Honors Societies

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society 

Established in 2011, The Honor Society recognizes outstanding students, alumni, faculty, and staff while being the most selective multidisciplinary honor society for students who depict exceptional academic and personal excellence. 

Membership in the society is by invite only. Invitations are made to students in the fall, with one induction ceremony taking place in the late fall semester. For more details, check out the UTD Phi Kappa Phi Chapter bylaws.

Why Phi Kappa Phi?

• Highly selective membership. Only 7.5% of second-semester juniors and top 10% of seniors and graduate students get this opportunity
• Academic Recognition. It’s more than a line on your resume but a stamp of excellence
• Extensive Global Community. Be able to network with 1.5 million people.
• Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants are available. 

About Phi Kappa Phi

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest, largest, and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Its chapters are on more than 300 campuses in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. 

To learn all about the society, visit the national Phi Kappa Phi site.

Chapter Officers

Interim President: Dr. Douglas Dow
Vice President for Scholarships, Awards & Grants: Dr. Douglas Dow
Treasurer: Dr. Eva LaDow
Secretary: Aurora Becerra
Student Vice President: Tiffany Page Carter (graduate)
Founding President: Dr. Denise Boots

Phi Kappa Phi Contact Information

Email: phikappaphi@utdallas.edu

Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society

The UT Dallas chapter of Sigma Xi was chartered in 1983 to honor excellence in scientific investigation and encourage a sense of companionship and cooperation among researchers in all fields of science and engineering in the North Texas area.

Why Sigma Xi?

• Invitation to on campus and regional conferences and symposia.
• Access to the Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research (GIAR) program. The program awards grants of up to $1,000 to students from all areas of the sciences and engineering, grants of up to $5,000 for astronomy research, and $2,500 for vision related research.
• Complimentary subscription to American Scientist, an illustrated bi-monthly publication about science, engineering and technology
• Access to Sigma Xi SmartBrief, a free daily e-newsletter of science in the news, and The Lab, a members-only professional collaboration platform.

Membership Eligibility 

Membership in the society is by invitation and requires nomination by two Sigma Xi members. 

• Full membership: An individual who has shown noteworthy achievement as an original investigator in a field of pure or applied science is eligible for election to full membership. This noteworthy achievement must be evidenced by publication as the primary author (defined in the manner appropriate to the discipline) on at least two different articles published in a refereed journal, patents or refereed monographs. Dissertations and theses alone are not considered sufficient for demonstration of this achievement and must be accompanied by at least two other publications.
• Associate membership: An individual who has conducted independent investigation and written a report concerning their research is eligible for election to associate membership. This initial research achievement can be in a field of pure or applied science. The individual is expected to later achieve the requirements for full membership.
• Promotion to full membership: Associate members may be promoted to full membership once they satisfy the full membership qualifications.

If interested in joining the UT Dallas Chapter of Sigma Xi, please contact one of the chapter officers.

Membership Dues

• Student dues ($30) are for any full-time, degree-seeking student at an institution of higher learning.
• Transitional dues ($45) are for any member who has completed their degree within the last three years.
• Emeritus dues ($60) are for a member who is retired and at least 65 years old, and has paid dues for the immediate preceding 10 years, or is retired and has paid dues for the preceding 30 years.
• Regular dues ($90) are required of all other Sigma Xi members.
• There are also small annual chapter dues to defray UT Dallas chapter expenses. The membership period is July 1 to June 30 of each year.