Sigma Xi Chapter Presents Annual Research Awards

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Cristiane Pilon (from left), U of A Sigma Xi chapter president Douglas Rhoads and Roger Koeppe II

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas chapter of the scientific research honors society Sigma Xi presented its annual Aubrey E. Harvey Graduate Research Award to Cristiane Pilon and John Imhoff Award for Faculty Research to Roger Koeppe II.

Pilon is a doctoral student in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Science in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. Koeppe is a Distinguished Professor of chemistry and biochemistry in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

The Aubrey E. Harvey award is made to the Sigma Xi member graduate student who performed the most outstanding research on campus during the preceding year. Pilon received a certificate on April 28 at the U of A Sigma Xi chapter’s annual Initiation and Awards reception. Five new members were inducted based on their research accomplishments and nominations from existing members.

Pilon, from Piracicaba, Brazil, has been an author on nine refereed journal articles and has contributed one book chapter as the lead author. Her research focuses on assessing the genotypic differences in physiological traits related to drought tolerance of cotton under drought stress during the reproductive development.

Her faculty mentor is Distinguished Professor Derrick M. Oosterhuis, who holds the Clyde H. Sites Professorship in International Crop Physiology.

The family and friends of Harvey established the award in 1978 in recognition of his contributions to the graduate program at the University of Arkansas. Harvey was a longtime faculty member in the department of chemistry who also served as the campus’ director of research and sponsored programs from 1964 until his death in 1975.

Koeppe joined the U of A faculty in 1979. His research interest is protein engineering and protein/lipid interactions. The National Science Foundation awarded Koeppe nearly $685,000 in 2014 for a project that addresses fundamental gaps in understanding the consequences of ionization and dynamics for the biological function of proteins in lipid-bilayer membranes.

Imhoff founded the Department of Industrial Engineering at the U of A and was a longtime member of Sigma Xi, including chapter president.

The U of A Sigma Xi chapter was established more than 60 years ago. For more information, contact chapter president Douglas Rhoads, professor of biological sciences, at drhoads@uark.edu.