M. Patricia Morse
University of Washington
For distinguished contributions to research in the field of invertebrate zoology, STEM education, and scientific society leadership including as president of Sigma Xi and the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Quote
"Sigma Xi has provided me with numerous mentors, wonderful exposures to scientific leadership, and an opportunity to develop the Grants in Aid of Research program. Serving as the president of Sigma Xi (1988–89), I was the second woman to occupy that position, following Dr. Patricia Faber. Now Sigma Xi is in an excellent position to step forward at this juncture in its history to make new purposeful moves to celebrate and magnify the diversity of backgrounds of our present accomplished scientists."
Biography
M. Patricia Morse is a marine biologist and science educator and has researched molluscs for many years at the University of Washington Friday Harbor Laboratories. Morse holds a BS degree from Bates College (and served on the Bates Board of Trustees for 36 years), an MS and PhD from the University of New Hampshire, and an honorary DSc from Plymouth State College. For 34 years, she was a professor of biology at Northeastern University. The last four of those years were spent as a program director at the National Science Foundation (NSF). She then joined the University of Washington in the Department of Biology.
She is the third recipient of the American Institute for Biological Sciences (AIBS) Education Award. She has served as president of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society and the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and served as chair of a National Academies of Sciences NRC Committee on “Attracting Science and Mathematics PhDs to K–12 Education.” On San Juan Island, Morse served on the Board (and is a past chair) of the Spring Street International School, is currently past chair of the Peace Island Medical Center Volunteers and is a member of the Advancement Board (and past chair) of the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Laboratories.
She was initiated as a member of Sigma Xi as a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire in 1962. As a faculty member at Northeastern University, involved in Sigma Xi and as president of the Northeastern Chapter, she attended the Annual Meeting. It was there that she met her first mentor (Harold Cassidy from Yale University) and also asked to serve on the Grants in Aid of Research Committee. That began twelve wonderful years (chair for eight) with amazing academic colleagues distributing small but very meaningful Sigma Xi grants to many grateful students.
She is proud to become a Sigma Xi Fellow and wishes to thank the President Sonya Smith, Past President Geraldine Richmond, the Selection Committee, her wonderful sponsors, Dr. Beth Brainerd and Dr. Drew Harvell, and the Executive Director and CEO, Dr. Jamie Vernon.