Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society () is an international

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

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. ...

for scientists and engineers. Sigma Xi was founded at

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

by a faculty member and graduate students in 1886 and is one of the oldest honor societies. Membership in Sigma Xi is by invitation only, where members nominate others on the basis of their research achievements or potential. The society was a founding member of the

Association of College Honor Societies The Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) is a voluntary association of national collegiate and post-graduate honor societies. It was established on December 30, 1925 by six organizations: Alpha Omega Alpha, the Order of the Coif, Phi B ...

in 1925, but withdrew in 1933 and much later was a founder of to form the

Honor Society Caucus The Honor Society Caucus is an umbrella organization that represents several prestigious collegiate honor societies: Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, and Omicron Delta Kappa. The caucus is a coordinating organization of four of the oldest ...

History

Sigma Xi was founded in November 1886 at the Sibling College of Mechanical Engineering at

Ithaca, New York Ithaca () is a city in and the county seat of Tompkins County, New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York (state), New York, Ithaca is the largest community in the Ithaca metrop ...

.Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed.
Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition
'. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 369-371. ''via'' Hathi Trust. Its founders were

Henry Shaler Williams Henry Shaler Williams (6 March 1847 – July 31, 1918) was an American geologist. He was the son of State Senator Josiah B. Williams (1810–1883). He graduated from Yale College and studied with Louis Agassiz at Cornell University. In 1871, he ...

, a Cornell faculty member, junior faculty Frank Van Vleck, and engineering graduate students John J. Berger, William A. Day, John Knickerbacker, William A. Mosscrop, William H. Riley, William N. Sanderson, Henry E. Smith, and Charles B. Wing.Baird, William Raimond, ed.
American College Fraternities, 4th edition
'' New York: James P. Downs, 1890. p. 182-182. via Hathi Trust. Their goal was to created a scientific society comparable to

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

. The society's primary objective was to acknowledge significant scientific research and foster cooperation among scientists from various disciplines. Williams was its first president. In 1887, Sigma Xi became a national organization, establishing chapters at

Stevens Institute of Technology Stevens Institute of Technology is a Private university, private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely de ...

Rutgers College Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College and was aff ...

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 ...

, and

Union College Union College is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the s ...

. It 1888, began inducting female members, including

Anna Botsford Comstock Anna Botsford Comstock (September 1, 1854 – August 24, 1930) was an author, illustrator, and educator of natural studies. The first female professor at Cornell University, her over 900-page work, ''The Handbook of Nature Study'' (1911), is now ...

and

Susanna Phelps Gage Susanna Phelps Gage (1857–1915) was an American embryologist and comparative anatomist. She initially worked on the anatomy of small animals and humans, later shifting into neurology to study the embryological development of the brain and the a ...

. The society held its first convention in Ithaca in 1893, where its members drafted a new constitution. In 1899, it held its convention in conjunction with that of

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a United States–based international nonprofit with the stated mission of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsib ...

. At the end of the 19th century, Sigma Xi consisted of over 1,000 members in eight chapters. In the early 20th century, following the

1906 San Francisco earthquake At 05:12 AM Pacific Time Zone, Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday, April 18, 1906, the coast of Northern California was struck by a major earthquake with an estimated Moment magnitude scale, moment magnitude of 7.9 and a maximum Mercalli inte ...

, Sigma Xi's

Stanford Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth governor of and th ...

and

Berkeley Berkeley most often refers to: *Berkeley, California, a city in the United States **University of California, Berkeley, a public university in Berkeley, California *George Berkeley (1685–1753), Anglo-Irish philosopher Berkeley may also refer to ...

chapters were involved in reconstruction and public health initiatives.During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the National Research Council collaborated with Sigma Xi to organize research facilities. The society expanded significantly after the war, and by 1930, it had 20,000 members. Sigma Xi was one of six honor societies that co-founded the

(ACHS) on . Its participation was short lived, with the decision to withdraw and operate again as an independent society made just over a decade later, effective in . It resigned from ACHS because "it had decided to devote itself to research primarily, that it no longer considered itself a strictly college organization, and hence was somewhat outside of the field occupied by the Association, and that for these reasons it felt constrained to withdraw from the Association." Sigma Xi initiated the Distinguished Lectureships Program in the late 1930s, aimed at promoting its activities and research findings. By 1950, the society's membership numbered 42,000. In 1947, it formed the Scientific Research Society of America (RESA) was created to support research in various settings. Member Thomas T. Holme became the society's executive secretary in 1953 through 1981, steering Sigma Xi through rapid growth and societal changes. In 1963, the society had 139 chapters and 175,000 members.Robson, John, ed. (1963). ''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities'' (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 627-629. Sigma Xi and RESA combined on January 1, 1974, under the name Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society. In 1989, Sigma Xi revised its mission statement, emphasizing the importance of science and its role in society. The society remains committed to recognizing scientific achievements and promoting global collaboration in science and technology. Sigma Xi participates in a loosely coordinated lobbying association of four of the nation's oldest and most prestigious honor societies, called the Honor SocietyCaucus, with

Phi Kappa Phi The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (or simply Phi Kappa Phi or ) is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to the area of study, and to promote the "unity and democracy of educa ...

, Sigma Xi, and

Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Delta Kappa (), also known as The Circle and ODK, is an American collegiate honor society that recognizes leadership and scholarship. It was founded in 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia and has chartered more t ...

. Sigma Xi has nearly 60,000 members who were elected to membership based on their research achievements and potential. The society's headquarters is in

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the largest research park in the United States; it occupies in North Carolina and hosts more than 300 companies and 65,000 workers. It is owned and managed by the Research Triangle Foundation, a private non-profi ...

