2022 Student Achievements

Dear Everyone,

Many thanks to all who were able to come to Friday’s Sigma Pi Sigma banquet and celebrate our students’ many accomplishments over the past year.  It was wonderful to be able to do this again in person!  Here is a brief overview for those who could not be there.

• Alex Driehaus and Isaiah Beauchamp described recent activities of the Society of Physics Students as we’ve emerged from the pandemic, including the Physics Olympics, SkySciFest, trebuchet outreach demonstrations, and a trip to Huntsville.
• Jordyn Hurley introduced the new Women in Physics club, which seeks to recruit and retain female and other underrepresented physics majors.  WiP has already begun holding its own journal club, meeting with seminar speakers, and helping with departmental outreach efforts.
• Isaiah Alvarez highlighted activities of the recently-revived Hilltopper Astronomy Club, which has held events like International Observe the Moon Night, imaging November’s lunar eclipse, and public  observing of the Sun at SkySciFest.
• Dr. Terzic presented this year’s Quantum Leap Achievement Award to rising physics majors Isaiah Alvarez, Jake Boils, William Brunt, Hudson Harner, Chloe Jones, and Galilea Ochoa-Vinalay, who are all transitioning to upper-level courses and advising tailored to their professional interests.
• Dr. Novikov presented this year’s Departmental awards: [more details]
  • Jordyn Hurley (George V. and Sadie Skiles Page Award for Excellence in Scholarship)
  • Isaiah Beauchamp (Dr. Randall Harper Award for Outstanding Research)
  • Jordyn Hurley (Dr. Douglas Humphrey Award for Outstanding Service)
• Sebastian Miracle gave an overview of the History of Sigma Pi Sigma at WKU.
• Dr. Bonham gave a rousing Charge to New Sigma Pi Sigma members on the theme of “identity”.
• I presented this year’s Sigma Pi Sigma inductees: Isaiah Beauchamp, Jake Boils, William Brunt, Hudson Harner, Austin Lobe, Sebastian Miracle, Ethan Poore, and Philip Waymeyer.  This year’s group is the largest since 1991!  [see roster]
• Dr. Harper outlined departmental scholarships granted in the past academic year, including the Department of Physics & Astronomy Scholarship to Travis Oliver, the George and Sadie Page Scholarship to Isaiah Beauchamp and Simon Shepard, the Paul Campbell Scholarship to Sebastian Miracle, the Dr. Robert Hall Scholarship to Isaiah Beauchamp, the Randall Harper Scholarship to Jordyn Hurley, the Madole Family Fund Scholarship to Ethan Poore, the George C. Moore Scholarship to Philip Waymeyer, the Dr. Marvin Russell Scholarship to Isaiah Alvarez, and the Sarah and Mark Rogers Scholarship to Alex Driehaus and Jordyn Hurley.
• Dr. Terzic announced our graduating physics majors: Alexandra Driehaus, Jordyn Hurley, and Philip Waymeyer in May 2022 and William Poteet in December 2022.
• Alex Driehaus introduced the SPS officers for 2022-2023: President Isaiah Beauchamp, Vice President Sebastian Miracle, Treasurer Galilea Ochoa-Vinalay, and Secretary Isaiah Alvarez.  We all expressed our gratitude to the outgoing officers for their efforts to sustain the club over the past two years!
• Isaiah Beauchamp sketched out his vision for the SPS in the coming year: more of everything! 

Please join me in congratulating our fine students on their many accomplishments.  Best wishes to everyone for a safe and relaxing summer break!

Steven Gibson