Honors and Recognitions for Undergraduate Research

Sigma Xi

Sigma Xi — The Scientific Research Honor Society was founded in 1886 at Cornell University. Sigma Xi was designed to reward excellence in scientific research and to encourage a sense of companionship and cooperation among scientists in all fields. 

Today, Sigma Xi has nearly 60,000 members in over 500 chapters internationally. Sigma Xi chapters are found wherever scientific research is undertaken in universities, colleges, industrial research facilities and government laboratories. Undergraduates, with research experience, may be inducted into Sigma Xi through sponsorship by an existing member. Student members can apply for grants-in-aid of research or participate in the annual student online showcase.

The Charlotte Chapter of Sigma Xi, newly reinstated in 2024, seeks to bring together intellectual communities who share an interest in science and technology not merely as technical achievements, but as significant ideas. To that end, we welcome members who recognize the many intersections of science, technology, and culture whether in philosophy, history, sociology, or literature (to name a few disciplines).

For additional information about membership in Sigma Xi, the annual conference, annual student online showcase, or grants-in-aid of research, or simply about the Charlotte Chapter, please visit the Chapter site.

Undergraduate Research Scholar Badge

Experiential Learning through research builds professional skills and prepares students for diverse careers. Students who engage deeply in research in and out of the classroom for an extended period of time demonstrate competencies in several skill areas that develop career readiness. Through the research cycle, students learn how to ask relevant research questions, design approaches to test their ideas, analyze data, draw conclusions or inferences from data, and revise their ideas based on evidence and feedback.  Students develop research literacy in the field while strengthening communication, critical thinking, problem solving, collaborative, leadership, professionalism, and self-awareness skills.

The Undergraduate Research Scholar badge demonstrates that a student has developed professional skills through engaging in deep, meaningful mentored research within a discipline. The Badge recognizes the efforts and contributions of the student in the process of discovery, investigation, and innovation beyond the baccalaureate degree.

To learn more about the Undergraduate Research Scholar Badge and to apply click here.