The History of Sigma Pi Sigma

Updated by Earl Blodgett, Sigma Pi Historian, and Rianna Ehrenreich, SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma Programs Engagement Associate, February 2025

The Beginning Years

The idea for Sigma Pi Sigma started at Davidson College, NC, in 1920 when five undergraduates joined by four faculty members formed an organization which would recognize superior scholarship in physics, encourage and stimulate them in their scientific work, and bring those interested in physics into a closer association. Formal action was taken on December 11, 1921. In the next months they named the organization Sigma Pi Sigma as the Greek letter name to stand for “Scholarship Physics Society.” It was called a “fraternity” as was the custom at that time; the early group patterned themselves after the social fraternities with “secret” practices such as handshakes as part of the initiation, and non-members were barred from attending meetings.

The Davidson chapter spent much effort creating the lasting insignia for the organization. They devised the pin and crest with the dynamo, electric light bulb, lightning bolt, and the standard voltmeter. The symbolism on the pin portrays the three essential attributes of a true scientist: accuracy, knowledge, and creative energy. The standard voltmeter is symbolic of accuracy, the light bulb typifies knowledge, and the dynamo creative energy, or the ability to do research. The lightning flash on the seal is symbolic of an agent of nature—electricity—which has been made of inestimable value to mankind by physics. The Greek words are “phoosika” signifying “physics” and “skepsos” signifying “knowledge.”

Soon after its formation the Davidson chapter wanted to affiliate with some national student physics organization, but found that no such group existed. So they decided to start one. They wrote to thirteen physics departments explaining Sigma Pi Sigma and asking them to form chapters. This correspondence resulted in the formation of a second chapter at Duke University in 1925. The efforts of Marsh White, a graduate student who went on to participate in Sigma Pi Sigma for seventy years, resulted in a third chapter at Penn State in 1926. The longevity of Sigma Pi Sigma as an honor society depended mostly on the efforts of Marsh White at each critical moment.

In 1928 the first National Convention of Sigma Pi Sigma was held at Davidson College. Marsh White became Secretary/Treasurer and established the national office at Penn State. In 1931 the second National Convention was held at the University of Kentucky, marking the tenth anniversary of the young honor society. The third National Convention was at Purdue University in 1934 when the organization had grown to 19 chapters. At this convention Sigma Pi Sigma was changed from a fraternity to an honor society, removing all elements of secrecy, but requiring membership dependent on scholastic excellence and acceptance by the chapter members. Services to the department, such as sponsoring lectures, were included in the society’s mission as well as the social activities.

At the tenth anniversary letters were read from the five charter members, showing that an education in physics provided the fundamental learning for many careers. Their remembered enthusiasm for Sigma Pi Sigma activities and physics education has been a characteristic of Sigma Pi Sigma members through the years, regardless of their career paths. Many members credit their career success with the contacts they’ve made in Sigma Pi Sigma.

The Formative Years

During the Depression the fledgling society doubled from 20 chapters in 1931 to 43 in 1941. The National Council, a group of officers and executive committee members elected by the member chapters, wanted to attain membership in the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS). Thus, at the Purdue Convention in 1934, Sigma Pi Sigma removed all the secrecy from the initiation ceremony and opened meeting attendance to non-members to meet ACHS requirements. The national office of Sigma Pi Sigma worked for a decade with ACHS until Sigma Pi Sigma became a member Society in 1945. Marsh White became the Sigma Pi Sigma representative to ACHS and held many offices within it over the years. Sigma Pi Sigma also became an associated society of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 1936, and in 1956 became an affiliated society of AAAS Section B (Physics). Once again, these efforts were due almost solely to the work of Marsh White.

Sigma Pi Sigma was now recognized by many professional societies. In 1930 a newsletter called The Radiations of Sigma Pi Sigma was started as the official publication for all members, including alumni. In 1994 the The Radiations newsletter was revamped into a glossy magazine and renamed Radiations (The official publication of Sigma Pi Sigma). The magazine is now published and mailed to members and alumni twice per year.

The new spurt of growth due to the returning GI’s from World War II put quite a strain on the office at Penn State. Thus, in 1953-54 the Executive Council instituted a policy for the annual solicitation of alumni members for voluntary contributions toward the support of the national office. These were called “alumni dues.” By 1969 about 6,000 members were making contributions totalling about $30,000.

In 1951 Sigma Pi Sigma became an affiliated society of the American Institute of Physics (AIP), just after AIP instituted its Student Sections program. These sections helped undergraduate physics clubs form an affiliation with professional physics societies without any academic requirements for membership. During the 1950’s there was competition for new chapters between Sigma Pi Sigma and the AIP Student Sections.

Near the end of the decade Sigma Pi Sigma decided to get more volunteer help to keep contact with over 100 chapters. The country was divided into 12 districts and a Councilor was elected for each district to install new chapters and help with any problems. At this meeting was Worth Seagondollar, a member of the Diamond Jubilee Committee—who was actively involved with Sigma Pi Sigma since he started as a chapter adviser at the University of Kansas in 1950. Worth held all the offices in Sigma Pi Sigma prior to the merger to form the Society of Physics Students and continued on the SPS Council for several years, all the time being adviser to the students at Kansas followed by North Carolina State University.

