Society of Physics Students
| Society of Physics Students | |
|---|---|
 The Society of Physics Students Logo |
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| Abbreviation | SPS |
| Formation | 1968 |
| Purpose/focus | To help students become members of the professional community and develop skills important in the career of the student. |
| Website | http://www.spsnational.org/ |
The Society of Physics Students (SPS) is a professional association with international participation, granting membership through college chapters with the only requirement that the student member be interested in physics.[1] All college majors are welcome to join SPS, but the highest representation tends to come from majors in the natural sciences, engineering, and medicine. Within the SPS is housed Sigma Pi Sigma, a nationally recognized scholastic honor society. This unique two-in-one society operates within the American Institute of Physics,[2] an umbrella organization for ten other professional science societies.
Contents |
[edit] National organization
The SPS National Council and its Executive Committee decide the policies of SPS. The Council is made up of 36 members, elected by chapters from one of 18 geographic zones. Each Zone represents a section of the country and is represented by a faculty Councilor and a student Associate Councilor. Both Councilors and Associate Councilors participate in zone activities and in the annual policy-making meeting of the Council. The Director of SPS is Gary White, a salaried physicist designated by AIP to administer the National Office's services and programs for SPS members.[3] The Director is supported by additional National Office staff from the American Institute of Physics (AIP) Education Division.[4]
[edit] Programs and Activities
SPS strives to shape students into contributing members of the professional scientific community with the philosophy that since college courses only develop a particular range of skills in a student, it is important to develop other skills including effective written and verbal communication, leadership experience, professional networking, presenting scholarly work in professional meetings and journals, and educational outreach to the campus and local communities.[5]
To promote these goals, SPS allows students to take part in professional membership societies,[6] receive peer-reviewed journals, present and publish research,[7][8] obtain scholarships,[9] and receive awards as incentives for excellent performance.[10] Further, SPS supports several publications,[11] and SPS members stay involved with public science issues, education, and outreach.[12][13][14]
[edit] Internships
SPS administers a robust Internship Program, which offers select SPS members summer positions with various organizations in science policy, communication, outreach and scientific research.[15] Students are placed in organizations and agencies that utilize the energy and diversity of students and contribute to their professional development through meaningful assignments, both relevant to the institution’s programs and in the advancement of physics or allied sciences. Participating organizations assign one or more mentors from their senior staff to guide the interns’ work and overall experience. SPS coordinates the program and holds many group activities for all of the interns throughout the summer.
[edit] Outreach projects
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The largest SPS outreach project, the SPS Outreach Catalyst Kit (SOCK), is modeled after a similar successful outreach effort at an SPS Zone meeting at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. SOCKs are designed for SPS Chapters and collegiate physics departments to use in outreach presentations to local elementary, middle and high school students. The presentations and contents of the first SOCK were spearheaded by the 2001 SPS national intern Mark Lentz, to teach about properties of light. Since 2001, additional SOCK kits on other topics have been developed and archived on the SPS national website.[16]
[edit] Publications
SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society, publish several resources for students and alumni. The SPS Observer[17] is published quarterly. Each issue of The SPS Observer contains interesting feature articles, physics problems, society news, announcements, meeting information, and breaking news in physics and related sciences. Subscriptions are included with annual SPS national membership dues. The Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics[18] (JURP) is a peer-reviewed, online journal of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) and Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society. JURP is devoted to archiving research conducted by undergraduate students in physics and its related fields, and is a vehicle for the exchange of ideas and information by undergraduate students. Papers in experimental physics, theoretical physics, or educational research in physics are welcome. Radiations Magazine[19] is published by Sigma Pi Sigma twice a year in print.
[edit] References
- ^ "About SPS". sps.org. January 4, 2012. http://www.spsnational.org/about/.
- ^ "About AIP". Aip.org. http://www.aip.org/aip/. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
- ^ "SPS National Council". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/governance/council/. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ "SPS National Office". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/about/office.htm. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ "SPS Mission and Membership Info". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/about/. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ "Free Membership with One AIP Member Society". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/about/benefits.htm#membersocieties. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ "Presenting research at professional society meetings through SPS". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/meetings/. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ "Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics". Jurp.org. http://www.jurp.org/. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ "SPS Scholarship Programs". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/programs/scholarships/. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ "SPS Awards Programs". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/programs/awards/. Retrieved January 4 2012.
- ^ "SPS Publications". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/publications/. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ "Feature Article: SPS Members Teach For America". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/about/news/2007/teach_for_america.htm. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ SPS Digital Library Participation
- ^ "Wonderlab Prototype Support". Quarknet.fnal.gov. http://quarknet.fnal.gov/forms/sampoutreach.html. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
- ^ "SPS Internships". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/programs/internships/. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ "SPS Science Outreach Catalyst Kit (SOCKS)". sps.org. http://www.spsnational.org/programs/socks/. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ "The SPS Observer". sps.org. http://www.spsobserver.org/. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
- ^ "Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics". Jurp.org. http://www.jurp.org/. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
- ^ "Radiations Magazine". sps.org. http://www.sigmapisigma.org/radiations/index.htm. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
