BRONFMAN SCIENCE CENTER PROGRAMS

The newly completed Science Center now links the Bronfman Science Center with the Thompson Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Laboratory buildings, Schow Library, the Morley Science Laboratory wing, and Clark Hall. Serving as the home for astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, geosciences, history of science, mathematics and statistics, physics, and psychology, this facility fosters interdisciplinary interaction among all members of the Science Division. This interaction is facilitated through the sharing of core research equipment and services; through interdepartmental programs; and, to a great extent, by the spatial juxtaposition of faculty with common interests regardless of their departmental affiliation. Several Science Center activities promote this further by specifically encouraging discourse among scientists at Williams. This is carried out in many ways, including informal faculty presentations at Tuesday lunches (both during the summer and academic year), the maintenance of a weekly science calendar, the publication of the Report of Science at Williams, and the faculty lectures sponsored each semester by the local Sigma Xi chapter.

The programs based in the Science Center encompass the coordination of grant proposals to federal agencies and private foundations, the distribution of more than $200,000 of research funds annually, and the allocation of space within the science division. In 2001-2002, individual Williams College science faculty received over $1,000,000 from active federal grants for the purchase of equipment and support of student-faculty research projects. The faculty and student research projects and summer research opportunities supported by internal divisional funds, as well as those supported by external grants, are detailed below and in the various departmental reports.

Summer Research Fellowships were awarded to 159 at Williams in 2002. Many of the summer research students are entering their senior year and beginning work that will lead to senior honors research. A large number of research fellowships were awarded to rising sophomores and juniors who were getting their first taste of independent research. The summer research program also included students from outside Williams. Students from a variety of other institutions were sponsored by NSF/REU site grants to the math and physics departments and worked with Williams College math and physics faculty members. As participants in a chemistry department exchange program, two students from the University of Leiden worked with chemistry professors at Williams while two Williams chemistry majors worked with professors at the University of Leiden.

The summer is a relaxed, yet concentrated time for research, without the competition of course work to interrupt collaborative efforts between students and faculty. In addition to the actual research experience, Science Center sponsors a weekly Tuesday luncheon featuring a member of the faculty lecturing on current research, an annual science division picnic, and a poster session at the end of the summer where summer research students present their results.

Support for summer research, a $3300 stipend for 10 weeks plus housing, came from a variety of sources including College funds, external grants to individual faculty, foundation grants, and endowed fellowships provided by generous donations from alumni and friends of the sciences. The Wege-Markgraf endowment, gifts from Peter Wege and the Class of 1952 in honor of Hodge Markgraf ’52, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, supports summer research fellowships in chemistry. The Betty and Lewis Somers ’48 Student Summer Internships Fund supports summer research fellowships in physics. The Williams Bicentennial Psychology Scholarship Fund supports summer research fellowships in psychology. The Whitehead Scholarship Fund, a gift from John Whitehead ’76, to provide an opportunity for Williams students and faculty to interact with scientists at the prestigious Whitehead Institute, supports summer research fellowships for Williams biology students to spend the summer doing research at the Whitehead Institute. The Arnold Bernhard Foundation Endowed Summer Science Fellows Program, made possible by the generosity of Jean Buttner, Williams Trustee from 1982-1997, supports summer research fellowships across the division.

Full or partial federal, foundation and alumni support for summer student stipends was provided by the following sources:

Source of Funding* Students
College funds	41
NSF grants to individual faculty	20
Howard Hughes Medical Institute*	19
Arnold Bernhard Foundation Fellowships	20
Essel Foundation	11
NSF/REU	14
Wege/Markgraf Fellowships	6
Research Corporation grants to individual faculty	2
N.I.S.T. grants to individual faculty	2
PRF grants to individual faculty	5
Beckman Grant	2
Whitehead Scholarship	2
NIH grants to individual faculty	1
Keck Foundation (Astronomy)	1
Pfizer	1
Somers Fellowship	2
Bicentennial Psychology Scholarships	2
Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences	1
Synnott Fellowship	1
NASA	1
Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium	2
Sperry Fellowship	1
Dreyfus Fellowship	1
Center for Environmental Studies	1
* Note: some students are supported by multiple grants.

