FDA Chapter of Sigma XI
The Scientific Research Society
Newsletter -- April 05, 2004
March Lecture/Meeting
A joint meeting and lecture of the DC and FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi was held on by Sunday, March 7, 2004, 2 PM at the Patuxent Wildlife Center in Beltsville, MD. The speaker was Dr. Paul Fofonoff from the Smithsonian's Environmental Research Center at Edgewater. His topic was "Invasive Species of the Chesapeake Bay". There are about 211 new invasive species that have been introduced into the Chesapeake Bay. Most invasive species do not succeed. Of the invasive species that have been established about 115 are aquatic and 47 are boundary residents (weeds, Asian deer, rainbow trout). Common invasive species from various states in the U.S. and from all over the world include: Asian freshwater clams and stone crabs, Channel Catfish (Mississippi), Seaside Earwigs, Red Eared Slider Turtle (Okalahoma), Nutria (South America). Some have been intentionally introduced such as some ornamental plans, fish and mute swans while others have been introduced by on bottom of shipping vessels, by hunting and fishing and from local farms. It was the ideal location for this type of presentation. About 50 people attended the lecture and luncheon. Question: Would you like to have more talks like these on the week-end?
Other completed Chapter events
- Our Sigma Xi Chapter participated in Washington Area Science Fairs in March 2004. FDA Sigma Xi provided special awards (related to FDA regulatory mission) and category judges (chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry etc) for regional science fairs. As usual Jeff Yourick did an outstanding job in coordinating these events. A complete list of first place and honorable mention poster winners will be on our Chapter website http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sxfda.html
Local science fair winners and the title of their posters are as follows:
Northern Virginia
Tianhong Zhen
Project Title: "Using a Self-Manufactured Graduated Cylinder Colorimeter to Verify the Ber-Lambert's Law"
School: Yorktown High School
District of Columbia
Andre Lindsey
Project Title: "The Protein Link in the Dietary World of Cancer"
School: School Without Walls
Montgomery County, Maryland
Rishi Kumar
Project Title: "Development of a Multi-Site Malaria Vaccine-Exploration of the Cleavage Site on MSP142 and the Effects of P115MSP138 on Erythrocyte Binding in the Blood Stage of the Parasite P. Falciparum"
School: Walt Whitman High School
Prince Georges County, Maryland
Iyen A. Acosta
Project Title: "Bioluminescience: Revolutionizing Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing"
School: Oxon Hill High School
Stephanie Warren
Project: "The Effect of Classical Music…"
School: Leonardtown High School
- A special Thanks to FDA Chapter Sigma Xi - Regional Science Fair Judges
As you can see below, several Sigma Xi members were judges in two regional science fairs. We have enough Sigma Xi members so that a) we can provide more judges per science fair and b) these judges should have the option of only judging at one science fair. It's important and it's fun. Please think about joining the Science Fair Team (SFT) next year. The Regional Poster Award Winners receive a savings bond, certificate and invitation (paid for by our Chapter) to join us at our annual banquet for themselves and their parents or teacher.
Prince Georges Area Science Fair
Judges: Paddy Wiesenfeld; Jurgen Von Bredow; Margaret Kraeling; Angela Eppler and Douglas Chadwick
Northern Virginia Science Fair
Judges: Howard Cyr and Lynn Ashley
Montgomery Area Science Fair
Judges: Mary Shackelford and Jeff Yourick
DC Science & Technology Fair
Judges: Jeff Yourick; Margaret Kraeling; Angela Eppler and Douglas Chadwick
Upcoming Chapter Events
Put these dates and events on your calendar:
- Spring Banquet and Lecture: Jointly supported by DC and FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi. The banquet is scheduled for 6:30 pm, Friday, May 14, 2004 at Maggiano's (upscale Italian) Tyson's Corner, Virginia. The speaker will be Dr. Bill Hook, Senior Policy Fellow with the Atmospheric Policy Program. He was formerly the Deputy Chief and acting chief scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The price per person is $35.00 and payable to the DC Chapter of Sigma Xi. Send check to Tina Paul, 670 Swan Dr. Deale MD 20751. Please indicate your Chapter affiliation. For more information, RSVP and directions, see attachment. FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi will also be inviting regional science fair winners and their parents/or teacher to the event as well. Please come and support your Chapter and these science fair winners.
