Up in New England where our office is located, the days are getting shorter and the weather is much colder. The rainy day today got us thinking about Chi Epsilon Pi, the honor society for students who dedicate themselves to the study of meteorology! 

Chi Epsilon Pi is a national honor society celebrating students who excel in meteorology/atmospheric sciences. Founded in 1951 at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) “as a means for awarding distinction to students who have high scholastic ability and promise of achievement to meteorology; and to promote student interest in advanced study of meteorology and related sciences.”

While the organization has reached national honor society status, its criteria for membership is not defined and varies by chapter and often operates as a club. Several chapters combine multiple earth science disciplines to fall under the Chi Epsilon Pi name, such as atmospheric and oceanic. Generally, acceptance to the organization is based on the number of hours dedicated to the respective science in conjunction with GPA. Members of Chi Epsilon Pi are actively involved in all areas of weather tracking, including: forecasting, severe weather safety, research, tutoring, professional development, and community service. Some chapters, like the University of Missouri, have a storm chasing club element where students try to get as close to tornadoes as safely possible to conduct tests.

Honor cord colors for graduates seem to vary by chapter, but we think our royal blue/silver-grey cords are the perfect choice for Chi Epsilon Pi!

Are you a storm chaser or member of Chi Epsilon Pi? Let us know in the comments!

Cover Photo by NOAA on Unsplash