# Pi Epsilon Tau

Pi Epsilon Tau (ΠΕΤ) is an American honor society for petroleum engineering students. Its purpose is to maintain the standards and high ideals of the petroleum engineering profession and to build a bond between its members and the industry. The society was established in 1947 at the University of Oklahoma.

## History

Faculty member Paul S. Johnson established Pi Epsilon Tau at the University of Oklahoma in November 1947 as an honor society for petroleum engineering students. It was officially recognized by the university of January 7, 1948. The honor society's purpose is to maintain the standards and high ideals of the petroleum engineering profession and to build a bond between its members and the industry.
Pi Epsilon Tau's founders planned to expand it to other campuses, creating a national honor society. Its Beta chapter was established at the University of Tulsa in 1948. Gamma was formed in 1949 at Texas Tech University in 1949. Other chapters were established at colleges across the United States.
It is governed through a national council of five membersand a national convention.

## Symbols

The emblem or key of Pi Epsilon Tau is shaped like an oil derick, standing on the base of an isosceles triangle. Its flag features the emblem on top of a three-leaf clover that symbolizes Saint Patrick.
The society's colors are black and gold. Its flower is the red rose. Its pledges are called "roustabouts".

## Membership

Membership in Pi Epsilon Tau is open to juniors, seniors, and graduate students studying petroleum engineering based on academic achievement, leadership, and sociability. Pi Epsilon Tau has three class of members: active (students), honorary, and alumnus.

## Chapters

Following are the chapters of Pi Epsilon Tau, with active chapters indicated in bold and inactive chapters in italics.
| Chapter | Charter date | Institution | Location | Status |
| Alpha | 1947 | University of Oklahoma | Norman, Oklahoma | Active |
| Beta | 1948 | University of Tulsa | Tulsa, Oklahoma | Active |
| Gamma | 1949 | Whitacre College of Engineering, Texas Tech University | Lubbock, Texas | Active |
| Delta | | Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Active |
| Epsilon | | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, California | Inactive |
| Zeta | 1951 | Marietta College | Marietta, Ohio | Active |
| Eta | | University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, California | Active |
| Theta | | Pennsylvania State University | State College, Pennsylvania | Active |
| Iota | | Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, Louisiana | Active |
| Kappa | 1970 | University of Texas at Austin | Austin, Texas | Active |
| Lambda | | West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | Active |
| Mu | | Missouri University of Science and Technology | Rolla, Missouri | Active |
| Nu | | Mississippi State University | Mississippi State, Mississippi | Active |
| Xi | | Montana Technological University | Butte, Montana | Active |
| Omicron | | Texas A&M University | College Station, Texas | Active |
| Pi | | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | Socorro, New Mexico | Inactive |
| Rho | | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette, Louisiana | Active |
| Sigma | | University of Wyoming | Laramie, Wyoming | Active |
| Tau | | Colorado School of Mines | Golden, Colorado | Active |
| Upsilon | | Texas A&M University–Kingsville | Kingsville, Texas | Active |
| Phi | | University of Houston | Houston, Texas | Active |
* ↑ Chapter was established in 1961.