Astronomy
Mun Chan (Middlebury)	Karen Kwitter
Matthew Hoffman	Karen Kwitter
Mansi Kasliwal (Bryn Mawr)	Jay Pasachoff
Kamen Kozarev	Martin/Souza
Lissa Ong	Pasachoff/Souza
Terry-Ann Suer	Karen Kwitter
David Ticehurst	Jay Pasachoff
Biology
Christina Adams	Steve Zottoli
David Arnolds	Steve Zottoli
Nora Au	Steve Swoap
Jennifer Barone	Manuel Morales
Angus Beal	Manuel Morales
Steven Biller	Marta Laskowski
Flynn Boonstra	Joan Edwards
Nathan Briggs	Ken Schmidt
Cara Cipriano	Wendy Raymond
Maura Commito	Henry Art
Ohm Deshpande	Marsha Altschuler
Shauna Dineen	Steve Zottoli
Jeffrey Dougherty	Ken Schmidt
Salem Fevrier	Steve Zottoli
Alex Gordon	Heather Williams
YiFan Guo	Steve Zottoli
Elizabeth Hambleton	Dan Lynch
Emily Hatch	Lois Banta
Tory Hendry	Joan Edwards
Kevin Hsueh	Wendy Raymond
Andrew Huang	Marsha Altschuler
Stephen Kelleher	Dan Lynch
Kimberley Kemper	Joan Edwards
Rebecca Kiselewich	Steve Swoap
Sarah Klionsky	Joan Edwards
James Lafave	Heather Williams
Emily Ludwig	Dan Lynch
Lisa Marco	David Smith
Anne Newcomer	Steve Swoap
Theresa O'Brien	Dan Lynch
Akil Pascal	Steve Zottoli
Malin Pinsky	David Smith
Biology...
Kate Roberts	Lois Banta
Mark Rothlisberger	Steve Zottoli
Joel Schmid	Wendy Raymond
Smith Brooke Ray	Henry Art
Natalie Stephens	Steve Swoap
Caty Sumner	Lois Banta
Luis Taboada	Marsha Altschuler
Jessica Tierney	Heather Williams
Ken-ichi Ueda	Lois Banta
Ian Warrington	Rob Savage
Chemistry
Saroj Bhattarai	Jay Thoman
Victoria Bock	Tom Smith
Peta-Gaye Burnett	David Richardson
Daniel Calnan	Larry Kaplan
Pam Choi	Chip Lovett
David Chung	Mark Schofield
Bethany Cobb	Larry Kaplan
Nisha David	David Richardson
Peter Deutsch	Enrique Peacock-Lopez
Adrian Dowst	Hodge Markgraf
Jude Dumfeh	David Richardson
James Enterkin	Mark Schofield
Laurel Hensley	Hodge Markgraf
Dean Laochamroon-vorapongse	Anne Skinner
Jason Leith	Jay Thoman
Candice Li	Chip Lovett
Ivan Manolov	Anne Skinner
Sara Martin	Anne Skinner
Edward McGehee	Lee Park
Kuda Mutyambizi	Chip Lovett
Arthur Okwesili	Anne Skinner
Ashok Pillai	Enrique Peacock-Lopez
Nosirudeen Quadri	Chip Lovett
Jennifer Roizen	Tom Smith
Brian Saar	Jay Thoman
Joel Schmid	Amy Gehring
Steven Scroggins	Lee Park
Ila Sheren	Chip Lovett
Adam Steeves	Jay Thoman
Terry-Ann Suer	Anne Skinner
Alan Velander	Tom Smith
Kamille Williams	Chip Lovett
Patrick Zimmerman	Hodge Markgraf
Computer Science
Peter Applegate	Murtagh, Bruce, Danyluk
Diane Bennett	Kim Bruce
Christopher Cyll	Duane Bailey
Sean Gillispie	Tom Murtagh
Robert Gonzalez	Kim Bruce
Shimon Rura	Barbara Lerner
Lida Ungar	Jim Teresco
Geosciences
James Eros	Markes Johnson
Jamon Frostenson	David Dethier
Matthew Jungers	David Dethier
Rebekah Levine	Markes Johnson
David Morris	Ronadh Cox
Elizabeth Mygatt	Paul Karabinos
Nicholas Nelson	Ronadh Cox
Tsilavo Raherimahefa	Ronadh Cox
Karl Remsen	Bud Wobus
Mathematics
Tracy Borawski	Frank Morgan
John Bryk	Cesar Silva
Mark Burkhardt	Gary Lawlor
Philippa Charters	Jannine Wittwer
Lisa DeKeukelaere	Jannine Wittwer
Neil Hoffman	Gary Lawlor
Sarah Iams	Cesar Silva
Eric Katerman	Colin Adams
Brian Katz	Cesar Silva
George Lee	Frank Morgan
Robert Lopez	Frank Morgan
Aaron Magid	Gary Lawlor
Edvard Major	Jannine Wittwer
Jonathan Othmer	Stuart Johnson
Joseph Rabinoff	Gary Lawlor
Eric Schoenfeld	Frank Morgan
Brian Street	Cesar Silva
Anna Todd	Jannine Wittwer
Kirsten Wickelgren	Cesar Silva
Physics
Naila Baloch	William Wootters
Josh Cooperman	Tiku Majumder
James Doench	Dwight Whitaker
S. Charles Doret	Tiku Majumder
Jeffrey Garland	Daniel Aalberts
Rachel Gealy	Kevin Jones
Kathleen Gibbons	William Wootters
Alexander Glenday	Sarah Bolton
Nathan Hodas	Daniel Aalberts
Christopher Holmes'03	Tiku Majumder
Joseph Kerckhoff	Tiku Majumder
Naim Majdalani	Dwight Whitaker
Sarah Nichols	Sarah Bolton
Davis Stevenson	Jefferson Strait
Iskra Valtcheva	Stuart Crampton
Leon Webster	Dwight Whitaker
Psychology
Nicolas Bamat	Noah Sandstrom
Emily Bloomenthal	Kenneth Savitsky
Elizabeth Campos	Elliot Friedman
Abigail Davidson	Betty Zimmerberg
Jacqueline Dinzey	Elliot Friedman
Heather Foran	Paul Solomon
Shakierah Fuller	Betty Zimmerberg
Katherine Gortz	Marlene Sandstrom
Psychology...
Chin Ho	Al Goethals
Lindsay Holland	Saul Kassin
Luke Hyde	Susan Engel
Brian Kelly	Noah Sandstrom
Susan Kim	Paul Solomon
Daniel Klasik	Kris Kirby
Kate Leonard	Steven Fein
Karen Lichtman	Al Goethals
Jonathan Lovett	Steven Fein
Joseph Lucia	Robert Kavanaugh
Jessica O'Brien	Noah Sandstrom
Melody Samuels	Betty Zimmerberg
Rachel Seys	Al Goethals
Elena Simon	Elliot Friedman
Lindsay Taglieri	Noah Sandstrom

