Announcements

Hello Members of Sigma Xi,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to invite members who may be interested in serving on the Executive Committee of our local Sigma Xi chapter.

Our chapter is currently seeking volunteers to serve as Treasurer, Secretary, and President-Elect. Until recently, the chapter was managed by only two officers, which made it difficult to sustain operations and programming. As a result, we have been unable to host regular activities over the past couple of years. Thus, filling these Executive Committee roles is essential for revitalizing the chapter and continuing Sigma Xi’s mission of fostering scientific research and collaboration within our community.

I would very much welcome the opportunity to build a new leadership team. If we are unable to fill these roles, the chapter may be forced to close, which I hope we can avoid with your help.

If you are curious about what service on the Executive Committee involves, or would simply like to have an informal conversation before deciding, I would be very happy to set up a time to chat. Please feel free to reach out directly to me with questions, expressions of interest, or nominations (including self-nominations). 

Thank you for considering supporting our chapter and the broader Sigma Xi community.

Warm regards,
Karen Sweazea
Karen.Sweazea@asu.edu 

Thank you to everyone who voted. 

2025-26 Executive:

• President: Laura Thomas
• Secretary: Kelly Monteleone
• Treasurer: Susan Henrichs
• Director-at-Large - Northern AK: Anne Jensen
• Director-at-Large - SE AK: Arielle Halpern
• Director-at-Large - Fairbanks: Bill Howard

Dear GMU chapter members, 

We have reached a turning point in the life of our chapter. After 13 years, Art Poland and myself will be stepping down as chapter leaders as of July 1. If you are interested in becoming a chapter leader, please reach out to my personal email (rjones22@gmu.edu). Without new leaders stepping up, the chapter may become inactive. If you'd like to set up a time to chat about this, please reach out. 

Sincerely, 

Rebecca Jones
Professor, Dept. Chemistry and Biochemistry
George Mason University 
rjones22@gmu.edu 
https://science.gmu.edu/directory/rebecca-jones 

Join us in celebrating the achievements of this year’s Sigma Xi Undergraduate and Graduate Research Award recipients!

📅 Thursday, May 8
🕒 3:00–5:00 PM
📍 Foyer, Integrated Life Sciences Building (ILSB), 1981 Kraft Drive, Corporate Research Center

Light refreshments will be served, and awardees will present posters showcasing their research. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Dear Colleagues,

The Virginia Tech Chapter of Sigma Xi, with support from the Virginia Tech Office of Research, is pleased to announce the 2025 Research Awards, recognizing outstanding student researchers at the undergraduate, M.S., and doctoral levels. Two $1,000 awards will be presented in each academic category, thanks to generous support from the Waste Policy Institute. These awards highlight student research with a well-articulated environmental dimension, broadly defined to include natural, social, built, and engineered environments. Eligible projects should demonstrate a clear and well-justified connection to environmental systems—ranging from cellular, organismal, or molecular biology to fields such as environmental engineering, ecology, climate science, sustainability, public health, and related areas.

We invite you to share this announcement widely with faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate researchers in your department.

Nomination Process:

Nominations should be submitted by the department head and/or research mentor using the survey link below. The nominator will be asked to upload the following:

• The student’s CV or resume
• A letter of nomination outlining the student’s research contributions and the broader environmental relevance of their work

Please indicate in the nomination if either the student or their research mentor is a Sigma Xi member.

Submission Link: https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/t/AcDSBZ508a

Eligibility Criteria:

• A strong academic record (minimum 3.0 QCA or better)
• The student must be conducting research and enrolled at Virginia Tech during at least the Fall semester of the 2025–2026 academic year
• Willingness and availability to present a poster at the Sigma Xi Spring Reception and Induction Ceremony, scheduled for Thursday, May 8, 2025, from 3:00–5:00 PM

Award Details:

In addition to the $1,000 scholarship, awardees will:

• Receive a framed certificate
• Be inducted into Sigma Xi during the Spring 2025 ceremony
• Receive a one-year membership in the international Sigma Xi organization for the 2025–2026 year (www.sigmaxi.org)

Before awards are finalized, students must also register through Scholarship Central.

Additional Notes:

• Please confirm with the student whether they are already a Sigma Xi member (and obtain their member number, if applicable)
• Also confirm that the student will be available to attend the May 8 reception

Nominations are due by April 21, 2025.
Awardees will be notified within one to two weeks of the deadline.

Thank you for helping us recognize and celebrate excellence in student research.

Warm regards,

Sherif M. Sherif, PhD

ssherif@vt.edu

President, VT Chapter of Sigma Xi

Chair, Sigma Xi Research Awards Committee