Report of the President
for the Year ending June 30, 2001

It has been a privilege for me to serve as President of Sigma Xi for the past year.Ê During the year, the Society has seen a number of important areas addressed that should assure a more solid foundation for the future of Sigma Xi.

One of the highlights of the year was the 9-10 November 2000 Forum in Albuquerque, New Ethical Challenges in Science and Technology, where participants addressed a variety of ethical issues involving scientific and engineering research.Ê I was more than pleased about the sense of excitement concerning the things that need to be done in Sigma Xi on this issue and the talent of the participants at the Forum to undertake these tasks.Ê The November 2000 Forum contained a lots of ideas and a great deal of interaction among the participants.Ê In my view, the Forum elevated the Society's collective wisdom about new ethical issues in science, technology, and research.Ê Sigma Xi can carry this elevated wisdom forward in a variety of ways - as a Society as a whole and within the local chapters.Ê Thus, the ideas expressed during the Forum can take form in a variety of contexts representing the great variety of experiences that reside within Sigma Xi's chapters.

Also during the year, the Society made additional progress in Sigma Xi's transition to its new, more streamlined governance system.Ê During this second year of the three-year transition, the Board was reduced from 23 to 18 members and Directors were elected in November 2000 to serve on the Board from of the Society's constituency groups.Ê When the transition period is completed, the Society's new governance structure will draw more heavily on the collective wisdom within Sigma Xi's interdisciplinary, grass-roots chapters.Ê In addition, in November 2000 the Board of Directors approved a series of changes recommended by the Committee on Long-Range Planning that involved the composition and duties of several of the Society's committees.Ê These changes should position the Society to function even more effectively in addressing the needs of its chapters and the scientific community.Ê The Report of the Executive Director provides further details.

On 27-28 January 2001, the Board of Directors held a retreat at Research Triangle Park, North Carolina to reflect on the many issues and opportunities that face the Society.Ê During this retreat, participants came away with a better understanding of the Society as a whole.Ê In particular, the Board agreed that enhanced communication, both in quality and quantity, appears to be a key to much better understanding of issues across the Society.Ê Also, the Board agreed that Sigma Xi should continue to work on its on-going efforts to revitalize chapters and the Society's membership.Ê Finally, I think the participants in the retreat took away with them an improved understanding of the relative roles of various groups within the Sigma Xi community.Ê The institutional family of members, chapters, regions, constituencies, the assembly, the committees, the staff, and the Board is a complex one but each member of the family has an important role to play in shaping the future of the Society.

One of the issues that received extensive discussion during the Board retreat was the proposed Sigma Xi Center.Ê The new Sigma Xi Center will be used to facilitate a portfolio of new program activities as well as to develop some existing programs that build on the Society's traditional strengths and mission.Ê The initial working portfolio of activities includes four broad principle areas: (1) ethics and honor in science and research, (2) science education, (3) public understanding of science, and (4) the overall health of the research enterprise.Ê Many of the prospective programs in these areas will reinforce activities in the Society's chapters or provide new program opportunities for Sigma Xi chapters.Ê I eagerly look forward to the realization of the Center both as a facility and as a portfolio of programs.

In his Report of the Executive Director, Peter Blair has provided a thorough update on the many program activities within the Society for the year ending 30 June 2001.Ê Many of these activities relate to the four proposed program areas of the Sigma Xi Center, while others build on the Society's traditional programs.Ê Some of these programs, such as the science advocacy program that was started by the Michigan chapters, were initiated within the Society's chapters, while others, such as the ethics and education programs that were funded by the National Science Foundation, rely heavily on chapter participation and input for their success.Ê I find these programs to be very exciting, new direction for Sigma Xi because of the dual process of gathering collective wisdom, identifying key issues, and in aiding not only the Society as a whole, but also the individual chapters of Sigma Xi.Ê In my view, this idea of coming together, whether at the annual meeting or to be involved in program opportunities, is terribly important for Sigma Xi.Ê Also, the balance that Sigma Xi needs to work on is how can we build our own capability as a community of researchers, therefore the Society as a whole, yet at the same time hold on to the vitality and semi-independence of the Chapters of Sigma Xi.Ê In that sense the Society's goal would be to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts.

As you know, in November 2000 Peter Blair announced that he would be leaving Sigma Xi as its Executive Director to take a position as the Executive Director of the Physical Sciences and Engineering Division at the National Research Council in Washington, DC. All of us in Sigma Xi will certainly miss Peter's leadership, sense of humor, and wisdom.Ê Dr. Blair leaves the Society a legacy of many key accomplishments resulting from his efforts in conjunction with the Society's leadership community and staff. We certainly wish him the very best in his new position in Washington, DC.Ê Dr. Blair, as a Life Member of the Society, looks forward to playing an active role as a volunteer in the continuing adventure of Sigma Xi and I look forward to working with him in his volunteer capacity at Sigma Xi. During the spring and summer of 2001, the Society's Search Committee has been reviewing nominations for the Executive Director's position and I am confident that the committee and the Board will select a most outstanding individual to lead the Society's efforts in the coming years.

Except for Dr. Blair's announcement, this has been an exciting and productive year for the Society.Ê The progress that has been made over the past several years, and this year in particular, on making the Society more relevant to its chapters, members, and the research community through its expanded program activitieshave positioned the Society extremely well for the 21st Century.Ê I am glad to have had the opportunity to play a small part in this effort.Ê I look forward to the continued success of Sigma Xi under the fine leadership of Dr. Marye Anne Fox in the next year.

John H. Gibbons
16 July 2001