A luncheon is provided every Tuesday for participants in the summer science program. Faculty members from the science departments give talks on their research at these lunches, with opportunity for discussion afterwards. The speakers this summer were:

Professor Anne Skinner, Department of Chemistry, Williams College

"An Introduction to Safety - Be There or Be Square!"
Professor Steven Swoap, Department of Biology, Williams College

"Biology and the Bulge: Body Weight and Blood Pressure"
SMALL faculty, Gary Lawlor, Frank Morgan, Cesar Silva, Janine Wittwer

"SMALL Mathematics 2002"
Professor Heather Stoll, Department of Geosciences, Williams College

"Can Coccoliths Control Climate?"
Professor Andrea Danyluk, Professor of Computer Science, Department of, Williams College

"The Role of Machine Learning in Data Mining"
Professor Thomas Garrity, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Williams College

"Heat, Money, and Math"
Professor Dwight Whitaker, Department of Physics, Williams College

"Cold, Colder, Coldest"
Professor Ronadh Cox, Department of Geosciences, Williams College

“The Puddingstone Paradox”

During the academic year, the science faculty meets for lunch on Tuesdays in Thompson Biology Laboratory to discuss matters of interest to the sciences as a whole, and to hear informal reports on faculty research and other science developments. The following talks or discussions were held during 2001-2002.

