2001 Assembly of Delegates:
Nominees for Southeast Region Director

November 9-11, 2001, Raleigh, North Carolina
In conjunction with the Sigma Xi Forum, November 8-9, 2001

Name: Arthur Michael Geller

Present Position: Professor, Dept. of Molecular Sciences
Organization: University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Address: 894 Union Avenue
Room 210 Nash Research Bldg.
Memphis, TN 38163
USA

Telephone: 901-448-4348
FAX: 901-448-7360
E-mail: ageller@utmem.edu

Chapter Affiliation: University of Tennessee Memphis

Candidate's Statement: Over 100 years ago Sigma XI was founded as a chapter based organization to honor scientific discovery, promote research, and foster scientific fellowship. The uniqueness and strength of Sigma Xi has always been its chapter structure, and I believe that this is still our greatest asset. HQ has an important role to support the membership and strengthen the chapters, and helping to develop new programs. The Sigma Xi Center will serve as a new home for the society, but its focus should be the development and nurturing of chapters and programs. The Regional Directors have multiple functions, which includes working with chapters, but I believe that their most important role is to represent the chapters and members on the Board of Directors, and ensure they remain the highest priority of Sigma Xi. As a Regional Director, this has always been, and will continue to be, my primary goal.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Societal: Southeast Regional Director, member of Board of Directors, member of Ctte on Regions, 1984-91,1994-96, and 1998-2001; Chair, Ctte on Regions, 1989-90, and 2001-2002; Member, Executive Ctte of the Board of Directors, 1989-91 and 2001-2003; Member, Ctte on Program Initiatives, 1984-88; Member, Ctte on Audit Review, 1985-88 (Chair, 1988); Member, Ctte on Meetings, 1992-95. Chapter: President, 1982-83, 1991-92, & 1999; Secretary 2000-; Member, Executive Ctte, 1971-73, 1979-; Chair, Research Award Ctte, 1980-82; Chair, Local Arrangements Ctte, Sigma Xi 1985 Annual Meeting; Chair, Membership Ctte, 1992-; Co-Chair, Expanding Your Horizons for 6th grade girls, 1992-; Sigma Xi Rep, Memphis-Shelby Co Science Fair Steering Ctte, 1997-.

Biographical Information: Geller, Arthur Michael, biochemistry. Current Pos: Prof. Molecular Sciences, Univ of Tenn Health Sciences Center, 68-. Personal Data: b New York, NY, Dec 18, 41; m 84, Malak Kotb; c Suzanne & Laurie. Educ: City Col New York, BS, 62; Duke Univ, PhD (biochem), 67. Prof Exp: Am Cancer Soc Fel, Enzyme Inst, Univ Wis, 67-68. Concurrent Pos: Vis Scientist, Nat Inst Arthritis, Metab & Digestive Dis, NIH, 76-77; vis prof, Howard Hughes Med Inst, Duke Univ Med Ctr, 85; southeast regional dir & mem bd dirs, Sigma Xi, 84-91, 94-96, 98-2001 Mem: Sigma Xi; ASBMB; AAAS; Am Asn Univ Professors; Res: Methionine adensoyltransferase; methylation.

Name: Jack Sommer

Present Position: Knight Distinguished Professor
Organization: University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Address: Dept of Geography and Earth Sciences
McEniry Building
UNC Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 28223
USA

Telephone: 704-687-3451
FAX: 704-687-3812
E-mail: jacksommer@aol.com

Chapter Affiliation: Charlotte

Candidate's Statement: As a member of the Board of Directors (1989-1991) I lacked an appreciation of the Society at the chapter and regional levels; indeed, regional directors sometimes seemed at odds with the global possibilities of Sigma Xi. After inaugurating and analyzing the Surveys of Scientists and Engineers I developed a greater understanding of the concerns of the membership and our Regional Directors, but it was not until I dug into the serious work of developing the Charlotte Chapter that I appreciated the importance of regional representation of chapter interests. I want to become an effective representative of our region’s chapters and I believe my previous service to Sigma Xi on the Board and as president of the Charlotte Chapter prepares me to advance the fellowship of Sigma Xi in the region. To assure myself of member’s views I shall employ an electronic survey periodically to supplement an active schedule of visitations.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Sigma Xi: Executive Committee, 1988-89; Chair of International Committee, 1988-91; Committee on Science and Society, 1988-90; Compensation Committee, 1989; Chair of Ad Hoc Committee on Science, Technology and Government, 1989-92; Director of the Survey of Scientists and Engineers, 1987-90; National Advisory Group on Undergraduate Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education, 1988/89; National Lecturer, 1990; President of the Charlotte Chapter, 1995/96 and 1998/99. AAAS: Fellow, 1998-; CAIP member. Royal Society of New Zealand: Member and Director of a Survey of Scientists and Technologists, 1996

