March-April 2012 · Volume 21, Number 2

Changes in From the President Membership Dues and American A letter from a true Sigma Xi supporter Scientist Format “Your November dues notice worked like a charm, finally forcing me to make a decision about supporting the organization. Knowing that lected member representatives on the ‘no decision’ is a type of decision in its way, I have been wrestling with my membership decision since I received my first dues notice in February. You can imagine Board of Directors agreed after careful my dilemma: How does a Baby Boomer, self-employed for 20 years, justify this sort of expense Edeliberation that two policy changes in an environment of 1% interest rates, a 90% decrease in business income and worries needed to occur in this upcoming fiscal year. about the steadily increasing costs of healthcare, food and just about everything else? In the The changes focus on ensuring the future end, I decided to look at my dues as an investment in the future—not my future, but the fiscal soundness of our Society, reducing the future of a worthy organization and its support of young scientists. So, today I gladly submit my dues and modest contribution as I have been doing for many years. Regards, Diane.” environmental impact of our operations, and facilitating greater capability to deliver value Diane contributed an extra $100 above her membership dues. to the membership. Membership in Sigma Xi conveys a number of benefits—foremost among them are the honor of membership and our award-winning magazine. But Sigma Xi has a value First, the annual dues for regular (Full or beyond “What’s in it for me?” There’s no question that, in the aggregate, Sigma Xi Associate) members were lowered from $95 to members have a greater impact for good on the science and engineering community $90 (all other dues rates remained the same). than most of us could muster on our own. It’s axiomatic that there is strength in Second, all active, dues-paying members numbers. And that has long been true for Sigma Xi. would receive a digital version of American Sigma Xi does indeed represent an investment in the future. The Sigma Xi Grants- Scientist rather than a print edition, beginning in-Aid of Research program is a prime example of what we accomplish together. The with the July-August 2012 issue. contributions of members and friends, plus (over the years) a modest portion of dues, has enabled Sigma Xi to award hundreds of small grants annually to further the careers Active members who wish to receive the of student researchers. The size of these grants often belies their importance. Sigma paper edition of the magazine may subscribe Xi grants represent an independent affirmation of a student’s research potential, and receiving a Sigma Xi grant often leads to other awards, both internally and externally. A separately at the member-discounted rate Sigma Xi grant has been an early milestone in many distinguished careers. of $20 at any time. Details for subscribing will be included in the May-June issue of Sigma Xi exerts its greatest influence through the programs and activities of its more than 500 chapters. Chapter activities have noticeable impact not only locally, but American Scientist—as well as through other at the national and international levels. Many Sigma Xi chapters support their local member communications. communities through mentoring partnerships with K–12 schools, serving as judges at high school science fairs and organizing campus research symposia. Offering and The savings allow Sigma Xi to develop new fulfilling volunteer opportunities is a big part of what many chapters are all about. services for its members and to support its Along those lines, in recent years, Sigma Xi has drawn attention to some "big chapters. Among the new services under picture" issues: mitigation strategies for dealing with climate change, the special consideration are professional development needs of postdoctoral researchers, food security and safety, the worldwide energy courses and a greatly enhanced digital crisis and the global shortage of clean drinking water. Improving science education experience both on our websites and with and underscoring the need for integrity in research are two other areas in which the American Scientist. Society has had a long distinguished history. Sigma Xi has also been among the sponsors of national events and competitions that To ensure that members have access to the further the aims of the Society, such as the Conrad Foundation’s Spirit of Innovation digital edition, they are encouraged to verify Awards, the U.S. Science and Engineering Festival in the nation’s capital and the Intel that we have their current preferred e-mail International Science and Engineering Fair—the world’s largest international pre- address on file. To do so, members can log college science competition. onto the Sigma Xi website All of these activities impart a value to Sigma Xi that is difficult to quantify. But www.sigmaxi.org/addresschange and review clearly we can all take pride in belonging to a society that has a broad outlook and is their contact information. Or, they may working on a number of fronts to improve the human condition. e-mail [email protected] or call Michael Crosby 800-243-6534 with their e-mail addresses. •

www.sigmaxi.org 2012 March-April 173 Sigma Xi’s First Electronic Election Results Collin Named