Professor Lawrence Kaplan, Department of Chemistry, Williams College

“Where Chemistry and Crime Collide – An Animation”
Professor Steven Fein, Department of Psychology, Williams College

“It’s Just a Joke”
Professor Manuel Morales, Department of Biology, Williams College

“Mutualism: Linking Theory with Data”
Professor Elliot Friedman, Department of Psychology, Williams College

“Being a Depressed Rat Is Bad for Your Health”
Professor Colin Adams, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Williams College

“Shapes for the Universe: Some Possibilities”
Professor Dwight Whitaker, Department of Physics, Williams College

“Bose-Einstein Condensates – What Are They and How Do I Make Them?”
Professor Victor Hill, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Williams College

“President James A. Garfield and the Pythagorean Theorem”
Professors Steven Swoap and Enrique Peacock-Lopez, Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Williams College

“Demonstrations”
Professor David Smith, Department of Biology, Williams College

“The Costs and Benefits of Plasticity in the Boreal Chorus Frog”
Professor Ray Waller, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Williams College

“Careers in Statistics - Experience in Academe, a National Laboratory, and a

Professional Association”
Professor Thomas Garrity, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Williams College

“The Hartshorne Conjecture: How Many Equations Are Needed to Define Geometric Objects?”
Professor Jamie Martin, Department of Chemistry, Williams College

“Paint and Plastics Analysis in Forensic and Conservation Casework”
Professor Anne Skinner, Department of Chemistry, Williams College

“Dating the Late Stone Age at Olduvai Gorge”
Professor Heather Stoll, Department of Geosciences, Williams College

“Coccoliths, Climate, and the Carbon Cycle”
Professor Barbara Lerner, Department of Computer Science, Williams College

“From Software Development to Software Engineering: Making Software Process Explicit”
Professor Daniel Aalberts, Department of Physics, Williams College

“Photoexcitation of Conducting Polymers – Color Tunability and Ultrafast Photoisomerization”
Professor Olga R. Beaver, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Williams College

“The Bertrand Anomaly”
Professor Bud Wobus, Department of Geology

“Enigmatic Andesites and Other Fascinating Metavolcanic Rocks of Coastal Maine

In its sixteenth summer in 2002, the Summer Science Program (SSP) provides an enriching and intensive five-week immersion in science, mathematics, and English for a talented group of science-oriented Williams pre-first year minority students. The goal of the Program is to promote and encourage continuing participation in science and science related studies by members of minorities that have historically been under represented in the sciences.

Twenty-four students took classes in chemistry (including a major laboratory component), biology, mathematics and English (literature and expository writing). Although not replicas of Williams’ academic year offerings, the Summer Science Program classes are taught at a college level, thus introducing participants to the rigors and demands of college academics. In addition to the regular classes, the students participated in geology laboratory and field experiments. They also engaged in a variety of extracurricular activities, including the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and a weekend trip to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Enthusiasm for the Program has been high. Participants have taken full advantage of the opportunity to study at Williams in the summer. As a result of the Summer Science Program, their academic year experiences have been successful and many of the students have continued their studies in science or mathematics. A significant number of former participants have returned to campus in the summertime as summer research students in science and mathematics, have become tutors for the Summer Science Program, or have secured positions elsewhere in science research institutes.

Professor Charles M. Lovett, Director of the Summer Science Program, taught the chemistry lectures and Professor David P. Richardson conducted the laboratory sessions. Professors Olga R. Beaver and Cesar Silva taught the mathematics component. Professor Daniel Lynch taught the biology lectures. Professor D.L. Smith taught the English sessions and Professor David Dethier conducted the geology-in-the-field laboratory. Dr. Michael Payne led the students in discussions of goals, data management, and approaches to college life. The tutors for the Program in 2002 were Alicia Arevalos, Jenica Chambers, Nisha David, and William Green.

The Summer Science Program has been funded primarily by Williams College as part of the institution’s commitment to encourage the participation of minorities in the sciences. Since 1991, SSP has received additional funding from a biological sciences award from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. This grant contributed support for several SSP components, and has provided summer research stipends for SSP students after their first year at Williams. Special thanks go to the many science faculty and students of Williams College who, during the summer as well as during the academic year, have contributed to the success of the Program and of its participants.