Biographical Information: Sommer, Jack; A.B. Dartmouth College, 1960; A.M. Boston University, 1961; Ph.D. Boston University, 1968. Lecturer and Assistant Professor at Dartmouth College, 1964-1975. NAS/NRC Postdoctoral Fellow, 1967/68. Dean of Social Sciences and Associate and Full Professor at University of Texas at Dallas, 1975-84. Science Policy Analyst, National Science Foundation, 1984-89 and Deputy Director of Science Resource Studies, 1989-90. Senior Advisor for Science and Technology, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 1990-92. Knight Distinguished Professor of Public Policy, UNC Charlotte, 1992-. Fulbright Senior Scholar to New Zealand, 1995-96. Board of Advisors and Co-Chair of the Judges Panel, the George and Cynthia Mitchell Prize for Sustainable Development, 1989-96 and Chair of the Young Scholars Mitchell Prize Competition 1989-98. Chair, Policy Advisory Board, Houston Advanced Research Center, 1996-99. Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, 1992.

Name: Ann Houston Williams

Present Position: Project Director
Organization: Carolina Mammography Registry

Address: Dept of Radiology, CB #7515
RRL, 106 Mason Farm Road
UNC-CH
Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7515
USA

Telephone: 919-966-0493
FAX: 919-966-0525
E-mail: ann_williams@med.unc.edu

Chapter Affiliation: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Candidate's Statement: For more than twenty-five years, Sigma Xi has been an extremely important part of my professional career. In 1990 after 13 years in academia, I accepted a position with Sigma Xi Headquarters during its transition from New Haven, CT to RTP, NC. First as Program Administrator for Chapters and Clubs and later as Director of Chapter Programs, I spent nine years working to improve the health of all chapters. Having visited more that 150 chapters across North America, I am acutely aware of the difficulties that faculty face on their local campuses and the effort needed to maintain a chapter. As the staff liaison to Sigma Xi's Committee on Diversity and the International Committee, I helped move forward the issues and programs of these committees. As a Regional Director, I would emphasize the work of revitalizing chapters in the Southeast Region and the Society, as a whole, and would push to reinvigorate the Society's program on diversity.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: American Society of Zoologists, Education Committee, 1987-1990; Chair, Committee on Awards, Auburn University Chapter of Sigma Xi, 1988-1989; President-elect, Auburn University Chapter of Sigma Xi, 1989-1990; Secretary, Alabama Academy of Science, 1985-1990; Board of Directors, North Carolina Academy of Science, 1994-1997, President-elect, 1997-1998, President, 1998-1999, Past President, 1999-2000; Board of Directors, Organization for Tropical Studies, 1986-90; Board of Directors, League of Women Voters of Chapel Hill/Carrboro, NC, 1900-1995, Voters Service Chair, 1990-1992, First Vice President, 1992-1993, Co-President, 1993-1994, Treasurer, 1994-1995.

Biographical Information: Williams, Ann Houston, zoology educator; b. Red Bank, N.J. BS, U.S.C., 1965; MA in Teaching, Duke U., 1972; PhD, U.N.C., 1977. Tchr. high sch. biology A.C. Flora High Sch., Columbia, S.C., 1966-73; teaching asst. U.N.C., Chapel Hill, 1973-77; asst. prof. Southwestern at Memphis (name now Rhodes Coll.), 1978-80; asst. prof. Auburn (Ala.) U., 1980-85, assoc. prof., 1985-90; program adminstr. Sigma Xi, The Sci. Rsch. Soc., Research Triangle Park, N.C., 1990-99; cons. Normandeau Assocs., Mass., 1978; bd. dirs. Fed. Credit Union Auburn U.; vis. prof. Dauphin Island (Ala.) Sea Lab, 1981, 82, 84, 85. Author: Report to EPA, 1983; contbr. articles to profl. jours. Wilson Fellow U.N.C., 1974-75; grantee NSF, 1975-77, 86-88. Mem. AAAS (EPA rsch. fellow 1983), LWV (bd. dirs. 1983-86), Ecol. Soc. Am., Ala. Acad. Sci. (sec. 1985-90), Mid-South Biology Tchrs. Assn. (pres. 1979-80), Marine Environ. Scis. Consortium (sec. program com. 1985-86, vice chair 1986-87, chair 1987-88), Orgn. for Tropical Studies (bd. dirs. 1986-90), Sigma Xi (chpt. pres. elect 1989-90), Auburn Chaper of Zeta Tau Alpha (gen. advisor 1981-87). NC Acad. Sci. (bd. dirs., pres-el., pres., past-pres. 1994-00. Proj. Dir., Carol. Mammogr. Reg. 1999-.