%xmlchars; ]> ua021_495 Guide to the North Carolina State University Student and Other Organizations, Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, North Carolina State University Chapter Records, 1932 - 1995 Processed by: Katie Brightman and Valerie Gillispie; machine-readable finding aid created by: Valerie Gillispie North Carolina State University Libraries' Special Collections Research Center
Campus Box 7111 Raleigh, NC 27695-7111
2003 Machine-readable finding aid derived from xml authoring program. Date of source: September, 2003 Finding aid written in English 2005Converted to EAD 2002 Guide to the North Carolina State University Student and Other Organizations, Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, North Carolina State University Chapter Records, 1932 - 1995 UA 021.495 North Carolina State University Libraries' Special Collections Research Center Katie Brightman and Valerie Gillispie September, 2003 Valerie Gillispie Descriptive Summary North Carolina State University. Libraries. Special Collections Dept. Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. North Carolina State University Chapter North Carolina State University Student and Other Organizations, Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, North Carolina State University Chapter Records, 1932 - 1995 UA 021.495 6.25 12.5 archival boxes The records of the North Carolina State University chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, document the formation and evolution of the chapter. These records, containing materials from 1932 to 1995, include correspondence, meeting notes, administrative files, and other documents that detail the club's activities, including meetings, scientific lectures, research awards, administrative activities, and participation in activities of the national organization. The Sigma Xi Club was formed at North Carolina State College in 1938 and successfully petitioned to obtain Chapter status in the national Society of the Sigma Xi in 1944. The Society is dedicated to promoting and recognizing research achievements in a wide variety of scientific fields. The Chapter's activities include meetings, scientific lectures, research awards, administrative activities, and participation in activities of the national organization. on-site For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff. Information for Users Restrictions to Access

This collection is open for research; access requires at least 24 hours advance notice.

Acquisitions Information

Transferred from the North Carolina State University Chapter of Sigma Xi.

 Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], North Carolina State University Student and Other Organizations, Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, North Carolina State University Chapter Records, UA 021.495, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, North Carolina.

 Copyright Notice

North Carolina State University does not own copyright to this collection. Individuals obtaining materials from the North Carolina State University Libraries' Special Collections Research Center are responsible for using the works in conformance with United States copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials.

 Historical Note

Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, is a non-profit honor society of more than 70,000 scientists and engineers. Its mission is to enhance the health of the research enterprise, foster integrity in science, and promote the public's understanding of science for the purpose of improving the human condition. Sigma Xi has more than 500 chapters at universities and colleges, government laboratories, and industry research centers. Membership in Sigma Xi is by invitation. Any active full member may nominate an individual for membership (either associate, full, or promotion to full) by submitting a nomination form to the chapter secretary.

In 1974, the Society of the Sigma Xi, which was founded in 1886, merged with the Scientific Research Society of America to form Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society of North America. In 1979, the name was changed to Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.

On February 17, 1938, twenty-nine members of Sigma Xi met at North Carolina State College to consider the establishment of a Sigma Xi Club. At this meeting, debate took place over the choice of establishing a Club versus an Alumni Chapter. A Club, which is usually formed before a Chapter, is made up of members of an institution's faculty who are already members or associates of Sigma Xi. In addition, a Club holds meetings and programs but cannot elect new members, whereas an Alumni Chapter, would have this ability. The members chose to form a club, and shortly thereafter committees began formulating by-laws, a constitution, and programs for the year.

On March 3, 1938, the Club decided to begin work on a petition for the establishment of a Chapter at State College. 70 members eventually signed the petition, which included general information about North Carolina State College, lists of projects and publications by the Club's members, biographies of all the members, and letters of recommendations. The petition was published in booklet form and submitted to Sigma Xi in October 1943. In December of that year the college was awarded a Chapter, and formally initiated in a ceremony held April 17, 1944.

