2004 Assembly of Delegates:
Northwest Regional Director

November 11-14, 2004
Le Centre Sheraton
Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Name: Douglas Cameron

Present Position: Professor, Chemistry and Geochemistry; Department Head, Health Care Informatics and Pre-Professional Health Studies
Organization: Montana Tech of the University of Montana

Address: 1300 West Park St.
Butte, MT 59701
USA

Telephone: 406-496-4247
FAX: 406-496-4135
E-mail: dcameron@mtech.edu

Chapter Affiliation: Montana Tech of The University of Montana

Candidate's Statement: Typical of many undergraduate students that pursue advanced degrees in math, science and engineering, I started my research experience in a smaller university working beside my professors. These personal interactions helped pique my interests and to apply and extend my classroom knowledge. Unfortunately, the fiscal resources available at these schools are generally not sufficient to maintain competitive research programs. Since these schools provide a significant student population to the research pipeline, it is imperative that innovative ways be found to improve the research opportunities for their students and faculty. As a Regional Director, I hope to enlist the collective wisdom of the society to find reasonable and effective measures to enhance these research experiences.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: American Chemical Society; Member since 1974; Treasurer, Montana Section since 1992. American Society of Mass Spectrometry, Member since 1980. Sigma Xi; Member since 1987; Treasurer, Montana Tech Chapter since 1994. National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions, Member since 1995. International Humic Substances Society, Member since 1998.

Biographical Information: Dr. Cameron earned his B.S. in Chemistry at Montana State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry at Purdue University. He previously held positions as a research chemist with Unocal Corporation, Western Research Institute, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Currently, he is a Professor of Chemistry and Geochemistry and Department Head of Health Care Informatics and Pre-Professional Health Studies at Montana Tech of the University of Montana. His research interests include the study of humic materials in acid mine drainage; use of instrumentation for the analysis of environmental contaminants; methods development for chemical speciation of inorganic, organometallic, and organic compounds in various solid, liquid and gaseous matrices; and fundamental studies of gas phase ion/molecule reactions. He has served as thesis advisor for M.S. geochemistry students and has published over 20 peer-reviewed papers and reports. As Department Head, he is helping to develop the first undergraduate Health Care Informatics program in the United States.

Name: John J. Kelley

Present Position: Professor of Marine Science
Organization: University of Alaska, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences

Address: University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK 99775
USA

Telephone: 907-474-5585
FAX: 907-474-7204
E-mail: ffjjk@uaf.edu

Chapter Affiliation: Alaska

Candidate's Statement: Sigma Xi is the one international organization which offers a unique opportunity for the promotion of multidisciplinary companionship in science and engineering and interaction with society. The achievement of Sigma Xi's goals is a continual process with the activities of the chapters being the most essential element. Effective leadership of the regional directorates is required to help implement communication of shared experiences and concerns among the chapters nationally. It has been my pleasure to serve Sigma Xi at the national, regional and chapter level for the past 20 years. As present associate director I have gained much experience in helping to achieve the goals of the Northwest district and would be pleased to serve as director if elected.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Sigma Xi Alaska Chapter Secretary-Treasurer, 2002-present; Sigma Xi: Alaska Chapter President, 1987-89; 1996-98; American Geophysical Union: 1960-present; The Explorers Club(fellow):1966-present; Arctic Institute of North America(fellow):1962-present; The Oceanography Society:1997-2001,Rotary Club, 1980-present, Mentor, Packard Grant Global Networking Effort, 2001-present. U.S. National Academies of Science Committee Member to the International Polar Year, 2003-present.

Biographical Information: Dr. John J. Kelley, b.1933 received B.S. in Geophysics/Geochemistry, Pennsylvania State University, 1958; Ph.D.,Nagoya University, Japan,1973. University of Washington, Dept. of Atmos. Sci, 1959-1968, University of Alaska, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (Institute of Marne Science)1968-present, Professor. Served U.S. Army 1953-55, Program Mgr. Meteorology/Oceanography, Polar Programs 1974-76. Director, Arctic Research Lab. 1977-80, Chm. North Slope Borough Science Advisory Comm. 1980-present, Director, Polar Ice Coring Office (NSF) 1989-1997. Research/academic interests: trace gases in atmospheric and sea, fate and transport of contaminants, riverine fisheries acoustics and bioacoustics.

Name: Catherine King Skokan

Present Position: Associate Professor of Engineering
Organization: Colorado School of Mines

Address: Division of Engineering
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, CO 80401
USA

Telephone: 303-273-3960
FAX: 303-273-3602
E-mail: cskokan@mines.edu

Chapter Affiliation: Colorado School of Mines

Candidate's Statement: The grass roots structure of Sigma Xi differentiates this society from most other scientific and research groups. As an organization, we should continue to use this strength to offer local members services that meet community needs. Bringing information about national level services to local chapters and encouraging the use of these services would be my primary goal.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: SIGMA XI: Vice President, President, Program Chair, Treasurer (present position) local chapter, Nominating Committee for Northwest Region. Also, American Geophysical Union, Engineering and Environmental Geophysics Society (presently VP-Conventions), National Association of Science Teachers, Colorado Association of Science Teachers, American Society for Engineering Education. Active in music program at CSM and play in local chamber orchestra.

Biographical Information: Catherine K. Skokan received her Ph. D. in Geophysical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. She is presently an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at Colorado School of Mines. Her research interests include engineering applications of geophysics, curriculum development, and k-12 outreach. Her present research projects include an NSF sponsored program "Bridges in Engineering" which helps to bring engineering curriculum to the K12 community to help to excite students in math and science. She also has a grant from the Colorado Department of Education through the No Child Left Behind Act to increase the physical science content knowledge of middle school teachers. She is presently writing electrical engineering curriculum for the Petroleum Institute in the UAE as this new university is developed.