2008 Assembly of Delegates:
Area Groups, Industries, State & Federal Constituency Representative to the Committee on Nominations

2008 Sigma Xi Annual Meeting and Student Research Conference

November 20-23, 2008
Marriott Renaissance Hotel
Washington, D.C.

Name: Tom W. Dreschel

Present Position: Section Leader/Environmental Scientist
Organization: South Florida Water Management District

Address: 3301 Gun Club Road
MSC4440
West Palm Beach FL 33406
United States

Telephone: 561-682-6686
E-mail: tdresche@sfwmd.gov

Chapter Affiliation: South Florida Water Management District Chapter

Candidate's Statement: I would like to be elected to the nominating committee, to serve the Sigma Xi membership in this important activity.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Past President, SFWMD Chapter; SFWMD Representative at the 2007 Sigma Xi Annual Meeting; Acting Secretary, SFWMD Chapter.

Biographical Information: I hold a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Illinois, a M.A. in Zoology from Southern Illinois University and Ed.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Science Education (Environmental Sciences) from Florida Tech. I have over 30 years of experience in environmental research and student mentoring programs for government and industry.

Name: Lawrence Gettleman

Present Position: Professor of Prosthodontics & Biomaterials
Organization: University of Louisville

Address: School of Dentistry
501 S. Preston Street
Room LL 35-U
Louisville, KY 40292
United States

Telephone: 5022-852-1185
E-mail: gettleman@louisvile.edu

Chapter Affiliation: University of Louisville Chapter

Candidate's Statement: Leadership of any organization requires talent, inspiration and hard work. Generating candidates and selecting these qualities in people takes the same skills. As a recruiter and academic reviewer of grant proposals and journal manuscripts, I have developed the skills to quickly size up the often hidden and eccentric qualities of people and ideas. Sigma Xi must reacquire its lost members and generate new ones. One way is to inspire K-12 and university students to enter science, engineering, and mathematics. We do this by making awards at regional science fairs. This will fill our ranks once again.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: Originally the University of Louisville chapter, we became a regional chapter to recruit scholars from other universities and industry. As president in 1997, we hosted the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair with six Nobel laureates in town and a few at our meeting. As chapter treasurer ever since, we are stable with a CD yielding income. We sponsor Sigma Xi awards at three regional science fairs (cash awards plus dinner invitations to winners, parents and teachers). I serve on the national Committee on Meetings, and hosted executive director Patrick Scully as he obtained support from Calvin and Helen Lang for the distinguished lecturer program.

Biographical Information: Science and engineering have been a passion since my early years. I was a psychology major at Rutgers (1962) with dental school at Harvard, an NIH training grant at St. Louis University, and in charge of a research lab in the US Public Health Service in San Francisco. I joined the faculty at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and then at LSU in New Orleans. Gulf South Research Institute recruited me in 1980 and I moved to Louisville in 1990. My research has involved metal, ceramic, polymer, and elastomeric materials for clinical dentistry, and the conduct of original NIH-supported clinical trials. The growth of our chapter of Sigma Xi has been major professional goal.

Name: Lia M. Haynes

Present Position: Microbiologist/Team Leader
Organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Address: DVD/GRVLB/ RVIT Bldg 18/Rm 6-107
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
1600 Clifton RD NE, MS- G18
Atlanta, GA 30333 United States

Telephone: 404-639-4004
E-mail: loh5@cdc.gov

Chapter Affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Chapter

Candidate's Statement: It has been an honor to serve as a member on the Committee on Nominations. Being involved in choosing our next president has been a great privilege and responsibility. The leadership of Sigma Xi should have a strong commitment to the research community and enhance the resources and visibility needed to continue the advancement of the Society. If re-elected, I will continue to work cooperatively with other committee members to ensure that the best candidates are nominated for leadership of our Society.

Sigma Xi and Other Activities: I am President of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Chapter of Sigma Xi. Other Sigma Xi involvement include: Chapter delegate; past Student Research Conference judge; Member on the Committee on Nominations and Member of the Bylaws Task Group. Member: American Society of Microbiology, AAAS and American Society of Virology

Biographical Information: B.S. Biology with biochemistry minor, Spelman College, 1993; Ph.D. Neuroscience with concentration in immunology, Northwestern University, 1999 (S. Miller, Thesis Advisor); Postdoctoral Fellow, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1999-2003 (R.A. Tripp, Advisor); Associate Medical Director, Imedex, Inc., 2003-2004; Microbiologist/Team Leader, Division of Viral Diseases, Gastroenteritis and Respiratory Viruses Laboratory Branch, Respiratory Viruses Immunology Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004-present. I conduct research studying the immunologic characterization of respiratory syncytial virus infections. In addition, the laboratory is working to improve coronavirus sero-diagnostics by developing new tools that should make definitive diagnosis early in illness possible.