he results are in from Sigma Xi’s first and secured over $45 million in grants that Sigma Xi COO electronic election for society officers, promoted southern West Virginia. Tin which all active Sigma Xi members During this period, Acker served as dean at could participate. Thomas Acker, president Future Generations Graduate School while emeritus of Wheeling Jesuit University, is the they were obtaining their accreditation new president-elect designate. He will begin from the Higher Learning Commission his service as Sigma Xi president-elect on of the North Central Association. In his July 1, 2012. Ronald Millard, professor at the 11 years in southern West Virginia, he University of Cincinnati, is the new treasurer. was chairman and CEO of the Higher Three new directors were also elected. Education Foundation and the CEO of Terry Schwaner is the new Baccalaureate Forward Southern West Virginia, Inc. Colleges Constituency Director. Schwaner In 2010, he was elected president of the is professor of biology and dean of the Greenbrier Valley Chapter of Sigma Xi College of Sciences at the University and headquartered it at the West Virginia of Findlay. Robin Moore-Orr is the new School of Osteopathic Medicine. With the Canadian and International Director. She cooperation of his colleagues, they increased arry C. Collin has been is adjunct professor at Memorial University the membership fourfold in one year. named chief operating of Newfoundland. Linda Mantel, associate As a new member B officer of Sigma Xi. He research professor in the Center for Science of Sigma Xi, and comes to the Society from the Collin Education at Portland State University, was as president of Group, Inc. where he was chief reelected Northwest Regional Director. the University of innovation officer. Acker received his Cincinnati Sigma doctorate degree Xi Chapter, Ronald For more than 25 years and across in biology from Millard is well diverse industries, Collin’s work has . positioned to bring created billions of dollars in new He joined Sigma a fresh perspective to opportunities for small businesses Xi as a student the Office of Treasurer of the Society. He through Fortune 500 enterprises. earned a B.S. degree in chemistry from Tufts member at Stanford He has disrupted and even created in 1959. While University and subsequently served on the entirely new markets and changed continuing research Tufts University Alumni Council, earning on reproduction in insects, he completed a doctoral in medical science (systems the way many products and services studies in theology and was ordained as a physiology) from Boston University. He are sold and used. An expert Jesuit Catholic Priest. He taught biology completed postdoctoral training at the at “modding,” Collin leverages for two years at John Carroll University in University of Washington (Seattle), Scripps companies’ products, services and Cleveland and seven years at the University Clinic and Research Foundations and the capabilities in new ways in order to University of California in La Jolla, and at of Detroit Mercy. grow fast and at maximum ROI. the Maine Medical Center (Portland). In 1972, he received a Fulbright Collin is also noted for having coined Scholarship to Nepal and worked to redo He is a Fulbright Senior Fellow (Denmark) and implement a new biology curriculum and has previously served as a consultant to the term “CyberTerrorism,” and for the entire country. Following Nepal, the Council for the International Exchange was a Senior Research Fellow for the he was an associate professor of biology at of Scholars, the National Academies of Institute for Security and Intelligence the University of San Francisco and then Science/Ford Foundations Fellowships (Stanford, CA). He was a consultant became dean of Arts, Sciences, and Selections, the National Science Foundation and speaker for the U.S. Department and the National Institutes of Health. Business at St. Joseph’s University, of Defense, the State Department, Philadelphia. Millard also has a successful record of organizing international science meetings, the Treasury, and other federal, state In 1982, he was elected president of raising sponsor funding, and based on these and local agencies. His founding of Wheeling Jesuit University and served there successes, was subsequently invited to serve as the study of terrorists’ use of advanced for 18 years. He was then elected president consultant for follow-on science meetings. He technology and its impact on critical emeritus. He moved to southern West has held full-time faculty posts at Harvard infrastructure is credited for having Virginia to work in economic development. University Medical School, Brown University helped protect hundreds of millions Here he built and directed a new public and the University of Cincinnati, where of lives. college campus combining five public he is a professor of pharmacology and cell • colleges, was able to obtain a health clinic in biophysics. • a struggling area of southern West Virginia

