2005 Assembly of Delegates:
Canadian & International Constituency Director

2005 Sigma Xi Annual Meeting and Student Research Conference
November 3-6, 2005
Westin Seattle Hotel
Seattle, Washington

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, NL A1B 3X7
Canada

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

Chapter Affiliation: Avalon Chapter

Candidate's Statement: The Canadian/International Constituency Group is responsible for all chapters outside the United States and its territories. Currently, the Sigma Xi web site shows contact information for chapters in 10 such countries, but membership is much broader geographically, with members in over 100 countries. Hence there is considerable potential for growth in the international component of Sigma Xi. The International Committee has been facilitating such growth for many years, as has the C/I Constituency group since it was formed. There have been successes along the way, and the international presence at Sigma Xi meetings has increased noticeably. However, there are still many challenges. If I am elected Director of the C/I constituency, I will work to strengthen the existing chapters, and explore possibilities for development of new chapters. I would like to see a mentorship program linking those chapters to established Chapters in North America that can serve as a source of information and assistance in addition to the excellent support that international chapters receive from the Sigma Xi office. It is also time for the Society to hold an Annual Meeting outside North America, and some of our international chapters are strong enough to host such a meeting. Hence I will work with my colleagues in the C/I Constituency Group and on the International Committee to facilitate a proposal for an Annual Meeting hosted by one of our international chapters.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Avalon Chapter (1984), founding member of Chapter; Chapter delegate several years; Acting President 1998-; Nominating Committee, Northeast Region, 1999-2002; Nominating Committee, Canadian and International Constituency Group, 2001-2005; Sigma Xi Fund of Canada, Member 2000-; Director 2001-; President 2005-

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; Vice-President (Communications) 2004-present; Chair, CZC04 organizing committee; Core Committee, Canada-Wide Science Fairs 1989, 2004.

Name: Geza Gordos

Present Position: Full professor, Head of Section
Organization: Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Address: Budapest
Magyar Tudosok krt. 2.
Hungary
H-1117

Telephone: +36-1-4634187
FAX: +36-1-4633107
E-mail: gordos@tmit.bme.hu

Chapter Affiliation: Hungary

Candidate's Statement: I would like to contribute to the adherence of the Canadian/International Constituency Group to the everlasting values of Sigma Xi and to this Constituency's active role in meeting the new challenges Sigma Xi is facing. In particular, based upon my experiences as Associate Director of my Constituency, if met with wide acceptance, I would work among others on improving further the communication among the Chapters of the Constituency, supporting the establishment of new Chapters in the region, acting to enhance the manifestation of the interdisciplinary nature of Sigma Xi, encouraging young researchers to become members and assisting the process of globalizing Sigma Xi in a way beneficial for all.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Founding member (1994-), Executive President (2002-), President (2003-), Annual Meeting Delegate (2002, 2003, 2004), Sigma Xi Hungary Chapter; Associate Director (from July 1, 2004), Canadian/International Constituency, Sigma Xi; Member (1959-), President (1991-1996), Hungarian Scientific Society for Infocommunications; Chairman (1993-97), Honorary Chairman (1997-), International Communications&Computers, Washington D.C.

Biographical Information: Géza Gordos was born in 1937. He received his M.Sc, Ph.D and Dr. Habil. in Telecommunications from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) in 1960, 1966 and 1994, resp. He holds D.Sc. from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He is full-professor with the BME serving as head of two sections in the Department of Telecommunications and Media Informatics since 1976. He is also the President of the Inter-University Centre for Telecommunications and Informatics established and run jointly by industry and academia. As a member of the National Council for Communications and Information Technology, a body advising the Government, he is involved in the policy and regulatory aspects of telecommunications at a national level, too. His previous employments include 3 years at various universities abroad (UK, USA) and 7 years in industry, among others as Chairman of the Board of the Hungarian Telecommunications Co.(1992-93). His research activities have been focusing on the technology and management of telecommunication systems and services as well as on speech processing. His 33 decorations (4 of them international) include the Széchenyi-Prize, the most prestigious professional award in Hungary and the Officers' Cross Order of Merit of Hungary.

