SCIENCE PROGRAMS AT WILLIAMS COLLEGE
Students learn science best by formulating and testing their
own hypotheses, using methods capable of producing convincing evidence. This is
true at the elementary level, where students become interested in further study
by encountering science as discovery rather than rote facts. It is even more
important at advanced levels, where students are most likely to become
interested in science careers by working as fully involved junior colleagues
with professionally active faculty on research projects that develop new
science. The ability to conduct competitive research at Williams helps to
attract talented scientists as faculty and keeps them current, so that the
diverse range of science courses reflects new results and perspectives. For
faculty to involve students in research, to produce publishable results, to
compete for research funding, to teach effectively in a formal classroom
setting, and to continually bring modern ideas into course laboratories requires
substantial support in the way of modern facilities, instrumentation, supplies
and technical support. Williams College long ago recognized this need. Along
with the construction of the Bronfman Science Center in the nineteen sixties, we
established the kind of facilities and support programs recommended by studies
such as the 1986 National Science Board Task Committee on Undergraduate Science
and Engineering Education. As our science buildings have been upgraded to
provide modern facilities for teaching and student-faculty research, the model
of the entire science division as a programmatic unit has flourished. Funds for
major equipment, for individual student-faculty research projects, and for
stipend support of students doing research with faculty are coordinated on a
division-wide basis by the Science Executive Committee and the Divisional
Research Funding Committee. By working together, we are able to share not only
facilities and equipment, but also ideas and enthusiasm, and so provide a
“critical mass” of activity that might not be possible within an
individual department at a small institution.
About thirteen years ago, Williams College affirmed its
commitment to training future scientists by establishing a mechanism for
identifying applicants with an expressed interest in pursuing a Ph.D. in
science. Since that time, about 15% of each incoming class have expressed
interest in careers in science. The high quality of the College’s science
programs has maintained this interest and nearly all of those students continue
in science. Thus, in the past decade Williams College has become a leader in
the training of future scientists with more than 50 students going on to Ph.D.
programs in science each year. The quality of this training is evidenced by the
number of National Science Foundation (NSF) Predoctoral Fellowships awarded to
Williams graduates in the past nine years. During that time, Williams has
ranked first among predominantly undergraduate institutions, averaging about 10
NSF Fellowships per year. We attribute this success to an energetic science
faculty dedicated to excellence in teaching and to the numerous research
opportunities available to Williams students at advanced as well as introductory
levels. It has long been recognized that a positive undergraduate research
experience is the single most important inspiration for future scientists. As
documented later in this report, more than 200 students were engaged in research
with Williams faculty this year. More than 80 students conducted independent
research projects during the academic year and 137 students were engaged in
full-time research with Williams science faculty during the summer. Dozens of
Williams students participated in conferences where they presented the results
of their research, and many Williams students co-authored publications in
peer-reviewed journals.
The College’s commitment to science was further
confirmed when the President and Board of Trustees approved an expansion and
renovation of all of the science facilities in 1994. After years of careful
planning by science faculty, construction of a $47 million science facility,
which links existing science buildings with a new laboratory wing and unifies
all science departments in a single complex surrounding a central science
library, is well underway and scheduled for completion in Fall 2000. The first
phase of the project, which includes new laboratories for teaching and research
in the new Morley Science laboratories building and a portion of the Schow
Science Library, was completed in the summer of 1999. Current work involves the
completion of the library and the renovation and connection of the Thompson
Laboratories and Bronfman Science Center by the fall of 2000. The project is
the largest in the history of the College and will ensure Williams’ place
as a leader in undergraduate science education as we enter the next
century.
Concurrent with the increased student involvement in science,
Williams has attracted talented and vibrant science faculty engaged in
competitive research and dedicated to teaching undergraduates. As a result, the
number of external grants awarded to support faculty research or curricular
innovations has increased significantly. With 23 active NSF grants this past
year, Williams College ranks first among undergraduate institutions in the
number of NSF grants awarded to science faculty. The large number of individual
faculty grants, together with grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute,
the Essel Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the Keck Foundation, and other
sources, have enabled us to purchase and maintain sophisticated equipment for
teaching and research. Emphasizing close student-faculty interactions, the
opportunities in undergraduate science education at Williams are exciting,
diverse, and
progressive.
