Sigma Xi was founded in 1886 as an honor society for science and engineering. Today, it is an international research society whose programs and activities promote the health of the scientific enterprise and honor scientific achievement. There are nearly 75,000 Sigma Xi members in over 500 chapters at colleges and universities, industrial research centers and government laboratories. The Society has its headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

In addition to honoring scientific achievement, Sigma Xi also endeavors to encourage support of original work in science and technology and promote an appreciation within society at large for the role research has played in human progress. During its centennial celebration in 1986, Sigma Xi adopted an additional mission: to foster worldwide interactions among science, technology and society.

Membership
Membership in Sigma Xi is by invitation. Those who have shown potential as researchers are invited to join as associate members. Full membership is conferred upon those who have demonstrated noteworthy achievements in research. Each year the Society initiates nearly 5,000 new members. Over the course of the Society's distinguished history, nearly 200 members have won the Nobel Prize and many more have earned election to the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering.

Sigma Xi Chapters
Sigma Xi has more than 500 chapters in North America and around the world. Truly a grass-roots organization, Sigma Xi boasts an array of chapter activities that have noticeable impact not only at the local level, but at the national and international levels as well. The interdisciplinary nature of Sigma Xi chapters allows members to unite with colleagues and to address a range of issues that bridge the disciplines.

Programs and Activities
Sigma Xi hosts an array of programs and activities. Many are administered directly through more than 500 local chapters. There are many long-standing programs of the Society, which continue to be central to the Societyís overall mission. These include American Scientist magazine, the 75 year old Grants-in-Aid of Research Program, a number of prestigious prizes and awards, and the college of Distinguished Lecturers. In conjunction with most annual meetings of the Society, Sigma Xi sponsors a forum on topics of critical importance to science and society. In addition, the growing portfolio of Sigma Xi programs include newer offerings that capitalize on the Societyís unique strengths and characteristics, such as the Media Resource Service and the Science Advocacy Program. Plans are under way for a research center to bring together scientists from various disciplines to study topical issues. This institute would be housed in the new Sigma Xi headquarters to be built in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Three initial areas of focus are science education and the public understanding of science, ethics and values in research, and the health of the research enterprise.
 

This information was obtained from the National Sigmz Xi website.