Mensa International

Mensa International, organization of individuals with high IQs that aims to identify, understand, and support intelligence; encourage research into intelligence; and create and seek both social and intellectual experiences for its members. The society was founded in England in 1946 by attorney Roland Berrill and scientist Lance Ware. They chose the word mensa as its name because it means table in Latin and is also reminiscent of the Latin words for mind and month, suggesting the monthly meeting of great minds around a table. Members vary widely in education, income, and occupation. Mensa membership is open to adults and children. To become a Mensan, the only qualification is to report a score at the 98th percentile (meaning a score that is greater than or equal to that achieved by 98 percent of the general population taking the test) on an approved intelligence test that has been administered and supervised by a qualified examiner. Mensa also administers such tests itself.

Membership benefits include opportunities to participate in discussion groups, social events, and annual meetings. Mensa International offers some 200 special interest groups (SIGs) devoted to a variety of scholarly disciplines and recreational pursuits. Individual Mensa chapters organize workshops and special events, publish newsletters and magazines, and conduct annual conferences.

American Mensa was founded in 1960 by Peter Sturgeon. Its national office is in Arlington, Texas. There are chapters in large cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and regional groups in many areas of the United States. The Mensa Education & Research Foundation (MERF) was established in 1971 to promote Mensa’s mission. It grants awards and scholarships and publishes the Mensa Research Journal.