Freshman & Sophomore Discovery Courses
Seven years ago Williams College was awarded a five-year grant
from the Ford Foundation Initiative for Undergraduate Science Education to
support the development of “discovery” courses in the sciences.
Although the grant has expired, most of these special introductory science
courses (described below) have become integral parts of our curriculum.
Designed to excite the interest of beginning students through hands-on
experiences, the discovery courses are typically taught in a manner that
requires students to take a greater responsibility for their own education.
They are expected to make observations, formulate hypotheses, gather data,
conduct analyses, and evaluate outcomes without the faculty providing them with
the anticipated results in advance. The great success of these courses has led
to the incorporation of the discovery approach to teaching science in
upper-level courses as well.
ASTR 106: Observational Astronomy
This course, meant for non-majors, focuses on the most basic
aspects of astronomy and is observing-intensive, taking full advantage of
various telescopes housed on the Williams College observing deck. Topics
covered include the constellations and night sky in general, planets, the moon,
sun, stars and galaxies. Study of these topics, requires a mix of both day and
night class sessions during which students are required to make observations at
the telescopes. Student observations are recorded in drawings, notes, and
computer printouts of images.
Observing takes place, on all class dates, when the sky is
clear. On those days when the sky is cloudy, we do in-class exercises or
discuss topics in astronomy, such as the results from the Hubble Space
Telescope.
The course is usually given in alternate years.
CHEM 106 & 108: Concepts of Chemistry, Special & Advanced Laboratory
Sections
While covering the same lecture material as other introductory
chemistry classes, a special, enriched laboratory program includes activities,
which more closely resemble the unpredictable nature and immediacy of true
chemical research. Students synthesize, isolate and characterize a family of
unknown material in a series of related experiments constituting an integrated,
semester-long investigation.
ENVI 102: Introduction to Environmental Science
Taught by a biologist, chemist, and a geologist; the lectures,
readings, laboratories and discussions in this course concentrate on integrating
basic aspects of each of these disciplines as they apply to the analysis of
environmental problems. Laboratory work includes botanical and geological
observations in the field and the use of sophisticated instruments to perform
chemical and biologic measurements in the laboratory.
Henry Art (Biology), Birgit Koehler (Chemistry) and David
DeSimone (Geoscience), were the instructors in the spring. The course focused
on the research site on Ford Glen Brook in the Hopkins Memorial Forest for field
and lab investigations.
GEO 105: Geology Outdoors
An introduction to geology through student field projects and
small discussion sessions. The mountains, lakes, rivers and valleys of the
Williamstown area provide unusual opportunities for learning geology in the
field. Emphasis is placed on learning through active participation in field
projects reinforced by group discussion sessions on related readings in geology.
Following an introduction to the techniques of field geology, small teams are
formed to work on independent research
projects.
Essel Foundation Grant for Neuroscience
In July 1999, the college received a continuing grant of
$750,000 from Connie and Steve Lieber, Class of ’47, to support research
in neuroscience. The primary intent of the awards, which began in 1992, is to
involve students in state-of-the-art neuroscience research. During the summer
of 1999, 10 Williams students were selected as Essel fellows. These students
spent the summer working in individual faculty laboratories. Most continued
their research with either honors theses or independent study work during the
1999-2000 academic year.
The Essel Foundation grant also greatly facilitated the
implementation of expanded laboratory exercises in the Introduction to
Neuroscience course. In conjunction with the Hughes Foundation Grant and
support from the college, a new neuroscience teaching laboratory has been
established. Funds were also provided to support two full-time technicians to
assist in running this laboratory. The establishment of the laboratory has
allowed students in the introductory course to gain hands-on laboratory
experience in neuroscience that is not generally available to beginning
students. It has also allowed a greater number of students to participate in
advanced research.
During the past year, visits from two prominent
neuroscientists, Dr Thomas Insel of Emory University and Dr. Priscilla Kehoe of
Trinity College, were funded by the grant. The Essel award will continue to
fund this program as well as additional endeavors, such as summer research
support for faculty, and support for student research during the academic year.
The Neuroscience Program is very fortunate to have such generous support for
this rapidly growing area of science.
