The Evan Ferguson Award for Service to the Society

Beginning in 2008, Sigma Xi will present the Evan Ferguson Award annually in recognition of outstanding service to the Society and its mission. The recipient will receive a certificate and will have their name engraved on the Evan Ferguson plaque at headquarters.  

Eligibility

The award is open to any Sigma Xi member, affiliate, staff member, or friend of the Society.

Nominations

The deadline for submission of nomination materials is January 31.

Nominations for the Evan Ferguson Award should include:

• A letter of nomination that addresses the following:
  1. A description of the specific activity or ongoing contribution made to Sigma Xi by the nominee.
  2. A statement of the impact of the service.
  3. Any other information regarding the relationship to Sigma Xi or service to the mission of the Society.
• Supporting material that gives further details on the nominee's specific activity or contribution (optional).
• Contact information for both the nominee and nominator.

Submissions should be made by e-mail.

Evan R. Ferguson (1944-2007)

Known as "Mr. Sigma Xi," Evan Ferguson was widely recognized for his commitment and dedication to Sigma Xi's traditions and mission. His insights into the Society's history were crucial to understanding and realizing its potential. In his 24 years on the staff, Ferguson's combination of perspective and good nature was a mainstay for members, staff and the Society as a whole. He retired from his position as Deputy Executive Director in 2006.

For many years his main areas of responsibility included Sigma Xi's educational activities on both the undergraduate and K-12 levels. More recently, Ferguson managed five primary program areas at the Sigma Xi Center: research ethics, science and engineering education, the public understanding of science, international networking and the health of the research enterprise. He also served as acting executive director in 2001-02.

A native of Nebraska and Pennsylvania, Ferguson received his A.B. in biology at Lafayette College, his M.S. in zoology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and his Ph.D. in physiology at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. He was a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine from 1976-1978, after which he joined the faculty of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas as a research assistant professor of medicine and director of the Cell Physiology Laboratories at the Veterans Administration Medical Center. His career also included serving as a research scientist at Warner-Lambert Research Institute in Morris Plains, New Jersey. In 1982, he joined the staff of Sigma Xi.

Ferguson Award Recipients