Governance

Bylaws

Preamble

In the following text, "Society" or "APS" shall signify the American Physical Society, "Council" and “Board” shall signify the Council of Representatives and the Board of Directors of the Society, respectively; "CEO" shall signify the Chief Executive Officer of the Society. In addition, “Topical Group” or “Unit” shall signify the APS Topical Group on Data Science, and “Regular meeting” shall signify the principal meeting held once a year by the Topical Group.

Date Approved by Council: April 10, 2019

Article I - Name

This Topical Group of the American Physical Society shall be called the Topical Group on Data Science (GDS).

Article II - Objective

The objective of the Topical Group shall be to foster the development and exchange of information at the interface between physics and data science including big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. The Topical Group shall provide to its members, and to all members of the Society, an opportunity to disseminate information on data science research, including mathematical and computational studies, real-world systems, applications in various branches of physics and other related sciences, and practical techniques or technologies that are of interest to companies and governmental agencies. The Topical Group shall:

• Promote scientific activities and inter-disciplinary collaboration through publications, conferences, and other professional means;
• Enhance the professional standing of its members by providing an educational platform, such as workshops, boot camps, and hackathons, where members can learn about the latest techniques and technologies, and facilitate the development of online learning and training resources;
• Provide physical and virtual networking environments to its members to enable innercommunity recruiting, mentorship, and support.

Article III - Enabling Constitutional Provision

Article VIII of the Constitution and Bylaws, and the associated Policies and Procedures of the Society, as said Article and Policies and Procedures may be subsequently revised or amended, are hereby incorporated in these Bylaws by reference.

Article IV - Membership

The members of the Topical Group shall consist of Members of the Society who have indicated in accordance with procedures established by Board and Council their desire to join the Topical Group and who retain membership from year to year by the payment of designated dues or by other method established by Board.

Article V - Executive Committee

1. Governance: The Topical Group shall be governed by an Executive Committee, which shall have general charge of the affairs of the Topical Group.

2. Composition: The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers of the Topical Group, the most recent Past Chair, and six Members-at-Large. Four Members-at-Large are elected to staggered three-year terms, one of whom should have a connection to the industrial physics community, and two Student Representatives, which will be students or post-doctoral associate members, elected to staggered two-year terms.

3. Executive Committee Meetings: The Executive Committee shall meet at least once each year and one meeting shall be held during the Regular Meeting of the Topical Group. Any member of the Executive Committee unable to attend a meeting may name a nonvoting alternate who is a member of the Topical Group in good standing to represent him or her, subject to the approval of the Chair. The Chair of the Topical Group shall preside over the Executive Committee meetings. A majority of the voting members, including at least two Officers, shall constitute a quorum.

Article VI - Officers

1. Officers: The Officers of the Topical Group shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

2. Duties of the Chair: The Chair has overall responsibility for the operations of the Topical Group and shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee and Business Sessions of the Topical Group at which his or her attendance is possible. The Chair, in collaboration with the Secretary, shall prepare the agenda of Executive Committee meetings.

3. Duties of the Chair-Elect: The Chair-Elect shall serve as the Chair of the Program Committee. In addition, the Chair-Elect shall assume the duties of the Chair whenever the Chair is unable to perform them.

4. Duties of the Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall serve as the Chair of the Fellowship Committee. In addition, the Vice-Chair shall act in place of the Chair-Elect if the latter is unable to perform his or her duties.

5. Duties of the Secretary: The Secretary shall maintain the records of the Topical Group including minutes of Executive Committee meetings and Business Sessions, Topical Group activities, and membership lists. The Secretary shall notify the Executive Committee of matters requiring the decision of said Committee and, in collaboration with the Chair, shall prepare the agenda of Executive Committee meetings and Business Sessions. The Secretary shall prepare minutes of Executive Committee meetings and Business Sessions and shall distribute the minutes to each member of the Executive Committee and the Society Corporate Secretary within two weeks after each meeting. The Secretary shall work with the Webmaster to ensure that the minutes are posted on the Topical Group Website within eight weeks. The Secretary shall arrange for announcing, distributing, receiving and counting the annual election ballots from the membership, and for informing the Society Corporate Secretary, candidates, and Topical Group membership of election results. Following elections, the minutes are to include the results of the election and a roster of the current Executive Committee membership. The Secretary shall keep the Council informed of the activities and needs of the Topical Group.

6. Duties of the Treasurer: The Treasurer shall have responsibility for all funds in the custody of or placed at the disposal of the Topical Group and, with the concurrence of the Chair, shall authorize disbursements from such funds for expenses in a manner that is consistent with the general policies of the Society and the Topical Group. Financial records shall be kept on an annual basis consistent with the fiscal policies of the Society. The Treasurer shall present a financial report at each meeting of the Executive Committee and at the annual Business Session of the Topical Group.