Hughes Grant (Howard Hughes Medical Institute)
Williams College has received 2.3 million dollars in support
of a number of science initiatives from Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)
since 1991. These funds have provided summer research opportunities for
Williams students, have helped strengthen the curriculum through the purchase of
equipment and the support of laboratory development, and have funded elementary
and high school outreach programs. Williams College has recently been awarded a
new four-year grant of $800,000 from the HHMI. This grant will allow the
strengthening of some existing programs as well as the initiation of others.
“These grants are highly competitive, and we are fortunate to receive
continued support from the HHMI,” said Steven Zottoli, the director of the
HHMI grants at Williams and the Schow Professor of Biology.
The new grant will allow the college to continue support of
Williams College students to conduct original research in faculty laboratories
on campus during the summer. In addition, funds are available to allow students
to attend scientific meetings to present their results. A new initiative will
provide the opportunity for six students to spend eight weeks at the Marine
Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA participating in courses, meeting
various scientists, and conducting original research.
The Williamstown Elementary School outreach program that was
initiated in 1996 will be continued and augmented. In addition, we will be
initiating a similar program at the Brayton Elementary School in North Adams.
Williams College students are placed in elementary classrooms and computer
laboratories to help teachers in the development and implementation of their
science curriculum.
A summer outreach program for Berkshire County high school
students was initiated in 1991. This month-long program continues to bring four
high school students to Williams College each summer to study with Williams
faculty and students.
A new initiative made possible by the grant provides
opportunities for elementary school children and their teachers to participate
in a weeklong summer science camp. The camp is designed to teach an
inquiry-based approach to
science.
Kresge Foundation Equipment Grant
In 1990, Williams was awarded a grant from the Kresge
Foundation to replace and update major items of scientific equipment and
instrumentation. This three-part grant is being used not only to purchase new
equipment, but to support maintenance contracts and the repair of instruments as
well. One aspect of the grant is that the College sets aside endowment funds
for the depreciation and eventual replacement of items purchased under the
grant.
The College has purchased and is maintaining a 24 inch optical
telescope, a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, a transmission electron
microscope, an ultraviolet/visible/near infrared spectrophotometer, and an x-ray
diffraction instrument with these funds. In conjunction with funds awarded
through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant, the Kresge grant was also
used to purchase a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer. In addition,
endowment funds were used this year to replace earlier models of both an atomic
absorption spectrometer and an ion chromatograph. These expensive pieces of
core equipment are heavily used by faculty and students, especially in
collaborative research projects.
SMALL
SMALL is a special summer research program in Mathematics
funded by the National Science Foundation and the Bronfman Science Center.
Anywhere from 15 to 25 students split into groups of three to five, and work on
solving open research problems. Each group has a single faculty advisor.
Students participating in the program have published their results in
mathematics research journals and given talks at a variety of math conferences
around the country. In the summer of 2000, there will be 17 students working in
algebraic geometry, number theory, ergodic theory, geometry, and knot
theory.
Major Programs
The Astronomy Department offers courses for anyone who
is interested in studying and learning about the universe, and who would like to
be able to follow new astronomical discoveries as they are made. Students can
choose between broad non-mathematical survey courses and a more technical
introductory course designed for those planning further study in astronomy or
another science. As part of the astronomy observing program, all students in
the introductory courses use the 24-inch telescope and other telescopes and
instruments on the observing deck to study a variety of astronomical objects.
The Astronomy major is designed for students with an intellectual interest in
learning about many aspect of modern astronomy, but who might not have planned
to undertake as much physics and math as in the more intensive astrophysics
major. The Astronomy major emphasizes understanding the observed properties of
the physical systems that comprise the known universe, from the Sun and solar
system to the evolution of stars and star clusters, to the Milky Way Galaxy, to
external galaxies and clusters of galaxies, out to quasars and active galaxies.
Students considering a major in astronomy, or a double major including
astronomy, should consult with members of the Department about appropriate
beginning courses. The Astrophysics major includes students who plan graduate
study in astronomy, astrophysics or a related field, historically about
one-third of the majors go on in astrophysics, one-third in another scientific
field, and one-third in a wide variety of fields (teaching school, law,
medicine, business, etc.). Many astrophysics majors are double majors in fields
as wide ranging as art, economics, and mathematics. The major emphasizes the
structure of the universe and its constituents in terms of physical process and
includes computer and image-processing skills and experience. Majors in
astrophysics begin their program with ASTR 111 Introduction to
Astrophysics as well as basic physics courses. Intermediate and advanced
level seminars introduce astrophysics majors to current research topics in
astronomy, while parallel study of physics completes their preparation.
