This year the Sigma Pi Sigma (SPS)

Physics Honors Society together with the Society of Physics Students (SPS) will host 2025 Physics and Astronomy Congress in downtown Denver Colorado on Oct 30-Nov 1. The Congress is the world’s largest conference for undergraduates interested in physics and astronomy. Supported by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) this event is expected to bring more than 1200 undergraduates, some alumni and faculty, and established scientists and leaders in physics and astronomy for three days of exciting physics, professional development and career guidance workshops, direct interaction with renowned scientists and Nobel Laureates, tours of physics research centers in Denver metro area, and networking. 

This year’s conference is 18^th Congress of the Sigma Pi Sigma since it first convened in 1928 on the campus of Davidson College. This unique event grew from a gathering a few chapters to tri-annual modern congresses that bring together thousands of physics and astronomy undergraduates from hundreds of institutions. The theme of 2025 congress is “Σupporting our Πhase Σhifts” and its goal is to help physics and astronomy students to shift into the next phase of their career, independent of what it is.

The highlights of the 2025 Congress include five plenaries with outstanding plenary speakers (Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Eric Cornell, Sara Horst, Donnel Walton, Juliane Polard-Larkin), seven tours  (NIST, NREL, NOAA, USAFA, Colorado School of Mines, UC Boulder, Colorado State), 17 workshops (e.g. Resume Clinic, National Lab Panel, Physics Outreach, Be a Shark, Grad School Panel, Careers in Sustainability, Climate Physics,  Science Communication, Physics for Humans, Medical Physics Panel, etc.), two poster sessions with art exhibits, one chapter showcase, one graduate school fair, and one dance party  (for details see: https://students.aip.org/congress). 

CSU’s chapter of SPS has sent three delegations of CSU students to the last three Congresses. Each delegation had a direct monetary support from CSU Physics alumni and friends (Thank you very much from the bottom of our hearts!). Most of CSU students that participated in the previous congresses (2016, 2019, and 2022) have described them as a life-changing experiences!

In 2016, eight undergraduates (C. Gunder, D. Terrano, I. Tzuper, S. Tietjen, T. Dobrila, D. Adams, W. Myers, C. Tolbert), two graduate students (J. Flaherty, A. Smith), and Dr. S attended the 15^th Congress themed “Unifying Fields” in San Fransisco, CA. The team toured together Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), listened to plenaries by distinguished scientists (James Gates, Patrick Brady, Jocelyn Bell Burnel, Eric Cornell, Persis Drell) and took pictures with them, participated in workshops, went to a graduate school fair, presented five research posters (won an award for Ilona’s!), Samantha Tietjen with Drace Adams and Cameron Tolbert wrote an article about SLAC tour for the Radiations magazine  https://students.aip.org/radiations/slac-touring-the-eighth-wonder-of-the-world) and, we all explored San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Russian Hill, Cable cars, Ghirardelli Square, the Fisherman’s Wharf.

In 2019, seven undergraduates (S. Tietjen, A. Scherer, T. Lincheck, M. Alberto, Z. Almusawi, J. Thompson, R. Livellara) and Dr. S went to 16^th Congress themed “Making Waves and Breaking Boundaries” in Providence RI. The team split to tour various sites (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Optikos company, and Naval Submarine Base in New London, CT), attended the plenary sessions (by John Mather, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Ellen Williams, Sandeep Giri, Jami Valentine Miller) and asked questions there, went through several workshops, got inspired by demos done by Bill Phillips (Physics Nobel Laureate) at Brown University (which led to the successful Marsh White proposal for outreach by CSU’s Andrew Scherer presented five research posters, had a table at the SPS chapter showcase, and, of course, explored both Boston and downtown Providence. Providence. https://www.spsnational.org/awards/marsh-w-white-outreach-award/2021/cleveland-state-university

In 2022, six undergraduates (P. Herron, J. Miller, C. Douglas, J. Forester, J. Stefanov, J. Tomaras) and Dr. S participated in the 17^th Congress “100 Years of Momentum” that celebrated 100 years of Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honors Society in Washington DC. The team split to tour various sites (NASA Goddard, University of Maryland, Green Bank Observatory – read a reflection about this trip by Jordan Miller with Patick Herron in the Spring 2024 SPS Observer:  https://students.aip.org/observer/a-night-at-green-bank-observatory), listened to great plenaries (by James Gates, Eric Cornell, John Mather, Sara Horst, Juliane Polard-Larkin, K. Renee Horton, Rush Holt Jr), presented six research posters, attended workshops, highlighted our chapter at the SPS chapter showcase, enjoyed the centennial party, and, of course, had a great bonding experience exploring national monuments in Washington, DC.

All three trips (2016, 2019, 2022) to the Sigma Pi Sigma Congresses were made possible by donations from CSU physics alumni and friends (most coming from through the CSU’s Giving Day Fundraising). Thank you very much for making these life-changing experiences possible for CSU Students!!!

Additional help came from the National SPS, CSU’s Student Government Association, CSU’s College of Sciences and Health Professions, and CSU’s Physics Department. 

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TOWARDS 2025 PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY CONGRESS in DENVER, COLORADO