Alpha Nu Sigma Explained

Alpha Nu Sigma
Letters:	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΑΝΣ
Coat Of Arms:	File:The_symbol_of_Alpha_Nu_Sigma.png
Affiliation:	Independent
Status:	Active
Type:	Honor society
Emphasis:	Nuclear energy
Scope:	National
Motto:	Energy Newly Born Through Wisdom
Chapters:	25
Lifetime:	4,100
Nicknames:	-->
Address:	c/o American Nuclear Society 555 N. Kensington Ave.
City:	La Grange Park
State:	Illinois
Zip Code:	60526-5592
Country:	United States

Alpha Nu Sigma (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΑΝΣ) is an American nuclear engineering honor society affiliated with the American Nuclear Society. Alpha Nu Sigma was established to "recognize high scholarship, integrity, and potential achievement among outstanding degree-seeking nuclear engineering students at institutions of higher learning".^[1] As of fall 2021, there are 18 active chapters and approximately 2,000 members nationwide.^[2]

History

Alpha Nu Sigma National Honor Society was established by the American Nuclear Society on June 5, 1979.^[2] Alpha Nu Sigma quickly grew in size, obtaining 17 chapters and 320 members by its third anniversary in June 1982. By the end of 1985, Alpha Nu Sigma had grown to 23 chapters and 920 members. The Chernobyl disaster occurred in 1986, and growth of the society has struggled since that event.

Symbols

The motto of Alpha Nu Sigma is "Energy Newly Born Through Wisdom".^[2] The symbol of Alpha Nu Sigma contains "three ellipses representing electron orbits surrounding a nucleus of protons and neutrons" with the Greek letters of the society superimposed.^[2]

Membership

Membership selection criteria for Alpha Nu Sigma are outlined in the national honor society's constitution.^[2] The criteria are summarized as follows:

• Candidates for membership must be enrolled in a program to pursue an academic degree in an applied-nuclear-science, nuclear-engineering, or nuclear-engineering option curriculum.
• Juniors shall be eligible if they rank in the top quarter of their peer group.
• Seniors and graduate students shall be eligible if they rank in the top third of their peer group.
• Faculty members shall also be eligible for membership.
• Honorary membership may be awarded to individuals who have made "exemplary contributions in the field of nuclear science and engineering that have had seminal permanent impact nationally or internationally".

Chapters

As of fall 2021, the following table lists the chapters of Alpha Nu Sigma.

scope=col	Institution	scope=col	State	scope=col	Status	scope=col class=unsortable	References
scope=row	Excelsior University	New York	Active	^[3] ^[4]
scope=row		Georgia	Inactive
scope=row		Idaho	Inactive
scope=row		Kansas	Active
scope=row		Massachusetts	Active	^[5]
scope=row		Missouri	Active	^[6]
scope=row		North Carolina	Active	^[7]
scope=row		Ohio	Active
scope=row		Oregon	Active
scope=row		Pennsylvania	Active	^[8]
scope=row		Indiana	Active	^[9]
scope=row		New York	Active
scope=row		South Carolina	Active	^[10]
scope=row		Texas	Active	^[11]
scope=row		New York	Active	^[12]
scope=row		Maryland	Active
scope=row		California	Inactive	^[13]
scope=row		Florida	Inactive	^[14]
scope=row		Illinois	Active
scope=row		Maryland	Inactive
scope=row		Massachusetts	Inactive	^[15]
scope=row		Michigan	Active	^[16]
scope=row		New Mexico	Active
scope=row		Tennessee	Active	^[17]
scope=row		Texas	Inactive
scope=row		Utah	Inactive
scope=row		Wisconsin	Inactive
scope=row		Virginia	Inactive

Honorary members

As of spring 2020, the following table lists notable honorary members of Alpha Nu Sigma.

scope=col	Name	scope=col	Sponsor	scope=col	Year	scope=col class=unsortable	Notes	scope=col class=unsortable	Ref(s)
scope=row		Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1982	align=left	Chairman of the advisory committee to the United States Atomic Energy Commission (1958–1968); known for his work on the Manhattan Project	^[18]
scope=row		New Jersey Institute of Technology	1984	align=left	Professor of physics at California Institute of Technology (1966–2002); known for studying the behavior of neutrons in reactors
scope=row		University of Florida	2000	align=left	Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (2003–2006)
scope=row		University of Michigan	1986	align=left	President of the University of Michigan (1988–1996)
scope=row		New Jersey Institute of Technology	1983	align=left	Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (1977–1981); president of the American Nuclear Society (1984–1985)
scope=row		University of Arizona	1993	align=left	Director of the Argonne National Laboratory (1956–1961); known as the man who stood ready with an axe to cut the scram line during the start-up of Chicago Pile-1
scope=row		Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	1983	align=left	Pioneered the theory and design of nuclear power plants
scope=row		New Jersey Institute of Technology	1983	align=left	Pioneer in nuclear power safety research; director of reactor safety research at the United States Atomic Energy Commission in the early 1970s
scope=row		Iowa State University	1983	align=left	Directed the development of the CANDU reactor
scope=row		National Officers	1991	align=left	Vice Chief of Naval Operations (1977–1979); Commander of the United States Pacific Command (1979–1983)
scope=row		Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1985	align=left	Professor of nuclear engineering at MIT; known for his work in plasma physics and fusion power
scope=row		University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign	1991	align=left	Pioneer of solid state physics; president of the United States National Academy of Sciences (1962–1969)
scope=row		Iowa State University	1983	align=left	Founded the Electric Power Research Institute
scope=row		Kansas State University	1989	align=left	Known as "the father of the hydrogen bomb" through the application of the Teller-Ulam design

See also

• American Nuclear Society

External links

• Official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Alpha Nu Sigma National Honor Society . . May 25, 2020.
2. Web site: Alpha Nu Sigma National Honor Society Constitution . . May 25, 2020.
3. Web site: Alpha Nu Sigma National Honor Society . . November 7, 2021.
4. Web site: Kerwin . Jenna . August 8, 2017 . Business and Technology Students Inducted Into Honor Societies . . May 25, 2020.
5. Web site: Alpha Nu Sigma Honor Society . . May 25, 2020.
6. Web site: Alpha Nu Sigma . . May 25, 2020.
7. Web site: Department of Nuclear Engineering . May 17, 2019 . Celebrating NC State's 2018–19 Nuclear Engineering Graduating Class . . May 25, 2020.
8. Web site: Alpha Nu Sigma Society . . May 25, 2020.
9. Web site: Alpha Nu Sigma . . May 25, 2020.
10. Web site: SCSU Alpha Nu Sigma Honor Society . . May 25, 2020.
11. Web site: Department of Nuclear Engineering – Student Organizations . . May 25, 2020.
12. Web site: Cadet Honor Societies . . May 25, 2020.
13. Web site: Teams and Organizations – Honorary Organizations . . May 25, 2020.
14. Web site: Student Organizations – Honorary, Professional, and Technical Organizations . . May 25, 2020.
15. Web site: Current Students – Student Societies . . May 25, 2020.
16. Web site: Alpha Nu Sigma Society at the University of Michigan . . May 25, 2020.
17. Web site: Department of Nuclear Engineering – Student Societies . 25 August 2016 . . May 25, 2020.
18. Web site: Honorary Members of Alpha Nu Sigma National Honor Society . . May 25, 2020.