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ASU Physics Honor Society Inductions/Honors

April 16, 2012

Angelo State University’s student chapter of the Sigma Pi Sigma physics national honor society will add seven new members and honor three retired faculty at its induction ceremony on Friday, April 20, in the Vincent Nursing-Physical Science Building.

This year’s ceremony has been expanded to a banquet format to honor the retired faculty as well as induct new members into Sigma Pi Sigma.  The ASU chapter was awarded a $500 grant by the Sigma Pi Sigma national office to help pay for the event. 

The ASU students being inducted into the honor society are Brandon Seth Cavness, Vikesh Desai, Daniel Gonzales, Jeremy Johnson, Blake McCracken, Dawn Olivia Popnoe and David To. 

Retired faculty Dr. H. Ray Dawson, distinguished professor of physics emeritus; Dr. David H. Loyd, distinguished professor of physics emeritus; and Dr. C. Varren Parker, professor of physics emeritus, will be presented with Sigma Pi Sigma Outstanding Service Awards.  The trio is credited with helping to build and expand the ASU Physics Department into a nationally recognized program. 

Dawson was an ASU physics faculty member from 1966-2003, and spent 22 of those years as head of the Physics Department.  In 2007, the ASU Alumni Association selected him for its Outstanding Retired Faculty Award. 

An ASU physics faculty member from 1969-95 and 2007-08, Loyd also served as dean of the College of Sciences from 1996-2006.  He was the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award winner for 2007. 

Parker served on the ASU physics faculty from 1966-2004.  He won the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award in 1998 and the Outstanding Retired Faculty Award in 2008. 

Founded in 1921, Sigma Pi Sigma is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies.  Its mission is to honor outstanding scholarship in physics; encourage interest in physics among students at all levels; promote an attitude of service for its members toward their fellow students, colleagues and the public; and provide a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics.  Its 75,000 members enjoy lifetime memberships.