2012 Assembly of Delegates:
Mid-Atlantic Geographic Region Associate Director
Name: Richard Bradley
Chapter Affiliation: University of Virginia
Candidate's Statement: As I sit quietly at my desk pondering the details of a new scientific experiment, addressing a technical problem clamoring for my immediate attention, or being perplexed by the latest anomaly in my data, my eyes tend to drift around the room as if searching for answers hand written upon the walls of my office. My eyes focus briefly on the various themes and milestones that are so neatly framed and organized there; in stark juxtaposition to the reality that is before me. Inevitably, my visual search will pause for a moment on a simple, yet deeply important plaque that hangs there, a reminder that I'm not alone on this scientific journey, and that I must press on with my work to find an answer or solve that nagging problem. This plaque, which was given to me by Sigma Xi in 1988 when I was a graduate student, has silently invigorated my research ever since and has come to symbolize the heart of Sigma Xi's mission: to foster excellence in research and development through creativity, innovation, hard work, and community spirit. I have come to realize that Sigma Xi's influence is far more personal and effective than we could ever imagine.
I feel that it is time for me to give something back to an organization that has helped me achieve my true potential as a researcher. My twenty-five years of experiences in research, engineering, education, organization, and publications will help me provide constructive suggestions and diverse opinion when requested. The Associate Director's role at Sigma Xi is one of providing support for the Director but it would also give me an opportunity to learn more about the inner workings of our wonderful Organization. I am ready to serve Sigma Xi in this capacity, if invited to do so.
Biographical Information: Richard F. Bradley earned the B.S.E.E and M.S.E.E degrees in 1982, 1983 from Carnegie-Mellon University, and the Ph.D degree in E.E. from the University of Virginia in 1992.In 1981 and 1983 Dr. Bradley held internships with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, WV where he developed instrumentation for laboratory and field work associated with astronomy systems. Upon successful completion of his masters thesis in 1983 investigating novel electrohydrodynamic effects on heat transfer, he joined the NRAO staff in Green Bank as a radio frequency engineer where he designed low noise, cryogenic receivers for the 300 ft and 140 ft radio telescopes before moving to Charlottesville, VA in 1987 to became a graduate student working in the areas of semiconductor devices and nonlinear circuit development. Upon completing his Ph.D he joined the NRAO Central Development Laboratory in Charlottesville where he is currently a Staff Scientist and Senior Research Engineer. He is also a research professor in the Dept. of Astronomy and holds an adjunct faculty position in the Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Virginia. As both an active scientist and engineer, he serves as a liaison among researchers to develop and optimize instruments for a wide variety of forefront scientific applications in the challenging field of radio astronomy. He has contributed to a wide range of radio instrumentation research and development initiatives including pioneering studies in radio interference excision and focal plane phased arrays. His scientific interests include cosmology, fundamental particle physics, ionospheric physics, and helophysics. His technology experience spans radio astronomy receivers, scientific instrumentation, low noise electronics, electromagnetic fields, signal processing, and spacecraft-base radiometers. Dr. Bradley is Chair of Commission J, U.S. National Committee for the International Union of Radio Science (URSI)—an advisory committee of the National Academy of Sciences and is an Associate Editor of the journal Radio Science. He has served on numerous review panels for NASA, NSF, and other funding organizations. He was elected to membership in Sigma Xi, Eta Kappa Nu, and Tau Beta Pi. He is a member of the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), American Physical Society (APS), the American Astronomical Society (AAS), American Geophysical Union (AGU), and the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). He received an outstanding referee award in 2010 from the journal Review of Scientific Instruments. He is the Principal Investigator on several scientific research grants and has over 80 research publications and one patent. He has considerable experience in teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses and advising graduate students from both engineering and science. He is also active in public outreach programs involving local middle and high school students. He serves annually as a judge for the regional and state Science Fairs of Virginia.
Name: Edward Fink
Present Position: Professor of Communication, Affiliate Professor of Sociology, Psychology and Second Language Acquisition
Organization: University of Maryland
Chapter Affiliation: University of Maryland
Candidate's Statement: Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, has a long history of promoting scientific research, enhancing communication among scientists at all career levels, and providing the public and policy makers with information about the excitement, accomplishments, applications, and needs of science. The Associate Director works with the Director in suggesting and formulating Sigma Xi policies. As a university researcher, department chair, and associate dean for graduate studies and research I have been an advocate for science and for interdisciplinary scholarship, and I have been involved in policy decisions on my campus. In addition, I have served on the Council of Communication Association's Task Force on the NRC's recent evaluation of doctoral programs and have chaired the National Communication Association's Doctoral Education Committee. As a result of these experiences, I believe that I can contribute to Sigma Xi as associate director for the Mid Atlantic Region.