From its inception Chapter activities have included both general business and events designed to promote and recognize scientific achievement. The Chapter holds regular meetings, elects officers and new members each spring, and has an annual year-end banquet. It participates in the Distinguished Lecture series offered by the national organization, where individuals who are at the leading edge of science come to Chapters to speak to members and the general public. North Carolina State University's Chapter also participates in the Grants-in-Aid of Research program, providing financial aid to undergraduate and graduate students and encouraging close working relationships with faculty. In 1992, the chapter began conducting an annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. In 1993, they began giving a Faculty Research Award to honor young faculty who have demonstrated excellence in their areas of research specialization.

 Scope and Content Note

These records contain materials related to the North Carolina State University Chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, from 1932 to 1995. Materials for most years include correspondence, meeting minutes, banquet and lecture programs, financial records, membership information, and administrative files. The materials from the 1940s also include the Chapter's original petition, copies of the founding constitution, and information on the Chapter's initiation. The 1960s includes minutes and information from the national organization's annual convention. In the 1970s there is additional information about the Chapter's initiation ceremonies, manuals of procedure, and research awards. The 1980s and 1990s material, which is less complete than previous decades, includes books of abstracts from Undergraduate Research Symposia.

Organization of Collection

The materials are organized chronologically by school year. The original arrangement of materials was followed as closely as possible, which accounts for materials in some years being more sub-divided than in others. Within each year the topics were arranged from most chapter specific to most general, then chronologically within each topic.

 Online Catalog Terms

The following terms have been used to index the guide to the collection in the NCSU Library's online catalog.

