Richard L. Meyer
Professor Emeritus, Department of Biological Sciences
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
Richard L. Meyer is Professor Emeritus from the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. He served in the Biological Sciences Department for 29 years. Administrative positions included Director of Research and Sponsored Programs and Associate Director of the Arkansas Water Resources Research Center. Other academic positions were Adjunct Professor in the Department of Agronomy and Director of the intercollege (Arts & Sciences, Engineering and Agriculture) Environmental Science Program. Dr. Meyer enjoyed an appointment as Professor in the University of Minnesota Graduate School. He has been active in their teaching and research program at the Itasca Forestry and Biological Station.
Associated activities included serving as Chairman of the Board of Central Emergency Medial Service and five years as its Chief Executive Officers. This not-for- profit corporation included nearly fifty employees and interacted with numerous municipal, state and national agencies. Dr. Meyer was responsible for overseeing the operating budget, reserve funds, long-range financial planning and installing external audits. He also served as the Endowment Fund Manager for the Phycological Society of America for ten years. The manager was responsible for recommending the investment polity for the funds, developing strategies for increasing the fund size and supervising the dispersal of monies for grants-in aid, awards and other activities. Upon completing of the Fund Manager activities Dr. Meyer was elected President of the Society. Several private, municipal, state, and national agencies and organization has called upon him as a consultant and/or an expert witness.
Since his election by the University of Minnesota, Rick has been an active member of Sigma Xi. He was President of the University of Arkansas chapter as well as chair of the membership, program, and science fair committees. Under his guidance the Aubrey E. Harvey Endowment for Research awards to graduate students was founded. The chapter elected him as a long-term delegate and also as a mentor. At the regional level Rick served as Regional Director for the Southeast District, Chair of the Regional Directors, Chair of the By-laws Committee and member of the Nominations Committee. He as served on the Society's Board of Directors as a regional director and as a director-at-large, as member of the Executive Committee, Finance Committee member, member and chair of the Audit Committee, chair of the Awards Committee, Nominations Committee member and member of the Committee on Meetings. In 1989 he served a the General Chairman of the Annual Meeting (Theme: "Science as a Way of Knowing: Undergraduate Education in Science, Engineering and Mathematics.) Rick has also served a representative for the installation of chapters and as judge at the International Science Fair.
Dr. Meyer was the Chief Scientist on several cruises on Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute ships as well as leading a portion on the International Indian Ocean Expedition. Rick has conducted research in the cytology, morphology and life history of numerous freshwater algae as well as leading research in the areas of algal phylogeny, algal ecology and modeling of streams and reservoirs. His research included individual as well as small and large team projects. He directed the graduate research of 6 PhD and 17 MS students.
A native of Missouri, Rick earned his BS in biology at the Missouri Valley College and his PhD from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis with a major in Botany and minors in Zoology and Microbiology.
Candidate's Statement – Richard Meyer
I have been wonderfully rewarded to serve Sigma Xi in a diversity of roles in the past. I look forward to the opportunity to continue contributing in the future of this important society. The unique structure of the Society brings together the strength and synergism of interdisciplinary companionship. Our national as well as international chapter system provides a firm foundation for broadening the vision of the individual and a force to influence science. It also provides a platform upon which the various disciplines of science, engineering and mathematics can be integrated. Our Society has demonstrated a major role in defining and maintaining the moral and ethical foundations for our members and those within our influence. Our careful selection of foci for the annual meetings, our representations to the academic community, industrial community and governmental agencies permits us to be an influence in the conduct of research and its application. Our dynamic future requires us to recognizing issues and challenges. With forethought we can address these and provide advanced leadership with a cross-discipline approach. Sigma Xi is unique in that it provides a structure for joint effort, from a diversity of disciplines, to address complex problems and a forum for distribution of thoughtful leading-edge ideas and solutions. Our challenge as members, as chapters and the entire society is to provide effective ways for encouraging research and disseminating the knowledge among scientists and the public. Our enhanced view of science enriches the specialized contribution of the individual scientist by widening the horizons of thought and being agents of collegial support. The Treasurer has a significant role in leading the fiscal affairs and financial planning as well as providing wisdom and knowledge to the Society, the Board and Executive Committee. My past activities provided me with diverse experiences that can contribute to the thoughtful management of the Society's resources, its program development and providing services to its' members.
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