Independent research, extensive use of the observational and image processing
computer facilities, field work at remote observatories or on eclipse
expeditions and close working relationships with faculty are hallmarks of both
the Astronomy and Astrophysics majors.
The Biological Sciences are in the midst of a
renaissance that is reforming our entire view of living systems. Significant
breakthroughs are occurring at all levels; from the theoretical to the
practical, from health related fields to environmental studies, for animal
behavior to molecular biology and biochemistry. In response to these needs, the
Biology curriculum has been designed not only to keep pace with new developments
in the field, but also to afford students as broad a base as possible for
understanding the principles governing life processes. Four courses BIOL 101:
The Cell; BIOL 102: The Organism; BIOL 202: Genetics; and a
400 level senior seminar are required for the major. In addition, five
electives may be selected from a wide range of courses including those in
cellular biology, immunology, biochemistry, molecular biology, developmental
biology, physiology, neurophysiology, ecology and animal behavior. Every course
emphasizes the latest concepts and introduces techniques and instrumentation
used in modern biological research. Although the Biology major is specifically
designed to provide a balanced curriculum in the broader contest of the liberal
arts for any interested student, it is also an excellent preparation for
graduate studies in medicine and life sciences.
The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program is
designed to provide students with an opportunity to explore living systems in
molecular terms. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology are dynamic fields that lie
at the interface between biology and chemistry. Current applications range from
the diagnosis and treatment of disease to enzyme chemistry, developmental
biology, and the engineering of new crop plants. After completing the
introductory biology and chemistry courses and organic chemistry, a student
would normally take core courses in the program: BIMO 321, Biochemistry I -
Structure and Function of Biological Molecules, and BIMO 322,
Biochemistry II - Metabolism. These courses, taken in conjunction with
courses in genetics and molecular genetics, establish a solid background in
biochemistry and molecular biology. The advanced courses, including BIMO 406,
Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and electives
available from the Chemistry and Biology Department offerings, encourage
students’ exploration of individual interests in a wide variety of topics.
Completion of the BIMO Program provides exceptional preparation for graduate
study in all aspects of biochemistry, molecular biology, and the medical
sciences.
Through a variety of individual courses and sequential
programs, the Chemistry Department provides an opportunity for students
to explore chemistry, an area of important achievement for knowledge about
ourselves, and the world around us. For those who elect to major in chemistry,
the introductory courses, CHEM 101-102, Concepts of Chemistry (or CHEM
103-104 for those who qualify) are followed by intermediate and advanced courses
in organic, inorganic, physical and biochemistry. These provide a thorough
preparation for graduate study in chemistry, chemical engineering, biochemistry,
environmental science, medicine and the medical sciences. Advanced independent
study courses focus on the knowledge learned earlier and provide the opportunity
to conduct original research in a specific field. For those who elect to
explore the science of chemistry while majoring in other areas, the Chemistry
Department offers a variety of courses that introduce the fundamentals of
chemistry in a context designed to provide students with an enriching
understanding of our natural world. Non-majors may investigate chemistry
through the following courses: CHEM 113, Chemistry and Crime: From Sherlock
Holmes to Modern Forensic Science; CHEM 115, AIDS: The Disease and Search
for a Cure; CHEM 119 Chemistry for the Consumer in the Twenty first
Century; and CHEM 121, Fighting Disease: The Evolution and
Operation of Human Medicines.
Computers play an enormously important role in our society.
The Computer Science Department seeks to provide students with an
understanding of the principles underlying computer science that will enable
them to understand and participate in exciting developments in this young field.
The department recognizes that students’ interests in computer science
vary widely, and attempts to meet these varying interests through 1) its major
program; 2) a selection of courses intended primarily for those who are
interested in a brief introduction to computer science or who seek to develop
some specific expertise in computing for applications in some other discipline;
and 3) recommendations for possible sequences of courses for the non-major who
wants a more extensive introduction to computer science. Macintosh computers
and powerful UNIX workstations, connected via an Ethernet network, enhance
computing opportunities for students at all levels. The first course for majors
and others intending to take more than a single computer science course is CSCI
134, Introduction to Computer Science. Upper level courses include
computer organization, algorithm design, computer graphics, principles of
programming languages, artificial intelligence, theory of computing, parallel
processing, networks, operating systems and compiler design. The computer
science major is designed to provide preparation for advance study of computer
science and high level career opportunities, as well as imply a deeper
appreciation of current knowledge and the challenges of computer science. For
those students interested in learning more about important new ideas and
developments in computer science, but who are not necessarily interested in
developing extensive programming skills, the department offers three courses.
