ROBERT T. PENNOCK
Present Position
University Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University
Chapter Affiliation
Michigan State University
Background Information
CV
Biography
Interview
Statement
My formal relationship with Sigma Xi began in 1986 when I was elected to membership as a graduate student. I was promoted to full membership in 1992 and since have served in a wide variety of roles. I served for five years as the president of the University of Texas chapter (1994 – 1999), successfully rebooting its activities. I have been a delegate to Sigma Xi national meetings four years, including one as Teller for Southwest Region and Assembly of Delegates. Since coming to Michigan State University in 2000, besides attending the chapter initiations, I organized a session on “Bioethical Challenges on the Horizon” and gave a presentation at the Sigma Xi Forum, and I received (together with Terry May) an NSF/Sigma Xi grant to put on an Ethics in Science Workshop here on campus. I was pleased that a few students who did research with me were selected to present a poster of our work at a Sigma Xi national meeting. I was also honored to be a Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer (2000-2002) and gave some two dozen invited talks at chapters around the country.
These are some of the basic facts of my involvement with the Society, but I want to focus on the spirit of Sigma Xi that has been an inspiration to me and that I believe is worth emphasizing for how it may motivate others as well. In particular, there are three aspects of the Sigma Xi spirit that I’d especially want to focus on as president that are especially important for science in the current social and political climate.
The first has to do with being a light for science as a discipline. Unlike other honor societies, Sigma Xi is not tied to a particular field of research; it is a society that stands for science and engineering as a whole. This is reflected not just in the honor it bestows for excellence in research but in its events and publications. American Scientist is an exemplary standout in this respect, consistently showcasing science and engineering across disciplinary boundaries; it remains a gem of science journalism and a flagship for the Society’s commitment to bringing science to the people. But Sigma Xi offers other opportunities by virtue of its general mission. For instance, when the Texas State Board of Education was being led by creationist members to dilute the place of evolution in the state education standards, I was able to testify about the importance of strong science standards not just as an individual researcher but also on behalf of our Sigma Xi chapter. As a Society that has no special agenda but simply stands for excellence, honor and integrity in science, Sigma Xi is a voice that commands moral authority. Many years ago, the MSU chapter pioneered what for a time became a national Sigma Xi initiative of encouraging small groups of members to pay visits to congressional representatives. These non-partisan visits to state and federal representatives lobbied for no funds or favor but simply aimed to convey the value of science and engineering for the nation and its economy and governance. The initiative was a success if only in the sense that representatives said that they had never before spoken to scientists. Today, as science is becoming politicized and the value of scientific truth is too often dismissed, I believe it is time for Sigma Xi to bring back some version of this program.
The second aspect involves the values of science. With its emphasis on honor in science, Sigma Xi has been a consistent voice for ethics and scientific integrity, and this has long been a special interest of mine. I spoke about my work on what I call the scientific virtues as one of the three Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer talks that I offered, and I have since developed a responsible conduct of research (RCR) curriculum based on this virtue approach. I speak of virtue in the Aristotelian sense, which links ethics and excellence, but with a special focus on those character virtues that serve the ends of science, including traits such as honesty, curiosity, perseverance and humility to evidence. My recent book—An Instinct for Truth: Curiosity and the Moral Character of Science—is an examination of the elements of this scientific mindset. My philosophical account is substantiated by a national study I recently completed together with Jon Miller of the value ideals that drive scientific methods and practices. With 500 hours of interviews with over 1000 scientists, we now have a rich picture of the values that underlie scientific culture. John Ahearne, who led Sigma Xi’s ethics program for over two decades, was a member of the external advisory committee for this study. John passed away this year and it is in his memory that I want to put special emphasis on this critical aspect of Sigma Xi’s mission. Recent years have seen an increase in paper retractions for data fabrication or other form of research misconduct and scientists in our national survey expressed concern about the serious threat to science that such misconduct causes by undermining trust. I believe Sigma Xi is especially well-positioned to be a strong advocate for science ethics and for maintaining scientific values and I would use the presidency as a platform for advancing the Society’s leadership in this area.
