Chapter

Any group of members organized by a particular location or institution. For example, the Purdue Student Pugwash chapter, or the Philadelphia chapter of the Rotblat Society. 

International Student/Young Pugwash

The umbrella organization for all Student Pugwash national groups around the world, including Student Pugwash USA. IS/YP is not a parliament of Student Pugwash, but rather a group of leaders selected from national groups who work to coordinate and combine Student Pugwash activities, as well as work with the Pugwash Conferences. However, some national groups, including Student Pugwash USA, run programs that are international in scope; in these cases, there is usually close collaboration with IS/YP.

National Groups

Both the Pugwash Conferences and International Student/Young Pugwash are organized in national groups, each of which is generally seen as the first point of contact for Pugwash activities in that country. Student Pugwash USA is the American national group of International Student/Young Pugwash, but aside from close collaboration has no formal organizational connection to the Pugwash Conferences, which maintains a separate US Pugwash national group.

Pugwash

Depending on the context, just about all Pugwash national groups use "Pugwash" as shorthand to refer to themselves, the wider movement, or the topics under discussion. The name comes from Pugwash, Nova Scotia, where the first meeting of the Pugwash Conferences was held at the Thinkers Lodge.

Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs

Affectionately known as "Senior Pugwash" hereabouts, the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs is a Nobel Peace laureate organization dedicated to, among other things, reducing and ending existential threats to humanity from weapons of mass destruction. All Student Pugwash national groups were founded in their image, with varying missions to promote Pugwash ideals among young people.

Pugwash Movement

The collective term for all Pugwash groups around the world, including the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, International Student/Young Pugwash, and their constituent national groups.

The Rotblat Society

Student Pugwash USA's general membership program, meant to bring the work and mission of our student program to a wider and open audience.

Senior Pugwash

A common Student Pugwash nickname for the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs.

Student Pugwash

When said by us, usually the program run by Student Pugwash USA for its student members. Could also be another Student Pugwash national group when said by someone from another country, or as an umbrella term referring to the global Student Pugwash movement, including Student Pugwash USA and all International Student/Young Pugwash national groups. It's all about the context.

Student Pugwash USA

That's us: the U.S. 501(c)3 that runs the Student Pugwash program and the Rotblat Society.

Thinkers Lodge

Site of the first Pugwash Conference in Pugwash, Nova Scotia (website). Now a Canadian National Historic Site, museum, and meeting venue.

US Pugwash

The American national group of the Pugwash Conferences. Not to be confused with us—we're Student Pugwash USA. But we do work in close collaboration.

Virtual Chapter

A chapter of Student Pugwash or the Rotblat Society that is made up of members of other organizations. For example, if a student organization at the University of Pennsylvania puts on an event that is similar to Student Pugwash, we may co-sponsor it, and some participants may become our members; in the future, if other activities happen at Penn that we're involved with, we'll contact the other people who've worked with us. We refer to our members there as a virtual chapter, although they may never actually hold a Pugwash event that isn't started by one of their other groups.