Corporate Entities North Carolina State College--Faculty. North Carolina State University--Faculty--History. Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. North Carolina State University Chapter. Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society of North America. North Carolina State University Chapter. Society of the Sigma Xi. North Carolina State College Chapter. Subjects Science--Societies, etc.--North Carolina Related Material UA 023.023 University Archives Photograph Collection, Organization Photographs UA 021 North Carolina State University, Organization Records Detailed Description of the Collection 11 Sigma Xi Quarterly, 1932 - 1933 12 Administrative File, 1936 13 Administrative File, February, 1938 - May, 1938 14 Administrative File, September, 1938 - May, 1939 15 Administrative File, October, 1938 - May, 1939 16 Correspondence, October, 1939 - May, 1940 17 Administrative File, 1939 - 1940 18 Correspondence, September, 1940 - June, 1941 19 Administrative File, October, 1940 - May, 1941 110 Correspondence, September, 1941 - June, 1942 111 Administrative File, October, 1941 - May, 1942 112 Petition for Chapter, December, 1942 113 Administrative File, July, 1942 - June, 1943 114 Initiation of Chapter, October, 1943 - May, 1944 [Folder 1 of 2] 115 Initiation of Chapter, March, 1944 - April, 1944 [Folder 2 of 2] 21 Correspondence, September, 1943 - July, 1944 22 Administrative File, September, 1943 - June, 1944 23 Correspondence, August, 1944 - July, 1945 24 Administrative File, September, 1944 - June, 1945 25 Financial Records, November, 1945 - June, 1946 26 Correspondence, September, 1945 - June, 1946 27 Administrative File, October, 1945 - March, 1946 28 Financial Records, October, 1946 - May, 1947 29 Correspondence, November, 1946 - June, 1947 210 Administrative File, November, 1946 - June, 1947 211 Transfer of Membership, October, 1947 - May, 1948 212 Nominations Disapproved, February, 1948 - March, 1948 213 Correspondence, October, 1947 - July, 1948 214 Administrative File, October, 1947 - April, 1948 31 Transfer of Membership, November, 1948 - May, 1949 32 Accepted Memberships, May, 1949 33 Nominations Held Over, February, 1949 - March, 1949 34 Correspondence, August, 1948 - July, 1949 35 Administrative File, October, 1948 - June, 1949 36 Transfer of Memberships, September, 1949 - April, 1950 37 Correspondence, August, 1949 - June, 1950 38 Administrative File, October, 1949 - June, 1950 39 Administrative File, circa 1940s 310 Minutes and Reports, 1950 - 1951 311 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1950 - 1951 312 Transfer of Membership, 1950 - 1951 313 Correspondence, June, 1950 - May, 1951 41 Minutes and Reports, 1951 - 1952 42 Lecture and Banquet Programs and Announcements, 1951 - 1952 43 Transfer of Membership, May, 1951 - April, 1952 44 Replies to Election Notices, 1952 45 Correspondence, September, 1951 - June, 1952 46 Minutes and Reports, 1952 - 1953 47 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1952 - 1953 48 Current Membership, 1952 - 1953 49 Transfer of Membership, 1952 - 1953 410 Nominations for Membership, B-C, 1953 411 Nominations for Membership, D-H, 1953 412 Nominations for Membership, J-N, 1953 413 Nominations for Membership, P-W, 1953 414 Correspondence, 1952 - 1953 415 Minutes and Reports, 1953 - 1954 416 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1953 - 1954 417 Membership, 1953 - 1954 51 Membership Transfers, 1953 - 1954 52 Correspondence, 1953 - 1954 53 Minutes and Reports, 1954 - 1955 54 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1954 - 1955 55 Membership Lists, 1954 - 1955 56 Membership Transfers, 1954 - 1955 57 Correspondence, 1954 - 1955 58 Correspondence, August, 1955 - July, 1956 59 Administrative File, November, 1955 - May, 1956 510 Minutes and Reports, 1956 - 1957 511 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1956 - 1957 512 Membership, 1956 - 1957 513 Correspondence, July, 1956 - March, 1957 514 Correspondence, April, 1957 - June, 1957 515 Correspondence, February, 1958 516 Administrative File, November, 1957 - June, 1958 517 Correspondence, 1958 - 1959 518 Administrative File, October, 1958 - May, 1959 519 Minutes and Reports, 1959 - 1960 520 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1959 - 1960 61 Membership, 1959 - 1960 62 Correspondence, 1959 - 1960 63 Administrative File, 1959 - 1960 64 Administrative File, circa 1950s 65 Meeting Minutes, 1960 - 1961 66 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1960 - 1961 67 Correspondence, September, 1960 - April, 1961 68 Administrative File, 1960 - 1961 69 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1961 - 1962 610 Correspondence, 1961 - 1962 611 