CSCI 109 introduces students to the techniques of computer graphics, CSCI 108
provides an introduction to the field of Artificial Intelligence, and CSCI 105
presents an introduction to the technology behind the World Wide Web.
The academic Program in Environmental Studies commenced
soon after the establishment of the Center for Environmental Studies at Williams
in 1967. The ENVI Program allows students to major in traditional departments
while taking a diverse series of courses in an integrated, interdisciplinary
examination of the environment. The program is designed so that students will
grow to realize the complexity of issues and perspectives and to appreciate that
many of the environmental issues lack distinct, sharp-edged boundaries. The
goal is to aid students in becoming well-informed, environmentally-literate
citizens of the planet who have the capacity to become active participants in
their communities ranging from the local to the global scale. To this end, the
program is designed to develop abilities to think in interdisciplinary ways and
to use holistic-synthetic approaches in solving problems while incorporating the
knowledge and experiences they have gained by majoring in other departments at
the College.
The CES maintains and operates the 2450-acre Hopkins Memorial
Forest and its Rosenburg Center field station, 1.5 miles from campus. The
Environmental Science Laboratory in the new Morley Science Laboratory is
a joint venture between the CES and the science division at Williams.
During 1999-2000 Professors Art and Fox continued their
collaboration of using remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems to
study vegetation and landscape changes in the Hopkins Memorial Forest. Visiting
Professor Dick Birnie, from Dartmouth College, taught a new course in Remote
Sensing and GIS, which Professors Henry Art and David Dethier will teach, in
future years, in a new laboratory located in the Schow Science Library.
Professor Joan Edwards continued as director of the Hopkins Memorial Forest and
Professor David Dethier supervised activities in the Environmental Science
Laboratory.
Drew Jones completed his first year as the new Manager of the
Hopkins Memorial Forest. A new trail map and brochure on the Hopkins Memorial
Forest is available from the CES. During the summer of 2000, Marie-Michelle
Tasse ’00 and Professors Art and Dethier undertook a project sponsored by
the Mellon Foundation to design a web page for Remote Sensing and GIS at
Williams.
The Geoscience major is designed to provide an
understanding of the physical and biological evolution of the earth. Forces
within the earth are responsible for the development of mountain ranges and
ocean basins. Waves, rivers, glaciers and wind have shaped the surface of the
earth, providing the landscapes we see today. Fossils encased in sedimentary
rocks supply evidence for the evolution of life and record the history of the
earth. Four introductory courses open to all students include GEOS 101,
Biodiversity in Geologic Time, GEOS 102, An Unfinished Planet;
GEOS 103, Environmental Geology and the Earth’s Surface; and GEOS
104, Oceanography. A special course limited to twelve fist-year
students, GEOS 105, Geology Outdoors, presents geology through fieldwork
and small group discussions. Courses in the major are designed to provide a
foundation for a professional career in the earth sciences, a background for
commercial activity such as the marketing of energy or mineral resources, or
simply an appreciation of our human heritage and physical environment as part of
a liberal arts education. Students often choose electives so as to concentrate
in a particular field: for example, environmental geology, oceanography,
stratigraphy and sedimentation, or petrology and structural geology. In
addition, GEO 200, Weather and Climate Change; GEOS 206, Geological
Sources of Energy; and GEOS 208, Water and the Environment, offer
surveys of these areas for both non-majors and majors, and especially for those
concentrating in environmental studies.
History of Science, fundamentally an interdisciplinary
subject, traces the historical development of the social relations between
science and society as well as the development and mutual influence of
scientific concepts. The “external” approach emphasizes the
relations between science and society, attempting to relate changes and
developments in each to the other. The “internal” approach concerns
primarily the ways in which technical ideas, concepts, techniques, and problems
in science developed and influenced each other. Courses offered in the History
of Science Program introduce students who do not major in a science to the
content and power of the scientific and technological ideas and forces which
have in the past transformed western civilization and which are today
transforming cultures the world over. Science majors are introduced to the
historical richness and variety of scientific activity, as well as to how that
activity reflects upon the changing nature of science itself and upon
science’s relationship to society as a whole.
