May 10, 2021
On the 100th anniversary of physics honor society Sigma Pi Sigma, Wheaton College inducted six members into the Omicron chapter.
On the 100th anniversary of the national Sigma Pi Sigma physics honor society and the 90th anniversary of the Wheaton College chapter, Associate Physics Professor Dr. Heather Whitney inducted three undergraduate students and three members of Wheaton’s faculty and staff into the society.
“This year’s induction was held in a hybrid format due to our observance of COVID-19 protection measures at the College,” said Dr. Whitney, who serves as the advisor to Sigma Pi Sigma at Wheaton College. “One bright spot is that the hybrid format allowed family and friends of inductees to attend, as well as two alumni members of Sigma Pi Sigma.”
Founded in 1921, Sigma Pi Sigma exists to promote excellence in physics. At Wheaton College, undergraduate students who have completed at least 18 credits of physics courses, have a general GPA and a physics GPA each greater than 3.5, are ranked not lower than the upper third of their college class in GPA, and have been involved in both the Society of Physics Students and the Department of Physics are eligible for nomination to this lifelong organization.
Sigma Pi Sigma members attend chapter events, engage in wider online communities, receive a bi-annual publication called Radiations, and are invited to attend the Physics Congress, the largest known gathering of undergraduate physics students in the U.S.
“Membership in Sigma Pi Sigma at Wheaton College is special because of the long history of the group,” Dr. Whitney said. “We have a membership log that is decades old, and when you leaf through the pages, you get a wonderful sense of the history of the discipline of physics at Wheaton.”
--Emily Bratcher
