About Us
Background
The Princeton Chapter of Sigma Xi was established in 1932. A
founding member of the Chapter and dean of Princeton University's graduate school
was Hugh Scott Taylor. He served as president of the national Sigma Xi
organization from 1951 until 1953. In 1954, Taylor was named editor of
American Scientist, the journal of Sigma Xi. He moved the editorial offices
to Princeton, and with the April 1955 issue, began a fifteen-year editorship.
More information can be found in the article "Companions in Zealous
Research, 1886 - 1986: A History of Sigma Xi's First Hundred Years" by
Michael M. Sokal in the September-October 1986 issue of American Scientist
(Volume 74, No. 5, pp. 486-508).
The Chapter draws its membership primarily from Princeton University and
research and development laboratories in the Princeton area. It sponsors an
annual lecture series that covers a wide variety of interdisciplinary topics,
and arranges tours of local research facilities. The Chapter also has a Science
Advisor program for assisting local school districts in their science education
curricula.
Science Advisor Program
The Science Advisor (SciAd) program is a means by which local scientists
and engineers can help surrounding school districts improve their effectiveness
in teaching science. In addition to fielding general science-related questions,
the introduction of hands-on science kits in many of the elementary science
classrooms has meant that SciAds have played a role as kit trainers, have
assisted in staff development workshops, and have otherwise lent their
expertise to increase the confidence level of teachers.
We expect to see more of this goal-specific interaction in the coming years as
the schools adopt a kit-intensive mode of science instruction. While this
effort is presently centered at the elementary school level, it is expected
that the Middle Schools will soon follow suit. There are also local public and
private high schools that have made ample use of the resources available (i.
e., laboratory visits, guest lecturers, demonstrations, etc.).
The present SciAd outreach coordinator is Anne N. Catena. Since she has
responsibilities with science education and outreach programs at Princeton
University as well as the Princeton Chapter of Sigma Xi, she is in a unique
position to coordinate the resources of both organiizations to maximize their
effectiveness. Through her initiative, the Chapter has instituted Exemplary
Teacher Awards, to be bestowed at the Annual Business Meeting and Induction
Ceremony for New Members.
Chapter Distinctions
Dr. Laura Landweber received the Sigma Xi Young Investigator Award in 1998,
while she was serving as vice-president of the Princeton Chapter. Dr. Landweber
is an Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton
University, and her area of specialization is molecular evolution. The Sigma Xi
Young Investigator Award alternates between the physical sciences and the life
and social sciences, and Dr. Landweber is the first recipient who is a
biologist.
Former Princeton Chapter executive committee member and SciAd co-chair Dr. Rush
Holt is now serving in the U. S. House of Representatives from the 12th
District in New Jersey. Dr. Holt served as Assistant Director of the Plasma
Physics Laboratory at Princeton University, and he is only one of two
Congressmen who has a doctorate in physics.
National Director Anthony M. Iacopino (left) and Princeton Chapter President David Parris (right) with Award
