The Physics & Astronomy Congress—and the Student Voice—are Imperative

When someone says that it’s imperative to include the student voice in conversations about the state and future of higher education, its place in society, and its consequences for tomorrow’s workforce, I often ask them and myself: How frequently are students invited to the dialogue within universities, communities, and state and federal governments? There is no exact answer, but one thing is clear: Education is ever-evolving and the institutions in charge of delivering this public good to the people lag behind.

As the physics and astronomy community, we know how valuable the student voice is. That is why, for as long as there has been a physics and astronomy honor society to celebrate students’ commitment to higher education and to each other, there has been a “place and time” to convene those who want to shape their own future. Since 1928, the Sigma Pi Sigma Physics and Astronomy Congress has convened students from across the United States and beyond to explore the limitless possibilities that arise from a science education, a stable democracy, and our aspirations for an equitable, inclusive society and the opportunities therein.

A quarter of the way into the 21st century we continue to face the same challenges as in 1928, now compounded in complexity by the emergence of new technologies. We continue to debate the costs, professional preparation, and inclusivity, equity, and public value of higher education and the systems designed to deliver on students’ aspirations and help society transform for the benefit of all. With this issue in mind, I want to highlight that the Society of Physics Students and Sigma Pi Sigma have been a platform catalyzing change for the physics and astronomy communities. Through its national council and its committees, we’ve expressed and generated support for student’s mental well-being, for physics and astronomy departments at risk of closure, for undergraduate research, and for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This year’s Physics and Astronomy Congress sits at the intersection of renewed discussions about the future of higher education and how to engage students, with an emphasis on their well-being, their proximity and access to opportunities, and the changing landscape of technology and the workforce. While we value experts, data, and informed analysis for any course of action, we must remember that students can and should play a role in shaping alternatives and new directions; they are scientists in the field, and their observations not only matter but are as imperative as Enrico Fermi’s phenomenology of the weak nuclear force to the development of the standard model of particle physics.

The Physics and Astronomy Congress is where we come together; it is the link that joins the purely intellectual approach to seeking solutions to the everyday experiences of people like you and me with dreams and aspirations for the future. As students, alumni, mentors, and experts, bring your voice to the congress this October so that together we can strengthen today’s physics and astronomy students and tomorrow’s physics and astronomy undergraduate education.