North Carolina State University, Student and Other Organizations, Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, North Carolina State University Chapter Records 1932-2015

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.

These records contain materials related to the North Carolina State University Chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, from 1932 to 2015. 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.

The materials are organized chronologically by academic 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. Materials at the bottom of the list have not been processed and remain in the order received.

North Carolina State University does not own copyright to this collection. Individuals obtaining materials from the NC 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.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

[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, NC

Transferred from Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, North Carolina State University Chapter