The Merger

The decade of the 1960’s was one of great activity and growth for both Sigma Pi Sigma and the AIP Student Sections. In 1965 the Sigma Pi Sigma officers discussed their position on a merger and presented at the national council meeting in April 1966, which passed 12 to 2. In August 1966 the AIP Governing Board gave its unanimous approval to the merger plan. Marsh White and Worth Seagondollar then spent several years negotiating with ACHS so that Sigma Pi Sigma could remain a member society after the merger.

The society called a special convocation to be held in December 1967 at Purdue University to thoroughly discuss the merger. Worth Seagondollar, as President, chaired the two-day meeting. The meeting size was astonishing—200 delegates representing 90 chapters. At the beginning of the meeting it was apparent that most chapter representatives were opposed to the merger. Many felt strongly that it would degrade the honor of belonging to Sigma Pi Sigma. H. William Koch, the new director of AIP, described how Sigma Pi Sigma would fit into the AIP structure—and his personal enthusiasm for the merger. The final vote on the articles of agreement between AIP and Sigma Pi Sigma was passed by one vote! Items in the agreement covered personnel, conditions of transfer of about $50,000 accumulated Sigma Pi Sigma funds to the AIP if the new organization worked well (after 5 years), and conditions under which Sigma Pi Sigma could withdraw both membership and funds from the new organization “if things did not work well.”

After some minor changes to the constitution were made, the Society of Physics Students was born on April 22, 1968 (Marsh White’s 72nd birthday!) when the officials of AIP and Sigma Pi Sigma signed the Articles of Agreement.

The Modern Years

The Society of Physics Students began its existence with a constitution that combined the best of its “parent” organizations. Pete Shugart, who had just replaced Marsh White as the Sigma Pi Sigma executive secretary, was hired by AIP as the first Director of Sigma Pi Sigma. All Sigma Pi Sigma chapters were enrolled as SPS chapters. The national Council of SPS was made up of the officers plus elected faculty Councilors and student Associate Councilors representing colleges in Sigma Pi Sigma’s 12 zones. The Sigma Pi Sigma President, elected only by Sigma Pi Sigma chapters, served on the SPS Council. The SPS Constitution states that Sigma Pi Sigma is a special group of SPS members who attend colleges having Sigma Pi Sigma chapters, who have attained the high scholastic standards required, and who have been elected into membership. Such a joint venture as exists between SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma is unique among honor societies and Sigma Pi Sigma is proud of its success in this endeavor.

The first SPS Council met in April 1969 in conjunction with the Washington, DC, APS (American Physical Society) meeting. After one year of existence within SPS, Sigma Pi Sigma had installed 35 new chapters and reactivated several more! Most of this activity was due to Pete Shugart’s visits to over 100 campuses in his first year on the job.

In 1973 after Sigma Pi Sigma had its “trial” run, the Sigma Pi Sigma Trust Fund assets were given over to AIP “to be used only for the improvement of undergraduate physics student organizations or the promotion of educational student activities.” The first of these awards, named the Marsh W. White awards, were set up to be awarded to chapters “to support projects designed to promote interest in physics among students and the general public.” These awards continue to be given.

At the 1979 Council meeting it was suggested that the society establish a journal for the publication of undergraduate research papers. The first issue of The Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics, JURP, was published in 1982 with Rexford Adelberger as the editor at Guilford College. The publication continues to be published by the SPS as the Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics and Astronomy (JURPA).

During the next years the Constitutions of SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma were revised into one document, but the Sigma Pi Sigma items are separate sections. In 1976 the executive committee was expanded to include an associate councilor to provide the student perspective.

By the 1970’s a significant increase was seen in the number of women majoring in physics. Women were first elected to the SPS National Council in 1974, and by the late 1970s the new Sigma Pi Sigma members were at least 15% women, many of whom were also chapter officers.

The mid-70s to mid-80s saw great activity in new programs instituted by the Council: Outstanding Chapter awards, JURP, Outstanding Adviser Award, and scholarships to partially support the senior undergraduate year of physics majors. All of these programs are funded by the Sigma Pi Sigma alumni donations. Sigma Pi Sigma has continued to award research grants to undergraduate chapters. These grants were started by the AIP Student Section using funds from the Bendix Corp., later Allied Signal. When these funds were no longer available the Sigma Pi Sigma Trust Fund took over.

The late 1980s and early 1990s saw many changes in the AIP structure, including moves of the Sigma Pi Sigma office from New York to Washington, DC and then to College Park, MD.

The union with AIP Student Sections to form SPS has been very good for Sigma Pi Sigma if the growth in chapters is any indication. There were 135 active Sigma Pi Sigma chapters in 1968 and currently there are almost 600! The number of active SPS chapters is now almost 900. Because of the continued growth, the country was re-divided into 18 zones. Over the years the society has been very fortunate to have staff and administrators who are as dedicated as the volunteers.

In 1989 the Council proposed having more regular Sigma Pi Sigma convocations, so that new members could have a chance to attend a national Sigma Pi Sigma convention. The first one in 25 years was held in Dayton, OH, in the fall of 1992, followed by the Sigma Pi Sigma Diamond Jubilee in November 1996 in Atlanta, GA. At these convocations or Congresses all Sigma Pi Sigma members are invited to participate in discussions regarding current issues in physics education, employment issues, and social issues related to physics.

All of this has come about through the dedication of the advisers and officers who believe in the principles set forth at Davidson College 103 years ago: “Sigma Pi Sigma—An organization which would recognize superior scholarship in physics, encourage and stimulate members in their scientific work and bring those interested in physics into a closer association.”