7. Duties of the Past Chair: The Past Chair shall serve as the Chair of the Nominating Committee.

Article VII - Election and Tenure of the Officers and Executive Committee Members

1. Qualifications: Officers, Members-at-Large, and Student Representatives of the Executive Committee must be members of the Topical Group at least during the year of their nomination and during their tenure in office.

2. Ballot: The Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Members-at-Large, and Student Representatives of the Executive Committee shall be elected by mail and/or electronic ballot as hereinafter provided.

3. Nomination and Election of the Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Committee Members-at-Large, and Student Representatives:

   1. Each year the Nominating Committee shall nominate at least two candidates for the office of Vice-Chair, and for open positions of Secretary, Treasurer, Members-at-Large, and Student Representatives of the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consult with the Chair before approving the nomination of any candidate for a second consecutive term. The Nominating Committee shall notify the Secretary of the results not later than sixteen weeks before the Regular Meeting, except under extraordinary circumstances. The Secretary shall inform the Topical Group members of the nominations made and shall invite these members to suggest candidates for the various offices and Executive Committee positions. If as many as five percent of the total Topical Group membership determined on 31 December of the year preceding the election suggests the same person for the same office, that person shall be deemed to have been nominated.

   2. The Secretary shall poll the Topical Group membership by mail and/or electronic ballot, stating a closing date at least three weeks prior to the Regular Meeting. Ballots shall be returned to and counted by the Secretary or his or her designate. In the case of an election when the Secretary is a candidate for a second term, the election shall be administered by a process determined by the Executive Committee. The election shall be decided by a plurality of those voting. If there is a tie, the Executive Committee shall decide the election, with the Chair voting only in the case of a tie among the other Executive Committee members. The Secretary shall communicate the results of the election to the Chair and to the Society Corporate Secretary at least two weeks prior to the Regular Meeting and shall publish the results in the following issue of the newsletter of the Topical Group.

4. Official Year: The official year shall extend from the close of one Regular Meeting to the close of the next Regular Meeting.

5. Vice-Chair, Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past-Chair: The member elected as Vice-Chair shall serve in that office for one year, then for one year as Chair-Elect, then for one year as Chair, and then for one year as Past-Chair. The Past-Chair shall not be eligible for the office of Vice-Chair in the year following his or her term of office.

6. Terms of Office: The terms of office of the Officers and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall begin at the close of the Regular Meeting of the Topical Group following their election. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall serve for a term of three years each and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The tenure of a Member-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall be three years. The tenure of a Student Representative of the Executive Committee shall be two years, regardless of whether the student completes his or her studies during the term. The tenure shall terminate in the event of his or her assumption of a post as an elected Officer of the Topical Group, and the unexpired portion of his or her term shall be filled as hereinafter provided for a vacancy.

7. Vacancies in Offices: If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair, the Chair-Elect shall succeed and complete the term and shall serve as Chair also in the following year. The Vice-Chair shall serve simultaneously as Chair-Elect during the remainder of the term and shall continue to serve as Chair-Elect in the following term. The Secretary will immediately inform the Corporate Secretary of any vacancies that occur in the Executive Committee.

   If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair-Elect otherwise than through advancement to Chair, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair-Elect. In this case, and also if the office of Vice-Chair becomes vacant for other reasons, the office of Vice-Chair shall remain vacant for the remainder of the term. In the next scheduled election, candidates for both Chair-Elect and Vice-Chair shall be nominated.

   If vacancies occur in the offices of both the Chair and the Chair-Elect, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair and shall complete the term. In this case, a special election shall be held to fill the offices of Chair-Elect and Vice-Chair. The members so elected shall continue to serve as officers in the normal succession order. Vacancies in any other elected office shall be filled (or left unfilled) by the Executive Committee until such time as the vacancy can be filled by regular election procedures.

Article VIII - Appointed Committees

1. Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the Past Chair of the Topical Group and shall also include three members of the Topical Group appointed by the Chair to a one-year term, and a member appointed by the CEO to a two-year term. The Topical Group Chair shall contact the CEO for the identity of this member. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for the positions of Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee according to Article VII.3 of these Bylaws. The Nominating Committee shall advise the Chair on suitable candidates for Society committees, including relevant Society Prize and Award committees, and on candidates for Society offices. The Nominating Committee shall perform such other duties as determined by the Executive Committee of the Topical Group.

2. Program Committee: The Program Committee shall consist of the Chair-Elect and four members appointed for a one-year term by the Chair, and any other members of the Topical Group whose assistance the Program Committee Chair chooses to obtain during the term of his or her appointment. The Chair-Elect shall serve as Chair of the Program Committee. The Program Committee shall have the responsibility of assisting the APS Director of Meetings in arranging the meetings of the Society. This activity shall include the scheduling of contributed papers within the areas of interest of this Topical Group, as well as the arranging, in cooperation with the APS Director of Meetings, of symposia and sessions of invited papers sponsored by the Topical Group for a meeting. For meetings of the Topical Group, including the Regular Meeting, the Program Committee shall be responsible for the solicitation and selection of invited and review papers and for the arrangement of the programs of such meetings.

