Report of the International Committee
for the Year Ending June 30, 1998

At the Committee meeting in November during the Annual Meeting of the Society, the Committee capitalized on the occasion of a new Committee Chair and one new member to reflect on past initiatives, review present projects, and strategize on future actions. Additional work was carried out, as needed, by telephone, Fax, postal service and, increasingly, by electronic transmissions.

The Committee has adopted long-range goals for the year 2010 that would lead to the initiation of as many new members, and of chartering as many new chapters, outside the US as within the US each year. Each year the Committee reviews the present situation and plans specific actions to make progress, incremental or surge. The number of Sigma Xi Chapters outside North America is now seven: American University in Beirut, Australia, Bangkok, Hungary, New Zealand, Prague Institute of Advance Studies/Czech Republic, and Switzerland.

The Committee should act, as long as it is useful and wanted, as a unifying and coordinating influence among the chapters outside North America. A listserv arrangement has been established at Headquarters to facilitate electronic communication among all these chapters and the Committee where topics of mutual interest or concern can be explored and specific information readily exchanged. Perhaps some cohesion and mutual development of positive experiences among these chapters will be the result. These will be augmented by physical interaction by delegates of the chapters at events at the Annual Meeting arranged and coordinated by the Committee.

As in the past, the Committee continues to encourage attendance by an international chapter delegate at the Annual Meeting by paying, from the Committee's budget, the supplement to the subvention by Headquarters for international airfare. The Committee attempts to make each such delegate aware of Sigma Xi benefits and services for the chapters by introducing them to Headquarters staff and members of various committees and making them aware of other aspects, such as governance issues and opportunities and publications and materials available from Headquarters.

The Committee reiterated its continuing concern that the Committee, and Sigma Xi as a whole, find an appropriate way to establish viable chapters in those societies that have developed large and strong science research establishments, but are not now represented in Sigma Xi. Russia and China are two such societies. Great Britain, Germany and France represent a completely different situation. Additionally, South America and Central America are two regions that have science infrastructure and scientist interrelationships that probably require a more considered and more deliberate approach to establishing healthy Sigma Xi chapters. In many areas where Sigma Xi chapters could and probably should be established, low income levels of working scientists mandate some consideration on dues issues, either a tiered structure or a partial sponsorship or offset program similar to those under study within the Committee presently.

The Committee has committed to update and extend the Ambassador Program with a description of the intent and the procedure of the Program and a solicitation for participants on the Home Page. A Sigma Xi member travelling or working abroad can act as an Ambassador of the Society and the International Committee by holding organizational meetings or otherwise coalescing existing and potential members for new chapters. Additionally, the Committee is developing a more formal Chapter Sponsorship Program in which present active chapters provide professional collegiality and administrative guidance and reassurance to groups of members abroad who are considering forming a new chapter.

Drs. Clifford Matthews and B. Gregory Mitchell have completed extended assignments on the Committee and depart with robust thanks for their work and counsel over the years. Dr. Ann Williams continued to supply appreciated coordination as Sigma Xi staff liaison.

James F. Baur, Chair, International Committee
Susan Kilham
Clifford Matthews
B. Gregory Mitchell
Peter Pechan
Peter Roper
Jurgen Schmandt
Alan Schroeder