2002 Assembly of Delegates:
Nominees for Committee on Nominations - Northeast Region

November 15-17, 2002
Moody Gardens Hotel
Galveston Island, Texas

In conjunction with the Sigma Xi Forum, November 14-15, Changing the Face of Science and Engineering

Name: Grant Allan Gardner

Present Position: Associate Dean of Science
Organization: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Address: Dean of Science Office
Memorial University
St. John's, NF A1B 3X7
Canada

Telephone: 709-737-8155
FAX: 709-737-3316
E-mail: ggardner@mun.ca

Chapter Affiliation: Avalon Chapter

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Sigma Xi: Avalon Chapter (1984), founding member of Chapter; Chapter delegate 1996, 1998, 1999; Acting President 1998-; Nominating Committee, Northeast Region, 1999-2002; Nominating Committee, Canadian and International Constituency Group, 2001-present; Sigma Xi Fund of Canada, Member 2000-; Director 2001-

Biographical Information: GRANT ALLAN GARDNER. Biological Oceanography, Biology. Current Pos: Assoc. Prof. Biology 1987-; Assoc. Dean (Administration and Undergraduate), Faculty of Science 1994-; Educ. U. of Guelph, B.Sc. (Marine Biology), 1970; U. of British Columbia, M.Sc. 1972, Ph.D. 1976 (Biological Oceanography). Prof. Exp. PDF, Institute of Ocean Sciences, 1976-78; Memorial Univ.: Deputy Head, Biology, 1988-1994; A/Head, 1991; Promotion and Tenure Cttee. 1989-90; Assoc. Dean of Sci. 1994-present; Acting Dean of Sci. May 1 - Aug. 31/99; Senate Undergraduate Studies Cttee. 1984-93 (Chair 87-93); Senate, elected member 1987-96; Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication, 1992-present (Chair 1998- present); Atlantic Provinces Council on the Sciences (Chair 1995-97; Treasurer 2001-present); Atlantic Co-operative Wildlife Ecology Research Network, Management Cttee., 1994-present; Fellow, Nortel Institute for Excellence in Education.; Coastal Zone Canada Association, Member of the Board, 2000-present

Name: Richard Burnett Peterson

Present Position: Full Scientist
Organization: The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Address: Dept of Biochem and Genetics
123 Huntington St.
New Haven, CT 06511
USA

Telephone: 203-974-8463
FAX: 203-974-8502
E-mail: Richard.Peterson@po.state.ct.us

Chapter Affiliation: Quinnipiac

Candidate's Statement: An individual's choice to participate in any organization has to be based on a convergence of his interests and values with those of the membership-at-large. A troubling fact-of-life for all scientists is that, despite our advances as a society, our public seems surprisingly receptive to superstition, fuzzy logic, hype, and antiscience zealotry. Sigma Xi, with its diversity of professional expertise and commitment to education, should build on its accomplishments and act as a powerful voice for science in public enlightenment and policy leadership. I would encourage the Society to take on a more visible role in these areas.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: I joined the Quinnipiac Chapter of Sigma Xi in 1995 and have served as Vice President of the Chapter since 1996. Over this period I have assisted in assembly of the Chapter newsletter. In 1999 and 2001 I had the distinct pleasure of representing the Chapter as Delegate to the Annual Meeting. From 1999 to 2001 I served on the Nominating Committee of the Northeast Region. Other memberships include the American Society of Plant Biologists and AAAS.

Biographical Information: 1971: Bachelor of Arts in Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 1976: Ph.D. in Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison,1976-1978: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University 1978-1979: Postdoctoral Research Associate, C.F. Kettering Research Laboratory, Yellow Springs, Ohio, 1979-present: Assistant, Associate, and currently Full Scientist, Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut. Listed in Strathmore's Who's Who My current research activities center on regulation of light harvesting for photosynthesis in higher plants. This involves application of gas exchange, fluorescence, and in vivo absorbance techniques. Use of the Arabidopsis model system has enabled a molecular and genomic dimension to this project. As an employee of a state Agricultural Experiment Station I am committed to making my research interesting and relevant to, not only other professionals, but also ordinary citizens. Hence, my duties include occasional presentations to the agricultural and environmental constituencies of our state.

Name: David J. Triggle

Present Position: University Professor
Organization: State University of New York at Buffalo

Address: 457 Hochstetter Hall
State University of New York at Buffalo
Buffalo NY 14260
U.S.A.

Telephone: 716-645-7315
FAX: 716-645-2941
E-mail: Triggle@buffalo.edu or davidtriggle@hotmail.com

Chapter Affiliation: SUNY Buffalo

Candidate's Statement: Robert D. Putnam powerfully expressed a contemporary American dilemma in his book, "Bowling Alone" - the decline of social capital and the attendant loss of societal cohesion with overall detrimental effects to society. Science is part of this dilemma: increasing scientific specialization, competitiveness and secrecy are threatening the role of science as part of the public knowledge commons. The consequences are that scientific literacy decreases, and the public trust of science and the scientific method are further eroded. Sigma Xi is perhaps unique as a society that embraces a holistic view of science and the scientific method, and as such can play an increasingly important role as a catalytic influence to further their importance in the educational and public domains. This is not an easy task: our declining membership over the past several years reflects, according to Putnam, societal changes at large. This will not easily be reversed, but efforts must be increased particularly by focusing on outreach to undergraduates and high school students where opportunities to broaden horizons are perhaps greatest. I have been a member of Sigma Xi for many years and have served as Chapter President for the past six years. I welcome any opportunity to continue to serve the society.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: I am a long-term member of Sigma Xi, as well as other more specialized scientific societies. For the past six years I have served as Chapter President of the State University of New York at Buffalo Chapter, where I have been principally involved in organizing our Annual Research Day, invited lecture and joint sponsorship of a Graduate Research Ethics course. I have played other similar scientific roles including being Chair of a Gordon Research Conference, a New York Academy of Science symposium, courses for the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, for the China Pharmaceutical University and the Sci-Tech Center in Bombay. For the past decade I have taught, with my philosopher colleague Richard Hull, a graduate course on research ethics and have chaired commissions on and written papers of graduate education.

Biographical Information: I am a University Professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Distinguished Professor in the School of Pharmacy. I was educated in the United Kingdom with B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry from the Universities of Southampton and Hull. Following several years of postdoctoral fellowships at the Universities of Ottawa and London I joined the School of Pharmacy at Buffalo where I served on the faculty and was Dean from 1985 -1995. From 1995-2001 I served as Dean of the Graduate School and from 2000-2001 as University Provost. I am the author of a number of books dealing with drug-receptor interactions, of some two hundred and fifty papers and some one hundred chapters and reviews. I have received awards from the American Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics ( the Otto Krayer Award ), from the American Association of Pharmacology and Therapeutics ( Volwiler Research Achievement Award ), and from the Medical Foundation of Buffalo. I have served in a variety of educational and scientific advisory capacities in Universities in China, the Middle East and India and hold honorary degrees from the University of Hull and the University of Camerino. I also serve on an academic credentials committee of the New York State Board of Regents. I am the Editor of Pharmaceutical News and serve as Perspectives Editor of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.