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 2000-2001, 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 Student Research
Participation
Summer Research Fellowships were awarded to 140 at Williams in 2001. 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
|
43
|
NSF research grants to individual faculty
|
24
|
Howard Hughes Medical Institute*
|
19
|
Arnold Bernhard Foundation Fellowships
|
12
|
Essel Foundation
|
11
|
NSF/REU
|
8
|
Wege/Markgraf Fellowships
|
7
|
Research Corporation research grants to individual faculty
|
2
|
N.I.S.T. research grants to individual faculty
|
2
|
PRF research grants to individual faculty
|
2
|
Beckman Grant
|
2
|
Whitehead Scholarship
|
2
|
NIH research grants to individual faculty
|
2
|
Keck Foundation (Geology)
|
1
|
Keck Foundation ( Astronomy)
|
1
|
Pfizer
|
1
|
Somers Fellowship
|
1
|
Bicentennial Psychology Scholarships
|
1
|
* Note: some students are supported by multiple grants.
|
|
2001
Summer Science Students and Their Faculty Advisors
Astronomy
|
|
Gabriel Brammer
|
Jay Pasachoff
|
Roger Cohen
|
Karen Kwitter
|
Kathleen Gibbons
|
Steve Martin
|
David Gioiello
|
Jay Pasachoff
|
Kristen Shapiro
|
Marek Demianski
|
Biology
|
|
David Arnolds
|
Steve Zottoli
|
Nikiya Asamoah
|
Steve Zottoli
|
Jennifer Barone
|
Steve Swoap
|
Steven Biller
|
Marta Laskowski
|
Nathan Briggs
|
Ken Schmidt
|
Walter Chen
|
Heather Williams
|
Carolyn Chevez
|
Steve Zottoli
|
Michael Chiorazzi
|
Nancy Roseman
|
Sierra Colavito
|
Rob Savage
|
Abigail Davidson
|
Zimmerberg
|
Daniel DeMoss
|
Heather Williams
|
Jennifer Feldman
|
Marsha Altschuler
|
Stephen Finley
|
Lois Banta
|
Shakierah Fuller
|
Steve Zottoli
|
Meghana Gadgil
|
Rob Savage
|
Sarah Hart
|
Noah Sandstrom
|
Nicholas Hiza
|
Steve Zottoli
|
Jacqueline Hom
|
Joan Edwards
|
Vickie Jo
|
Nancy Roseman
|
Brian Kelly
|
Noah Sandstrom
|
James Lafave
|
Heather Williams
|
David Lewis
|
Steve Swoap
|
Naim Majdalani
|
Marta Laskowski
|
Lisa Marco
|
Marsha Altschuler
|
Andrew McKinstry
|
Rob Savage
|
Caroline Messmer
|
Marsha Altschuler
|
Maywa Montenegro
|
Lois Banta
|
Jennifer Nierman
|
Steve Zottoli
|
Theresa O'Brien
|
Dan Lynch
|
Jason Pack
|
Steve Swoap
|
Christine Palmer
|
Marta Laskowski
|
Jessica Purcell
|
David Smith
|
Brendan Reid
|
Joan Edwards
|
Abigail Rosenthal
|
Zimmerberg
|
Michelle Ruby
|
David Smith
|
Melody Samuels
|
Zimmerberg
|
Emily Siegel
|
Steve Swoap
|
Brooke Ray Smith
|
Manuel Morales
|
Natalie Stephens
|
Steve Swoap
|
Luis Taboada
|
Steve Zottoli
|
Brigitte Teissedre
|
Steve Swoap
|
Yang Wang
|
Liz Adler
|
Chemistry
|
|
Emily Balskus
|
Tom Smith
|
Peta-Gaye Burnett
|
Dave Richardson
|
Georgina Calderon
|
Chip Lovett
|
Jenica Chambers
|
Joe Chihade
|
David Chung
|
Mark Schofield
|
Elaine Denny
|
Deb Weiss
|
Mabel Djang
|
Tom Smith
|
Susan Fulmer
|
Lee Park
|
Eli Groban
|
Chip Lovett
|
Karl Hein
|
Hodge Markgraf
|
Laurel Hensley
|
Lee Park
|
Carol Lynn Higgins
|
Chip Lovett
|
Tracey Jackson
|
Chip Lovett
|
Carrie Jones
|
Lee Park
|
Kristen LeChevet
|
Joe Chihade
|
Marsha Lynch
|
Chip Lovett
|
Kendrid, Mays
|
Anne Skinner
|
David Morris
|
Tom Smith
|
Kudakwashe Mutyambizi
|
Deb Weiss
|
Chigozirim Nwankpa
|
Richardson/Thoman
|
Arthur Okwesili
|
Anne Skinner
|
Alison Peet
|
Chihade/Raymond
|
Liliana Rodriguez
|
Larry Kaplan
|
Joel Schmid
|
Richardson/Art
|
Adam Steeves
|
Jay Thoman
|
Joseph Stember
|
Peacock-Lopez
|
Alison Stewart
|
Lovett/Steve Swoap
|
Catherine Sumner
|
Richardson/Lynch
|
Christina Villegas
|
Chip Lovett
|
Marina Vivero
|
Joe Chihade
|
Peter Webb?
