March 14, 2022

Media Contact:
Jason Papagan
Manager of Communications
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society
jpapagan@sigmaxi.org

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC—Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society is gratefully proud to announce the acceptance of a new grant that will provide more student funding to underrepresented minorities and women in research. The Ruby K. Worner Trust has provided $20,000 to the Society, doubling its previous grant amount.

The funds will be awarded to students through Sigma Xi's Grants in Aid of Research (GIAR) program, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2022. The GIAR program provides funding to undergraduate and graduate students across the world in multiple scientific research disciplines through a competitive selection process. The median grant amount is $1,000, with special funds for grants up to $5,000. Applications are accepted bi-annually with submission deadlines of March 15 and October 1. In 2021, 222 grants were awarded for a total of $212,673. Some Sigma Xi chapters also award research grants to students from their local communities. 

"Sigma Xi appreciates the generosity of the Ruby K. Worner Trust Grant Review Committee and its support of underrepresented minorities and women in STEM through our GIAR program," said Jamie Vernon, executive director and CEO of Sigma Xi. "It's extra special to announce this gift during Women's History Month, as we celebrate the invaluable contributions of women to the research enterprise."

About Ruby K. Worner: Ruby Kathryn Worner (1900-1995) was a chemist who specialized in the textile industry. Worner studied at the University of Chicago where she earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in chemistry (1921, 1922, and 1925, respectively). Worner worked for the United States Bureau of Home Economics as well as Southern Regional Laboratories, making numerous advancements in textile production.