01-26.
  9. ^ "Greek fact-checkers triumph after 5-year legal battle with Physics association". FactCheckHub. 2024.