|
Hodge Markgraf
|
Kamille Williams
|
Larry Kaplan
|
Computer Science
|
|
Joshua Ain
|
Andrea Danyluk
|
Kai Chen
|
Jim Teresco
|
Christopher Cyll
|
Barbara Lerner
|
John Foster
|
Kim Bruce
|
Robert Gonzalez
|
Andrea Danyluk
|
Cheng Hu
|
Kim Bruce
|
Teodora Ivanova
|
M. Bailey/Murtagh
|
Krishna Kannan
|
Andrea Danyluk
|
Evan Sandhaus
|
Barbara Lerner
|
Geosciences
|
|
Nathan Cardoos
|
Bud Wobus
|
Darius Mitchell
|
Markes Johnson
|
Nicholas Nelson
|
Ronadh Cox
|
Tsilavo Raharimahefa
|
Ronadh Cox
|
Mathematics
|
|
John Bryk
|
Cesar Silva
|
Philippa Charters
|
Loepp/Wootters
|
Adam Colestock
|
Cesar Silva
|
Joseph Corneli
|
Cesar Silva
|
Darren Creutz
|
Cesar Silva
|
Jim Fowler
|
Cesar Silva
|
Danny Gillam
|
Cesar Silva
|
Kathleen Gruher
|
Cesar Silva
|
Frederick Hines
|
Cesar Silva
|
Paul Holt
|
Cesar Silva
|
Eric Katerman
|
Cesar Silva
|
Nicholas Leger
|
Cesar Silva
|
Sonja Mapes
|
Cesar Silva
|
Deepam Patel
|
Cesar Silva
|
Charles Samuels
|
Cesar Silva
|
Eric Schoenfeld
|
Cesar Silva
|
Robert Waelder
|
Cesar Silva
|
Grace Wang
|
Cesar Silva
|
Physics
|
|
Michael Baiocchi
|
Daniel Aalberts
|
Mark Burkhardt
|
Sarah Bolton
|
Wei-Li Deng
|
Dwight Whitaker
|
Charles Doret
|
Tiku Majumder
|
Alexander Glenday
|
Sarah Bolton
|
Sarah Iams
|
Kevin Jones
|
Elliot Morrison
|
Tiku Majumder
|
John Spivack
|
Jefferson Strait
|
Hans Stabenau
|
Daniel Aalberts
|
Leon Webster
|
Dwight Whitaker
|
Kristina Weyer
|
Daniel Aalberts
|
Psychology
|
|
Gail Anderson
|
Phebe Cramer
|
Jennifer Cahill
|
Marlene Sandstrom
|
O'Neil Campbell
|
Steven Fein
|
Lani Clinton
|
Ari Solomon
|
Virginia Despard
|
Marlene Sandstrom
|
Jacqueline Dinzey
|
Elliot Friedman
|
Chin Ho
|
Al Goethals
|
Annie Im
|
Paul Solomon
|
Haydee Lanza
|
Ari Solomon
|
Alice Li
|
Susan Engel
|
Natalie Marchant
|
Paul Solomon
|
Tiffany Medina
|
Laurie Heatherington
|
David Mihm
|
Bob Kavanaugh
|
Allison Miller
|
Ari Solomon
|
Cynthia Posner
|
Steven Fein
|
Christen Romanick
|
Bryan Bonner
|
Danielle RosarioMullen
|
Elliot Friedman
|
Rachel Seys
|
Al Goethals
|
Caitlin Stashwick
|
Paul Solomon
|
Summer Research
Colloquia 2001
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
“What Will You Be Doing on Your Summer
NOT-Vacation?”
