2002 Assembly of Delegates:
Nominees for Southeast Region Associate Director

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: Charles Abernathy Sparrow

Present Position: Professor Emeritus
Organization: Mississippi State University

Address: Dave C. Swalm School
of Chemical Engineering
Mississippi State University
P. O. Box 9595
Mississippi State, MS 39762-9595
USA

Telephone: (662) 325-7323
FAX: (662) 325-2482
E-mail: sparrow@che.msstate.edu

Chapter Affiliation: Mississippi State University

Candidate's Statement: Chapter activities are the heart of the Sigma Xi program. Sigma Xi has a commendable record of providing support and encouragement to its chapters. Sigma Xi has an excellent reputation as the interface between the scientific research community and the public. Chapters already recognize achievement of junior high and high school students. Through continued use of the internet as well as chapter initiatives, Sigma Xi can stimulate interest in scientific careers. I believe that we shall continue to find local opportunities to promote scientific research, and I am pleased to be considered for the office of Associate Director.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Served as Secretary, Vice President, and President of the Mississippi State University Chapter. Initiated a series of presentations incorporating social time with the traditional scholarly presentation at a variety of locations on the university campus. Active participant in the examination process for professional engineering registration.

Biographical Information: Dr. Sparrow has been a member of the faculty of Mississippi State University for 26 years, serving in both the Nuclear Engineering and Chemical Engineering programs. In June of this year he retired and became Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering. He continues to teach and to pursue his research interests. Dr. Sparrow has taught a variety of courses, with a particular interest in freshman engineering offerings. He has concentrated his research endeavors in the evaluation of nuclear radiation detectors and the application of Artificial Intelligence techniques to the analysis of data from non-intrusive measurements. Service to the university has included terms on the Faculty Senate and chairmanship of various committees. Within his department, Dr. Sparrow has been scholarship coordinator, overseeing the award of approximately 100 scholarships per year. Dr. Sparrow has participated actively in the process for registration of professional engineers, having been chair of his professional society's examination preparation committee.

Name: Ann Houston Williams

Present Position: Project Director
Organization: Carolina Mammography Registry

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

Telephone: 919-966-2853
FAX: 919-966-0525
E-mail: ann_williams@med.unc.edu

Chapter Affiliation: University of North Carolina at 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 an Associate Regional Director, I will continue to emphasize the work of revitalizing chapters in the Southeast Region and the Society, as a whole, and will 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, 1990-1995, Voters Service Chair, 1990-1992, First Vice President, 1992-1993, Co-President, 1993-1994, Treasurer, 1994-1995; Associate Regional Director for the SE Region, 2000-2002.

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-.

Name: David Nelson Yarborough

Present Position: E. P. Nalley/BORSF Endowed Professor of Applied Life Sciences
Organization: The University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Address: P.O. Box 40399
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana 70504-0399
USA

Telephone: 337-482-5709
FAX: 337-482-5395
E-mail: yarbrough@louisiana.edu or dnyarbro@bellsouth.net

Chapter Affiliation: University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Candidate's Statement: When I began university work, I soon came to realize that the obligations associated with class preparation and teaching, student advising, institutional committee work, and minimal attention to my own research agenda would obstruct my interactions with other faculty. My association with Sigma Xi is the one guaranteed opportunity that I have for discourse without an agenda. During our regular monthly meetings, the institutional politics and barriers are left at the door for an hour of intellectual exercise. For that reason alone, I am thankful for the camaraderie of the group and as an officer, will continue to protect that objective.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Currently, Chapter Secretary for the UL Lafayette chapter of Sigma Xi; Member of Phi Beta Delta; Member of the National Council on Family Relations

Biographical Information: Master of Social Work from the University of Alabama; Ph.D. from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Professional experience as a primary therapist and treatment team leader of adolescent boys and girls in a residential treatment facility. Assistant Professor of Child and Family Studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette from 1995 to present; E. P. Nalley/BORSF Endowed Professor of Applied Life Sciences from 2001 to present. Current research focus identifying coping strategies for managing vicarious trauma.