News archives 2010-2021

Society of Physics Students recognized as outstanding chapter

January 13, 2021

Tanya Clayton
907-474-7541

The University of Alaska Fairbanks chapter of the Society of Physics Students has won an Outstanding Chapter Award from the organization's national office.

This is the fourth consecutive year the chapter has been recognized as a top-tier, student-led physical sciences organization. Less than 15% of SPS college and university chapters around the globe receive the award annually.

UAF Geophysical Institute photo by Sean Tevebaugh. Evans Callis, left, and Devon Gerstenfield, both with the UAF Society of Physics Students, install signs along Yukon Drive to create the Planet Walk in May 2019.
UAF Geophysical Institute photo by Sean Tevebaugh. Evans Callis, left, and Devon Gerstenfield, both with the UAF Society of Physics Students, install signs along Yukon Drive to create the Planet Walk in May 2019.


The Society of Physics Students is a professional association designed for students. Membership is open to anyone interested in physics and related fields.

The SPS chapter at UAF is advised by David Newman, professor of physics, and is led by student officers. The 2020-2021 officers are Evans Callis, president; Gabe Pier, vice president; Austin Cohen, treasurer; Skye Hart, secretary; and Jasmine Kobayashi, demo officer.

“We're honored to receive the Outstanding Chapter Award for our efforts again,” Callis said. “It’s fantastic to see UAF students being recognized at the national level for their amazing work.”

SPS chapters are evaluated on their level of interaction with the campus community, the professional physics community, the public and SPS national programs.

The SPS participates in outreach events and other activities throughout the year. These events include physics demonstrations at science open house events, educational presentations on the Fairbanks campus and talks in remote Alaska communities such as Fort Yukon and Yakutat.

Students from the SPS helped develop the UAF Planet Walk, a 1:4.4 billion scale model of the solar system that takes campus visitors on an approximately one mile walk through our solar system. The opening ceremony was co-hosted by the SPS and the Geophysical Institute Education Outreach Group this past fall. The students take pride in its availability to the public.

“This year has been a tough one, but I'm glad that we were able to do as much as we could for our community,” Pier said.

To learn more about the UAF Society of Physics Students, visit: https://engage.uaf.edu/organization/society-of-physics-students
To learn more about the UAF Planet Walk, visit: https://www.gi.alaska.edu/services/education-outreach/planet-walk.