<p>One of my sons (graduating college senior) has been nominated to Sigma Xi, "The Scientific Research Society". I am not familiar with them at all. My son was not aware of them prior, either. (I have looked them up online, seems very reputable, just leaving no stone unturned by posting here.)</p>
<p>Thoughts, anyone? Any experiences with them?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>My daughter too just received an inivitaiton to Sigma Xi and I did a little investigation. Both her Grandfathers were members, nominated in graduate school (both have PhDs in science). My Dad says it is an honor to be nominated as an undergraduate (looking at the local chapter it looks like 1% of the Junior/Senior class get inducted each year).</p>
<p>It is a scientific honor society. I highly recommend it! Its not something you can just choose to join later.</p>
<p>Hi, randomdad, yes it’s a really nice honor to be elected as an undergrad! Congratulations to your son!</p>
<p>Sigma Xi is a group that elects graduate students and also faculty members (if not previously elected) on most campuses. I was actually elected after I was a tenured faculty member, and I have been an officer for a term in our local chapter. At my campus, Sigma Xi sponsors lectures by invited (eminent) speakers and a dinner, and gives an annual “junior” research award to a scientist under 40 plus a “senior” research award to a scientist over 40, awards to graduate students, and awards to scientific support staff (non-faculty Ph.D. holders). Nationally, Sigma Xi has a monthly journal/magazine that’s really pretty good–it’s not as glitzy as Scientific American, but on average it’s deeper (I think so, anyway). The articles tend to be longer than those in the journal Science, so they are quite useful for learning about important work outside one’s own field. (Also, I think the Sigma Xi journal has a cartoon monthly.) </p>
<p>I’d definitely recommend that your son go ahead and join. He must have been nominated for it by one of his research mentors–who values it.</p>
<p>My daughter was nominated to both honor societies of her major and minor; one is a national society the other international. She called me to tell me that the international society was charging $15 dues the first year and $30 after that so she wasn’t going to join!! I had to explain that to be a member of many societies there would be dues involved and to go ahead and pay them. She was mad that she would have the pay $15 to go to a dinner and get her cord!</p>
<p>Times like this is when I realize she still in my little girl :-)</p>
<p>Another reason to join: I think honor societies like Sigma Xi can be a plus when looking for those first jobs after college. Add it to the resume.</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone.</p>
<p>The magazine they put out, American Scientist, is one of my husband’s favorites. You don’t need to belong to have a subscription.</p>
<p>I went to George Mason and graduated Magna cum Laude with several honor societies. I’m a member of Sigma Xi. Most of them offer benefits like reduced car insurance rates and better credit card rates, but in all honesty I haven’t taken advantage of all that I could. I will say that I became close with many of the professors over the years, very smart men with years many years of academic experience and knowing who is reputable and who is not, and many of them are also members. I would have your son ask some of his most trusted and experienced professors. They have nothing to gain by offering false credit.</p>
<p>My spouse and I were named to Sigma Xi in grad school We subscribed to American Scientist for many years, although it usually ended up on the bottom of our pile of professional publications. We listed it on our vitae, but I don’t think we experienced any advantages to the membership. There wasn’t a chapter nearby that we could join. When we retired, we dropped the membership along with our other journal subscriptions. We’d rather invest the money in exotic travel!
But yes, it is a very reputable organization.</p>