The Washington Academy of Sciences

Since 1898, the Washington Academy of Sciences has served as the affiliation of Washington D.C. area scientific societies. The formation of the Academy culminated a decade of planning under the leadership of the Philosophical Society of Washington. The founders included Alexander Graham Bell and Samuel Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. The purpose of the new Academy was to encourage the advancement of science and “to conduct, endow, or assist investigation in any department of science.” That purpose guided the Academy throughout its first 100 years and will continue to be our guide through the current century.

The Academy brings together a panoply of local scientific societies, giving our members the opportunity for online or face-to-face interaction with a wide variety of scientists and also affords opportunities for society-to-society interaction as often as desired.

The formation of the Academy culminated a decade of planning under the leadership of the Philosophical Society of Washington. The founders included Alexander Graham Bell and Samuel Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. The purpose of the new Academy was to encourage the advancement of science and “to conduct, endow, or assist investigation in any department of science.” That purpose guided the Academy throughout its first 100 years and will continue to be our guide through the current century.

The Washington Academy of Sciences has published articles of scientific interest continuously since 1899, first as The Proceedings until 1911, when it became The Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. The Tables of Contents of 100+ issues of the Journal are listed here.

Since the 1940’s, the Washington Academy of Sciences has sponsored a Junior Academy of Sciences. The Junior Academy exists primarily to serve pre-college schools in DC, Maryland and northern Virginia. We provide professional scientists who serve as judges in STEM fair (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs in these schools. The judges attend fair events, interview students and evaluate their projects. They give Certificates and other awards based on achievement, as well as feedback to students and teachers for improving science fair quality and guidance. The Junior Academy also provides mentors and educators to support local robotics clubs, “maker spaces”, and other after-school programs.

We invite you to join us!  The qualification for regular or student membership is simple. The applicant must show evidence of an interest in science or technology. This may be indicated by university degree (student who majors in a scientific field) or membership in other professional scientific societies.  Please visit our Join page for more information.