December 2008
Sigma Xi Life Member Newsletter
We welcome your contributions to the Life Member eBlast. development@sigmaxi.org.
N.B.: Dates in parenthesis after Members' names denotes their year of induction into Sigma Xi.
IN THIS ISSUE
JOSEPH WHITTAKER ELECTED PRESIDENT OF SIGMA XI
JOSEPH A. WHITTAKER (1988) was elected the 73rd president of Sigma Xi at the Society's 2008 Annual Meeting and Student Research Conference in Washington, D.C. He will serve as president-elect beginning July 1, 2009. A Sigma Xi member since 1988, Whittaker is dean and professor of biology in the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, where he oversees more than 100 faculty members involved in research, training and educational activities in five academic departments.
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SIGMA XI VISITING SCHOLAR COMPLETES NSF WORKSHOP REPORT
The goal of the Sigma Xi-National Science Foundation workshop was to help identify the unique contributions that international collaborations make in promoting excellence in scientific and engineering research and to use that information to develop monitoring and evaluation criteria for NSF programs. The final report is available in a PDF format through the link above. http://www.sigmaxi.org/programs/global/FollowupReportFinal.pdf
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MATHEMATICIAN RECEIVES SIGMA XI YOUNG INVESTIGATOR AWARD
MASON A. PORTER (1997) says his interest in mathematics initially arose largely from what he considered visually appealing. He received Sigma Xi's 2008 Young Investigator Award at the Society's Annual Meeting. His research in nonlinear science and complex systems includes classical and quantum chaos, billiard systems, nonlinear waves, Bose-Einstein condensation, granular media and social networks.
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ANGIER, BOEHLERT ELECTED HONORARY SIGMA XI MEMBERS
Also at the Annual Meeting, New York Times science writer and author NATALIE ANGIER and former Congressman SHERWOOD "SHERRY" BOEHLERT were inducted as Sigma Xi's newest honorary members. The honor is bestowed for service to science or Sigma Xi. Angier is an author and Pulitzer Prize-winning science columnist for the New York Times. Her latest book is The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science (Houghton Mifflin, 2007), a guide to the fundamental concepts of modern science that researchers wish everybody understood about their work. Audubon New York called Boehlert "one of the greatest conservation leaders ever to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives." He served from 1982 to 2006 and chaired the House Science Committee. Congressional Quarterly named him one of the 50 Most Effective Lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
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IOWA STATE CHEMIST WINS 2008 MONIE FERST AWARD
Chemist JOHN D. CORBETT (1949) at Iowa State University received the 2008 Monie A. Ferst Award from the Georgia Institute of Technology Chapter. A symposium was held in October at Georgia Tech in his honor, focusing on the research accomplishments of his many former students, five of whom were speakers. A member of the National Academy of Sciences, Corbett has been a staff researcher at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Ames Laboratory and a faculty member in Iowa State's chemistry department since 1952.
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PRI's 'THE WORLD' AWARDED MAJOR NSF GRANT
In partnership with Sigma Xi, Public Radio International (PRI) will use a major National Science Foundation grant to support the creation of science content for its "The World" radio show, plus a new Virtual Science Café and an interactive Web site. PRI's "The World" is a one-hour, weekday multi-platform global news program hosted by Lisa Mullins. Having premiered in April 1996, it is now broadcast on-air and streamed online by 250 PRI affiliate stations, broadcasts that are heard by 2.3 million listeners nationwide. http://sigmaxi.org/about/news/2008PRI.shtml
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PETE CONRAD SPIRIT AWARD OPPORTUNITY
The Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Awards, which challenge high school students to design products using science and technology, are offering two new resources for its competitors.
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GIVING TO SIGMA XI IN 2008
In October you should have received an invitation to support the Society's annual fund campaign. In that letter, new Sigma Xi Executive Director JERRY BAKER outlined a simple plan to make Sigma Xi stronger. If you have not received your letter, please let us know at development@sigmaxi.org. And if you have not yet made your donation, you are invited to do so online at: https://www.sigmaxi.org/about/support/contform.html.
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SIGMA XI MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
DOUGLAS A. ROSS (1995) has been named chairperson of the department of surgery and clinical vice president of the surgical service line at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
MARSHA ANN DOWELL (2003) has been named senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of South Carolina Upstate.
THEODORE ROCKWELL (1944) of Chevy Chase, Maryland, was honored twice this fall for his contributions to technology and to literature. On September 4, in London, the World Nuclear Association (WNA) gave him a Pioneer's Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Peaceful Worldwide Use of Nuclear Energy. Former Ambassador John Ritch, WNA director general, praised Rockwell's "immensely valuable role in building the foundations and future of nuclear power." In October it was announced that Rockwell's book, "The Virtual Librarian: A Tale of Alternative Realities," was chosen as an award-winning finalist in the Visionary Fiction category of the National Best Books 2008 Awards sponsored by USA Book News. And on November 8, Rockwell was one of four panelists discussing the history and legacy of the Manhattan Project's wartime program to build an atomic bomb, prior to a performance of the opera "Dr. Atomic," at the venerable Metropolitan Opera. For more information, visit: http://members.authorsguild.net/tedrockwell/index.htm
DEAN HO (2004) in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University has been named editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation.
R. SAMUEL BATY (1971) has written a World War II historical thriller titled "Footsteps to Forever" that has just been published by iuniverse. Footsteps is a story filled with suspense, romance and danger. In 1941, two American lieutenants, a young man and woman, are sent by President Roosevelt to Norway to rescue a renowned atomic physicist from behind German lines. An engineer by profession, Baty is a retired U. S. Air Force officer and a retired chief scientist. He lives in Albuquerque with his wife, Linda. Visit: http://www.sambatybooks.com/
For more news items about Sigma Xi members, visit: http://sigmaxi.org/about/news/mitn.shtml
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SIGMA XI AFFINITY PROGRAMS
Your Society offers a number of affinity programs that include stimulating opportunities for travel and reduced rates on auto insurance and car rentals, among other benefits. For more information, visit: http://www.sigmaxi.org/member/membersonly/index.shtml
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AUTOMATIC ANNUAL DUES RENEWAL
Many Sigma Xi members are opting for the convenience of automatic membership renewal. You can now have your annual dues paid automatically every year via credit card or bank draft. An e-mail notification of the dues deduction will be sent to you after your credit card or bank account has been charged. For more information, visit: http://www.sigmaxi.org/member/dues/autopay.shtml
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SPARKS DOCUMENT UPDATED
We've updated the "Sparks" collection of members' anecdotes about what initially sparked their interest in science or engineering. We plan to share these stories and perhaps create some new sparks for the next generation of researchers. Here is the latest version:
http://www.sigmaxi.org/member/newsletters/spark-ver4.pdf
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WHAT'S YOUR NEWS?
Let us hear from you! We always welcome your contributions to our eBlasts. development@sigmaxi.org
Interim Editor: Charles Blackburn
cblackburn@sigmaxi.org
919-547-5212, or 800-243-6534, ext. 212
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
PO Box 13975
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
www.sigmaxi.org
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