Report of the Committee on Programs
for the Year Ending June 30, 2000

During the year ending 30 June 1999, the Committee on Programs continued to explore new possible program activities for the Society, in addition to maintaining its traditional activities that it inherited from the former Committees on Science and Society and Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education.

For the November 2000 forum and annual meeting, the Committee selected Dr. David L. Goodstein as the John P. McGovern Science and Society Lecturer. Dr. Goodstein has accepted the Society's invitation to deliver the 2000 John P. McGovern Science and Society Lecture on Friday afternoon, 10 November. Dr. Goodstein is Vice Provost, Professor of Physics and Applied Physics, and the Frank J. Gilloon Distinguished Teaching and Service Professor at the California Institute of Technology. Dr. Goodstein is the author of the book, States of Matter, and was the host and project director of The Mechanical Universe, a 52-part college physics telecourse based on his popular lectures at Cal Tech. In recent times, he has become interested in some of the larger issues that affect science as a profession, including issues related to the conduct and misconduct in science. With a colleague from Cal Tech, he has developed a course, "Research Ethics," that has been taught each year at Cal Tech since the early 1990's. As has become recent tradition in Sigma Xi, his 10 November lecture will be the bridge this year between the Forum and the Annual Meeting.

This year, the Committee continued its discussions on its possible role(s) within the Society. There is an emerging vision within the Committee that its role, relative to other committees within the Society, is as a "new idea generator" for chapters and for the Society. That is, the Committee on Programs can consider in what areas it might be productive for the Society to become engaged, where Sigma Xi's involvement might make a difference, and perhaps how such programs might be initiated. The evolving role of the Sigma Xi Center is another important dimension of the Society's future and, in brief, the Center is envisaged as a kind of incubator for Society programs, initially in areas of education, ethics, public understanding of science, and monitoring the health of the research enterprise. The Committee is exploring ways in which its activities might evolve with those of the emerging Center. Finally, the Committee is examining three program areas of possible future interest:

• American Scientist Forum. Obtaining a subcommittee to help locate suitable moderators for the electronic discussions of articles from current issues of the magazine selected for on-line discussions.
• Science Advocacy. Monitoring the current infant program in Michigan and as it migrates to Illinois with an aim of helping establish the model for widespread adoption among the Society's chapters.
• Media Resource Service. Establishing a mechanism for mining the Sigma Xi membership to come up with experts to add to the database both for the existing service, but also for the likely extensions: regional databases and a database of volunteers interested in participating in the envisaged program to support Foreign Service Officers in embassies around the world.

During the year ending 30 June 2000, the Committee continued to endorse the Society's program of supporting chapters to recognize outstanding K-12 teaching in science and mathematics. During the year, 57 K-12 teachers of science and mathematics were honored by 53 chapters and received either a framed certificate of recognition or a plaque. In addition, 43 chapters agreed to at least match a $25 stipend for the teacher that was provided via the Committee. Also, 11 certificates of recognition were provided for individuals who were selected by their chapters for their noteworthy support of research scientists and engineers.

The Committee continued to sponsor a program of providing grants up to $1,000 to assist chapters in their K-16 educational activities. During the past year, proposals from chapters were reviewed by a subcommittee of the Committee on Programs that included Carol Burger (Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University Chapter), Billy Joe Evans (University of Michigan Chapter), Bridget Lewin (University of California at Santa Barbara Chapter), David Peak (Utah State University Chapter), and Willie Pearson (Wake Forest University Chapter); Dr. Pearson served as chair of the subcommittee. For the year ending 30 June 2000, the subcommittee, on behalf of the Committee, awarded a grant to support the activities of the Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne Chapter for its program "Math and Science Camp," that would provide hands-on learning experiences for middle school students in science and mathematics. Information on this program, and application forms, are available in the programs area of Sigma Xi's Web site.

David Campbell, Chair, Committee on Programs
Radford Byerly Jr.
Phillip A. Griffiths
William R. Klemm
Willie Pearson, Jr.
Richard Rowberg
Juarine Stewart
Robert Zand