UMass Physics recently hosted the 2026 SPS Zone 1 Meeting of the Society of Physics Students, welcoming more than 60 attendees from nine chapters across New England. Organized around the theme “Advancing in Physics,” the meeting brought together undergraduate students, alumni, and faculty for a day of talks, lab tours, networking, and research exchange. Highlights of the meeting included talks by Professor Grant Wilson (Astronomy) and Professor Scott Hertel (Physics), guided tours of UMass Physics research laboratories, an alumni panel on careers in graduate school and industry, and an informal poster session. The event gave students an opportunity to learn more about pathways in physics while also highlighting the research environment and community within UMass Physics.