Administrative File, 1961 - 1962 612 Meeting Minutes, 1962 - 1963 613 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1962 - 1963 614 Correspondence, 1962 - 1963 615 Administrative File, 1962 - 1963 616 Meeting Minutes and Reports, 1963 - 1964 617 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1963 - 1964 618 Correspondence, 1963 - 1964 619 Administrative File, 1963 - 1964 71 Meeting Minutes and Reports, 1964 - 1965 72 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1964 - 1965 73 Membership, 1964 - 1965 74 Treasurer's File, 1964 - 1965 75 Correspondence, 1964 - 1965 [Folder 1 of 3] 76 Correspondence, 1964 - 1965 [Folder 2 of 3] 77 Correspondence, 1964 - 1965 [Folder 3 of 3] 78 Administrative File, 1964 - 1965 79 Meeting Minutes, 1965 - 1966 710 Membership Transfers, 1965 - 1966 711 Treasurer's File, 1965 - 1966 712 Correspondence, 1965 - 1966 713 Administrative File, 1965 - 1966 81 Treasurer's File, 1966 - 1967 82 Correspondence, 1966 - 1967 83 Administrative File, 1966 - 1967 84 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1967 - 1968 85 Treasurer's File, 1967 - 1968 86 Correspondence, 1967 - 1968 87 Administrative File, 1967 - 1968 88 Annual Convention Minutes, 1968 89 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1968 - 1969 810 Treasurer's File, 1968 - 1969 811 Correspondence, 1968 - 1969 91 Administrative File, 1968 - 1969 92 Annual Convention Minutes, 1969 93 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1969 - 1970 94 Treasurer's File, 1969 - 1970 95 Correspondence, 1969 - 1970 96 Administrative File, 1969 - 1970 97 Membership Lists, circa 1960s 98 Initiation, 1970 - 1971 99 Discussion Group, 1970 - 1971 910 Minutes and Reports, 1970 - 1971 911 Lecture and Banquet Programs and Announcements, 1970 - 1971 912 Membership, 1970 - 1971 913 Treasurer's File, 1970 - 1971 101 Correspondence, 1970 - 1971 102 Administrative File, 1970 - 1971 103 Minutes, 1971 - 1972 104 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1971 - 1972 105 Membership, 1971 - 1972 106 Initiation, 1971 - 1972 107 Treasurer's File, 1971 - 1972 108 Correspondence, 1971 - 1972 109 National Office--Correspondence, 1971 - 1972 1010 News--National Office, 1971 - 1972 1011 Manual of Procedure, January, 1972 1012 Proceedings of Annual Meeting, October, 1972 1013 Minutes, September, 1972 1014 Lecture and Banquet Programs, 1972 - 1973 1015 Membership, 1972 - 1973 1016 Initiation, Spring, 1973 1017 Initiation in Absentia Forms, 1973 1018 Treasurer's File, 1972 - 1973 111 Correspondence, 1972 - 1973 112 Manual of Procedure, 1973 113 Minutes, 1973 - 1974 114 Lecture and Banquet Programs and Announcements, 1973 - 1974 115 Membership Lists, 1973 - 1974 116 Initiation, 1973 - 1974 117 Treasurer's Files, 1973 - 1974 118 Research Awards, 1973 - 1974 119 Correspondence - Campus Chapter, 1973 - 1974 1110 Correspondence - National and Newsletters, 1973 - 1974 1111 Administrative Files, 1973 - 1974 1112 Constitution and By-Laws, 1973 - 1974 1113 Manual of Procedure, 1973 - 1974 1114 Minutes, 1974 - 1975 1115 Banquet Program, Spring, 1975 1116 Membership Lists, 1974 - 1975 1117 Treasurer's Files, 1974 - 1975 1118 Research Awards, 1974 - 1975 121 Correspondence - Campus Chapter, 1974 - 1975 122 Correspondence - National and Newsletter, 1974 - 1975 123 Administrative Files, 1974 - 1975 124 Manual of Procedure, 1974 - 1975 125 Membership Lists and Records of Local Support, 1975 - 1976 126 Initiation, Spring, 1976 127 Treasurer's Files, 1975 - 1976 128 Research Awards, 1975 - 1976 129 Undergraduate Research Recognition, 1975 - 1976 1210 Faculty Research Grants, 1975 - 1976 1211 Administrative File, 1975 - 1976 1212 Banquet Program, Spring, 1977 1213 Membership List, 1976 - 1977 1214 Research Awards, 1976 - 1977 1215 Undergraduate Research Recognition, 1976 - 1977 1216 Administrative File, 1976 - 1977 1217 Lecture and Banquet Announcements and Programs, 1977 - 1978 1218 Administrative File, 1977 - 1978 1219 Administrative File, 1978 - 1979 1220 Administrative File, 1979 - 1980 1221 Administrative Files, circa 1970s 1222 Minutes and Reports, 1980 - 1981 1223 Correspondence, 1980 - 1981 1224 Membership List, 1981 - 1982 131 Correspondence, 1981 - 1982 132 Membership Lists, 1982 - 1983 133 Correspondence, 1982 - 1983 134 Bulletin and Banquet Program, 1984 - 1985 135 Clipping, 1985 - 1986 136 Banquet Program, Spring, 1989 137 Membership List, 1991 - 1992 138 Correspondence, 1991 - 1992 139 Book of Abstracts, Undergraduate Research Symposium, April, 1992 1310 Book of Abstracts, Undergraduate Research Symposium, April, 1993 1311 Book of Abstracts, Undergraduate Research Symposium, April, 1994 1312 Book of Abstracts, Undergraduate Research Symposium, April, 1995