The Society of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The National Honor Society for the Earth Sciences



Upcoming Deadlines

Advisors: Please check our Awards Page for changes to the James C. Walters Quality Chapter Award and Chapter Service Award Applications.

October 15-18, 2023 – GSA Connects 2023 See you in Pittsburgh, PA for one of the premier meetings in the geological Sciences. Visit our booth (914) and be sure to check out the student Poster Session Monday, October 16 AM Posters.

November 1, 2023 Deadline for submission of Fall 2023 Chapter Members Form (found at www.SGEearth.org > Officer Resources > Member Form). Be sure to include returning Life Members even if you only initiate new members in the Spring. This is a prerequisite for applying for the Quality Chapter Award

Academic Regalia for graduation. Please submit your orders for Honor Cord sets or Honor Stoles with 10 business days lead time so we may process the order. Regalia orders for more than one graduate will be shipped to the chapter advisor.



Spring 2023 Letter from the National President

Fall 2023 Letter from the National Secretary-Treasurer


2023 Awards

The National Council is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 W. A. Tarr Awards. These awards are presented by chapters to an outstanding student in the Earth Sciences. This year, 22 chapters announced recipients. Each recipient receives a certificate and cash award. Congratulations!
A list of this 2023 recipients is located HERE


Congratulations to our 2023 SGE – James C. Walters
Quality Chapter Award winners!

Gamma Sigma, University of Northern Iowa
Gamma Chi, Eastern Illinois University

Epsilon Omega, University of Texas at San Antonio

At the 2022 Biennial Convention, delegates voted to rename the Quality Chapter Award as the James C. Walters Quality Chapter Award. Dr. Jim Walters recently stepped down as National Secretary-Treasurer, but has held several National Offices, and served as advisor to the Gamma Sigma Chapter for many years. To qualify for this award, Chapters must regularly report returning and new members, and provide service to the community. These chapters exemplify the qualities described above and received a certificate and cash award. Congratulations!

Congratulations to our 2023 SGE Chapter Service Award winner!

Gamma Chi, Eastern Illinois University

The SGE Chapter Service Award is presented to chapters that exhibit exemplary service to their communities. Required service hours are based on the number of active members in the Fall semester. This year, Gamma Chi Chapter Eastern Illinois University) documented more than the required number of hours, in several different projects that included education and service.

Gamma Chi members working their Adopt-a-Highway section
Gamma Chi members “work the rocks” at Springfest 2023
BSA on CAMPus Scouting event on the campus of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois June 4-8, 2022. (Jay Grabiec)

Left: Scott Kilber presents his research to interested visiters

BSA on CAMPus scouting troup

Spring 2023 Letter from the National President

2023 Letter from the National Editor

Spring 2023 Letter from the National Secretary-Treasurer


SGE OUTSTANDING RESEARCH AWARDS

Geological Society of America CONNECTS 2022
SGE Student Research Exhibition (Technical Session 68)
Denver, CO | October 10, 2022

Audrey Bowman, Austin A. Sartin Award winner
Annabella Kennedy stands in front of her poster
Annabella Kennedy, Austin A. Sartin Award winner

Austin A. Sartin Award

The 2022 Austin A. Sartin Award was awarded to Audrey Bowman and Annabella Kennedy, two members of the Eta Xi Chapter at St. Lawrence University. Aubrey and Annabella were co-authors on two complementary poster presentations that reported on the use of dendrochronology techniques to evaluate slope-stability modeling in Alaska. Dr. Alexander Stewart, faculty advisor for the Eta Xi Chapter, is their research advisor. Audrey’s and Annablla’s abstracts are linked.


Kathyrn Bauman and Hannah Bates stand by their poster
Kathyrn Baumann and Hannah Bates,
Charles J. Mankin Award winners

Charles J. Mankin Award

The 2022 Charles J. Mankin Award was awarded to Kathyrn Baumann and Hannah Bates, two members of the Eta Sigma Chapter at Middle Tennessee State University. Kathryn and Hannah were co-authors on a poster presentation that reported on the use of petrological and geochemical techniques to determine potential protoliths for the metamorphic rocks exposed at Chunky Gal Mountain, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Dr. Warner Cribb, chapter advisor for Eta Sigma Chapter, is their research advisor. Their abstract is linked.


Thanks to SGE member Scott Beason, Park Geologist at Mount Rainier National Park, for serving as a guest judge. Plans are already underway for SGE’s poster session at the 2023 GSA annual meeting. Details will be provided on this site later in 2023. We hope to see you in Pittsburgh, PA!

(SGE is a GSA-Affiliated Society)


46th SGE Biennial Convention
Selmer, TN

(click on heading to visit the Convention Page)

September 16-18, 2022

SGE 46th Biennial Convention Group Photo. Delegates, alternates, national officers and guests.
L. S. Potter Photo

Hosted by Eta alpha Chapter, University of Tennessee, Martin September 16 through 18.  Delegates, national officers, alternates, and guests converged to conduct The Society’s business.

We visited a “type section” for the world famous Coon Creek Formation lagerstätte, a ~72 million year old fossil deposit that serves as Tennessee’s link to the Age of Dinosaurs.  Over 400 species of perfectly preserved fossil clams, snails, crabs, lobsters, swimming reptiles such as mosasaurs, turtles, fish, plesiosaurs, and even plant fossils are readily collected by visitors on the site.

Dr. Michael Gibson, University of Tennessee Martin, introduce the Coon Creek Deposit
Dr. Michael Gibson, University of Tennessee Martin, introduce the Coon Creek Deposit
L. S. Potter photo

After a rustic banquet dinner our featured speaker, Dr. Roy Van Arsdale, presented “The Geologic History of the Mississippi River.”  This was followed by presentations of honors and awards. Our evening culminated in a star party hosed by Dr. Lionel Crews, an Astronomy Professor at the University of Tennessee. During the festivities, student artists produced a “lasting” imprint of the Society’s presence at Coon Creek.

Cedar Plank with SGE convention logo
SGE student-artist leave their mark
Cedar plank with names of convention participants for display at Coon Creek Nature Center
Convention attendees leave their mark at Coon Creek

Please visit our Convention Highlights page!


Please address remaining convention questions and correspondence to Lee Potter, potter@sgeearth.org 319-505-3391


Congratulations to our 2022 SGE Quality Chapter Awards!

Gamma Sigma, University of Northern Iowa
Gamma Chi, Eastern Illinois University

Congratulations to our 2022 SGE Chapter Service Awards!

Gamma Sigma, University of Northern Iowa

Gamma Sigma students assist with prairie burning
Some Gamma Sigma members in the field

Gamma Chi, Eastern Illinois University

Gamma Chi students at work on their service project
One result of Gamma Chi service project


Eta Gamma, Weber State University



Website modifications

Welcome to our remodeled website here at SGEearth.org!
We are working hard to fully transition to this domain. Some of your old links may not work.

If you find a link on this site that does not function properly, please contact the Webmaster at admin@SGEearth.org.

Please watch the site as we continue to evolve in Fall of 2022!


Our mailing address has changed. Please contact Lee Potter, admin@SGEearth.org with questions or concerns.