Biographical Information: Edward L. Fink (Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Wisconsin, 1975) is Professor of Communication, Affiliate Professor of Sociology, Affiliate Professor of Psychology, Affiliate Professor in the Ph.D. Program in Second Language Acquisition, and Distinguished Scholar-Teacher at the University of Maryland. He previously taught at Michigan State University and the University of Notre Dame. His research involves models of cognition, culture, and communication, and related methodological issues. It has resulted in articles in journals such as the Journal of Communication, Human Communication Research, Communication Monographs, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Communication Research, Social Psychology Quarterly, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, and Behavioral Science, as well as in journals in argumentation, health education, criminology, and information science. Several of his articles have been award-winning. He is co-author of The Measurement of Communication Processes (New York: Academic Press, 1980).
For ten years (1997-2007) he was chair of the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland, and he has also served at Maryland as acting associate dean for Graduate Studies and Research. In 1998 he was awarded a Lady Davis Visiting Professorship to Hebrew University of Jerusalem; in 2003 he received the B. Aubrey Fisher Mentorship Award from the International Communication Association; from 1999-2001 he was president of the University of Maryland Chapter of the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society.
In 2007-2008 he lectured or gave graduate courses or workshops at Pennsylvania State University, Cornell University, the University of Oklahoma, the State University of New York at Buffalo, Michigan State University, Western Illinois University, Purdue University, the University of Southern California, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the University of Arizona. He has served as associate editor of the Journal of Communication (1992-1996), and from 1998-2000 he was editor of Human Communication Research. He has been chair of the National Communication Association's Doctoral Education Committee, and since 2003 he has been a member of the Council of Communication Association's Task Force on the National Research Council Survey of Doctoral Programs.
Name: Pamela Flattau
Present Position: Research Staff Member
Organization: IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute
Chapter Affiliation: District of Columbia
Candidate's Statement: Sigma Xi plays a pivotal role in bringing advances in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to the attention of its diverse membership, many of whom integrate this information into their work as teachers, researchers, innovators, planners and policymakers. The Sigma Xi Smart Brief represents an especially efficient and effective mechanism for keeping experts informed of science and technology developments that enrich their professional and personal lives.
As a science policy analyst, I have had the opportunity to lead studies that address a range of topics, including: graduate and postdoctoral funding strategies to promote the growth and diversity of the science and engineering workforce in the United States; opportunities and challenges in strengthening the US research infrastructure in academia, industry and the Federal government; and identifying the forces that shape the growth and decline of scientific specialties in the US and abroad. I have had the privilege of working with some of our most talented scientists and engineers in conducting this work, and have acquired a strong understanding of factors that influence national attention in many of these areas.
I look forward to the possibility of facilitating the flow of ideas from constituents to Sigma Xi leadership with respect to research, training and infrastructure issues that merit the attention of the Society. Working together, I believe we can identify and implement strategies that would strengthen the role of Sigma Xi in national debate. The first step, of course, is to create a forum for the exchange of especially promising ideas. The "online" environment embraced by Sigma Xi will certainly facilitate that dialog and, if managed effectively, point up suggestions for elevating the role of Sigma Xi in shaping national solutions to contemporary issues facing our scientists and engineers.
Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Elected member, Sigma Xi, 1972. Professional society memberships: Sigma Xi, District of Columbia Chapter; Psi Chi; Society for the Social Studies of Science; Association for Psychological Science; and American Psychological Association. Delegate: OECD 1st World Forum on Key Indicators, Palermo, 2004, and 2nd World Forum on Statistics, Knowledge and Policy, Istanbul, 2007. Member: Committee on International Relations in Psychology (CIRP), American Psychological Association, 2008-2010; Co-Chair, 2010; Liaison: US National Committee for Psychological Science (USNC/IUPsyS), National Academy of Sciences, 2008-2010. Invited Speaker: "Universal Access to Education," 4th Annual Psychology Day at the UN, New York, NY April 2011. Non-voting Delegate: Assembly of the International Union of Psychological Science, Melbourne, 2010. Member, US National Committee for the International Union of Psychological Science, 2012- present.
Biographical Information: Illinois State Scholarship: 1964; BSc (Hons), Experimental Psychology, University of Leeds, UK, 1969; MS and PhD, Experimental Psychology, University of Georgia USA, 1972 and 1974. First psychologist to be selected by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Psychological Association for the AAAS Congressional Science Fellowship, 1974-1975 (US Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, Subcommittee on Children and Youth); Senior Staff Officer, National Research Council (1975-1981; 1985 -1990) and Director, NRC Studies and Surveys Unit (1991-1995); Policy Analyst, Science Indicators Unit, National Science Foundation, 1981-1985; Manager, Flattau Associates, LLC, 1995-2003; Research Staff Member, IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute, 2003-present. AS Edwards Outstanding Graduate, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 1974. Sustained Superior Achievement Award, National Science Foundation, 1984. Young Psychologist Travel Award, XXIst International Congress of Psychology, Paris, 1976. NSF Travel Grants, XXVth International Congress of Psychology, Brussels, 1992, XXVIIth International Congress of Psychology, Stockholm, 2000.
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