Sigma Xi - 1999 Annual Meeting - Report of Committee on Awards

Sep 21, 2026

Committee on Awards report for the year ending June 30, 1999. Describes the Committee’s November 12, 1998 meeting during Sigma Xi’s 1998 Forum and Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, and decisions approved by the Board. Outlines selection of Dr. Lynn Margulis for the 1999 William Procter Prize, including the serial endosymbiosis scientific context, nomination of a research grant recipient, honorary members approved for initiation in 1999, and the first Young Investigator Award recipients and regional winners.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Committee meeting and decisions (ending June 30, 1999)

William Procter Prize

Honorary Members

Young Investigator Award

International Science and Engineering Fair

Re port of the Com m itte e on Aw ards for the Ye ar Ending June 30 , 1999 The Committee on Awards met on Thursday , 12 November 1998 during Sigma Xi’s 1998 Forum and Annual Meeting in Vancouver , British Columbia . The William Procter Prize During its meeting in Vancouver , the Committee reviewed a list of excellent nominations for the William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement. The Committee recommended, and the Board of Directors subsequently approved, that Dr . Lynn Margulis , Distinguished University Professor at the University of Massachusetts , Amherst, be awarded the 1999 William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement. Dr . Margulis agreed to accept the 1999 Procter Prize at Sigma Xi’s 1999 Forum and Annual Meeting in Minneapolis and to deliver the Procter Prize Address under the tentative title , "Symbiogenesis . " Dr . Margulis played a major role in introducing the "serial endosymbiosis theory " which posited that cells with nuclei (eukaryotic cells ) evolved through symbiotic relationships with other cell types . It is now widely accepted that such cell components as mitochondria and chloroplasts were once separate organisms; bacteria that over the course of evolution were incorporated into the make-up of modern eukaryotic cells . Dr , Margulis is also widely known as an energetic popularizer of science , spokesperson for environmental issues , author of many books on a wide variety of scientific topics , contributor to popular magazines and educational journals , and the producer of several videos . Each year the Procter Prize recipient has the privilege of naming a younger colleague to receive a $5, 000 grantin-aid of research from the Procter Prize Fund. This year , Dr , Margulis has nominated Mr . Andrew Wier of the Department of Geosciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to receive this award. Mr . Wier has expressed his willingness to attend the November 1999 Forum and Annual Meeting to receive his grant-in-aid of research award during the Society ’s annual banquet. Honorary Members At its November 1998 meeting, the Committee on Awards recommended, and the Board of Directors subsequently approved, that Ms . Joann Rodgers and Mr . Brian Hayes become Honorary Members of Sigma Xi. Ms . Rodgers became Deputy Director of Public Affairs and Director of Media Relations at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in 1984 after 18 years as an award-winning journalist and columnist for the Hearst newspapers . Mr . Hayes has had a distinguished career as a science writer and editor and also performed an invaluable service to Sigma Xi as 1990-92 editor of American Scientist by overseeing the transition of the magazine from New Haven, Connecticut to the Society ’s new offices in Research Triangle Park , North Carolina . His regular "Computing Science " column continues to be a popular feature of the magazine . Both Ms . Rodgers and Mr . Hays have indicated that they will be in attendance at the November 1999 Forum and Annual Meeting in Minneapolis to be initiated as Honorary Members of the Society . In addition, Mr . Maurice Strong, elected to Honorary Membership in 1998, will attend the 1999 Forum and Annual Meeting to be initiated asan Honorary Member of Sigma Xi. Mr . Strong, recognized worldwide for his activities towards securing a global plan for sustainable development of humans and the environment, was unable to attend the 1998 Forum and Annual Meeting in Vancouver , where he was to be initiated as an Honorary Member of the Society . Young Investigator Award Also during its November 1998 meeting, the Committee recommended that Dr . Laura Landweber , Assistant Professor of Biology in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University , be awarded the first Young Investigator Award in the fields of the life and social sciences . The Board of Directors subsequently approved this recommendation and Dr . Landweber has agreed to participate in the 1999 Forum

FAQs

When did the Committee on Awards meet and where?

The Committee met on Thursday, 12 November 1998 during Sigma Xi’s 1998 Forum and Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Who received the 1999 William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement?

Dr. Lynn Margulis was recommended and later approved to receive the 1999 William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement.

What is the Young Investigator Award and who won the first award?

Established in 1996, the Young Investigator Award recognizes outstanding young Sigma Xi members within ten years of their highest earned degree and their ability to communicate research. Dr. Laura Landweber was recommended as the first recipient in the life and social sciences fields.

Sep 21, 2026

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