On Friday, October 16, 2020, Yale joined the ranks of Sigma Pi Sigma, the National Physics Honor Society, as Chapter #584. In a virtual ceremony we inducted 32 members of the classes of 2021 and 2022. This event was spearheaded by David Saunders, ‘23 and Shantanu Jha, ‘21, who are both physics students and officers of the Yale Society of Physics Students, with the encouragement and help of Karsten Heeger (Department Chair) and Nikhil Padmanabhan (DUS).
Sigma Pi Sigma is the official honor society of the physics profession. Through election to Sigma Pi Sigma, distinctive achievement and high scholarship in physics is recognized and celebrated.
As a representative of the Society of Physics Students, Saunders said, “We are incredibly excited to welcome our first class of life-time inductees to Yale’s inaugural Sigma Pi Sigma National Physics Honors Society chapter! We had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Jim Borgardt, Sigma Pi Sigma President, during our induction ceremony, to help us kick off this society and deepen the physics community here at Yale. We can’t wait to see our new chapter and its members develop as a part of the larger Society of Physics Students. Please visit sigmapisigma.org to learn more about Sigma Pi Sigma and the criteria to join as Juniors and Seniors in Physics-related majors at Yale.”
From Heeger, “I am excited for Yale Physics to become a chapter in Sigma Pi Sigma and for our students to be recognized for their work and achievements in this honor society. Congratulations to our inaugural class! This will provide our students with opportunities to connect with colleagues around the country and contribute to the physics community at large.”