Fall 2017 Chapter Awards

Congratulations to the following winners of the Fall 2017 Chapter Awards. These awards are made possible in part by generous contributions from Sigma Pi Sigma alumni. For examples of past award-winning projects, visit www.spsnational.org/awards/chapter-awards.

Future Faces of Physics

Future Faces of Physics Awards are made to SPS chapters to support projects designed to promote physics across cultures. The goal of the Future Faces of Physics Award is to promote the recruitment and retention of people from groups historically underrepresented in physics.

Adelphi University
Labs for Kids
James St. John (Leader)
Matthew Wright (Advisor)

California State University – San Marcos
CSUSM’s Aim for Diversity in Physics
Jesus Perez (Leader)
Justin Perron (Advisor)

Coe College
G5: Girls are the 5th FUNdamental Force
Annie Ruckman (Leader)
Firdevs Duru (Advisor)

University at Buffalo
Women in Physics
Samuel Powers (Leader)
Salvatore Rappoccio (Advisor)

University of Southern Mississippi
Promoting Physics in Mississippi
Megan Payne (Leader)
Michael Vera (Advisor)

University of the Sciences
Strange Science: Unmasking the Weirdness of the Quantum Realm
Brett Conti (Leader)
Roberto Ramos (Advisor)

Utah State University
PhysX: High School Girls Exploring Opportunities in Physics
Vanessa Chambers (Leader)
David Peak (Advisor)

SPS Chapter Research

The SPS Chapter Research Award program provides calendar-year grants to support local chapter activities that are deemed imaginative and likely to contribute to the strengthening of the SPS program.

Florida Polytechnic University
Feasibility Studies of Dolomites from Phosphatic Pebble for Thermochemical Energy Storage and CO2 Sequestration
Wyatt Liptak (Leader)
Sesha Srinivasan (Advisor)

Ithaca College
The Naked Eye Observatory
Adam Rabayda (Leader)
Michael Rogers (Advisor)

Purdue University – West Lafayette
Quantitative Evaluation of Pedestrian Movement Models: A Real Many-Body Problem
Adam Kline (Leader)
Rafael Lang (Advisor)

Suffolk University
Neutron Production and Detection Techniques Around A 15 MeV Medical LINAC
John Thomas (Leader)
Prashant Sharma (Advisor)

University of Central Florida
Cavendish Experiment
Brian Ferrari (Leader)
Costas Efthimiou (Advisor)

University of Maryland
Constructing a Watt Balance to Redefine the Kilogram
Siddhartha Harmalkar (Leader)
Donna Hammer (Advisor)

Marsh W. White

Marsh W. White Awards are made to SPS chapters to support projects designed to promote interest in physics among students and the general public. The award dates back to 1975 and is named in his honor for his long years of service to ΣΠΣ, and the community.

Cleveland State University
Lunchtime Physics Club for True Inquirers
Samantha Tietjen (Leader)
Kiril Streletzky (Advisor)

Florida Polytechnic University
STEM Day Outreach at Florida Polytech
Wyatt Liptak (Leader)
Sesha Srinivasan (Advisor)

Hamline University
Renewable Energy in Units Anyone Can Understand
Zachary Pearson (Leader)
Lifeng Dong (Advisor)

Henderson State University
Science Olympics
Jackson Baber (Leader)
Shannon Clardy (Advisor)

Ithaca College
Phun with Physics
Adam Rabayda (Leader)
Michael Rogers (Advisor)

University of Alaska Fairbanks
Solarpalooza: A Solar Viewing Experience
Riley Troyer (Leader)
David Newman (Advisor)

University of Maine
Renewing Physics Demos for Community Outreach
Graham Van Goffrier (Leader)
Charles Hess (Advisor)

University of Rochester
Physics Pentathlon
Adina Ripin (Leader)
Frank Wolfs (Advisor)

University of Southern Mississippi
Promotion of Physics in the Hattiesburg Community
Megan Payne (Leader)
Michael Vera (Advisor)

University of the Sciences
Renewable Energy: Sustainable and Attainable
Austin Vantrease (Leader)
Roberto Ramos (Advisor)

Utah State University
Sucking Life Back into Physics Demos
Benjamin Lovelady (Leader)
David Peak (Advisor)

Sigma Pi Sigma Chapter Project

The Sigma Pi Sigma Chapter Project Award provides funding of up to $500 for chapter inductions and events.

Adelphi University
Alumni Dinner
James St. John (Leader)
Matthew Wright (Advisor)

Cleveland State University
Reviving the Sigma Pi Sigma Chapter at Cleveland State
Samantha Tietjen (Leader)
Kiril Streletzky (Advisor)

Colorado School of Mines
Physics for the People: Community Lecture Series
Emily Atkinson (Leader)
Timothy Ohno (Advisor)

St. John’s University
Science for Humanity
Rachel Tyo (Leader)
Charles Fortmann (Advisor)

University of Maine
The Sigma Pi Sigma Induction & Awards Banquet
Samuel Borer (Leader)
Charles Hess (Advisor)

University of Maryland
Sigma Pi Sigma Induction Ceremony & Banquet Dinner with Physics Alumni
Siddhartha Harmalkar (Leader)
Donna Hammer (Advisor)

University of the Sciences
Sigma Pi Sigma: Celebrating Diversity in Physics
Alyssa Petroski (Leader)
Roberto Ramos (Advisor)