Students (’05)		Faculty
Alejandro Acosta	Whitney Johnson	Charles M. Lovett, Director
La Vonna Bowen	Dane Mejias	Olga R. Beaver
Simone Brás	Catherine Mercado	Daniel Lynch
Ellen Crocker	Esther Mutonyi-Simera	David Richardson
Cassandra Cuellar	Paul Obeng-Okyere	Cesar Silva
Jessica Davis	George Rodriquez	David L. Smith
Muhammad Esa Seegulam	Shabana Shahabuddin
Bethelle Fevrier	Tynisha Smalls	Tutors
Nadria Gordon	Analia Sorribas	Alicia Arevalos ‘05
Drees Griffin	Richard Sosa	Jenica Chambers ‘04
Linda Gutierrez	Cristin Wilson	Nisha David ‘05
Hannah Johnson		William Green ‘03

The Williams College Sigma Xi Chapter has played an active role on the Williams Campus since it was founded as the Sigma Xi Club in 1969. Sigma Xi is a national society honoring and encouraging research in science. The Williams Chapter also sponsors outreach programs designed to stimulate interest in science among grade school, junior high and high school students. The officers for 2001-2002 were Professor Charles M. Lovett of the Chemistry Department, President, and Professor Protik Majumder of the Physics Department, Secretary/Treasurer.

During the 2001-2002 academic year, our chapter sponsored two events. In the fall, Professor Marek Demianski of the Astronomy Department gave two lectures under the heading “Discovering the Universe.” The first talk, subtitled “Observations: New Windows,” presented a brief review of astronomical observations which played an important role in constructing the most popular and generally accepted model of the universe. Demianski also discussed the most interesting objects discovered by radio telescopes and X-ray and gamma ray satellites. The second talk, “Models, Evolution, and the Beginning,” discussed and confronted basic conclusions of the Big Bang model, presenting some of the currently debated ideas on how the universe was created. In the spring, Professor Lee Park of the Chemistry Department gave two lectures entitled “How Do We Build a Molecular Wire?” and “How Do We Build a Better Molecular Wire?” Park’s research focuses on nanotechnology, the science and technology of building electronic circuits and devices from single atoms and molecules. The first talk outlined some of the broader goals of nanotechnology and the second talk focused on innovative means of constructing molecular wires, including approaches she is pursuing in her lab.

The Sigma Xi Club sponsored a High School Science Award for a student at Mount Greylock Regional High School, Williamstown, MA, in recognition of his/her high level of motivation and accomplishment in his/her science courses. This year the award was given to Colleen Gerrity.

One of the primary purposes of Sigma Xi is to recognize graduating science students who have demonstrated exceptional ability and promise for further contributions to the advancement of scientific research. These students are elected as Associate Members of Sigma Xi and are then inducted into the Society at a ceremony during Class Day on Commencement Weekend. On Saturday morning, the Chapter honored 36 newly elected Associate Members from the Class of 2002 in a ceremony in the Bronfman Auditorium. The names of this year’s honorees are listed below and a detailed description of the research projects of these students is presented in the Student Abstracts section of this Report.

Astrophysics
Gabriel B. Brammer	J.M. Pasachoff
Bethany E. Cobb	K. Kwitter
Biology
Steven J. Biller	M. Laskowski
Michael Chiorazzi	N. Roseman
Sierra A. Colavito	R. Savage
Susan E. Levin	L. Banta
Theresa C. O'Brien	D. Lynch
Christine M. Palmer	M. Laskowski
Jessica L. Purcell	D.C. Smith
Brooke Ray Smith	M. Morales
Xiao Tan	D. Lynch
Chemistry
Emily P. Balskus	T.E. Smith
David Y. Chung	M.H. Schofield
Eli S. Groban	C. Lovett
Tracey A. Jackson	C. Lovett
Carrie P. Jones	Lee Park
Kristen A. LeChevet	J. Chihade
Adam H. Steeves	J. Thoman
Peter J. Webb	J.H. Markgraf
Computer Science
Evan S. Sandhaus	A. Danyluk
Feng Zhu	D.A. Bailey
Geosciences
Nathan C. Cardoos	R.A. Wobus
Mathematics
Eric M. Katerman	C. Adams
Jonathan A. Othmer	S. Johnson
Charles L. Samuels	E. Burger
Physics
S. Charles Doret	P. Majumder
Alexander G. Glenday	S. Bolton
John M. Parman	D.P. Aalberts
Hans F. Stabenau	D.P. Aalberts
Psychology
Kelley R. Cardeira	S. Fein
Jessica E. Grogan	R. Kavanaugh
Sarah R. Hart	N. Sandstrom
Anna E. MacIntosh	K. Savitsky
Tiffany M. Medina	L. Heatherington
Abigail J. Rosenthal	B. Zimmerberg
Natalie R. Tolejko	L. Heatherington