JOHN C. NEMETH
Present Position
President, Research and Education Consulting—CGJC Enterprises
Chapter Affiliation
Radford University
Background Information
CV/Biography
Interview
Statement
My thanks and deep appreciation to the Sigma Xi Nominating Committee for extending to me the honor of nomination to run for the office of president of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society. Given my love for Sigma Xi, my long-term membership, and my experience as a citizen scientist and its CEO, this is what I know and reflect upon.
The Society was broken. It is on the mend, armed with a plan that has legs. There is neither time nor need to change our fundamental direction given the “horizon of viability analysis” that Mark Peeples led us through in 2016, and as continuously updated and monitored by Jamie Vernon. What is needed today, only because yesterday is gone, is a widespread commitment of actual effort from the broader leadership and membership of Sigma Xi, that is, measurable work and results beyond the gallant and highly productive toils of the somewhat beleaguered headquarters staff…not more words, enough of that follows, but action. This is your Society.
My story: Beginning in 1969 as a doctoral candidate moving to full Membership in 1971, through many decades of varying activity and several chapters, to agreeing to lead the Society in 2015 as CEO and Executive Director, and now to be presented with this opportunity, I am both humbled and very proud. So, strange to say, using the guidance I helped revise a few years ago, my very frank comments are based on a mixture of insider knowledge and the outsider views of a scientist and citizen. As clearly as I can present them, they are nonetheless zealous, heartfelt expressions about our beloved Sigma Xi…a chapter and member centric honor organization.
Have the issues open to scientific investigation ever been as richly diverse or as wholly challenging? Not given to hyperbole, well perhaps sometimes, I see three realms of opportunity and concern for this organization and science at large: 1) recognition and support of the beleaguered research enterprise in all its aspects, 2) the absolute necessity to lead in the reclaiming of the high ground in representing and promoting science, and 3) waging all-out war on the daunting crisis that is climate change. I won’t needlessly review to you the details of the alienating forces of greed, the inflexible dogma, and the misinformation that assails evidenced-based progress and even further endangers the planet as we know it. We are after all, the choir of scientific research.
To achieve success in addressing all three of my broad issues, the Society, as a major leader of quality and conscience in the broader business of all research, must learn and then apply the tools of explanation, persuasion, and influence of profession.
- Those in charge of policy, the ones that determine legislative research agendas and funding levels, must be brought to understand and then proactively back the power for good that the research enterprise achieves through that mystery of technology transfer. Further, leaders and planners and investors ideally will come again to see that the far reaches of accomplishment are best achieved through partnerships with those whose passion it is to seek wonder and progress through research, us, the willing workers. Together the advance of human and global welfare can be set back on track! In a word, we must be better advocates, and we must add to the array of advocates for research throughout society.
- Ideological greed, narrowmindedness, and politics erode the respect researchers have rightfully commanded and the trust we have earned from our fellow citizens. That leadership position of trust and source of excitement and hope must be regained. In a word, we must all advocate for the quest of evidence-based truth.
- The window to avert the disaster being visited on our biosphere is nearly closed. In fact, you know, and I know that the disaster has long since begun. Yes, I like many call for a hyper-focus, a moon-shot mentality, a war-time footing assault on the made-made actions that have evolved this tragic decline of our Earth. In a word, we must all advocate for those technologic and business actions that will literally turn the tides rising against our very existence.
So what does a Society, possessing incredible intellectual strength and human resources and reputation and responsibility for the research enterprise, actually do about these three broad issue areas. Let’s make sure it is a given, even though we know dangers lurk, that Sigma Xi will re-double efforts and continue to promote the best, highest-quality and ethical research performance possible.
Beyond sticking to our traditional, highly valuable, and honored knitting, we advocate. Yes, of course, within the legal construct of a not-for-profit 501 c3, recognizing this as a tax status not a business philosophy, we would under my leadership advocate not against others but, at every turn, for the positions and processes we know to be based in the realities of all nature.
Now, within every lifeblood aspect of Sigma Xi, including the attraction and retention of young researchers, to a robust recruitment of all the diverse elements in our membership and potential colleagues, advocacy, among and between the three issue areas outlined previously, is the Swiss Army knife of tools available to us. There are multiple methods and means to enlist the whole array of researchers we want in our society, as well as being able to fulfil our role and duty to help assure an informed, fully-armed public and cadre of business interests, governmental bureaucrats, and elected officials or policy makers. Advocacy is a contact sport, each of us has to get in the game…put in skin, if you will.
