Program for 1999 Annual Meeting
The entire detailed program that will be distributed at the meeting is available as a PDF file and can be downloaded by using Adobe Acrobat
Reader.
Friday, November 5
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Orientation for New Delegates
Most new delegates to Sigma Xi's annual meeting are somewhat
overwhelmed at their first meeting because the Society's annual meeting is very different
from the scientific meetings that they normally attend. This workshop will explain what
goes on during the Society's annual meeting, what delegates can expect, why Sigma Xi's
annual meeting is different from other scientific meetings, and how the annual meeting
fits within the Society's governance structure. Ample time will be made available to
answer questions from delegates about the meeting and, if time allows, questions involving
the Society and its operations may also be addressed. This session is strongly recommended
for individuals who have not previously attended a Sigma Xi meeting, but everyone is
welcome.
3:15-3:45 p.m.
Plenary Session
McGovern Lecture - The Future of Science Education
The Honorable Rush Holt (D-NJ)
3:45-4:15 p.m.
Break
4:15-5:00 p.m.
Assembly of Delegates I
5:00-6:00 p.m.
Constituency Group Meetings I
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Regional Assemblies I
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Reception
Hosted by the International Committee to Recognize International Delegates
Saturday, November 6
8:30-10:15 a.m.
Workshops
Exploring The Influence Of Gender And Ethnicity On Student Learning In The Physical
Sciences
Moderator: Sue Kilham
Presenter: Apriel K Hodari, NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Maryland; Laura
McCullough, University of Minnesota
Students' beliefs about themselves and their abilities have a huge effect on their
conceptual understandings and epistemological beliefs in the physical sciences. In fact,
these beliefs often have a stronger negative effect on the performance and persistence of
women and underrepresented minorities than on majority men. This is particularly important
considering the changing U.S. population demographics [1] from which college students are
drawn. In this workshop, we will review research on the effects of gender and ethnicity on
student learning of science at the undergraduate level. We will then facilitate a
provocative interaction focusing on the redesign of undergraduate science education to
ensure the opportunity of success for all students.
1. Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and
Engineering (NSF, 1994).
Exploring Ethics in Science and Engineering: Planning Discussion for 2000 Sigma Xi
Forum
Moderators: Peter D. Blair, Executive Director, Sigma Xi; S. Robert Jelley,
Esq., Wiggin & Dana and Legal Counsel for Sigma Xi
Ethics in research has been a traditional focus of Sigma Xi's mission of honor in
science. The issues range from how research is conducted to the publication of research
results, professional advancement, standards of judgment, compensation, relationships and
commercial entities, management and appropriate credit for authorship. It is an area that
many scientists have often taken for granted, to the detriment of their younger colleagues
and, eventually, their work. In the year 2000, in Albuquerque, Sigma Xi will convene its
first forum on Ethics in Science since 1993. The goal of this workshop will be to explore
the issues to be addressed in next year's forum as well as to distribute Sigma
Xi's new publication, The Responsible Researcher, to delegates and to
discuss possible future program areas in ethics.
Promoting Undergraduate Research
Raymond Fornes, North Carolina State University; Elaine Hoagland, Council for
Undergraduate Research; Richard Kiok, Journal of Young Investigators; Fred Shair,
Educational Affairs Office, Jet Propulsion Lab (retired); William M. Whitney, National
Conferences on Undergraduate Research
As a follow-up to the 1999 Forum, Reshaping Undergraduate Science and Engineering
Education: Tools for Better Learning, panelists in this session will share information
about how their organizations promote the dissemination of undergraduate research through
various networks and mechanisms, including an online journal, campus-based research
symposia, national conferences and government-sponsored programs.
Roundtable Discussion: Challenges in Managing a Successful Sigma Xi Chapter
Moderator: Evan Ferguson, Deputy Director, Sigma Xi
The focus of this session will be on sharing information and resources for managing a
successful Sigma Xi chapter. The moderator will make a brief presentation about the
characteristics of a solid and productive chapter, and then the audience will divide into
small groups for discussion about different types of issues that impact chapter activity.
Each discussion will be led by a chapter officer, staff member or committee member, and
topics may include: revitalizing a moribund chapter, designing programs that encourage
student participation, attracting and initiating new members, identifying program areas
for your chapter, challenges facing industrial chapters and any other topics that
participants wish to discuss.
Science Advocacy for Sigma Xi Chapters
Presenters: Loran Bieber, University of Michigan; Marion Anderson, Employment Research
Associates; Everett Phillips, NALCO
Deeply concerned over the future of non-defense research and development funding, Michigan
Sigma Xi members met with many of their Members of Congress this year. These meetings were
organized as five person delegations including both academic and corporate
representatives. The meetings took place in the Representatives' District offices and
all were of substantial length. This session will show how to put together a delegation,
do pre-interview briefings, and identify key questions and challenges that are likely to
arise. Panelists will discuss the benefits of the interviews to both the scientists and
their Members of Congress, and their importance to a national debate on science policy.
Dr. Phillips will describe beginning a new Congressional Interview Program in Illinois.
Designing a Chapter Web Site
Facilitators: Don Hunter, Director Information Systems, Sigma Xi; Angie
Stopher, Project Manager, Sigma Xi
Offered twice during this conference, this workshop will provide participants with
the necessary tools and training to create a chapter web presence. The workshop will
utilize commercial web authoring tools, shareware and freeware to create HTML pages for
publishing to the World Wide Web. Templates and a Style Guide will be provided to each
participant. There should be ample time to create a web site for your chapter during this
session.
