NOVEMBER 3, 2023 — UTSA has created a chapter of Sigma Xi, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious research honor societies for scientists and engineers. The installation of UTSA’s Sigma Xi chapter follows the university’s 2021 designation as a Tier One research institution, which aligns UTSA to the top 4% of research universities in the U.S.
Sigma Xi members are nominated to the society and include Nobel Prize winners, National Academy members and American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows. In all, the organization has nearly 60,000 individual members in 500-plus chapters around the world.
Ten UTSA faculty are founding members of the honor society. Their individual membership in Sigma Xi was pivotal in the creation of UTSA’s own chapter, an effort led by the UTSA Academy of Distinguished Researchers (ADR).
“We are honored to establish a Sigma Xi chapter at UTSA and join a community of our peers of the highest caliber,” said JoAnn Browning, interim vice president for UTSA Research, Economic Development, and Knowledge Enterprise. “The UTSA Sigma Xi chapter formally recognizes the many distinguished members on our campus and represents UTSA’s broad and diverse research ecosystem.”
UTSA is a Tier One research university and a Hispanic Serving Institution specializing in cyber, health, fundamental futures, and social-economic transformation. With an emphasis on transdisciplinary collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship, the university is leveraging its research and development capabilities to benefit the San Antonio community and the world beyond.
The university’s Sigma Xi chapter will include UTSA students, postdoctoral fellows, active research faculty and independent scientists. In addition to facilitating mentorship, collaboration and professional development, the society will facilitate engagement with other leading researchers from around the world with access to prestigious venues for scientific research presentations.
In the coming months, the UTSA chapter will select its inaugural leadership, comprised of current Sigma Xi members. The chapter will also nominate new members and will contribute to the professional development of UTSA’s research community.
“Sigma Xi has a lengthy and distinguished history in promoting excellence in scientific research and scholarship across the country, and indeed throughout the world,” said Hamid Beladi, chair of the ADR and organizing member of UTSA’s Sigma Xi chapter.
Rena Bizios, biomedical engineering and chemical engineering
James Chambers, molecular microbiology & immunology
Michael Doyle, chemistry
Mark S. Jones, counseling
Sandy Norman, mathematics
(Anson) Joo L. Ong, electrical & computer engineering
George Perry, neuroscience, developmental and regenerative biology
Marissa Wechsler, biomedical engineering and chemical engineering
Alan Whittington, earth & planetary sciences
Jason Yaeger, anthropology
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Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
