Overview
The International Society of Wave Physics (ISOWP) is a nonprofit, independent international academic organization dedicated to advancing the fundamental understanding of wave phenomena across all physical scales — from microscopic quantum fluctuations to macroscopic cosmic gravitational waves.
Founded by a global consortium of physicists, engineers, and mathematicians, ISOWP serves as the principal professional body uniting the worldwide wave-science community. The Society maintains strict organizational independence while actively pursuing partnerships with leading research institutions, universities, and national academies of science.
What We Do
ISOWP promotes academic exchange and frontier research through a comprehensive portfolio of activities:
- Organizing the biennial International Congress on Wave Physics and thematic workshops;
- Publishing the flagship open-access journal Review of Modern Wave Physics X;
- Operating the affiliated International Center for Modern Wave Physics (ICMWP);
- Facilitating collaborative grants, student exchanges, and joint laboratories among member countries;
- Establishing standards, ethical guidelines, and best-practice protocols for wave-physics research.
Legal Status
Registered nonprofit international academic organization with independent legal personality and decision-making autonomy.
Headquarters
Secretariat offices rotate among host institutions. Current administrative hub: Geneva, Switzerland (to be advised).
Membership
Open to individual researchers, institutional members, and honorary fellows across all nations and career stages.
Working Language
English is the official language of governance, publications, and proceedings. Local events may provide additional language support.
Governance
ISOWP is a public company limited by guarantee (CLG) registered in Australia under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). It is established for charitable purposes only and operates on a not-for-profit basis, with ACN 701 677 698 and ABN 77 701 677 698. The Society maintains academic independence and is not affiliated with any particular government, political party, commercial enterprise, or single university or research institution.
Legal Structure & Membership
The Society has no share capital and does not issue shares. No person acquires any ownership or proprietary right in the assets of the Society solely by virtue of membership. The Society distinguishes between two participation tiers:
- Class A Members — voting members who assume liability by guarantee (AUD $100) and have the rights conferred by the Constitution and applicable law, including the appointment and removal of Directors and the amendment of the Constitution by special resolution (75% majority).
- Class B Participants — non-voting academic participants (including fellows, committee members, researchers, students, and partners) who do not assume liability by guarantee and do not participate in statutory corporate governance. Their admission criteria, classification, and management are formulated by the International Academic Council and approved by the Board.
Board of Directors
The Board is the governing body of the Society, responsible for corporate governance, financial management, legal and regulatory compliance, risk management, and the protection of the Society's assets. The Board:
- consists of no fewer than three and no more than seven Directors, at least two of whom must ordinarily reside in Australia;
- is appointed by Class A members by ordinary resolution, with each Director serving a term of four years (renewable);
- elects one of its number as Chair of the Board, who chairs Board meetings and promotes good corporate governance;
- has authority to exercise the powers of the Society subject to the Corporations Act 2001 and the Constitution;
- exercises the exclusive power to appoint, supervise, and remove the President.
Directors must be natural persons, at least 18 years of age, hold a valid Director Identification Number where required by law, and comply with all duties under the Corporations Act 2001 and applicable charity law, including acting with reasonable care and diligence, in good faith, and for a proper purpose.
President
The President is the international academic and executive head of the Society, nominated by a vote of the International Academic Council and appointed by the Board. Key provisions:
- The President serves a term of four years and may serve one consecutive term (maximum two terms unless the Board determines otherwise).
- The office of President and the office of Director are legally independent; the President may also be a Director but must be separately appointed.
- The President exercises executive and operational authority only within the scope expressly delegated by the Board.
- For activities involving significant expenditure, contracts, legal obligations, or matters reserved to the Board, the President must obtain prior Board approval.
International Academic Council
The International Academic Council is the principal international academic body of the Society. It is an internal academic body, not a separate legal entity, and does not have independent statutory powers. The Council:
- advises on scientific strategy, develops academic programme recommendations, and recommends conference agendas and publication plans;
- promotes international scientific cooperation and recommends scientific awards and grants;
- formulates provisions concerning Class B participant criteria and submits them to the Board for approval;
- has the power to nominate or recommend candidates for President, but does not have the final power to appoint or remove the President.
Unless expressly authorised by the Board, the Council may not enter into contracts, borrow money, operate bank accounts, dispose of assets, employ persons, amend the Constitution, appoint or remove Directors, or make statutory Society filings.
Society Secretary & Officers
The Board must appoint at least one Society Secretary, at least one of whom must ordinarily reside in Australia. The Secretary is responsible for maintaining statutory registers, records, ASIC filings, ACNC reporting, meeting notices and minutes, and other records required by law. The Board may also appoint other officers, researchers, administrative personnel, and staff as necessary.
Finances, Compliance & Reporting
The Board is responsible for the financial management of the Society. The property of the Society may only be applied towards its charitable purposes and permitted administrative activities. The financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The Society must prepare financial reports in accordance with applicable law and comply with ASIC lodgement obligations and, if registered as a charity, ACNC reporting obligations. All related-party transactions and conflicts of interest must be disclosed and managed in accordance with the Constitution and applicable law.
Governance Flow — How Decisions Are Made
The following diagram summarises the key decision-making hierarchy of ISOWP. For full legal text, please refer to the Constitution tab.
1
Class A Members
The ultimate statutory authority. They appoint and remove Directors by ordinary resolution, amend the Constitution by special resolution (75%), and decide on winding-up.
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2
Board of Directors
The corporate governing body. It appoints, supervises and removes the President; approves Class B participation rules drafted by the International Academic Council; manages finances, contracts, compliance and all statutory filings.
