Sigma Pi Sigma (), founded at Davidson College on December 11, 1921, is the oldest and only American honor society for

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

and

astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...

. It is an organization within the

Society of Physics Students The Society of Physics Students (SPS) is a professional association with international participation, granting membership through college chapters with the only requirement that the student member be interested in physics. All college majors a ...

and the

American Institute of Physics The American Institute of Physics (AIP) promotes science and the profession of physics, publishes physics journals, and produces publications for scientific and engineering societies. The AIP is made up of various member societies. Its corpora ...

and a member of the Association of College Honor Societies. The society's stated goals are "to honor outstanding scholarship in physics and astronomy; to encourage interest in physics and astronomy among students at all levels; to promote an attitude of service of its members towards their fellow students, colleagues, and the public; to provide a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics and astronomy." The society has some 90,000 historical members.

History

Academic fraternity

Sigma Pi Sigma was originally founded by a group of ten students and faculty members at Davidson College on December 11, 1921, as an academic fraternity. It was the first in the United States specifically dedicated to the study of physics. Historically, it has been associated with Gamma Sigma Epsilon, another academic fraternity founded in 1919 by Davidson students interested in chemistry. The first major expansion of Sigma Pi Sigma occurred in 1925 when a second chapter was founded at Duke University. Three years later, in 1928, the society held its first Physics Congress, a national gathering attended by members of the then six extant chapters.

Honor society

In 1934, the Third National Convention of Sigma Pi Sigma elected to transition the organization from an academic fraternity to a society, and in 1945, it became a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, an accrediting organization for honor societies in the U.S.

Honor society within the Society of Physics Students

Later, in 1968, the American Institute of Physics' student sections and Sigma Pi Sigma merged to create the

. At present, Sigma Pi Sigma comprises almost 600 constituent chapters.

Membership

Sigma Pi Sigma chapters are restricted to colleges and universities of recognized standing that offer a strong physics program. The chapters receive into membership undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members, and a few others in closely related fields. Students elected to membership must attain high standards of general scholarship and outstanding achievement in physics. Certain high numerical standards for admittance are established by chapter bylaws and the national constitution. The society's national organization mandates that, at a minimum, undergraduate candidates must rank in the upper one-third of their class in general scholarship. Additionally, undergraduate candidates must complete three semesters of study and three semester physics and/or astronomy courses that can be used to fulfil requirements for a physics and/or astronomy major before they are eligible for membership. Beyond these requirements, local chapters are given discretion in setting their own, more specific requirements. A higher minimum average is often established for physics and astronomy courses. The society's national organization does not put restrictions on the induction of graduate students and faculty members, saying only that they "may be elected at any time." Additionally, the national organization does not limit membership to physics majors. Any student may join "provided that they meet the standards and have demonstrated an interest in physics and astronomy." A chapter can elect to active membership qualified students and faculty members in nearby colleges that do not have a Sigma Pi Sigma chapter. Physicists in industry and government laboratories, as well as secondary school physics teachers, can be elected on the basis of their professional record. Election to Sigma Pi Sigma results in membership for life.

Honorary members

Honorary Member is the highest level of membership in Sigma Pi Sigma. Only distinguished physicists and related scientists who have made valuable contributions to physics at the national level are eligible for this honor. Local chapters may nominate candidates, but election is only by the National Council. Sigma Pi Sigma has elected over a hundred Honorary Members, including

Owen Chamberlain Owen Chamberlain (July 10, 1920 – February 28, 2006) was an American physicist who shared with Emilio Segrè the Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of the antiproton, a sub-atomic antiparticle. Biography Born in San Francisco, Cali ...

John C. Mather John Cromwell Mather (born August 7, 1946, Roanoke, Virginia) is an American astrophysicist, cosmologist and Nobel Prize in Physics laureate for his work on the Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE) with George Smoot. This work helped ...

, William D. Phillips,

Jocelyn Bell Burnell Dame Susan Jocelyn Bell Burnell (; Bell; born 15 July 1943) is an astrophysicist from Northern Ireland who, as a postgraduate student, discovered the first radio pulsars in 1967. The discovery eventually earned the Nobel Prize in Physics in ...

, Jill Tarter, Carl Wieman, and

Robert Ballard Robert Duane Ballard (born June 30, 1942) is an American retired Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island who is most noted for his work in underwater archaeology: maritime archaeology and archaeology o ...

Organization and governance

Sigma Pi Sigma is governed by the National Council, which consists of members of the

(SPS). The SPS National Council and its Executive Committee decide the policies of SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma. The National Council is made up of 36 members, elected by chapters from one of 18 geographic zones. Each Zone represents a section of the country and is represented by a faculty Zone "Councilor" and a student "Associate Councilor". Both Councilors and Associate Councilors participate in zone activities and in the annual policy-making meeting of the Council.Noted on th
CSU Northridge SPS Website
accessed 27 April 2022. The SPS Executive Committee consists of the Presidents of the Society of Physics Students and Sigma Pi Sigma, the SPS National Office Director, the SPS/Sigma Pi Sigma Historian, an at-large member, a student representative, and the CEO of the

.Note
in the SPS constitution
accessed 22 February 2022. The President of Sigma Pi Sigma is elected biennially by Sigma Pi Sigma Chapters from a slate of at least two candidates presented by the National Nominating Committee. The term of the President of Sigma Pi Sigma is two years, beginning thirty days after the election is completed or at the beginning of the next annual meeting of the Council or at the beginning of the next meeting of the Executive Committee, whichever occurs first. The duties of the President of Sigma Pi Sigma include representing Sigma Pi Sigma to the Executive Committee and the Council and providing liaison, together with the Director of the Society of Physics Students, between Sigma Pi Sigma and the Association of College Honor Societies.

Chapters

Sigma Pi Sigma has installed over 575 chapters since its founding.

Presidents

The following served as president of the society since its founding:

References

External links

Sigma Pi Sigma National Website

ACHS Sigma Pi Sigma entry

Sigma Pi Sigma chapter list at ACHS
{{authority control Association of College Honor Societies Honor societies Student organizations established in 1921 1921 establishments in North Carolina