Sergeant is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, serjeant, is used in The Rifles and other units that draw their heritage from the British Light Infantry, its origin is the Latin serviens, ` one', through the French term sergent. The term sergeant refers to a non-commissioned officer placed above the rank of a corporal and a police officer below a lieutenant or, in the UK Police forces, below an inspector. In most armies the rank of sergeant corresponds to command of a squad. In Commonwealth armies, it is a more senior rank, corresponding to a platoon second-in-command. In the United States Army, sergeant is a more junior rank corresponding to a four-soldier fireteam leader. More senior non-commissioned ranks are variations on sergeant, for example staff sergeant, first sergeant, sergeant major. Many countries use sergeant rank, whether in English or using a cognate with the same origin in another language; the equivalent rank in Arab armies is raqīb, meaning'overseer' or'watcher'.

In medieval European usage, a sergeant was any attendant or officer with a protective duty. Any medieval knight or military order of knighthood might have "sergeants-at-arms", meaning servants able to fight if needed; the etymology of the term is from Anglo-French sergant, serjant "servant, court official, soldier", from Middle Latin servientem "servant, soldier". A "soldier sergeant" was a man of what would now be thought of as the "middle class", fulfilling a junior role to the knight in the medieval hierarchy. Sergeants could fight either as heavy cavalry, light cavalry, or as trained professional infantry. Most notable medieval mercenaries fell into the "sergeant" class, such as Flemish crossbowmen and spearmen, who were seen as reliable quality troops; the sergeant class was deemed to be'worth half of a knight' in military value. A specific kind of military sergeant was the serjeant-at-arms, one of a body of armed men retained by English lords and monarchs; the title is now given to an officer in modern legislative bodies, charged with keeping order during meetings and, if necessary, forcibly removing disruptive members.

The term had civilian applications quite distinct and different from the military sergeant, though sharing the etymological origin – for example the serjeant-at-law an important and prestigious order of English lawyers. "Sergeant" is the lowest rank of sergeant, with individual military entities choosing some additional words to signify higher ranking individuals. What terms are used, what seniority they signify, is to a great extent dependent on the individual armed service; the term "sergeant" is used in many appointment titles. In most non-naval military or paramilitary organizations, the various grades of sergeant are non-commissioned officers ranking above privates and corporals, below warrant officers and commissioned officers; the responsibilities of a sergeant differ from army to army. There are several ranks of sergeant, each corresponding to greater experience and responsibility for the daily lives of the soldiers of larger units. Sergeants are team leaders in charge of an entire team of constables to senior constables at large stations, to being in charge of sectors involving several police stations.

In country areas, sergeants are in charge of an entire station and its constabulary. Senior sergeants are in specialist areas and are in charge of sergeants and thus act as middle management. Sergeant is a rank in both the Royal Australian Air Force; the ranks are equivalent to the Royal Australian Navy rank of petty officer. Although the rank insignia of the RAAF rank of flight sergeant and the Australian Army rank of staff sergeant are identical, flight sergeant in fact outranks the rank of staff sergeant in the classification of rank equivalencies; the Australian Army rank of staff sergeant is now redundant and is no longer awarded, due to being outside the rank equivalencies and the next promotional rank is warrant officer class two. Chief petty officers and flight sergeants are not required to call a warrant officer class two "sir" in accordance with Australian Defence Force Regulations 1952; the rank of sergeant exists in all Australian police forces and is of higher ranking than a constable or senior constable, but lower than an inspector.

The sergeant structure varies among state police forces two sergeant ranks are classed as non-commissioned officers: Sergeant. A brevet sergeant is less senior than a sergeant. New South Wales Police Force has the additional rank of incremental sergeant; this is an incremental progression, following appointment as a sergeant for seven years. An incremental sergeant rank is less senior than a senior sergeant but is more senior than a sergeant. Upon appointment as a sergeant or senior sergeant, the sergeant is given: A warrant of appointment under the commissioner's hand and seal. A navy blue backing A navy blue nameplate A silver chinstrap positioned above his peaked cap on his headdress, replacing a black chinstrap. Within the New South Wales Police Force, sergeant is a team le

Weng Cheng-yi is a Taiwanese mechanical engineer. Weng earned a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Rochester University, he joined the National Cheng Kung University faculty in 1980. Weng became president of NCKU in 1997, he was the inaugural chairman of the Aviation Safety Council, serving from 25 May 1998 to 19 May 2000. He was minister of the National Science Council from 20 May 2000 to 6 March 2001. Days after taking office, Weng was criticized by members of the Legislative Yuan for being unaware of council proceedings. An anonymous legislator accused Weng of plagiarism in June 2000; that month, health department director Lee Ming-liang panned several government officials for smoking, including Weng. As chair of the National Science Council, Weng was cautious of scientific exchanges with China, choosing to work with the Japanese government on a high-energy synchrotron radiation beamline installed in Hyogo Prefecture. Additionally, Weng commented on earthquake response and recovery, attended the Industry Strategy Symposium 2000.

Weng worked to establish the Tainan Science-based Industrial Park throughout his tenure. He was replaced by Wei Che-ho in March 2001, after the industrial park initiative proved unsuccessful. Weng served as chairman of the Industrial Technology Research Institute, he returned to the Aviation Safety Council as acting chairman in 2005

Prof. Joseph Olurotimi Sanya is the provost and a reader in physiology at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University. Sanya was born at Iyin-Ekiti, Ekiti State, on June 11, 1956, he attended the All Saints' Primary School, Iyin Ekiti. He is a medical doctor and researcher in physiology, in which he has a Ph. D. from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. His Ph. D. thesis was on the Effects of Aqueous Extract of Zanthoxyllum zanthoxylloides and Aframomum melegueta on Sickle Cell Vaso-occlusive Crisis while his Masters dissertation was on Electrocardiographic Profiles of Normotensives At-Risk of Developing Hypertension. He obtained an MB. BCH degree from the University of Calabar, he is a member of many learned societies including: Nigerian Medical Association, Physiological Society of Nigeria and the West African Network of Natural Product Research Scientists. He allied subjects both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, he has trained scores of house officers/resident doctors and rose to the post of chief medical director before taking up academics full-time.

He was a two-term chairman of the Ekiti State Branch of NMA. He has been a member of many parastatals both at federal and state levels. Sanya began his work career as University College Teaching Hospital, Calabar, he served his professional colleagues and Ekiti State Government with his god-given skills in various capacities, such as. S. H, Ado-Ekiti. S. H, Ikere-Ekiti; as a scholar and researcher, Sanya has to his credit, scores of profound writings published in books and proceedings. He has won several awards, which include the prestigious National Productivity Order of Merit Award and Ekiti State Merit Award and Honours Roll