Hellenic Physical Society
The Hellenic Physical Society is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines. 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 is a member of the European Physical Society
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, while in 2020, its members were 3,054.
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. The Society participates in various international networks of scientific associations, such as the European Physical Society and the Balkan Physical Union, 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. 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. 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. 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.