The major program in Mathematics is designed to meet
two goals: introducing some of the central ideas in a variety of areas in
mathematics, and developing problem-solving ability by teaching students to
combine creative thinking with rigorous reasoning. The math major includes
special recommendations to students interested in applied mathematics or other
sciences, engineering, graduate school in mathematics, statistics and actuarial
science, and teaching. The major requires calculus, a course in
applied/discrete mathematics or statistics, three core courses in algebra and
analysis, electives, a senior seminar, and participation in the undergraduate
colloquium.
Neuroscience is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary
field concerned with understanding the relationship between brain, mind, and
behavior. The interdisciplinary nature of the field is apparent when surveying
those who call themselves neuroscientists. Among these are anatomists,
physiologists, chemists, psychologists, philosophers, computer scientists,
linguists, and ethnologists. Combining this wide range of disciplines and areas
of research for the study of a single remarkably complex organ, the brain,
requires a unique interdisciplinary approach. The Neuroscience Program is
designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore this approach. It
consists of five courses, including an introductory course, three electives, and
a senior course. In addition, students are required to take two courses, BIOL
101, and PSYC 101, as prerequisites to the program. NSCI 201, Introduction
to Neuroscience, is the basic course and provides the background for other
neuroscience courses. Ideally, this will be taken in the first or second year.
Either BIOL 101 or PSYC 101 serves as the prerequisite. Electives are designed
to provide in-depth coverage including laboratory experience in specific areas
of neuroscience. At least one elective course is required in Biology Group A
and in Psychology Group B. The third elective course may also come from Group A
or Group B, or may be selected from offerings in other departments. NSCI 401,
Topics in Neuroscience, is designed to provide an integrative culminating
experience. Most students will take this course in the senior year.
The major program in Physics serves as preparation for
further work in pure or applied physics, other sciences, engineering, medical
research, science teaching and writing, and other careers requiring insight into
the fundamental principles of nature. Physics students experiment with the
phenomena by which the physical world is known and the mathematical techniques
and theories that make sense of it. They become well grounded in the
fundamentals of the discipline: classical mechanics, electrodynamics and optics,
thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics. In addition,
many students take special courses on such topics as condensed matter physics
and electronics. Typically, about half of our physics majors do senior honors
projects, in which the student works together with a faculty member in either
experimental or theoretical research.
The fourteen regular faculty members of the Psychology
Department offer a wide variety of curricular and research opportunities to
both major and non-major students. Courses are grouped into the areas of
behavioral neuroscience, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social
psychology, clinical psychology, and health psychology. After completing PSYC
101, Introductory Psychology, majors follow a sequence of preparation in
the PSYC 200 level, advanced PSYC 300 level courses, and a senior seminar. A
variety of research opportunities are offered through independent study, senior
thesis work and the Bronfman Summer Science Program. The psychology major
provides sound preparation for graduate study in both academic and professional
fields of psychology and is increasingly relevant to careers in business, law,
and medicine.
Science and Technology Studies (STS) is an
interdisciplinary program concerned with science and technology and their
relationship to society. Relatively less concerned with distant historical
development and philosophical understanding of the ideas and institutions of
science and technology, Science and Technology Studies focuses more on current
ethical, economic, social and political implications. Although many of us
acknowledge that science and technology has played a major role in shaping
modern industrial societies, few of us, including scientists and engineers,
possess any critical or informed understanding of how that process has occurred.
We do not have much knowledge of the complex technical and social interactions
that direct change in either science or society. The STS program is intended to
help students interested in these questions create a coherent course of study
from a broad range of perspectives provided in the curriculum. Courses examine
the history of philosophy of science and technology, the sociology and
psychology of science, the economics of research and development and
technological change, science and public policy, technology assessment,
technology and the environment, scientometrics and ethical value issues. To
complete the requirements of the program, students must complete six courses.
The introductory course and senior seminar are required and three elective
courses are chosen from the list of designated electives. Students may choose
to concentrate their electives in a single area such as Technology, American
Studies, Philosophy, History of Science, Economics, Environment, Current Science
or Current Technology, but are encouraged to take at least one elective in
History, History of Science or Philosophy. The sixth course necessary to
complete the program is one semester of laboratory or field science in addition
to the College's three-course science
requirement.
