Welcome to the Creighton University Chapter

of the Society of Physics Students !

If you would like to learn about the Society of Physics Students and Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society you might start by reading the national SPS webpages. This website has membership forms, scholarship applications,travel award notices, research award forms, related to the Society for Physics Students.

About our Chapter: Background

The Creighton University Society of Physics Students was established on December 5th, 1982 with the induction of 15 members into Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society. The installing officers were Dr. Robert Wood Green, of Morningside College, Dr. Thomas H. Zepf of Creighton University and Dr. Nancy Fogarty of Creighton University. Since that time 163 students met the eligibility requirements for Sigma Pi Sigma (see below) and were inducted into the honor society. All physics majors are strongly encouraged to join the Society of Physics Students. Membership provides a number of benefits including scholarships, travel awards, as well as a subscription to Physics Today.

Sigma Pi Sigma, the national physics honor society

Sigma Pi Sigma is the national honor society in physics. The national society was founded in 1921. Today there are hundreds of chartered chapters throughout the United States. Creighton University’s chapter was chartered in 1982. Membership is open to all students with an interest in physics who have completed at least three semesters of full-time college work, including 12 hours of upper-division physics courses applicable to the major. Undergraduate students must have a minimum QPA of 3.25 in all college work and a 3.25 in upper-division physics at the time of initiation. Graduate students must have satisfactorily completed at least 15 semester hours of graduate work in physics and be approved for membership by the Graduate Physics Faculty on the basis of the quality of their graduate work.

The society serves as a means of awarding distinction to students of high scholarship and promise of achievement in physics. It promotes student interest in research and advanced study in physics, it encourages a professional spirit and friendship among its members, and it seeks to promote interest in physics on the college campus.

About Our Chapter: Activities

The Creighton chapter of the Society of Physics students is active throughout the entire academic year.  Meetings are held most every month where free pizza is shared and upcoming activities discussed.  Some of the events which are usually done each year are:

Fall Semester
Physnic - A picnic put on by SPS for the entire department as an opportunity for the faculty, staff, graduate, and undergraduate students to get to know each other and any new students in a social setting.

Haunted Lab - Beware and be spooked as the optics lab is transformed into a Halloween tunnel demonstrating the many applications of physics through terrific demonstrations set to a haunted theme.

Community Service - The SPS tries to do one day of service per semester, a recent fall community service event was raking up leaves for those unable to do so themselves.

Spring Semester

Physics Department Retreat - The SPS is crucial to planning and executing the annual Departmental Retreat at the Creighton Retreat Center in Griswold Iowa.  The SPS helps decide what the theme and discussion of the retreat are as well as planning the meals and logistics.

Physics Field Day - The highlight of the year for the SPS is hosting a day of competition for high school physics classes.  High schoolers from Nebraska and Iowa come to compete in contests which involve using the basic concepts of physics which they are learning about in their classes.  Events such as catapults, quiz bowl, circuit building, optical slalom and many more make for a fun packed day for those participating and administrating.  To see the winners and rulebooks for past Field Days, visit the Hall Fame located in the Departmental Events section.

Community Service - Traditionally the SPS has spent a day working with Habitat for Humanity for the spring service.

Photos from these activies can be found in the Photo Gallery.

Current Officers:

The Society of Physics Students annually elects four officers at the end of the spring term to serve for the following academic year.  The ’09-’10 academic year officers are:

President: Junior Anya Burkart

Vice-President: Senior Mark Pepin

Secretary: Senior Katie Garret

Treasurer: Junior Eric Hauger

Faculty Moderator: Dr. Jack Gabel

If you are interested in joined the Society of Physics Students please contact Mark Pepin at markpepin@creighton.edu