Although the electrical engineering honor society Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) has existed since 1904, Stevens never had a chapter before 1984. Professor Boesch, who was the Head of the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at that time, contacted the national organization and completed the process of creating a chapter here. At that time the only people who were members of HKN were Professors Boesch, Chirlian, and Suffel. They had all been inducted as members when they were undergraduates at schools other than Stevens.
On May 6, 1984, Professors Boesch, Chirlian, and Suffel ran a ceremony to induct 51 student members and 12 faculty members into HKN and thereby form the new Iota Delta Chapter.
A history of the national organization can be found at: