Sigma Pi Sigma - Texas Tech Chapter

Texas Tech Chapter

Sigma Pi Sigma (ΣΠΣ) exists to honor outstanding scholarship in physics, to encourage interest in physics amount students at all levels, to promote an attitude of service, and to provide a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics. Election is a lifelong membership and includes a one-year complimentary membership in the Society of Physics Students (SPS) and a subscription to Radiations Magazine.

Who We Are

Sigma Pi Sigma is the National Physics Honor Society. Founded in 1921, this society exists to honor outstanding scholarship in physics and has more than 100,000 historical members. The TTU chapter of Sigma Pi Sigma was established December 13, 1954 and has inducted over 450 members.

Aside from providing a fellowship of peers who have excelled in physics, we also participate in community outreach and volunteer opportunities. We help out yearly with the setup and judging of the South Plains Regional Science and Engineering Fair, coordinate our department’s annual poster competition, and provide a pool of volunteers for other community outreach events. Our ranks include undergraduate students, graduate students, and professors; however, the majority of our active membership is composed of senior graduate students who are working towards completion of a doctorate in physics.

History

Sigma Pi Sigma (ΣΠΣ), the National Physics Honor Society, was founded in 1921 at Davidson College, NC. It started off as a local society; however, begin to nationalize in 1925. By 1968 ΣΠΣ had grown to 170 chapters and merged with the American Institutes of Physics, creating the Society of Physics Students (SPS). After the merger, all ΣΠΣ chapters were enrolled as SPS chapters. It was written into the SPS constitution that ΣΠΣ would continue to exist as a special group of SPS members who had excelled scholastically and been elected for membership. This relationship between SPS and ΣΠΣ is unique among honor societies and today there are 812 SPS chapters, nearly 575 of which have active ΣΠΣ chapters.

Induction Requirements

Undergraduate

Coursework

Must have completed 4 junior or senior level physics courses.

GPA

Must have at least a 3.25 GPA.

Graduate, MS

Coursework

Must have successfully completed the physics core courses.

GPA

Must have at least a 3.5 GPA.

Graduate, PhD

Coursework

Must have successfully completed the physics core courses.

Preliminary Exam

Must have passed the departmental preliminary qualifying examination.

Thesis Prososal Defense

Must have completed the thesis proposal defense (i.e. be eligible for admission to PhD candidacy).

Research

If the thesis proposal defense has not been completed, you may still be eligible for induction if you have made significant contribution to the scientific community.

Current Leadership