Nu Rho Psi, The National Honor Society in Neuroscience: A decade of progress

The year 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of Nu Rho Psi, the National Honor Society in Neuroscience. Nu Rho Psi is the only national honor society specifically related to neuroscience, and its 3,000+ membership includes students and researchers of neuroscience at all levels from 65+ chapters sheltered by colleges and universities across the United States. Nu Rho Psi was founded in 2006 by the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (FUN) and now operates as an independent, grassroots 501(c)(3) non-profit agency, governed by a membership-elected National Council. Initial discussions about establishing an Honor Society for the relatively new interdisciplinary field called Neuroscience began in the early 1990s within the FUN community under the Past President, Jack Boitano (Fairfield University). Concurrently, local clubs and honor societies – some with the name “Nu Rho Psi” – were organizing at schools such as Johns Hopkins University and Emory University. When it became apparent that there was substantial interest among neuroscience students in having “our own” National honor society, an organizing committee was formed consisting of Andy Mickley (Baldwin Wallace University), Jean Hardwick (Ithaca College), Joe Achor (Baylor University), Eric Wiertelak (Macalester College), Shubhik DebBurman (Lake Forest College), and Ilsun White (Morehead State University). Working with the FUN executives, this committee drafted a Constitution and By-Laws, proposed an insignia (see Figure 1), and drafted a transition plan suggesting that the FUN leadership temporarily serve as the Nu Rho Psi governing group. In the spring of 2006, these seminal documents were sent to FUN-President Michael Kerchner (Washington College), approved by the FUN Council, and subsequently enthusiastically supported by the FUN membership at large. Applications to shelter a Chapter of Nu Rho Psi, the National Honor Society in Neuroscience, were openly solicited, and on 7 November 2006, the first charter was granted to Baldwin Wallace College (now, Baldwin Wallace University). Soon thereafter, charters were granted to Baylor University and Macalester College. The FUN Council continued to provide the governing structure for Nu Rho Psi until the honor society was incorporated in Ohio and received its own Federal tax-exempt status (both in 2011). The first Nu Rho Psi National Council elections were held that spring and one of the original organizers, Joe Achor, was elected as the first President. Now fully independent, the Nu Rho Psi National Office was established at Baldwin Wallace University where it remains today. One of the other original organizers, Andy Mickley, has served as Executive Director since the Society’s founding. Figure 1. The official Nu Rho Psi insignia. The Greek letters of the honor society, “ΝΡΨ”, designate the interdisciplinary science that engages its members in the study of the brain and the rest of the nervous system. The ... Since its inception Nu Rho Psi has worked to fulfill its mission which includes: encouraging scholarship and professional interest in neuroscience; awarding recognition for excellence in scholarship; advancing the discipline of neuroscience; encouraging membership networking and mentorship; and increasing public awareness of neuroscience and its benefits for the individual and society. Thus, although one function of Nu Rho Psi is to recognize and honor student achievement, the organization’s broader purposes include aiding in the professional development of its members and encouraging its members to contribute to the scientific and public discourse on neuroscience. In parallel with the escalating public interest in neuroscience, Nu Rho Psi has seen substantial growth in the number of chapters and individual membership over the past few years (see Figure 2). Chapters are found at a diverse array of institutions, ranging from small liberal arts colleges to large public universities. Notable honorary members include Larry Squire, Robert Sapolsky, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Joanne Berger-Sweeney, Joseph LeDoux, Douglas MacDonald, and Eric Nestler. Figure 2. Nu Rho Psi membership and chapter growth from 2007–2015. Currently Nu Rho Psi has over 3,000 members and 58 chapters in all regions across the United States, ranging from small liberal arts colleges to large public universities. Between 2013–2014 ... However, despite this growth, Nu Rho Psi is still a relatively small honor society, compared to older and more established societies. For example, Psi Chi, an honor society for psychology, was founded in 1929 and has a membership of over 700,000, and TriBeta, for the biological sciences, was founded in 1922 and has a membership of over 200,000. Although Nu Rho Psi, does not have these extensive histories, the honor society’s prudent management and recent growth has allowed the offering of substantial benefits for neuroscience students and for institutions with neuroscience programs. We encourage readers to consider establishing a chapter at their own institution or getting involved with an existing chapter.