Sigma Gamma Tau () is the American

honor society In the United States, an honor society is an organization that recognizes individuals who rank above a set standard in various domains such as academics, leadership, and other personal achievements, not all of which are based on ranking systems. ...

aerospace engineering Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...

. The society formed from the merger of Tau Omega and Gamma Alpha Rho in 1953. It has chartered more than fifty chapters in the United States.

History

Sigma Gamma Tau was founded on the campus of

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

West Lafayette West Lafayette ( ) is a city in Wabash Township, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Wabash and Tippecanoe Township, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Tippecanoe Townships, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, approximately northwest of the state capit ...

, Indiana, on February 28, 1953. The new society was formed by the merger of two existing aeronautical honor societies, Tau Omega, and Gamma Alpha Rho. Anson, Jack L. and Marchesani Jr. Robert F., eds. ''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 20th edition.'' Indianapolis: Baird's Manual Foundation, 1991''.'' pp. VI.99-VI.100. Tau Omega was established in 1927 at the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

. Gamma Alpha Rho was founded in 1945 at

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (; RPI) is a private university, private research university in Troy, New York, United States. It is the oldest technological university in the English-speaking world and the Western Hemisphere. It was establishe ...

. Sigma Gamma Tau was created to recognize academic and professional achievement in

aeronautical engineering Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...

and to foster ethics and professional practices within the field.Robson, John, ed. (1963). ''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities'' (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. p. 697. With the merger of the two societies, it started with fourteen chapters, representing 1,900 initiates. The society was incorporated in Oklahoma. It held its first national convention in 1953 at Purdue University. Conventions are held every three years, often in conjunction with the

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for the field of aerospace engineering Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecra ...

's Science and Technology Forum. Officers are elected at the convention, including the national president, national first vice-president, national second vice-president, and the national secretary-treasurer. Gamma Sigma Tau joined the Association of College Honor Societies on but has since left that organization. By June 1966, it had nineteen chapters with 2,300 members. In 1991, it had chartered 46 chapters with 12,000 members.Gamma Sigma Tau has chartered 54 collegiate chapters and has initiated more than 30,000 members. Its activities include a mentorship program, test reviews, tutoring, and social events. Sigma Gamma Tau's national headquarters is located at the Aerospace Engineering Department of Wichita State University.

Symbols

The name of Sigma Gamma Tau was selected by combining the Greek letter Sigma, indicating sum, with Gamma to and Tau from the initial letters of the predecessor organizations, Gamma Alpha Rho and Tau Omega. The society's insignia is a key with the Greek letters . Its colors are red and white. Its publications are ''Contact'' and ''Mach''.

Membership

Sigma Gamma Tau's collegiate chapters elect annually to membership those students, alumni, and professionals who, by conscientious attention to their studies or professional duties, uphold this high standard for the betterment of their profession.

Chapters

Sigma Gamma Tau has chartered 54 chapters and has 40 active chapters as of 2024.

Notable members

* Robert J. Cenker,

astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...

and engineer * Roger B. Chaffee, astronaut and

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

* Julie Wertz Chen, aerospace engineer * Robert Crippen, astronaut * Brian Gyetko, professional

tennis player Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...

Fred Haise Fred Wallace Haise Jr. ( ; born November 14, 1933) is an American former NASA astronaut, engineer, fighter pilot with the United States Marine Corps Aviation, U.S. Marine Corps and United States Air Force, U.S. Air Force, and a test pilot. He ...

, astronaut *

Gregory J. Harbaugh Gregory Jordan "Greg" Harbaugh (born April 15, 1956) is an aeronautical/astronautical engineer and former NASA astronaut. He flew on four space shuttle missions as a mission specialist with responsibilities that included Remote Manipulator System ...

, astronaut and engineer * Monroe W. Hatch Jr., United States Air Force general *

Edgar Mitchell Edgar Dean "Ed" Mitchell (September 17, 1930 – February 4, 2016) was a United States Navy officer and United States Naval Aviator, aviator, test pilot, Aerospace engineering, aeronautical engineer, Ufology, ufologist, and NASA astronaut. ...

, astronaut and lunar explorer * Steven R. Nagel,

test pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...

, astronaut, and engineer *

David Scott David Randolph Scott (born June 6, 1932) is an American retired test pilot and NASA astronaut who was the List of Apollo astronauts#People who have walked on the Moon, seventh person to walk on the Moon. Selected as part of the NASA Astronaut ...

, astronaut and lunar explorer * Diana Trujillo, aerospace engineer

References

External links

* {{Association of College Honor Societies Student societies in the United States Engineering honor societies Student organizations established in 1953 1953 establishments in Indiana Former members of Association of College Honor Societies Aviation organizations based in the United States