Sigma Gamma Tau
Encyclopedia
Sigma Gamma Tau is the American honor society
in Aerospace Engineering
. It seeks to identify and recognize achievement and excellence in the Aerospace field. Sigma Gamma Tau's collegiate chapters elect annually to membership those students, alumni, and professionals who, by conscientious attention to their studies or professional duties, uphold this high standard for the betterment of their profession.
The objectives of Sigma Gamma Tau, as stated in the preamble of the society's national constitution, are: "to recognize and honor those individuals in the field of Aeronautics
and Astronautics
who have, through scholarship, integrity, and outstanding achievement, been a credit to their profession. The society seeks to foster a high standard of ethics and professional practice and create a spirit of loyalty and fellowship, particularly among students of Aerospace Engineering."
in West Lafayette, Indiana, on February 28, 1953, "to offer appropriate recognition to persons of superior scholarship, outstanding character, and professional achievement in the field of Aeronautical Engineering."
The new society was formed by the merger of two existing societies, Tau Omega, founded in 1927 at the University of Oklahoma
, and Gamma Alpha Rho, founded in 1945 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
.
The name of the society was selected by combining the Greek letter Sigma, indicating sum, with Gamma and Tau from the initial letters of the parent organizations.
Honor society
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...
in Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
. It seeks to identify and recognize achievement and excellence in the Aerospace field. Sigma Gamma Tau's collegiate chapters elect annually to membership those students, alumni, and professionals who, by conscientious attention to their studies or professional duties, uphold this high standard for the betterment of their profession.
The objectives of Sigma Gamma Tau, as stated in the preamble of the society's national constitution, are: "to recognize and honor those individuals in the field of Aeronautics
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
and Astronautics
Astronautics
Astronautics, and related astronautical engineering, is the theory and practice of navigation beyond the Earth's atmosphere. In other words, it is the science and technology of space flight....
who have, through scholarship, integrity, and outstanding achievement, been a credit to their profession. The society seeks to foster a high standard of ethics and professional practice and create a spirit of loyalty and fellowship, particularly among students of Aerospace Engineering."
History
Sigma Gamma Tau was founded on the campus of Purdue UniversityPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
in West Lafayette, Indiana, on February 28, 1953, "to offer appropriate recognition to persons of superior scholarship, outstanding character, and professional achievement in the field of Aeronautical Engineering."
The new society was formed by the merger of two existing societies, Tau Omega, founded in 1927 at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, and Gamma Alpha Rho, founded in 1945 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
.
The name of the society was selected by combining the Greek letter Sigma, indicating sum, with Gamma and Tau from the initial letters of the parent organizations.
Chapters
Since its modest beginnings in 1953, the society has grown from 14 to 53 collegiate chapters and from 1,900 to 21,000+ initiated members in 9 regions:Northeastern
- Boston University - Boston, MA
- Clarkson University - Potsdam, NY
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge, MA
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Troy, NY
- State University of New York at Buffalo - Buffalo, NY
- Syracuse University - Syracuse, NY
Mid-Atlantic
- University of Maryland - College Park, MD
- Pennsylvania State University - University Park, PA
- University of Virginia - Charlottesville, VA
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University - Blacksburg, VA
- West Virginia University - Morgantown, WV
Southeastern
- University of Central Florida - Orlando, FL
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach, FL
- University of Florida - Gainesville, FL
- Florida Institute of Technology - Melbourne, FL
- Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, GA
- North Carolina State University - Raleigh, NC
South Central
- University of Alabama at Huntsville - Huntsville, AL
- University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa - Tuscaloosa, AL
- Auburn University - Auburn, AL
- Mississippi State University - Starkville, MS
- University of Tennessee - Knoxville, TN
- Tuskegee University - Tuskegee, AL
Great Lakes
- Air Force Institute Of Technology - Dayton, OH
- University of Cincinnati - Cincinnati, OH
- University of Illinois - Urbana, IL
- Illinois Institute of Technology - Chicago, IL
- University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI
- University of Notre Dame - Notre Dame, IN
- Ohio State University - Columbus, OH
- Purdue University - West Lafayette, IN
North Central
- United States Air Force Academy - Colorado Springs, CO
- University of Colorado - Boulder, CO
- Iowa State University - Ames, IA
- University of Kansas - Lawrence, KS
- University of Minnesota - Minneapolis, MN
- Missouri University of Science & Technology - Rolla, MO
- Parks College of St. Louis University - Cahokia, IL
- Wichita State University - Wichita, KS
Southwestern
- University of Oklahoma - Norman, OK
- Oklahoma State University - Stillwater, OK
- Texas A&M University - College Station, TX
- University of Texas at Arlington - Arlington, TX
- University of Texas at Austin - Austin, TX
Western
- University of Arizona - Tucson, AZ
- Arizona State University - Tempe, AZ
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott, AZ
- San Jose State University - San Jose, CA
- University of Washington - Seattle, WA
Southern Pacific
- University of California at Irvine - Irvine, CA
- California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo - San Luis Obispo, CA
- California State Polytechnic University - Pomona - Pomona, CA
- San Diego State University - San Diego, CA
- University of Southern California - Los Angeles, CA
National headquarters
The national headquarters of Sigma Gamma Tau is located at the Aerospace Engineering Department of Wichita State University.National officers
- National President: Dr. Roy Myose, Wichita State University
- National Vice President: Dr. Shahriar Keshmiri, University of Kansas
- Immediate Past President: Dr. John Valasek, Texas A&M University
- National Secretary/Treasurer: Dr. Roy Myose, Wichita State University