WASHINGTON (February 28, 2019) – Howard University Professor Sonya T. Smith, Ph.D., the first tenure female faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, was recently chosen to serve as President-elect of Sigma Xi, a national scientific research honor society. Smith will serve a cyclical tenure as president–elect from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, president from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 and immediate past president from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.

Smith has extensive experience in positions of leadership within Sigma Xi. She is currently serving as president of Howard University's Sigma Xi chapter and previously held the position during the 2014-2015 academic year. In addition, she served as Howard University’s Sigma Xi president-elect during the 2013-2014 and 2017-2018 academic years. With her experience, she is eager to continue advancing Sigma Xi’s vision of becoming the global honor Society of Science and Engineering.  

“As the national president-elect and then president, I plan to engage Howard University faculty and students in more of the organization’s national programs and opportunities for students,” Smith explains. Additionally, Smith says students will benefit from Sigma Xi membership by gaining opportunities interdisciplinary research collaborations.

There are three milestones Smith intends on achieving as Sigma Xi president. One goal is to increase the number and dollar amount of awards that Sigma Xi offers to support research, particularly for emerging researchers. In addition, she intends on increasing membership among the next generation of researchers by increasing visibility and direct outreach on platforms and in spaces that are highly accessible to potential members. Her third goal is to increase partnerships with other professional societies. 

For more information Sigma Xi, visit https://www.sigmaxi.org. 

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States.  For more information on Howard University visit www.howard.edu