Winter Study Science Offerings
The January Winter Study Period (WSP) at Williams offers a
unique opportunity for concentrated study and research in science. It is
particularly valuable for senior thesis research students who are able to devote
their full time for a month to their developing projects. Many departments also
offer research opportunities to sophomores and juniors during WSP. Projects of
lesser complexity than senior thesis projects also are undertaken, often with
guidance from more experienced students as well as the supervising faculty
member. In addition, the science departments offer many interesting and unusual
opportunities to students regardless of whether they intend a science major.
Full descriptions of science WSP offerings can be found in the Williams College
Bulletin. A few highlights of the 2000 WSP science offerings are given
below:
BIOL 019: Antibiotics: From Silver Bullet to Flash in the Pan?
How many times have you received antibiotics? In the last 50
years, we have become reliant upon antibiotics for medical and veterinary uses.
However, evolutionary processes have resulted in the emergence and proliferation
of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, opening up the possibility of an explosion in
infectious diseases in the very near future. This class will consider the past,
present and future use of antibiotics from scientific, historical and economic
perspectives, including the mechanisms of antibiotic action and the genetic
basis of the emergence and transmission of resistance. The class format will
entail lectures, discussions and short lab experiments/demonstrations, three
times a week
SPEC 011: Science for Kids (Sponsored by the Chemistry Dept.)
Are you interested in teaching? The aim of this Winter Study
Project is to design a series of hands-on science workshops for elementary
school children and their parents. Working in groups of two to four students,
they spend the first three weeks of Winter Study planning the workshops. This
involves deciding on a focus for each workshop based on the interests of the
students involved, followed by choosing and designing experiments and
presentations that will be suitable for 4th grade children. On the third
weekend of Winter Study we bring elementary school children with their parents
to Williams to participate in the workshops.
GEOS 25: Hawaii Field Geology
The big island of Hawaii contains some of the best-studied
active volcanoes in the world. The U.S. Geological Survey runs a well-staffed
observatory and scientists from the University of Hawaii and around the world
investigate how lava is transported hundreds of kilometers from the mantle to
the earth’s surface. Mauna Loa is the world’s biggest mountain when
measured from its base on the ocean floor. Gravitational subsidence in the form
of massive submarine landslides together with stream erosion prevent the
mountain from attaining greater heights. We will visit Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park and other parts of the big island to study first-hand the
processes that form the volcanoes. We will also investigate the forces that act
to reduce elevation on the island. Participants will meet in Hilo, Hawaii and
travel via rented vehicles to our base in Kailua-Kona. The first part of the
trip will involve group field trips to visit geologically important sites.
During the second part of the course, students will work in small groups on
projects related to growth and erosion of the volcanoes. The field component of
the course will last two weeks. We will be joined by Dr. Richard Hazlett of
Pomona College, a leading authority on the geology of Hawaii and author of the
Roadside Guide to the Geology of Hawaii. The final part of the course will be
devoted to preparation of student papers.
MATH 013: Chaos, Infinity and the Fourth Dimension in the Humanities and Social
Sciences (Same as Special 013)
Have you ever wondered if sexy math ideas can be applied to
the humanities and social sciences? If so, then this course is for you. In
reading literary criticism or anthropology or art history you may have
encountered a mathematical concept or allusion and wondered if the allusion was
accurate. Here we will, in a completely non-technical way, discover the
enticing ideas of “chaos,” “infinity.” and
“dimensionality” from a mathematical standpoint and then move to see
how these ideas are evoked outside the sciences. Our goals will be to
understand these interesting math concepts; to see how these ideas are used in
the humanities and social sciences; and then to determine if they are being used
in a meaningful way.
PSYC 014: Race, Gender and Body Image
According to recent statistics, 50% of women and 25% of men
suffer from “negative body image.” Poor body image is also a core
feature of both anorexia and bulimia. This course will examine the various
components of body image, how it is measured, and how it varies as a function of
ethnicity and gender. It will also examine the theories that have been proposed
to account for these differences. The first portion of the course will consist
of lecture and class discussion. Once the basic concepts and theory have been
covered, students will break into groups and develop a research project to test
one of the major issues in body image. During the final week of the course,
students will present the results for their research in class.