Professor Colin Adams, Department of Mathematics and
Statistics, Williams College
“Real Estate in Hyperbolic Space: Investment Opportunities for the
New Millennium”
Professor Sarah Bolton, Department of Physics,
Williams College
“Nanostructures in Femtoseconds: Why Small and Fast Are
Beautiful”
Professor Henry Art, Department of Biology, Williams
College
“Where the Wildflowers Are (and Why)”
Professor Richard
DeVeaux, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Williams College
“Data Mining – Just Stats, or Much More?”
Professor
Charles Lovett, Department of Chemistry, Williams College
“Where the DNA Repair Genes Are and How They Are Turned
On”
Professor Joseph Chihade, Department of Chemistry, Williams
College
“A Second “Second Genetic Code””
Academic Year “Bag
Lunch” Colloquia
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
2000-2001.
Professor Janine Wittwer, Department of Mathematics and Statistics,
Williams College
“Wavelets”
Professor Kevin Jones, Department of Physics,
Williams College
“Teaching Cold Atoms New Tricks”
Professor George Goethals,
Department of Psychology, Williams College
“Presidential Debates”
Professor Lois Banta, Department of
Biology, Williams College
“The Genetic Engineer in Your Own Backyard”
Professor Lee
Park, Department of Chemistry Williams College
“Liquid Crystals – Displays, Switches, Sensors, and Other
Applications”
Professor Karen Kwitter, Department of Astronomy,
Williams College
“Where Do Carbon and Nitrogen Come From?”
Professor Marek
Demianski, Department of Astronomy, Williams College
“New Matter in the Universe”
Professor William Wootters,
Department of Physics, Williams College
“Are Quantum Particles Monogamous?”
Professor Marta
Laskowski, Department of Biology, Williams College
“Chipping Away at Plant Genomes: New High-Throughput Tools for
Studying Gene Expression”
Professor Enrique Peacock-Lopez, Department
of Chemistry, Williams College
“Dynamic Properties of Self-Replicating
Structures”
Professor James Teresco, Department of Computer Science,
Williams College
“Partitioning and Load Balancing for Parallel Adaptive Scientific
Computation”
Professor David Dethier, Department of Geology, Williams
College
“Are the Rocky Mountains Young?”
Professor Marlene
Sandstrom, Department of Psychology, Williams College
“Peer Rejection in Childhood: An Eye toward
Intervention”
Professor Donald deB Beaver, Department of History of
Science, Williams College
“Reflections on Scientific Collaboration (and Its Study): Past,
Present, and Future”
Professor Maryann Martone, Department of
Psychology, Williams College
“Imaging the Nervous System from Molecules to Brains”
Pre-First
Year Summer Science Program
In its fifteenth summer in 2001, 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.
Eleven 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, a weekend trip to Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution and a day trip to the Great Escape in Lake
George.
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. Professors Marta Laskowski and 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 2001 were Georgina
Calderon ’04, Marsha Lynch ’03, and Christina Villegas
’04.
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.
Pre-First
Year Program Participants
Students (’05)
|
Tutors
|
Faculty
|
Alicia L. Arevalos
|
Georgina Calderon
|
Charles M. Lovett, Director
|
Evan A. Couzo
|
Marsha Lynch
|
Olga R. Beaver
|
Nisha M. David
|
Christina Villegas
|
Marta Laskowski
|
Jeffrey E. Delaney
|
|
Daniel Lynch
|
Salem Fevrier
|
|
David Richardson
|
Owuraka N. Koney
|
|
Cesar Silva
|
Denise A. Nunes
|
|
David L. Smith
|
Michael F. Leparc
|
|
|
Evan D. Schutz
|
|
|
Ila N. Sheren
|
|
|
Omar A. Taveras
|
|
|
Williams College Sigma
Xi Chapter
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. At Williams,
it also sponsors outreach programs designed to stimulate interest in science
among grade school, junior high and high school students. The officers for
2000-2001 were Professor Jay M. Pasachoff of the Astronomy Department,
President, and Professor Protik Majumder of the Physics Department,
Secretary/Treasurer.
