Pamela K. Kerrigan is the 2020 recipient of Sigma Xi’s Evan Ferguson Award for Service to the Society. The award recognizes outstanding service to Sigma Xi and its mission. The recipient receives a certificate and will have her or his name engraved on the Evan Ferguson plaque at headquarters.
Kerrigan receives the award for her commitment to Sigma Xi beyond local chapters and her passion for science education and student development.
She received her BA in chemistry and biology from Lakeland College in 1981, a master's in chemistry from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1986, and a PhD in bioorganic chemistry from Arizona State University in 1993. She was elected to Sigma Xi as a full member in 1995. While teaching at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, in 1999, she was elected to membership in Gamma Sigma Epsilon, the national chemistry honor society. She has held two terms as executive president of Gamma Sigma Epsilon.
She has been a professor of biochemistry at the College of Mount Saint Vincent for 26 years. She teaches organic and biochemistry to science majors in the Division of Natural Sciences. She became the director of the Division of Natural Science in 2015. In 2009 she was instrumental in chartering the College of Mount Saint Vincent Chapter of Sigma Xi.
Her research involves the synthesis and purification of porphyrins for use in photodynamic therapy of cancer. Kerrigan is also active in doing workshops for middle school teachers to teach them how to incorporate everyday chemicals into their curriculum.
At Sigma Xi, she was elected in 2007 as an associate director, served on the Committee on Nominations for five years as a representative of the Northeast Region and was director for the Northeast Region from 2009 to 2016. While she was on the Board of Directors she served one term on the Executive Committee. Kerrigan is also a member of Alpha Chi Sigma, the American Chemical Society (and has served as chair of the New York section, 2014, and is a Councilor), AWIS, AAUP, and AAUW. She is co-author of the Barron’s AP Chemistry review book (8th and 9th Edition).