(Above: Learn more about our human Newton's Cradle project.)
The Rhodes College chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) is comprised of students who share an interest in physics and love sharing their enthusiasm for science with others. The Society of Physics Students is a professional association explicitly designed for students, and governed by a national council of physics faculty and students under the organization of the American Institute of Physics. Rhodes College also maintains a chapter of Sigma Pi Sigma, the Physics honor society.
The Rhodes chapter of SPS is proud to have received the SPS Outstanding Chapter Award every year since 1999. It has received many other awards from the national office over the years, including the Marsh W. White Award to support outreach activities, the SPS Chapter Research Award to support student research projects, the Future Faces of Physics Award, and the Blake Lilly Prize in recognition of outreach programs. Individual members have been selected as SPS summer interns and received SPS Leadership Awards and the SPS Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Research. Rhodes' SPS chapter advisor, Dr. Brent Hoffmeister, received the SPS Outstanding Chapter Advisor Award in 2011.
Events
The Rhodes SPS chapter is well-known for its many on-campus and community events. Annual favorites include such things as the Pumpkin Drop, Egg Drop, Physics Formal, Rites to Play, and many more. If you've never attended a dueling Tesla coil concert or played a Theremin through a Tesla coil, you're missing out! SPS also loves doing outreach at local schools, which usually involves fun demos.
Chapter Meetings
Friends, physics, pizza, opportunities to get involved in cool activities! What more could you ask for? Meetings are usually held biweekly. Follow SPS on social media or join the mailing list to be notified (email SPS at rhodessps@gmail.com).
Join Us!
Joining SPS is easy. Just show up at the meetings and participate, and join SPS national here. The chapter hosts a membership meeting at the beginning of each school year where you can sign up. Being part of SPS national gives you some great opportunities, like applying for amazing national SPS summer internships, SPS scholarship opportunities, leadership opportunities with the SPS National Council, chances to attend national conferences, your very own subscription to Physics Today and The SPS Observer. The physics department will pay your membership fee!
Stay Informed!
Follow RhodesSPS on Instagram @Rhodes.SPS and join the Rhodes SPS Facebook group to stay up-to-date on what's going on. If you have questions, or you would like to be added to the email list, please email rhodessps@gmail.com.