10:15-11:00 a.m.
Break/Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters
Chapter Posters/Scientific Posters
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Regional Assemblies II
12:00-1:30 p.m.
Lunch
12:00-1:30 p.m.
Committee on Diversity Student Day Workshop:
Overcoming Obstacles in Academia
This workshop will allow small groups of students and their mentors to examine topics
including: the transition from undergraduate to graduate school or professional positions,
how to develop a mentor/mentee relationship, and the special needs/concerns of
under-represented students and how to meet them. Participation in this workshop is limited
to individuals who have been paired in mentor/mentee relationships.
1:30-2:30 p.m.
Assembly of Delegates II
2:30-3:15 p.m.
Young Investigator Lecture
"Computing with DNA and RNA"
Laura Landweber, Princeton University
3:15-3:45 p.m.
Break/Undergraduate Research Symposium
Posters/Chapter Posters/Scientific Posters
3:45-5:30 p.m.
Workshops
K-12 Outreach Programs in Sigma Xi Chapters
Moderators: Evan Ferguson, Deputy Director, Sigma Xi; Kathy Massenburg, Chapter
Services Coordinator, Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi members from colleges, universities, experiment stations, government
laboratories, and industry have reached out to K-12 students and teachers, to assist them
in their understanding of science and to demonstrate that science is an exciting way of
learning. Join us as delegates from chapters from across the United States and Canada
share demonstrations and discussion of how they get their message across. Presenters will
also have posters and demonstrations in the chapter poster area. Presenters include the
following: Michael Caley, University of Alberta (Edmonton Science & Tech Hotline);
Geri Twitty, Howard University (Science Discovery Day); Ed Funkhauser, Texas A&M
University (Mars Drawing & Essay Contest); Michael S. Benner, Rider (PROBE Program for
Regional Outreach and Biology Education); Barb Goodman, University of South Dakota
(Frontiers in Physiology); John McConnell, University of South Dakota (Frontiers in
Physiology); Linda Simpson, Univ. of North Carolina, Charlotte (Microbial Discovery
Workshops); Gary DeLeo, Lehigh University (Pre-college Science Outreach Program); Heidi
Fencl, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh (Connecting Undergrads with K-8 Students); and
Larry Duffy, Alaska (University of Alaska Outreach).
Student Panel Discussion: Issues for Graduates Students from Under-represented
Groups
Moderator: Ben Cuker, Hampton University
Graduate students from the University of Minnesota will address questions such as,
“what was the most surprising thing about your first semester in graduate
school?” and “what do you wish you had done differently as an undergraduate to
prepare for graduate studies?” and “do you ever feel isolated as a minority
student,” and if so, “how do you deal with this issue?” This workshop is
part of the Committee on Diversity's Student Day activities but is open to all who
are interested.
A Sigma Xi Program for Dissemination of Best Practices in Undergraduate Education
Reform
Presenters: Cathy Manduca, Carleton College; Trish Morse, University of Washington
Two years ago, the NSF released a report of the Advisory Committee to the National
Science Foundation Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Shaping the Future: New
Expectations for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and
Technology. As evidenced by the topic of the 1999 forum, Sigma Xi is currently developing
plans for an effort to disseminate information about best practices in undergraduate
education reform. Through a series of workshops, an interactive Web site, a series of
publications, and the 1999 Sigma Xi Forum, the Society will pilot this dissemination
effort in the coming year. The goal of this workshop is to present to chapters information
about the workshop series and about how to become a host site.
Alliances Through Networking
Presenter: Jaleh Daie, President, Women in Science and Technology Alliance and
Director, Science Programs, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
A network of colleagues is an important resource base, offering information and knowledge
as well as access to expertise outside one's own field. Building a network is crucial
to career growth and is important to sustained success in any field, especially in the
scientific and technical communities. In the sciences, networking is the basis of peer
review, of professional collaboration, and of career growth. Despite this, networking has
a somewhat negative connotation, because it is misunderstood as an exploiting activity. On
the contrary, networking is a two-way process and works only if it is done in a mutually
supportive way. Dr. Daie will make a presentation about what is and what is not networking
and will lead a discussion on the process of building a professional network as well as
maintaining, re-energizing, and nurturing your network throughout your career.
Designing a Chapter Web Site
Facilitators: Don Hunter, Director Information Systems, Sigma Xi; Angie
Stopher, Project Manager, Sigma Xi
Offered twice during this conference, this workshop will provide participants with
the necessary tools and training to create a chapter web presence. The workshop will
utilize commercial web authoring tools, shareware and freeware to create HTML pages for
publishing to the World Wide Web. Templates and a Style Guide will be provided to each
participant. There should be ample time to create a web site for your chapter during this
session.
5:30-7:00 p.m.
Reception & Undergraduate Research
Symposium Posters/ Chapter Posters / Scientific Posters
7:00-9:30 p.m.
Banquet
Procter Prize Lecture
"Symbiogenesis"
Lynn Margulis, University of Massachusetts
Honorary Members
Brian Hayes, a former editor of American Scientist
Joann Rodgers, Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Johns Hopkins Medical
Institutions
Maurice Strong, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General
Sunday, November 7
8:00-8:30 a.m.
Regional Assemblies III (voting)
8:45-9:15
Constituency Group Meetings II (voting)
9:30 -10:00 a.m.
Assembly of Delegates II
(announce election results, wrap up, adjourn)
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