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National Recognition for ASU Student Physics Group

March 02, 2010

The national Society of Physics Students (SPS) has once again designated the Angelo State University SPS chapter an Outstanding Chapter, ranking it in the top 10 percent of society chapters nationwide for the 2008-09 academic year.

The ASU group has received this award for eight consecutive years and is currently one of only three “outstanding chapters” in Texas. The award is based on a chapter’s physics research, community outreach activities, physics tutoring programs, the number of active members and involvement with national physics communities through internships and organizational meetings.

Supporting comments by SPS Zone 13 councilors about the ASU program state, “The Angelo State SPS chapter’s ‘Peer Pressure’ physics outreach program is truly a model to be emulated.”

ASU chapter activities were spearheaded by the Peer Pressure Team’s “Physics on the Road” program that features physics demonstration visits to local and area schools. Chapter members also participated in ASU Science Days, judged local school science fairs, marched in the Homecoming parade and participated in campus summer orientation (SOAR) programs.

Members also put a scientific spin on their annual Thanksgiving canned food drive, the Can Roll, by using the cans to demonstrate physical properties like gravity and friction.

There are about 100 physics majors at ASU. Weekly SPS meetings usually attract 30-40 participants and attendance is on the rise.

“The ASU SPS is a very active group on campus and provides a strong sense of community for physics students,” said Dr. Toni Sauncy, associate professor of physics and the group’s faculty adviser. “We are one of the most active chapters in the nation. It is my pleasure to be associated with these young people.”