PREFACE TO A HISTORY OF SCIENCE AT WILLIAMS

A History of Science at Williams is a revised update of Science at Williams: the First Two Hundred Years. It has been prepared for the formal dedication of the Williams College Science Center including the newly constructed Morley Science Laboratories and Schow Science Library, on Sept. 23, 2000. Illustrations and new text summarizing developments in the sciences since 1993 have been added to the original text, and a few errors in the original have been corrected. In addition, a timeline of the sciences has been compiled as a reference to notable events throughout the history of Science at Williams College.

Without the energy, enthusiasm, and creativity of Renee C. Dumouchel '03, this revision would not have been possible. As the Research Assistant for this updated version she spent this summer of 2000 industriously and tirelessly amassing materials relating to the sciences at Williams from Williamsiana and the College Library. Professor of Chemistry Charles M. Lovett supervised her work, and she occasionally consulted with Professor of the History of Science Donald deB. Beaver. In addition, Coordinator of Science Facilities Bryce A. Babcock gave invaluable assistance in preparing the manuscript for print.

Time does not permit the inclusion of the bulk of the many fascinating and informative items Ms. Dumouchel unearthed; our hope is that during 2000-2001 those materials can be integrated into a fuller, more comprehensive version of the history of science at Williams College.

September, 2000
Edited by Donald deB. Beaver, Renee Dumouchel ('03), and Charles M. Lovett
A revised and Illustrated update of
200 Years of Science at Williams, D. deB. Beaver, ed.