The nature and extent of activities of each committee depends upon its mission as well as on the ideas, imagination, enthusiasm, and dedication of its members. All members of APS are eligible. Names for consideration for appointment to APS committees come from two sources - volunteers and nominations. Names are actively solicited from midyear through November, but are welcome throughout the year. Nominations also come from the chairs of APS committees when they convene at the annual meeting.
Some committees have a formalized structure for selecting their nominees.
For all nominations, the nominator must provide assurance, through a signature of the nominee or by other means, that the nominee will serve if appointed. New appointments usually are made from those members not currently serving on another APS committee. The chair of the Committee on Committees then proposes new members to Council at the mid-year meeting for their approval. Letters are sent to new appointees, usually in April. All committee members begin their service on a committee at the time of their appointment, i.e. when APS Council approves their appointment and they have been so notified by the Chair of the Committee on Committees.