The third aspect is what the 1886 Sigma Xi Constitution speaks of as “Friendship in Science,” stating:
While those whose heart and soul is in their work, are coping with the great problems of Nature, let them remember that the ties of friendship cannot be investigated, but only felt. Let them join heart and hand, forming a brotherhood in Science and Engineering; thus promoting and encouraging by those strong, personal attachments of friendship, the highest and the truest advances in the scientific field.
The gendered language may be antiquated, but the sentiment remains important. In An Instinct for Truth, I use Sigma Xi to illustrate the idea of what I call “vocational friendship” and the significance of the emotional component to bonds of mutual support shared among research colleagues. This, after all, is what the Sigma Xi letters stand for — “Companions in zealous research.” While there is value to this kind of collegiality for oneself, I want to emphasize its importance for science by recasting it in terms of service to the profession. Many scientists in my national survey said how their interest in science was stimulated and fostered by a scientist or science instructor who made a point of personally encouraging them. I suggest that Sigma Xi be seen as a locus for mentoring. Sigma Xi is not a “brotherhood” (indeed, it elected five women to full membership within its first three years) but a Society that recognizes and supports excellence in anyone who seeks to advance science and engineering. Nominating a student or young researcher, especially someone from an underrepresented group who would especially benefit from support and mentorship, should be seen a way to use the Society to encourage the next generation of researchers.
Membership in honor societies has been dropping and societies have responded by trying to increase their value to individuals to entice them to join. It is all very well to ask what’s in it for me, but I suggest a different approach. Rather than just explaining its value to members, Sigma Xi should play to its strengths and emphasize its value to science. It is through our participation in a Society that stands for excellence and integrity that we may signal our commitment to the importance of these values for the scientific community, for the next generation of researchers, and for the benefit to society as a whole. That is the true value and significance of Sigma Xi, and it is a value that I pledge to uphold and foster.
Listing of Talks, etc.
"Adapting Avida as an Evolution Education Tool: Development of Model Lesson Plans" (Poster session) James J. Smith, Robert T. Pennock, Jeff Clune, Eric Armstrong, Max Braverman, Candice Brady. Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society Annual Meeting and Student Research Conference. Detroit, MI. (11/4/06)
*"Genetic Technology and the Virtuous Scientist" Sigma Xi Forum. New Ethical Challenges in Science and Technology. Albuquerque, NM. (Nov. 9-10, 2000)
R. T. PENNOCK. "The Virtuous Scientist Meets the Human Clone." In New Ethical Challenges in Science and Technology. Sigma Xi Forum 2000 Proceedings. 2001, pp. 117-124.
"Why Science Should Abandon the Authorship Model of Credit"
Sigma Xi Forum, Vancouver CANADA (Nov. 12 - 14, 1998)
"Theory and practice of evolutionary design."
North Carolina State University, Sigma Xi, Raleigh NC. (5/5/03)
"Intelligent Design Creationism and Its Critics."
Northern Illinois University Sigma Xi Chapter (4/18/02)
'Evolution & Neocreationism.'
Roche Research Sigma Xi chapter. (Oct. 11, 2000)
Labeling GM Foods and other Ethical Challenges of Emerging Biotechnologies.’
Uniroyal Chemical Sigma Xi chapter. (June 9, 2000)
'What Scientists Need to Know about the New Creationists.'
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society Round Table (Feb. 24, 1997)
American Scientist was a favorite read when I was growing up when my dad’s copy arrived. I eventually became interested in the articles, but I was initially drawn to the science cartoons. One of my prized possessions is an autographed copy of cartoon by Sydney Harris. You know the one: two scientists stand by a chalkboard where a gap in a complex equation has been filled with the note “Then a miracle occurs;” the second scientist remarks “I think you need to be more explicit in step 2.” I referenced this cartoon in Tower of Babel: The Evidence against the New Creationism to help illustrate the philosophical concept of Methodological Naturalism, which explains why it is unscientific to appeal to the supernatural.