3. Fellowship Committee: The Fellowship Committee shall consist of the Vice-Chair and four members of the Executive Committee appointed for a one-year term by the Chair. The Vice-Chair shall serve as Chair of the Fellowship Committee.

4. Ad Hoc Committees: The Chair shall appoint other ad hoc committees as necessary, which shall serve only during his or her term as Chair. Terms of Office of Appointed Committee Members. The terms of committee members appointed or recommended by an incoming Chair shall commence at the beginning of the year in which he or she assumes office.

Article IX - Meetings

1. Regular Meeting: One meeting of the Topical Group, to be known as the Regular Meeting, shall be held annually at such time and place as shall be ordered by the Executive Committee, subject to approval by the Society Director of Meetings. Whenever it shall be feasible and not to the disadvantage of the members of the Topical Group, the Executive Committee may order this or any other meeting to be held conjointly with a Meeting of the Society or of another society, conference, or group, so long as such joint meeting does not conflict importantly with the schedule of Meetings of the Society as determined by the Society Director of Meetings. The registration fee for the Regular Meeting, when not held jointly with a Meeting of the Society, shall be fixed after consultation with the Society Director of Meetings. Non-members of the Society shall pay a surcharge consistent with Board policy.

2. Annual Business Session: Each year the Topical Group shall hold a Business Session which shall be a session of the Regular Meeting. This Business Session shall be devoted exclusively to the reports of officers and committees, election results, and the transaction of business affairs. No scientific program of the Topical Group shall be presented simultaneously with the Business Session. The Secretary shall notify the Topical Group members of the agenda for the Business Session no later than three weeks prior to the Regular Meeting.

3. Other Meetings: Meetings of the Topical Group, other than the Regular Meeting, may be initiated by the Executive Committee or by petition of twenty percent of the members of the Topical Group, subject to consultation with the Society Director of Meetings. Special conferences may be sponsored in whole or in part by the Topical Group, subject to the rules and regulations specified in the Society’s Constitution and Bylaws and Policies and Procedures.

4. Papers at Meetings: Programs of meetings of the Topical Group may provide for the inclusion of both invited and contributed papers. When a meeting of the Topical Group is held in conjunction with a General Meeting of the Society, the rules of the Society shall apply to submitted papers. When a meeting of the Topical Group is not held in conjunction with a meeting of the Society, the Executive Committee shall prescribe the subject and character of the meeting, which may include limitations on the subject matter of submitted papers. The Secretary shall fix the deadline date for receipt of titles and abstracts in consultation with the Society Director of Meetings and shall designate the place to which they should be sent. The amount of time to be allowed for the presentation of a paper at the Regular Meeting shall be determined by the Program Committee, except as otherwise directed by the Executive Committee. These allotments of time shall be consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society and with regulations of Council.

Article X - Dues

Dues for maintenance of membership in the Topical Group shall be established by the Board.

Article XI - Appointed Positions

The Executive Committee shall appoint the following positions:

1. The Newsletter Editor. The Executive Committee shall appoint an Editor of the Newsletter to a two-year term. The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for collecting and reporting on issues and events in the interest of Topical Group members and producing at least one newsletter each year. Election and balloting information shall be included in one newsletter each year.
2. The Webmaster. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Webmaster to a two-year term. The Webmaster shall be responsible for keeping the Topical Group website up-todate and for posting the minutes of the Executive Committee in a timely fashion.

Article XII - Official Announcements

Official announcements shall be made in the APS News (at the discretion of the APS News Editor), in the newsletter of the Topical Group, and/or electronically on the Topical Group website and via email.

Article XIII - Procedure for Amendment of Bylaws

Proposal of a revision or amendment to these Bylaws may be made by the Council, by the APS Governance Committee, by the Executive Committee, or by a petition to the Chair signed by not fewer than ten percent of the members of the Topical Group. However, initiated, it must be reviewed by the APS Governance Committee and approved by Council before further action can be taken. Following Council approval, the Secretary shall distribute copies of the proposed Amendment to all members of the Topical Group not less than three weeks before the Regular Meeting and opportunity shall be given for discussion during the Business Session. The voting on the proposed Amendment shall be as follows. If a special election is to be held, the Secretary shall initiate a vote of the membership and again distribute copies of the proposed Amendment, accompanied by ballot forms. If a special election is not held, a vote on the proposed Amendment will be included on the next regularly scheduled unit election. Adoption of the Amendment shall require a two-thirds vote by those voting.