- 10th Annual FDA Science Forum - Tuesday and Wednesday, May 18 & 19, 2004 will be held at the new the Washington Convention Center, Washington D.C. The theme of this year's science forum is: FDA Science: The Critical Path from Concept to Consumer.
Sigma Xi needs Poster Judges for the Science Forum. At the 2003 Science Forum there are over 350 abstracts submitted. This year there are even more posters. Criteria and judging materials will be provided. If you are willing to help us, please contact one of the following: Fred Fry (ffry@cfsan.fda.gov); Howard Cyr (hwc@cdrh.fda.gov); me, Paddy Wiesenfeld (pwiesenf@cfsan.fda.gov) or Jurgen von Bredow (J.Bredow@cvm.fda.gov). Remember and be proud of the fact that the FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi developed the format and sponsored the first FDA Science Forum. We need your continued participation and support to make the poster exhibition a success. Please stop by and introduce yourself at our Sigma Xi Poster Booth (#46) at the DC Convention Center.
- Election of Chapter Officer for 2004 - 5: We need nominations for Chapter Treasurer. Please consider taking a leadership role in the FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi. One way to make this organization more applicable to your needs is to participate in the decision making process. Send in your suggestion by April 23, 2004 to me: pwiesenf@cfsan.fda.gov or telephone (301) 827-8526.
FDA Chapter Sigma Xi Officers
- Chapter President beginning June 2004 - June 2006: Dr. Thomas F.X. Collins (he was President-elect 2003 - 4 and treasurer for over 5 years)
- President-elect 2004 - 2006: Dr. Jeffrey Yourick
- Secretary: Dr. Mary Shackelford
- Treasurer: open
Appointed/Volunteer Positions
- FDA Science Forum Poster Exhibition Lead: Dr. Fredrick Fry
- Past President - Advisor: Dr. Paddy Wiesenfeld (2002 - June 2004)
- Past President - Advisor: Dr. Jurgen von Bredow (2000 -June 2002)
As well as other Past Presidents and Officers
- New Sigma Xi member: The FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi welcomes, Dr. Wolfgang Kainz as a full member of Sigma Xi (to be confirmed by National headquarters in April). Dr. Kainz is currently employed at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health. He is working on EMC and EMI test method and standard development for medical devices using wireless technology. He also works on numerical calculations (FDTD, FEM) of medical device heating in the MRI environment. Prior to coming to FDA, Dr. Kainz was Associate Director at IT'IS (Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society) in Zurich, Switzerland. Dr. Kainz received his MSEE and Ph.D. from Technical University Vienna, Austria. Wolfgang, I welcome you to Sigma Xi and we hope to meet you in person at the FDA Science Forum if not before.
- Membership in Sigma Xi. If you know someone whose research, education and review experience would make a good candidate for membership in Sigma Xi, please forward their name to any of the officers or to our chapter web-site.
- Suggestions of speakers/locations are always welcome. Please contact any of the above officers. We are already planning next year's lectures.
- For more detailed information about these and other events please go to our Chapter website http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sxfda.html for updates.
- Brief notes from National Headquarters of Sigma Xi:
Respectively submitted,
Paddy Wiesenfeld, Ph.D.
President, FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi
April 5, 2004
Respectively Submitted Paddy Wiesenfeld, Ph.D.
President, FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi
February 13, 2004
Remember for information about the national organization go to:
http://www.sigmaxi.org
For Chapter updates and other information go to our Chapter website:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sxfda.html
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Last updated on 2004-APR-08 by frf