ODU's chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has been recognized as a "Distinguished Chapter" for the 2019-2020 academic year.
SPS Outstanding Chapter Awards are determined each year after a review of information, photos and supporting material presented in the annual SPS Chapter Reports. The reviewers include a team of four SPS National Council members, including Zone Councilors and Associate Zone Councilors, as well as the SPS office staff. The criteria for SPS Chapter recognition in include:
- The chapter's involvement in local, zone and national SPS meetings and other professional meetings
- Participation in SPS programs
- Outreach efforts to the grades K-12 or the general public
- Participation in community service
- Contributions to student recruitment and retention
- Participation in social events, and
- Interactions with the department's alumni
A list of all recognized chapters can be found on the .