Science and Service at Its Best
8/13/2020
Dr. Pamela Kerrigan Recognized for Service with Sigma Xi Award
Congratulations to Director for the Division of Natural Sciences and Professor of Chemistry Pamela Kerrigan who has received the Sigma Xi Evan Ferguson Award for Service to the Society!
Dr. Kerrigan received the award for her commitment to Sigma Xi beyond local chapters and her passion for science education and student development.
The Evan Ferguson Award recognizes outstanding service to Sigma Xi and its mission. Dr. Kerrigan—who was instrumental in chartering the University of Mount Saint Vincent Chapter of Sigma Xi in 2009—will receive a certificate and will have her name engraved on the Evan Ferguson plaque at headquarters.
A Mount Saint Vincent professor of biochemistry for nearly three decades, Dr. Kerrigan teaches organic chemistry and biochemistry to science majors and she became the director of the Division of Natural Sciences in 2015. She also serves on the Mount’s Health Professions Advisory Committee, a counseling body of faculty members established to guide students who are interested in preparing for medical, dental, or health careers. Her dedication to her students has also been recognized with the Advisor of the Year award during the Mount’s Student Affairs Awards Ceremony in 2019.
Dr. Kerrigan’s research involves the synthesis and purification of porphyrins for use in photodynamic therapy of cancer—and she further expands her research through collaboration with her students. Dr. Kerrigan works closely with these undergraduate scientific researchers in the laboratory, allowing them to gain experience and to present their original research at scientific conferences. She is also active in organizing workshops for middle school teachers to educate them how to incorporate everyday chemicals into their curriculum.
In 2007, Dr. Kerrigan was elected as an associate director with Sigma Xi, served on the Committee on Nominations for five years as a representative of the Northeast Region, and was also the director for the Northeast Region from 2009 to 2016. While she was on the Board of Directors, she served one term on the Executive Committee. Dr. Kerrigan is also a member of Alpha Chi Sigma, the American Chemical Society (she served as chair of the New York section in 2014), the Association for Women in Science (AWIS), the American Association for University Professors (AAUP), and the American Association of University Women (AAUW). The co-author of the Barron’s AP Chemistry review book, she has also served in Gamma Sigma Epsilon, the national chemistry honor society, and has been the executive president of Gamma Sigma Epsilon for two terms.
Dr. Kerrigan received her Ph.D. in bioorganic chemistry from Arizona State University in 1993, her master’s in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1986, and her B.A. in chemistry and biology from Lakeland College in 1981.
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of professional accomplishment, service, and leadership in the 21st century.