REPORT OF
SCIENCE
AT
WILLIAMS
COLLEGE
1998 –
1999
A RECORD OF THE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
OF
FACULTY AND STUDENTS IN THE NATURAL
SCIENCES
Williamstown,
Massachusetts
l999
As we enter the new millennium, circuitry
for protecting privacy will become a standard feature of many
communication devices. Our cover features the layout of a
custom-designed encryption device. The integrated circuit—only
3.2 millimeters square—demonstrates the feasibility of using of
four parallel, programmable logic units (visible in each quadrant) to
encrypt streams of data. In this research prototype, the minimum
feature size measures 1.2 microns. In a production version, using
current technology, scores of units would fit on a chip the same size
and could support high-speed encryption using keys with hundreds of
bits. Multiple chips could be chained together to further improve
performance or security. The chip was designed by Associate Professor
Duane A. Bailey of the Department of Computer Science, and three
students (Brendan English, Bob Faber, and Akira Mukasa) while he was
on leave and visiting the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Students of Computer Science 373T, a tutorial on modern computer
architecture, will begin designing custom chips in Spring 2000.
The Science Executive Committee wishes to
express its gratitude to the extensive efforts of all the science
departmental executive assistants in preparing contributions for this
publication, and to Alice J. Seeley for assembling this material in
its final form.
Editor: Dr. Bryce Babcock
Williams College admits men and women of any
background to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities
generally accorded or made available to students at the College. It
does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed,
sexual orientation, or national ethnic origin in administration of
its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic
and other college administered programs. The College does not
discriminate on the basis of sex in violation of Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1973, or the regulations thereunder, in the
education programs or activities which it operates, including
employment therein. The College does not discriminate on the basis of
handicap in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 1973,
or the regulations thereunder, in admission or access to its programs
and activities. Inquiries concerning the College’s
non-discrimination policies may be referred to the Dean of The
College, Hopkins Hall, Williamstown, MA 01267.
The Morley Science Laboratories and
Schow Science Library
Nearing completion in August of 1999, the
new Morley Science Laboratories have dramatically changed the
appearance of the southern entrance to the Science Quad. The Schow
Science Library occupies the ground floor of the building, with
Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Environmental Science and
Neuroscience laboratories occupying the second and third floors. The
new greenhouse facilities can be seen at the far end of the building.
Renovations of the Thompson Laboratories are in progress, with
completion of the entire project scheduled for Fall 2000. The
approach from Bank Street, in the foreground of this photo, is
flanked by Hardy and Rice Houses.