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3
International Academic Council
The principal academic body. It nominates the President and other academic office holders, drafts Class B criteria, advises on scientific strategy and conference programmes — all subject to Board approval.
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4
President & Secretariat
The President provides international academic leadership and coordinates conferences and publications within the scope delegated by the Board. The Society Secretary handles statutory records and regulatory compliance under Board supervision.
Corporate Governance
Class A members appoint the Board; the Board governs the Society, appoints the President, and ensures compliance with Australian corporate and charity law.
Academic Governance
The International Academic Council coordinates global scientific activities and nominates the President, operating under the supervision and delegation of the Board.
Constitution & Bylaws
The Constitution of The International Society of Wave Physics defines the Society's objectives, membership rules, organizational structure, and procedural framework. It was adopted by the Founding General Assembly and may only be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the General Assembly.
Article I — Name and Legal Seat
- The name of the organization shall be the International Society of Wave Physics, hereinafter referred to as "ISOWP" or "the Society."
- The Society is an independent, nonprofit international academic organization with legal personality.
- The registered seat of the Society shall be determined by the General Assembly. Until such determination, the administrative secretariat shall be hosted on a rotating basis by member institutions.
Article II — Objectives and Mission
- The primary objective of ISOWP is to promote and advance the fundamental understanding of wave phenomena across all physical scales and disciplines, including but not limited to acoustics, elastodynamics, electromagnetism, quantum waves, nonlinear dynamics, and gravitational physics.
- The Society shall foster international collaboration through the organization of conferences, workshops, summer schools, and joint research programs.
- The Society shall disseminate knowledge via peer-reviewed publications, open-access repositories, and public outreach initiatives.
- The Society shall uphold the highest standards of scientific integrity, inclusivity, and ethical conduct in all its activities.
Article III — Membership
- Categories. Membership shall consist of: (a) Individual Members; (b) Student Members; (c) Institutional Members; (d) Honorary Fellows; and (e) Corporate Affiliates.
- Eligibility. Individual and Student Membership is open to any person engaged in wave-physics research, education, or application, regardless of nationality, gender, or institutional affiliation.
- Rights. Full Individual Members and Student Members shall have the right to vote in General Assembly elections, stand for office, and receive Society publications at member rates. Institutional Members receive discounted conference registrations and advertising privileges but do not hold voting rights.
- Termination. Membership may be terminated by resignation, non-payment of dues for two consecutive years, or expulsion by the Ethics Committee for conduct violating the Society's code of ethics. Expelled members may appeal to the Board of Directors within ninety (90) days.
Article IV — Organizational Structure
- General Assembly (GA). The GA is the supreme authority of the Society. It shall convene at least once every two years. Each Full Member in good standing possesses one vote. Resolutions on constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority; all other resolutions require a simple majority.
- Board of Directors. The Board exercises executive authority between GA sessions. It consists of the President, two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General, the Treasurer, and up to six elected Directors. Directors serve staggered four-year terms, renewable once.
- President. The President is elected by the GA for a single four-year term (non-renewable). The President chairs the Board, represents the Society externally, and may convene extraordinary sessions of the GA upon written request by at least twenty percent (20%) of voting members.
- Secretariat. The Secretary-General, appointed by the Board, manages the professional Secretariat responsible for daily operations, membership records, event logistics, and financial administration.
Article V — Conferences and Publications
- The Society shall organize the International Congress on Wave Physics at least once every two years. The host city and Local Organizing Committee shall be selected by the Board following an open bidding process.
- The Society may sponsor or co-sponsor thematic workshops, summer schools, and regional symposia subject to Board approval.
- The Society's flagship journal, Review of Modern Wave Physics X, shall be published under the editorial independence of its Editor-in-Chief, appointed by the Board upon recommendation of the Publications Committee.
Article VI — Finances
- The Society's income shall derive from membership dues, conference fees, publication royalties, grants, donations, and such other sources as approved by the Board.
- Fiscal years shall run from 1 January to 31 December. The Treasurer shall present audited annual accounts to the GA for approval.
- No member of the Board or staff shall derive personal profit from Society assets. All transactions shall be conducted at arm's length and disclosed in the annual report.
Article VII — Affiliated Organizations
- The Society may establish affiliated research centers, journals, and task forces to advance specific scientific objectives. Affiliated entities shall maintain independent governance structures while coordinating strategically with the Society.
- The International Center for Modern Wave Physics (ICMWP) is recognized as the principal affiliated research center of ISOWP, conducting frontier research in acoustic, electromagnetic, quantum, and gravitational wave physics.
Article VIII — Amendment and Dissolution
- Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by the Board or by a petition signed by at least ten percent (10%) of voting members. Proposed amendments shall be circulated to the membership at least sixty (60) days prior to the GA vote.
- Dissolution of the Society may be decided only by a General Assembly convened expressly for that purpose, requiring a three-quarters majority of votes cast.
- Upon dissolution, residual assets shall be transferred to one or more nonprofit organizations with compatible scientific objectives, as determined by the final General Assembly. No assets shall be distributed to individual members.
Note on Version Control: This document constitutes the official English-language version of the ISOWP Constitution. In case of ambiguity, the English text shall prevail. Proposed amendments are published for member comment at least 60 days prior to any General Assembly vote. For the complete amendment history, please contact the Secretariat at info@iswavephysics.org.
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Leadership & Board of Directors
The biographies and profiles of the current ISOWP President, Vice-Presidents, Board members, and Division Chairs will be published here following the inaugural General Assembly election.
Expected publication: Q4 2026
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History of ISOWP
A detailed timeline of the Society's founding, key milestones, past congresses, and the evolution of wave physics as a unified discipline will be documented in this section.
Expected publication: Q1 2027