Alpha Chi Sigma


Alpha Chi Sigma is a professional fraternity specializing in the fields of the chemical sciences. It has both collegiate and professional chapters throughout the United States consisting of both men and women and numbering more than 70,000 members. The fraternity aims to bring together students and professionals pursuing a wide variety of chemistry-related careers.

History

Founding

The Alpha Chi Sigma fraternity was organized at the University of Wisconsin–Madison by a group of undergraduates who were fellow students in chemistry at that time. Later documents set the date of founding as December 11, 1902. The original founders were:
The seven symbols that stretch the length of the coat of arms are the "seven metals of the Ancients": gold, silver, iron, mercury, tin, copper, and lead. These symbols correspond to planets, gods, and days of the week.

Purpose

The Three Objects of Alpha Chi Sigma:
  1. To bind its members with a tie of true and lasting friendship.
  2. To strive for the advancement of chemistry both as a science and as a profession.
  3. To aid its members by every honorable means in the attainment of their ambitions as chemists throughout their mortal lives.
The Five Obligations of a Member:
  1. That a member will remember the Objects of the Fraternity and endeavor always to further them.
  2. That a member will pay promptly all financial obligations.
  3. That a member will so act so as never to be a reproach to Alpha Chi Sigma.
  4. That a member will cheerfully fulfill any assigned fraternal tasks.
  5. That a member will maintain as satisfactory a scholastic record as possible.

    Membership

Membership to the Alpha Chi Sigma professional fraternity in the chemical sciences is open to collegiate and professional men and women with a strong interest in any of the chemical sciences related fields. Membership is for life. Those who are interested in becoming a member should contact their local collegiate chapter or professional chapter or group for further information about pledgeship and membership.

Famous Members

Nobel Prize in Chemistry

"for his contributions to our knowledge of molecular structure through his investigations on dipole moments and on the diffraction of X-rays and electrons in gases."
"for discoveries in the chemistry of the transuranium elements."
"for his research into the nature of the chemical bond and its application to the elucidation of the structure of complex substances."
"for his work on biochemically important sulphur compounds, especially for the first synthesis of a polypeptide hormone."
"for his method to use carbon-14 for age determination in archaeology, geology, geophysics, and other branches of science."
"for the discovery of the reciprocal relations bearing his name, which are fundamental for the thermodynamics of irreversible processes."
"for his fundamental achievements, both theoretical and experimental, in the physical chemistry of the macromolecules."
"for his studies on the structure of boranes illuminating problems of chemical bonding."
"for development of the use of boron-containing compounds into important reagents in organic synthesis."
"for his development of methodology for chemical synthesis on a solid matrix."
"for developing new ways to synthesize complex molecules ordinarily found in nature."
"for his contributions to the theory of electron transfer reactions in chemical systems."
"for the discovery and development of conductive polymers"
"for palladium-catalyzed cross couplings in organic synthesis"

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

"for his discovery of the chemical nature of vitamin K."
"for discovery that genes act by regulating definite chemical events."
"for interpretation of the genetic code and its functions in protein synthesis."
"for discoveries of Important Principles for Drug Treatment."
"for their discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging"

Nobel Prize in Physics

"for pioneering contributions to astrophysics, in particular for the detection of cosmic neutrinos."

Nobel Prize in Peace

"for warning of the dangers of radioactive fallout in nuclear weapons testing and war."

Priestley Medal

Professional chapters and groups