The International Professional Honor Society For Materials Science And Engineering

Welcome to the Alpha Sigma Mu website!

PURPOSE

Alpha Sigma Mu is the International Professional Honor Society for Materials Science and Engineering designed to recognize outstanding students in these programs who attain high rank in scholarship and who possess to a high degree the qualities of exemplary integrity, leadership and initiative.

By this recognition and by establishing high standards for ethical conduct and emphasizing the obligation each of these students has to contribute to the well-being of fellow humans, this society promotes the overall best interest of this profession.

HISTORY

Alpha Sigma Mu was established in 1932 by the faculty of the Metallurgical Engineering Department of the Michigan College of Mining and Technology. In the next few years, chapters were established at the University of Illinois and Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

Low college enrollments during World War II curtailed activity, and the small core of active members in the post-war years found it difficult to promote the expansion of the society.

In 1956, the national officers of Alpha Sigma Mu approached the American Society for Metals as to ASM's willingness to assume the business management of the society. A careful study was made of the society's potentials and the need of the profession for such an organization. These factors were considered in light of metallurgy's importance and the possible influence upon metallurgical education by society chapters in the separate schools. The American Society for Metals agreed that both the potential and the possible influence on education were sufficiently important to justify their active interest in and support of the society's efforts to expand its activities.

In 1957, the American Society for Metals assumed the business management of the society, and the constitution was revised to define the national officers of Alpha Sigma Mu as the same individuals who served as the national officers of ASM. The Board of Trustees of the American Society for Metals simultaneously served as Trustees of Alpha Sigma Mu.

Under the stimulus of this direction, the society grew rapidly in size and prestige. During the 1962-63 academic year, for instance, approximately 300 new members were added to the rolls. By the end of 1963, the total number of chapters reached seventeen. The stability of the society seemed assured, and the administration was returned to the society itself, although the American Society for Metals pledged continued financial support as it might be needed during the first few years of self-government. At that time, recognizing the trend in the Universities and Industry, the constitution of the society was altered to include Materials Engineering. The society, indeed, has continued this pattern of growth, and in May 1978 had a total of 33 chapters and is growing at the rate of about 200 new members each year.

In 1965, Alpha Sigma Mu became a member of the Association of College Honor Societies.

In 1972, the constitution of the society was revised again to be in accord with the requirements of its expanding membership and activities.

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Regular Member: A Regular Member, at the time of his election, shall be an outstanding student, possessing the qualities of integrity, leadership and initiative, at a college or university and in a curriculum both having been approved by the Board of Trustees of the Society.

Honorary Member: An Honorary Member shall have achieved high standing in the metallurgical, metallurgical engineering, materials science or material engineering professions either through academic, research, or industrial activity.

Distinguished Life Member: Distinguished Life Member is Alpha Sigma Mu's highest honor. A Distinguished Life Member shall have served over a long career the Profession and/or the Society and shall have established an international recognition for his/her service.

ELIGIBILITY OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FOR ELECTION

(a) To be eligible for election as a Regular Member, an undergraduate student shall be of Junior or Senior status and shall have completed at least nine semester credit hours or the equivalent in his/her major area.

(b) He/she shall be in the cumulative upper one-third (1/3) scholastically of all students working toward a degree in the pertinent curriculum or degree granting unit.

(c) He/she shall be recommended to the secretary of the local chapter or to the National Secretary of the Society, if no local chapter exists, by a faculty member who is a member of the Society.

ELIGIBILITY OF GRADUATE STUDENTS FOR ELECTION

To be eligible for election as a Regular Member, a graduate student shall be recommended to the secretary of the local chapter or to the National Secretary, if no local chapter exists, by a faculty member who is a member of the Society. He/she shall have completed nine hours or its equivalent at the graduate level.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS

(a) A qualified candidate may be elected as a Regular Member (1) by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at a chapter meeting and should include the unanimous vote of all faculty members present who are Alpha Sigma Mu members, or (2) by the National Secretary of the Society if no local chapter exists.

(b) Honorary Members shall be elected by a majority affirmative vote of the Board of Trustees after recommendation by any member or chapter of the Society, said recommendation to be accompanied by a documentation supporting the candidate' s nomination.

(c) Distinguished Life Members shall be nominated only by a member of the Board of Trustees, and elected by a unanimous vote of the Board.