Name: Antonio Pita

Present Position: Director, Swiss Office of International Relations
Organization: Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey

Address: Av. De la Gare 16
1700 Fribourg
Switzerland

Telephone: 41 (26) 322-8156
E-mail: apita@bluewin.ch

Chapter Affiliation: Swiss International Chapter

Candidate's Statement: The Society is presently facing challenging times and it has embarked upon the task of consolidating its membership and broadening its horizons by taking on a much needed global perspective. In support of this effort, the Canadian/International Constituency Group, as well as the International Committee, have been involved in nurturing the existing International Chapters and in developing potential International Partners established through the Packard Initiative. If elected as Director of the Canadian/International Constituency Group, I would combine and bring forth my experience in Sigma Xi with my present activities in order to involve the participation of other key international members or researchers, so as to fulfill these efforts and promote the creation of new International Chapters and Partnerships.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Member Swiss Chapter of Sigma Xi, 2002- ; Member International Committee 2002- ; Member National Committee on Nominations 2002-04, Member and Chair; Southwest Regional Committee on Nominations, 2001-03; Southwest Regional Director and Member, Board of Directors, 1998-01; Member, Committee on Regions, 1998-01. Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey Club: Treasurer, 1978-84; Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey Club: Secretary, 1985-95; Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey Chapter: President, 1995 -01.

Biographical Information: ANTONIO PITA. Married (Ana Cecilia); 4 children (Antonio, Alexandra, Ana Cecilia, Ana Lucia); BES Johns Hopkins Univ. (1960), MS & PhD Univ. of Iowa (1962 & 1967). Field: Solid & Fuid Mechanics. Full (1965-79) and Part-time (1979-87) Professor, Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey; won 2 annual awards in research (1975-76) and 3 excellence in teaching awards (1972-74, 1987); Manager of Professional Training & Scientific Development (1979-87) and General Director (1987-91) of Vitro's Corporate R&D Organization: Vitro Tec; Director of Technology for Vitro's Chemicals, Fibers & Mining Division (1991-96), Director of Technological Innovation at Vitro's Corporate Headquarters (1996 -02) and Director of Research and Development at Vitro's Swiss R&D Office (2002-03). University Liaison for Cemex's Swiss R&D Center (2003- ) and Director of the Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey Swiss Office of International Relations (2004- ). Has published 12 papers in the fields of solid and fluid mechanics; holds 3 Patents in glass fusion; developed and implemented a Masters Program within Vitro in Mechanical Engineering Design; Founding member of the Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey Sigma Xi Chapter and the Mexican National Academy of Engineers. Member of the European Association of Technological Information for Innovation, Sigma Xi, and the Mexican Association for Applied Research and Technological Development.

Name: Patricia Dianne Ross

Present Position: Associate, Department of Natural History
Organization: Royal Ontario Museum

Address: 100 Queen's Park
Toronto, ON M5S 2C6
Canada

Telephone: 416-586-5771
FAX: 416-586-7921
E-mail: patricir@rom.on.ca

Chapter Affiliation: University of Toronto

Candidate's Statement: A major topic of conversation at both the 2002 and 2004 Sigma Xi Annual General Meetings was the universal problem of an aging and declining membership. The University of Toronto Chapter has made a successful effort to reverse this trend at the Chapter level by attracting graduate students, post docs, and young faculty members from all universities in the Greater Toronto Area and from other Ontario institutions that are not associated with a local chapter. To help attract (and keep) new members from outside of the United States, however, Sigma Xi must recognize that chapters in the Canadian/International Constituency Group have unique concerns, some common and others chapter specific. These are brought forth and discussed at Annual Meetings, and while some progress is being made, more could be done by Sigma Xi to address these issues. If I am elected as Director of the Canadian/International Constituency Group, I will continue to communicate our concerns to the Sigma Xi executive and will work to develop programs that will attract more Canadian and international membership and participation. I will also encourage communication among chapters. My goal would be to help our constituency make Sigma Xi a truly global scientific research society.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Sigma Xi: Member, University of Toronto Chapter, 1995 - present; Treasurer and Secretary, 1997 - 2002; President, 2002 - 2004; Secretary, 2005 - ; Annual Meeting Delegate, 2002. Nominating Committee, Canadian/International Constituency Group, 2005 - . Other: Index Committee, American Society of Mammalogists (1991- 2001).

Biographical Information: MSc (Biology), York University, 1983; PhD (Zoology), University of Toronto, 1992. Post doctoral work in mammalian systematics at the Royal Ontario Museum. Currently an Associate, Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum and Manager, Laboratory of Systematics, at the same institution.