Candidates for Sigma Pi Sigma National President

Running for Sigma Pi Sigma National President

Ann Viano

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

Ann received her Ph.D. in Physics from Washington University in St. Louis in 1996. After a two-year post-doctoral position at St. Jude Children s Research Hospital, she joined the physics faculty at Rhodes College, where she is now Associate Professor of Physics and faculty fellow for undergraduate research. Ann has served as SPS Zone Councilor for Zone 10, SPS chapter advisor, Sigma Pi Sigma advisor, and she is the current Sigma Pi Sigma president. She or her undergraduate physics research associates have presented papers at the past two Sigma Pi Sigma congresses and several SPS Zone meetings, as well as SPS sessions at a variety of national meetings.

Ann’s research experiences cover a very broad range of topics from superconductor and transition-metal alloy structures to magnetic-resonance imaging of joint implants to the characterization of biomaterials and nanocomposite magnetic material. At Rhodes she has been a research mentor to numerous undergraduates, with whom she has published research articles and made presentations at national and regional meetings.

A native of Santa Clara, California, Ann now lives in Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and four-year-old son.

STATEMENT:

Sigma Pi Sigma is an organization dedicated to the proposition that excellence in physics scholarship is to be recognized, honored, admired, and encouraged. As the President of the society for the past two years, I am grateful to have been able to reach out to the membership and encourage the fulfillment of this mission. 

Given the opportunity to continue leadership of Sigma Pi Sigma, I would call upon the membership to reach out with me and to work to make a difference in our society. We physicists hold within us the message that science is invigorating, necessary, and cool. This message needs to be heard by those who design the very fabric of our society: lawmakers, school boards members, educators, and mentors. Sigma Pi Sigma can be most effective in promoting physics by working in a myriad of ways to turn on the next generation of physicists. We do this by continuing our support of existing programs, fostering a sense of community among our members, and sharing our enthusiasm for our discipline with all members of society.