The College’s chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has been selected as an outstanding chapter for 2009.
Fifty-four of the society’s more than 700 chapters on campuses across the country received the designation from the national organization, based in College Park, Md.
Selection criteria include chapter involvement in local and national meetings, outreach efforts to grades K-12 and the general public, community service participation, contributions to student recruitment and retention, and interaction with the department's alumni.
Union SPS members regularly take part in programs in the community, including an annual visit to the Schenectady’s Katharine Burr Blodgett Elementary School, part of a program with Union’s Kenney Community Center. In the fall, for instance, Hillary Bauer ’11 and Peter Bonventre ’11 showed the elementary school students how liquid nitrogen is used to rapidly freeze liquids.
SPS officers for 2009 were Alex Handin ’10 and Shivani Pathak ’10, co-presidents; Bauer, vice president; Katelyn O’Brien ’11, secretary; and Ana Mikler ’12, treasurer. Peter Bonventre’11 served as Web Master. The junior representative was Michael Varughese ’11 and the sophomore representative, Robert Moore ’12.
Ben Miles ‘10 and Brandon Bartell ’10 have been active in outreach and SPS events.
“Our Union chapter has been actively participating in departmental and college outreach programs and has been instrumental in boosting membership,” said Samuel Amanuel, the chapter’s faculty advisor. “ We are thrilled that the national organization has recognized our efforts.”