Symbols

The

Greek letters The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BC. It was derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and is the earliest known alphabetic script to systematically write vowels as we ...

form the acronym of the society's motto, or , which translates as "Companions in Zealous Research." According to Sigma Xi President Tee L. Guidotti,

"Sigma Xi, of course, is our basic name and has been since the organization was founded in 1886 as the scientific and engineering counterpart to Phi Beta Kappa. Like all "Greek letter" societies, whether professional or social, it is an acronym for the motto of the organization, (Spoudon Xynones), which translates as "companions in Zealous Research." For many years, we were referred to as "Society of the Sigma Xi." In the early twentieth century, some in the leadership wanted "Sigma Xi" to be dropped altogether in favor of some formulation such as "Scientific Research Society of America." In a strange quirk of history, both names survived because the organization split in the 1940s into an academic honor society (Sigma Xi) and an honor society for applied research and engineering (the Scientific Research Society of America, called RESA). RESA was a separate entity, wholly owned by Sigma Xi, and represented engineers and scientists at non-academic institutions, such as government and industrial research laboratories. In an even stranger development, Sigma Xi and RESA merged back together in 1974 and eventually began calling itself Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society."Guidotti, Tee L.
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society
''Keyed In Blog''. 13 December 2016.

The Sigma Xi badge is a watch chain pendant consisting of a monogram of the Greek letters . The society's colors are electric blue and white. Its members may wear a blue and white honor cord at graduation. Its publication is ''

American Scientist ''American Scientist'' (informally abbreviated ''AmSci'') is an American bimonthly science and technology magazine published since 1913 by Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society. In the beginning of 2000s the headquarters was moved to ...

''.

Membership

Membership in Sigma Xi is by invitation only, where members nominate others on the basis of their research achievements or potential. The society's membership consists of faculty and staff who have contributed to noteworthy research in a scientific field, undergraduate students who have excellence in the study of science, and graduate students who have demonstrated excellence in applies or pure science fields.

Activities

In addition to publishing ''

'' magazine, Sigma Xi provides grants annually to promising young researchers. It also sponsors a variety of programs and lectures supporting

ethics Ethics is the philosophy, philosophical study of Morality, moral phenomena. Also called moral philosophy, it investigates Normativity, normative questions about what people ought to do or which behavior is morally right. Its main branches inclu ...

research Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...

science Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

and

engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

, the public understanding of

, international research cooperation and the overall health of the research enterprise.

William Procter Prizes

The

William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement The William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement is an award given by Sigma Xi, a scientific-research honor society. The Procter Prize is presented annually to a scientist who has made an outstanding contribution to scientific research and has d ...

is an award presented by Sigma Xi. This prestigious prize is given to a scientist who has made an outstanding contribution to scientific research and has demonstrated an ability to communicate the significance of this research to scientists in other disciplines. The prize was established in 1950 in honor of William Procter, a distinguished business leader and philanthropist who had a strong commitment to scientific research and development. Procter was an heir to the Procter & Gamble Company and served as its president and chairman. Recipients of the William Procter Prize are recognized for their achievements in both research and communication, reflecting the dual emphasis of Sigma Xi on promoting both scientific excellence and interdisciplinary communication. Along with the recognition, the awardee also delivers a lecture at the society's annual meeting or another appropriate occasion. Over the years, the William Procter Prize has been awarded to many notable scientists from a wide range of disciplines, underscoring the prize's commitment to honoring and promoting interdisciplinary research.

Chapters

As of May 4, 2023, it has chartered more than 550 chapters, with 350 active chapters in the United States and over 20 chapters in other countries.

Notable members

More than 200 winners of the

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...

have been Sigma Xi members, including

Francis Crick Francis Harry Compton Crick (8 June 1916 – 28 July 2004) was an English molecular biologist, biophysicist, and neuroscientist. He, James Watson, Rosalind Franklin, and Maurice Wilkins played crucial roles in deciphering the Nucleic acid doub ...

Jennifer Doudna Jennifer Anne Doudna (; born February 19, 1964) is an American biochemist who has pioneered work in CRISPR gene editing, and made other fundamental contributions in biochemistry and genetics. She received the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, wit ...

Albert Einstein Albert Einstein (14 March 187918 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum mechanics. His mass–energy equivalence f ...

Enrico Fermi Enrico Fermi (; 29 September 1901 – 28 November 1954) was an Italian and naturalized American physicist, renowned for being the creator of the world's first artificial nuclear reactor, the Chicago Pile-1, and a member of the Manhattan Project ...

Richard Feynman Richard Phillips Feynman (; May 11, 1918 – February 15, 1988) was an American theoretical physicist. He is best known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics, the physics of t ...

John Goodenough John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Ep ...

Linus Pauling Linus Carl Pauling ( ; February 28, 1901August 19, 1994) was an American chemist and peace activist. He published more than 1,200 papers and books, of which about 850 dealt with scientific topics. ''New Scientist'' called him one of the 20 gre ...

, and

James Watson James Dewey Watson (born April 6, 1928) is an American molecular biology, molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist. In 1953, he co-authored with Francis Crick the academic paper in ''Nature (journal), Nature'' proposing the Nucleic acid ...

References

External links

*
Guide to the Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society Records 1928-2003
{{authority control International scientific organizations Scientific societies based in the United States 1886 establishments in New York (state) Scientific organizations established in 1886 Former members of Association of College Honor Societies Student organizations established in 1886 Honor Society Caucus Engineering honor societies