Prior to the formation of SftP and its radical activism against the scientific establishment similar attempts had taken place with other organizations . One notable example is University of California , Berkeley nuclear physicist Charles Schwartz 's 1967 attempt to amend the American Physical Society 's ( APS ) constitution to allow 1 % of members to call for a vote on any social or scientific issue . His motion was defeated because APS members did not think the society should take a stance on social issues . Another instance is the petition physicists began to the APS not to hold its 1970 meeting Chicago because of the police brutality at the Democratic National Convention in 1968 . The APS Council polled members and upheld its decision to keep the meeting in Chicago
Democratic National Convention
1968 Democratic National Convention
Science for the People