Chapters of Excellence 2000-2001 Awards
Certificates of Excellence are awarded to chapters for overall outstanding activities during the past fiscal year. The activities highlighted below are among a wide range in which these chapters participated.
Chesapeake–The chapter presented awards to 22 high school students and three outstanding teachers, who were special guests at a banquet featuring NASA's principal investigator for the Deep Impact Mission. Chapter members visited nominees at their schools, giving them a chance to talk about their projects.
Eastern New Mexico University–The success of programs featuring Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturers led the university's president to establish a permanent annual fund to assist the chapter in organizing future series. Nearly 100 students and faculty participated in two chapter workshops on scientific integrity and ethics.
Hope College–The chapter's Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer series coincided with Science Day on campus, attended by 450 high school students. Chapter members made small group research presentations during the day. Students at the chapter's Undergraduate Research Awards reception were recognized for their achievements and invited to join Sigma Xi.
Loyola Marymount University–The chapter promotes undergraduate research through a series of brown-bag lunch seminars and an annual poster session. The chapter also organizes talks by about 10 speakers from outside the university community on issues in research or public policy.
Mayo Foundation–Members served as judges at regional and state science fairs, and the chapter established grants and awards to assist and recognize students. Other activities included a series of five public lectures, plus the development and distribution of a pamphlet, slide show and video about the chapter.
Mesa State College–In memory of chapter founder Gene Saccomanno, the chapter collaborated with a local hospital on a series of lectures on human genetics research and its impact on lung cancer diagnosis and treatment and also provided research grants to deserving undergraduates and high school students.
National Institute of Standards and Technology–Activities during the chapter's 25th year included a program on the Sigma Xi Packard Initiative for International Scientific Networking and a series of eight public lectures on wide-ranging topics.
Quinnipiac–As part of a series of public seminars on medical advances, a chapter program by Quinnipiac faculty members Ronald Bechett and Gerald Conlogue on the use of modern imaging techniques to study mummy remains in Peru and Egypt is the subject of a public television series currently in production.
San Diego–A chapter newsletter, Web site and e-mail listserv have kept members posted on programs and activities. A new grant fund was used this year to encourage and honor four middle school science fair winners. The chapter also awarded its first Award for Distinguished Achievement to George Hemingway for his efforts to begin an Ensenada Chapter in Mexico.
University of Southern Mississippi–The chapter's Excellence in High School Science Teaching Award attracted 25 nominations this year. Talks by a Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer and seven other speakers were well received by students, faculty and the public.
For more information contact chapters@sigmaxi.org.