2003 Assembly of Delegates:
Nominees for Committee on Nominations Southeast Region

November 13-16, 2003
Hyatt Regency Los Angeles at Macy's Plaza
Los Angeles, California

In conjunction with the Sigma Xi Forum, Science and Engineering: Keys to International Understanding, November 12-13
And the Sigma Xi Student Research Conference, November 14-15

Name: Paul Leonardus Klerks

Present Position: Associate Professor of Biology
Organization: University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Address: Department of Biology
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Box 42451
P. O. Box 9595
Lafayette, LA 70504
USA

Telephone: 337-482-6356
FAX: 337-482-5834
E-mail: klerks@louisiana.edu

Chapter Affiliation: University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Candidate's Statement: We as scientists are increasingly working within highly specialized disciplines and mostly interacting with colleagues in scientific societies representing these narrow fields. Thus, having a society like Sigma Xi and having it functioning optimally is more relevant than ever in dealing with general issues (such as scientific literacy of the public) that tend to fall between the cracks in societies with a narrow focus. If elected to Sigma Xi's Committee on Nominations I would focus on identifying individuals best qualified to serve as Sigma Xi President and Treasurer, while ensuring a real choice for Sigma Xi members by identifying individuals with different backgrounds and viewpoints.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Sigma Xi member since 1986. Secretary/Treasurer of Lafayette chapter 1996-1998, Secretary 1998-2001. Active in starting Annual Student Research Symposium at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Biographical Information: Education: Ph.D. from SUNY Stony Brook (1987), MS from University of Utrecht, Netherlands (1981). Professional Experience: Assistant/ Associate Professor of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette (1992-present). Postdoctoral positions at University of Toledo (1989-1991) and Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (1987-1989). Publications in peer-reviewed journals and edited books: 44. Grant funding including EPA and Department of Energy. Served on EPA national grant review panels. Ad-hoc reviewer of proposals, fellowship applications, manuscripts (for 21 different journals). Member of AAAS, SETAC, Sigma Xi (since 1986).

Name: Richard Edwin Harlan

Present Position: Professor and Vice Chair of Structural and Cellular Biology and Director of the Neuroscience Program
Organization: Tulane University School of Medicine

Address: Tulane Univ School of Medicine
1430 Tulane Avenue, SL-49
New Orleans, LA 70112
USA

Telephone: 504-584-2744
FAX: 504-584-1687
E-mail: harlanre@tulane.edu

Chapter Affiliation: Tulane University

Candidate's Statement: Because of its multidisciplinary nature, Sigma Xi should sponsor discussions and research about commonalties among scientific disciplines, such as strategies for dealing with complex systems, or strategies to enhance graduate education.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: President of the Tulane chapter, 1996-98. Organized a symposium on the ethics of gene therapy. Attended the Sigma Xi annual meeting in Galveston in 2002.

Biographical Information: Elected to Sigma Xi as a graduate student at UCLA. Performed postdoctoral research at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas, and at Rockefeller University. Was Assistant Professor at Rockefeller University 1982-1985, and Assistant Professor at Tulane University 1985-1987, Associate Professor 1987-1991, and full Professor beginning in 1991. Elected as Director of the graduate Neuroscience Program at Tulane in 1997. Became Vice Chair of the Department of Structural and Cellular Biology in January 2003. Published more than 100 articles and trained 14 graduate students. Regular member of NIH study section, 2001-05. Teaches medical histology, medical neuroscience, graduate neuroscience and advanced neuroanatomy.

Name: Ann Houston Williams

Present Position: Field Studies Coordinator/Epidemiologist
Organization: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Address: Epidemiology & Biomarkers Branch
HSD/NHEERL/ORD
US EPA, Mail Drop -58C
RTP, NC 27711
USA

Telephone: 919-843-4833
FAX: 919-966-0655
E-mail: Williams.annh@epa.gov

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 have continued 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. As a representative to Sigma Xi's Committee on Nominations, I will strive to find the best candidates possible to lead the Society in the coming years.

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; Associate Regional Director for the SE Region, 2000-2004; Secretary-Treasurer, UNC CH Chapter of Sigma Xi, 1999-present.

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. 1999-2002; Epidemiologist, US EPA/ORD/NHEERL/HSD/EBB 2002-.