174 2012 Sigma Xi Awards Honor Leading Scientists

Every year, Sigma Xi presents several John P. McGovern Science pending. In 2005 DeSimone was elected prestigious awards to honor outstanding and Society Award into the National Academy of Engineering researchers, communicators and educators. and the American Academy of Arts and World-renowned These recipients are recognized for their Sciences. DeSimone has received 40 major chemist Marye Anne exemplary accomplishments in science and awards and recognitions including the 2009 Fox at the University of engineering. Visit the Sigma Xi website for NIH Director’s Pioneer Award; the 2009 California, San Diego more information. North Carolina Award; and the $500,000 will receive Sigma Xi’s Lemelson-MIT Prize for Invention and John P. McGovern William Procter Prize Innovation. Science and Society The Chubb Award is designed to honor Solomon W. Golomb Award. Fox is the and promote creativity among scientists at the University of seventh chancellor of and engineers. Southern California UC San Diego and a has been selected to distinguished professor of chemistry. Young Investigator Award receive Sigma Xi’s Since her appointment as chancellor, the Sivaguru Jayaraman 2012 William Procter university has established new research and at North Dakota State Prize for Scientific partnership ventures to further innovation University will be Achievement, the and increase international collaboration, honored with Sigma society’s highest achieved an ambitious $1 billion Xi’s 2012 Young honor. campaign goal, expanded academic and Investigator Award. While assistant chief of the campus programs and facilities, received His research involves Telecommunications­ Research Section at national and international recognition the use of light to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Golomb in prominent university rankings and initiate chemical played a key role in formulating the design assembled a strong, diverse leadership team reactions and control of deep-space communications for lunar to ensure the university’s continued rise in photoreactivity in the excited state using and planetary explorations. excellence. molecular design and nanoconfinement. The Procter Prize has been presented Before her current appointment, Fox The cornerstone of Siva’s program involves annually since 1950 to an outstanding served as North Carolina State University’s synthetic effort that allows a freedom of scientist or engineer who is known for 12th chancellor, as distinguished university design to produce new structural motifs not effective communication of complex ideas. professor of chemistry at N.C. State and only for studying stereoselective reactions, Golomb, while completing his Ph.D., as Waggoner Regents Chair in chemistry but also for chemical and bio-molecular spent a year in Norway as a Fulbright and Vice President for Research at the recognition of encapsulated guests within Fellow. He then worked as a Senior University of Texas at Austin. water soluble nano-reaction vessels. Siva’s Research Mathematician at Jet Propulsion Walston Chubb Award research investigates the molecular and Laboratory, later becoming Research for Innovation supramolecular assembly characteristics of Group Supervisor and then Assistant systems to gain a deeper understanding of Chief of the Telecommunications Research Joseph DeSimone the interplay between molecular structure, Section. Past recipients include Herbert at the University assembly, dynamics and the role of external Simon, Benoit Mandelbrot, Margaret of North Carolina interactions critical for molecular recognition Mead, Jane Goodall, Michael DeBakey at Chapel Hill will events in light-initiated reactions. and Stephen Jay Gould. receive the 2012 Additionally, Siva’s research group uses Golomb, who joined USC as a professor Walston Chubb modern molecular tools and spectroscopic in 1963, is a member of the National Award for Innovation. techniques to gain deeper understanding Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of DeSimone is of molecular interactions in chemical and both the IEEE and AAAS. He received the the Chancellor’s biological systems, using light as both a USC Presidential Medallion in 1985, was Eminent Professor reagent that initiates the chemistry and as awarded the title of University Professor in of Chemistry at UNC and William R. the product of excited state reactivity of 1993 and won the Shannon Award of the Kenan Jr. Professor of Chemical Engineering organic molecules. The Young Investigator Information Theory Society of the IEEE at North Carolina State University. He Award includes $5,000 and a certificate in 1985. He was appointed the first holder is also an adjunct member of the Sloan- of recognition. Sigma Xi members within of the Viterbi Chair in Communications Kettering Institute for Cancer Research in 10 years of their highest earned degree are in 1999. He holds a joint appointment in New York. DeSimone has more than 15 eligible for this award. the Department of Mathematics. issued patents and more than 120 patents (continued on page 176)

www.sigmaxi.org 2012 March-April 175 2012 Sigma Xi Awards (continued from page 175) Honorary Life Member Science author and Sigma Xi Expeditions journalist Dennis Meredith will be Since 1997, Sigma Xi Expeditions (in inducted as an partnership with Betchart Expeditions Honorary Life Inc.) have given members the opportunity Member of Sigma to travel with fellow companions in Xi. Meredith’s zealous research to destinations that offer career as a science educational and cultural experiences to communicator has enrich lives and careers. included service at some of the country’s leading research universities, including In December 2011, Jerry Baker, Executive MIT, Caltech, Cornell, Duke and the Director of Sigma Xi, traveled with 22 University of Wisconsin. He has worked fellow Sigma Xi members and other with science journalists at all the nation’s guests to the Galápagos Islands for a major newspapers, magazines and radio cruise onboard the National Geographic and TV networks and has written well over Endeavor. As a geneticist, Dr. Baker was 1,000 news releases and magazine articles fascinated by the rich diversity of flora on science and engineering over his career. and fauna species found only on the He has served on the executive board Galápagos Islands. “There have been of the National Association of Science several articles in American Scientist Writers and is a contributor to its previously that have described research magazine ScienceWriters. He wrote the being conducted on the islands and seeing NASW handbook on media relations, firsthand the adaptation of various species Communicating Science News. He has also is truly worthwhile,” said Jerry Baker. served as a judge for the NASW Science- However, he believes the islands would in-Society Awards and the AAAS Science be fascinating to scientists and engineers Writing Awards. He won the latter award from many if not all disciplines. himself—for newspapers under 100,000 The members and guests were circulation—in 1974. He was a creator accompanied by highly qualified and developer of EurekAlert!, working naturalists who were able to make with AAAS to establish this international the experience very informative research news service, which now links and educational for those onboard. more than 4,500 journalists to news from The schedule is rigorous with early 800 subscribing research institutions. morning pre-breakfast excursions and Evan Ferguson Award late evening discussions, but each day Nancy Elwess at the exposed the participants to something SUNY Plattsburgh new to discover and learn. Chapter will receive To learn more about Sigma Xi the Evan Ferguson Expeditions and the educational trips Award for Service available please visit http://www.sigmaxi. to Sigma Xi. She is org/member/membersonly/expedition. a past president and shtml. We invite all members who have vice president and participated in an expedition to share currently secretary their experience and photographs. • of the SUNY Plattsburgh Chapter. Since joining Sigma Xi in 1999, she has nominated 63 research students for membership. She strongly encourages her research students to apply for grants early in their careers, and several have received Sigma Xi Grants-in- Aid of Research. President Obama named Elwess a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. She is one of a handful of college faculty from across the country to receive this award. •

176