In October 1918, a group of business leaders, scientists, engineers, and other professionals banded together to provide a forum for interdisciplinary exchange of technical knowledge.  They chose the name The Scientech Club.  Among the 164 charter members were D.J .Angus, Hugh J. Baker, Elwood Haynes, W. H. Insley, Eli Lilly, Willbur Shook, and Dr. Frank Wade.

The Scientech Club is a local endeavor, not sponsored by nor affiliated with any national organization. Scientech does not promote any movement or cause. Petitions or personal solicitations are not acceptable at any meeting.

For its first 60 years, Scientech Club was an organization of men . After the By-laws were amended in February 1980, four women promptly applied for membership.Since that time, many more women have participated in Club activities and have served in several official capacities, including Club President.

The Club is managed by a Board of Directors, which meets monthly. Each December, club members elect six directors to three year terms. President, Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer are elected to one year terms, with option of more than one year. The immediate past president also serves on the Board. Other club members are welcome to attend Board meetings but cannot vote.

The Club has survived the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, military service and industrial mobilization in World War II, and the amazing developments in electronics, pharmaceutical chemistry, and automobile, aeronautic and space travel of the last half-century. We look forward with great anticipation to further developments in all these fields.

Scientech club membership represents a broad array of knowledge and experience, and persons from all disciplines are welcome to join the Club. In accordance with the Club Charter, “members are good-natured all of the time, serious in purpose most of the time, given to fun part of the time, and free from bitterness at any time.”

You can obtain a membership application by coming to a meeting,introducing yourself, and joining in the conversation over lunch. You will have a name badge identifying you as a visitor.

The Vice-president is chairman of the Membership Committee and recommends new members to the Board of Directors at their monthly meeting. We are always on the lookout for new members who share our interest in the fields of science, engineering, and medicine. Insofar as possible, it is desirable, but not mandatory, that new members be sponsored by an existing member of the Club.

Dues are established by the Board of Directors each year to cover the costs of running the Club. For 2008, dues are $50 per year ($25 after mid-year) for members living or working in Marion and contiguous counties; half as much for more remote members. There is no initiation fee and no assessments or fines are levied.

Every member of the Club receives a weekly newsletter which includes a comprehensive summary of the talk that was presented that week. A long-time member, Bob Annis, once described the newsletter as the glue that holds the organization together. Insofar as possible, the newsletters are distributed to members by e-mail. If necessary, they can be sent by postal mail.

Membership in the Scientech Club also includes a membership in the Children's Museum.Club members can select either a Family membership or a Grandparents membership to the Museum. The Museum membership can be renewed each year without charge.

Scientech meetings are held nearly every Monday at the Children's Museum. To attend, enter the Info-Zone archway at the north end of the Museum and proceed to the north-east door. Sign in at the Security desk. The meeting room will be on your immediate left.

Anyone may attend a meeting. There is no cost to attend. However, if possible, we would like to have you join us at a luncheon buffet for conversation before the meeting. The buffet begins at 11:30am and costs $9.00, payable at the door.

The meeting begins at noon with announcements and introductions,followed by the presentation which is usually illustrated with slides or digital images. Members of the audience may ask questions or make comments. The meeting ends promptly at 1:00pm. Museum personnel conduct special tours of new exhibits for Club members following some meetings. Other meetings may be replaced with a tour of some place of interest, usually on a major holiday. Any exceptions are noted on the calendar page of this site. Visitors at the luncheon meeting may also visit the Museum without further charge.

There are no attendance requirements for the Club. Members attend because they are interested in the wide variety of topics covered. It is these programs, together with the fellowship of individuals of similar outlook and interest, that account forthe Club's long existence.

If you are interested in attending a meeting, considering a possible membership, or would like further information about the Scientech Club, please contact us at the following address:

Presentations at the regular Monday meetings cover a wide variety of topics, generally in scientific, medical, or educational fields with a few reports of travel in various parts of the world. Periodically, tours are made to museums, manufacturing plants, or other points of interest. Each presentation is summarized in the Club newsletter which is distributed to every member by e-mail or by post within a day or two of the meeting. Beginning in 2007, an index of all presentations and a summary of each one may be viewed on the Archive section of this site. Summaries of previous presentations are being added as time permits.

To see a calendar of presentations scheduled for the immediate future, click on the Calendar link above.

To view the Master Index of all previous presentations or Summaries of each of them, click on the Archive link above.

In this section, Scientech Club lists the achievements of various members for awards received for Community Service, Professional and Civic Awards,  Academic Honors, and the Governor's special award - the Sagamore of the Wabash.

The ten members who have been named a Sagamore of the Wabash each have an article written about them; they are listed in the order of the award. Other notable contributions will be added as Scientech becomes aware of the citations. Most of these will list current awards but efforts will be made to give recognition to honors received in the recent past.

To see the list of honors awarded to Club members, click HERE

For many years Nelson Crooks has contributed weekly puzzles to the club newsletter which have challenged and frustrated many members of the club. Nelson has been a member of the club since 1986 and has served as Vice-President and as President. Over the years he has provided more than XXX puzzles for the enjoyment of our members. Some of the more recent puzzles may be viewed by clicking on the Puzzle link at the top of the page.