"The International Association of Physics Students will change your life,” is something Ruhi Chitre kept hearing at a conference for women in physics in 2019. Eager to see what the fuss was about, later that year Chitre traveled from her base in the UK to Germany for the annual International Conference of Physics Students (ICPS), the flagship event of the association, known as IAPS. For her, the prediction proved true.
The ICPS showcased possible career avenues for physics students. Through discussions there, Chitre became hooked on the idea of working in science policy. Being around other physics students who were also trying to find their career paths was inspiring, she says. She realized that IAPS offered opportunities for making friends and sharing advice about career options. She served as its secretary in 2020–21 and president in 2021–22. In April, she began working as a consultant in artificial intelligence at UNESCO....
