Photo by Emily Dahl.

Seven Chemistry Seniors to be inducted to Phi Beta Kappa

by Danielle Doughty | Department of Chemistry |
Categories: Awards, Students

Induction to Phi Beta Kappa is a notable achievement given to less than 10% of the class of 2026.

The Xi Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa voted to invite a distinguished cohort from the Class of 2026 to membership in the Society in recognition of their outstanding academic records and commitment to the ideals of a liberal education. This honor is bestowed upon fewer than 10% of the class. Seven members of this esteemed group are graduating Chemistry majors who have received this notable distinction:

  • Eric Bi
    Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Chemistry 
  • Katelyn Howard
    Chemistry
  • Nina Petulla
    Chemistry
  • Jason Schuler
    Chemistry
  • Alex Tang
    Chemistry
  • Titus Tsai
    Chemistry
  • Amy Wang
    Chemistry

Founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary, Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) honors the nation’s most outstanding undergraduate students for excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Only 10% of higher education institutions have PBK chapters, and fewer than 10% of students at those institutions are selected for membership. The Department is incredibly proud of these inductees and all of their impressive achievements.

MIT’s own chapter, Xi of Massachusetts, annually elects students during their senior year of undergraduate study. Students do not apply for membership; instead, election is conducted by a faculty committee that reviews the academic records of seniors to identify students with exceptional records and clear evidence of breadth in the liberal arts.

The annual Phi Beta Kappa lecture and initiation ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 27, at 10:00 a.m. in 32-123 during MIT’s Commencement Week. This year’s Phi Beta Kappa guest lecturer will be Dr. Linda Rabieh, Senior Lecturer in Concourse, who specializes in ancient and medieval political philosophy, including the study of ethics in war and the nature of knowledge. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto and is the author of Plato and the Virtue of Courage, winner of the Delba Winthrop Mansfield Prize.