During the 2000-2001 academic year, our chapter sponsored two events. In
the fall, Professor Ronadh Cox of the Geology Department gave two lectures under
the heading “Written in Stone.” The first talk, subtitled
“Reading Rocks,” discussed the problems of working with very old
rocks, and how geologists deal with them; the second, on “Supercontinent,
Death and Birth,” gave an overview of the formation and subsequent
disintegration of the supercontinent Gondwana, based on recent research in
Madagascar. In the spring, Professor Jerome P. Reiter of the Mathematics and
Statistics Department gave two lectures entitled “What Is Bayesian
Statistics” and “Preserving Confidentiality without Compromising
Access to Data: A Radical New Approach.” Reiter’s research focuses
on methodologies for analyzing survey data. His work with the Census Bureau,
which was the subject of his second talk, examines ways in which agencies can
release public-use data sets that have fine detail but do not compromise survey
respondents’ confidentiality. The methods Reiter uses in this work are
based on Bayesian modeling, which was the subject of his first talk. Bayesian
modeling provides principled approaches to complicated data analysis.
Researchers increasingly employ it across disciplines, yet it is seldom taught
in introductory statistical courses.
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 Shannon Murtagh.
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 42 newly elected Associate Members from the Class of 2001 in
a ceremony in the Bronfman Auditorium. A detailed description of the research
projects of these students is presented in the Student Abstracts section of this
Report.
Associate Sigma Xi
members from the Class of 2001
Astrophysics
|
|
Misa M. Cowee
|
M. Demianski
|
Daniel B. Seaton
|
J. Pasachoff
|
Joey R.V. Shapiro
|
M. Demianski
|
Darik Velez
|
J. Pasachoff
|
Biology
|
|
Robert J. Adamo
|
S. Zottoli
|
Alan T. Brelsford
|
D.C. Smith
|
Margaret M. Cooley
|
J. Edwards
|
Sara K. Grote
|
E. Adler
|
Timothy W. Menza
|
N. Roseman
|
Caren T. Mintz
|
W. DeWitt
|
Liana J. Thompson
|
W. Raymond
|
Zuzana Tothova
|
W. Raymond
|
Erin B. Troy
|
L. Banta
|
Dafina A. Westbrooks
|
S. Zottoli
|
Brooke S. Wright
|
D. Lynch
|
Chemistry
|
|
Laura L. Almstead
|
D. Weiss
|
James R. Apgar
|
J. Thoman
|
Katherine Belecki
|
T.E. Smith
|
Karen Chachu
|
C. Lovett
|
Daniel R.Clayburgh
|
J. Chihade
|
Julianna B.Connolly
|
J. Thoman
|
Ryan B.Hayman
|
D.P. Richardson
|
Elizabeth E. Roller
|
M. Schofield
|
Jay G. Slowik
|
B. Koehler
|
Computer Science
|
|
John N. Foster
|
K. Bruce
|
Miles Munson
|
D. Bailey
|
Geosciences
|
|
Carissa L. Carter
|
D. Dethier
|
Stephen DeOreo
|
R. Cox
|
William B. Ouimet
|
D. Dethier
|
Mathematics
|
|
Darren Creutz
|
C. Silva
|
Richard C. Haynes
|
M. Chkhenkeli
|
Abhaya N. Menon
|
C. Silva
|
Rungporn Roengpitya
|
E. Burger
|
Physics
|
|
Benjamin Cooper
|
D. Aalberts
|
Kenneth A. Dennison
|
W. Wootters
|
Paul D. Friedberg
|
P. Majumder
|
Psychology
|
|
Gail Marcia Anderson
|
P. Cramer
|
Kathryn M. Dingman
|
S. Fein
|
Abbey S. Eisenhower
|
M. Sandstrom
|
Liliana Rodriguez
|
S. Fein
|
Grace E.F. Rubenstein
|
L. Heatherington
|
PHOTO GALLERY
The Science Court completes the south
side of the Science Quadrangle and provides the main entrance
to the Schow
Science Library and the renovated Thompson Laboratories.
The Southeast Entrance to Morley Laboratories
A New Chemistry Lab in Morley