Next steps? Four years ago Sigma Xi was in a position that required a plan of action and immediate implementation with little room for error or time to rethink or retool. We are in some large measure re-emergent. I am confident that a few years ago what we set in motion across the organization was sound and is working. Thus, I do not see Sigma Xi’s operational philosophy and approaches as needing repair. Things don’t need major directional fixing in administration and finance, human resources, membership, chapters, and programs, or in publications and communications and philanthropy and development. Tweaking, refining, and getting better, yes. Our current CEO and staff are doing exceptionally well within the constraints of available resources. The Society is so fortunate in these people. The elected executives and the Board of Directors needs to lead. In our recent presidents, as CEO, I was so graced with the fiscal attention of Mark Peeples and the care of the Finance Committee, the strategic positioning and calm but steady hand of Tee Guidotti, the philanthropic passion of Stuart Cooper, and, after my time, the progress toward a return to the national and world research leadership scene through the marvelous efforts of Joel Primack and Gerri Richmond…even if I say so myself, just what the doctor ordered.
Again, so what would I do to fuel this positive momentum? The Society’s fairly clear and cautiously successful operational and maintenance program that shows membership improving almost to growth, the newly active and revived chapters, our stable and growing programs, a philanthropic program that is showing very encouraging results, all sum up as what appears to be this somewhat renewed visage of our past glory and our current untapped power. These are the elements that will continue to solve present problems and move us into the future. I have been a lifelong advocate for Sigma Xi, if elected, I would be the Head “Advocateur” of Sigma Xi for one year, the assistant Head Advocate for two years. I am semi-retired and promise to lend most of my professional time to this job.
Taking my lead from personal experience and the advice and consent of the Board, there are a number of specific actions I would undertake by:
- Mentoring headquarter programs—I would, without being a pest, work hand-in-glove to assist Jamie, Eman, Fenella, Mike and Amy, and Jasmine with their chores. They don’t need meddling, just another set of eyes and hands, another, advocate.
- Promoting a thoroughgoing culture of engagement across Sigma Xi—While CEO, I made much of Sigma Xi’s value proposition. Our package is a wonderful product, but it needs to be sold. However, it is a contact sport and sweat equity has to be expended to make progress. This means that every Sigma Xi leader on the Board and in the Chapters and every Member must be an advocate for some aspect of the myriad components of the three issue areas I outlined earlier. If we do that with passion and intellectual substance, our eager newly-inducted youth will join us and stay, the skeptical public can be re-excited, decision-makers can be educated and influenced, and, yes, deniers and nay-sayers can be overcome. I would continue my habit of using writing, social media, articles, op-eds, videos, professional and community presentations, personal engagement/partnering with sister societies, governmental agencies, lawmakers, and, most importantly, the public. Nothing is ever enough, and I would “encourage” our leaders to seek every such opportunity to do the same. BTW, all of us should always advocate for our Sigma Xi affiliation.
- Focusing on Chapter resources and energy, we can build a culture of lifelong contribution to a community of professions dedicated to research and discovery. Previously, I have described the generations of that family as being the young who aspire and begin to pay the opportunity to do research forward, the established researchers who pay now and enjoy a growing career, then the more mature who pay back for the marvelous journey they have been granted by mentoring and nurturing. All that we do in membership and programs, what we communicate in American Scientist and other means, as well as how we ply our scientific trade, builds and advocates for that life-blood culture that is research.
- Continuing to reestablish the Society as a leading organization in research quality and ethics on the National and global stages. While at HQ, I went to some lengths to reintroduce us to the Washington scene, to the scientific and engineering society community, to press the flesh in the alphabet soup organizations that make things happen, and to establish an important partnership with AAAS and obtain an office in DC. This work of disciplinary unity must be continued and expanded, if we are to fulfil our Society vision and mission. What is it? Advocacy.
- Reviving our brand—Sigma Xi is one of the top four Greek-letter honor societies in the United States of America. Think about that. We are a member of the nation’s Honor Council. Do we convey, or even remember, the significance of that excellence, that Sigma Xi has attained the same level of prestige as Phi Beta Kappa and the others? Do we live up to our traditions, do we instill the honorific aspect of the special community our members are inducted to and asked to support for life? Do we advocate for who we are? I do. I will. I graduated Sigma Xi, so did most you, and some thankfully join us tonight. The honor of the thing, our chosen profession, is not passé, is not old school or corny; personal and collective honor does not die, and the thrill and pride in it are not misplaced. Honor’s shining light does, however, require leadership…advocacy.
What all this adds up to is asking that we actively advocate for research in every facet of what we do as Sigma Xi professionals. Finally, advocacy is not being political. It is not a dirty word. Advocacy is the provision of honest, ethically-based information about the wonders researchers produce and the good done for mankind. Not perfect, but assiduous in rooting out the truth and living up to mistakes. One of our greatest members was an unabashed advocate for science. He even went so far as to directly engage the president of the United States on important matters. I would want that man, Albert Einstein, to still take pride in his having been inducted to Sigma Xi.
Thank you,
John C. Nemeth, PhD