April 19, 2016

On the evening of April 12, Eman Ghanem our new director of membership, chapters and programs, and I had the wonderful opportunity to participate and personally welcome our newest Sigma Xi chapter, West Chester University. The University of 15,000+ students is tucked in the foothills west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and though fairly small offers a tremendous array of the sciences for students to choose to major in. 

The university dean and associate dean, as well as institute chairs were all instrumental in the efforts by Sigma Xi members to form their own chapter and are in full support of the chapter. It was very inspiring to see this much support and commitment to Sigma Xi by the university leaders as well as the staff. Many of us wish we had that for our own chapters at our various institutions, universities, colleges, etc. The chapter leaders are already working to bring in many student associate members, especially reminded that there is no age or degree linked to the nomination of members at any level, simply based upon their original contributions to science. 

The evening was capped off with a lecture by Dr. Paul Stoller (TheHuffington Post contributor) titled, “Science, Imagination, and the Spaces Between Things,” based on his work in social anthropology.  We as scientists always seem to be in the between, trying to find the correct answer to what we as a society are always between―between life and death, past and present, present and future, health and sickness.

 Vishal Shah, the College of Arts and Sciences’ associate dean of sciences and mathematics, put forth the comment that Sigma Xi offers members the opportunity to network with other scientists in different fields of study…you never know when that chance encounter will produce outstanding collaborative research. As a side note the university has converted the entire campus to geo-thermal heating and cooling, burning their last lump of coal a year ago! Kudos for the forethought and enormous reduction in carbon foot print!      

I would like to thank the West Chester University Chapter for their outstanding efforts, and plans for future events, member nominations, and furthering the missions of Sigma Xi.

Cristina Gouin-Paul
Sigma Xi Mid Atlantic Director
Chair of Sigma Xi’s Committee on Qualifications and Membership
President, District of Columbia Chapter

Photo captions
Top photo: The author, Cristina Gouin-Paul
Bottom photo: Karen Mitchell, West Chester University Chapter president; Eman Ghanem, director of Sigma Xi's Membership, Chapters, and Programs; and Cristina Gouin-Paul, chair of Sigma Xi's Committee on Qualifications and Membership hold the charter of the West Chester University Sigma Xi Chapter during the chapter's installation ceremony on April 12 at West Chester University in Pennsylvania.