In a real sense, the programs of the Bronfman Science Center lie at the heart of the Science Division. It is here that we carry out such vital functions as the coordination of grant proposals to federal agencies and private foundations, the distribution of more than $150,000 of research funds annually, and the allocation of increasingly precious space within the science division. 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.
In 1996-97, individual Williams College science faculty received nearly $1,000,000 from active federal grants for the purchase equipment and support of student-faculty research projects.
The summer is a relaxed, yet concentrated time, without competing course work to interrupt the collaborative efforts between students and faculty. In addition to the research experience and an annual science division picnic, there a weekly Tuesday luncheon that features a lecture by one of the faculty on current research. Summer is truly one of the most enjoyable seasons in Williamstown.
Biology
Catherine Bolten H. Art
Pam Bromley D. Lynch
Meghan Byrne W.
Raymond
Julie Cantatore D Lynch
Johanna Castro S. Swoap
Rachel Davis
S. Zottoli
Leah Doret S. Zottoli
Honora Englander D. Lynch
Matthew Garland H. Williams
Mary Gehring M.
Laskowski
Mindy Gensler M. Laskowski
Elizabeth Gay E. Adler
Jessica
Grogan S. Zottoli
Eli Grohane M. Altschuler
Deborah Hirschman H.
Williams
Benjamin Katz S. Zottoli
Jody Knight H. Art
Kian Peng Koh M.
Alstchuler
Rebecca Kummer S. Zottoli
Katherine Liao R. Savage
Joan Luu
S. ZottoliRandall Linquist S. Zottoli
Farrah Musani S. Zottoli
Carolyn
McBride D. Smith
Jason Meyers S. Zottoli
Elizabeth K. Mills H.
Art
Benjamin Montgomery J. Edwards
Andrew Nguyen W. Raymond
Leocadia
Paliulis W. Raymond
Amy Patterson M. Altschuler
Jean Raphael S.
Swoap
Michael Sandoval D. Lynch
Josh Shapiro D. Smith
Mara Steinkamp
E. Adler
Jonathan Sussman S. Zottoli
Daniel Suver D. Lynch
Emily
Snyder S. Swoap
Matt Terzella S. Swoap
Matt Wheeler S. Swoap
Kyra
Williams W. Raymond
Robert Wittenmeyer G. Meyer
William Woodfield J.
Edwards
CES
Taylor Schildgen D. Dethier
Eleanor Shoreman D. Dethier
Amy Smith
D. Dethier
Chemistry
Dan Bullock D. Weiss
Robert Chang D. Weiss
Jessica Charland
C. Lovett
BoYon Choi J.H. Markgraf
Albert Dang B. Koehler
Graham
Dresden L. Kaplan
Thomas Fleming J. Thoman
Biniam Gebre C.
Lovett
Jeffrey Hutchison E. Peacock-Lopez
Martha Johnson C.
Lovett
Phillapa Johnson E. Peacock-Lopez
Allison Lamanna D.
Weiss
Stephanie Min A. Skinner
Remko Schoot Uiterkamp C. Lovett
Amish
Shah J. Thoman
Elliot Sohn J. H. Markgraf
Scott Snyder J. H. Markgraf
Computer Science
Brendan Burns A. Danyluk
Ben Chaffin K. Bruce
Geoff
Hutchison D. Bailey
Michael Ryan K. Bruce
Joseph VanderWaart K. Bruce
Geology
Andrew Fagenholtz D. Dethier
Stephanie Kampf D. Dethier
Eliza
Nemser P. Karabinos
Catherine Riihimaki D.
Dethier
Mathematics
Christine Connor, D. Bergstrand
Sarah Day, C.
Silva
Heath Dill, T. Garrity
Ryan Dorman, C. Adams
Kerryann Foley, C.
Adams
David Futer F. Morgan
Brian Grivna C. Silva
Edward Johnson, T.
Garrity
Jonathan Kravis, C. Adams
Earle McCartney, C. Silva
Brian
Munson, F. Morgan
Courtney O'Connor, D. Bergstrand
Sang Pahk, F.
Morgan
Samuel Payne, C. Adams
Andrew Raich C. Silva
Tristan Smith T.
Garrity
Aaron Weinberg, D. Bergstrand
Craig Westerland, T. Garrity
Physics
Valerie Coffman W. Wootters
David Cooper W. Wootters
Sara
Donnelly W. Wootters
Christopher Elkinton S. Bolton
Robert Jenks K.
Jones
Aaron Kammerer J. Strait
Joydip Kundu W. Wootters
Allegra Martin
W. Wootters
Christian Murphy K. Jones
Daniel Nelson S. Crampton
Peter
Nichols Jones/Majumder
Christopher Okin W. Wootters
Kathryn Schaffer D.
Krause
Leo Tsai K. Jones
Psychology
Josh Allen B. Zimmerberg
Anthony Barnes B.
Zimmerberg
Andrea Burns L. Heatherington
Jessica Caley P.
Solomon
Anita Doddi A. Thapar
Kristin Frentzel K. Kirby
Christina Fong
S. Fein
Elizabeth Kajunski B. Zimmerberg
Sarah Lurding P.
Solomon
Cynthia Osterling E. Friedman
Anne Pitts G. Buchanan
Jason
Webster G. Buchanan
Sharon Rackow B. Zimmerberg
Ned Sahim B.
Zimmerberg
Susan Stanton S. Fein
Joanna Stevason E. Freidman
Faculty:
David Backus
Ollie Beaver
Charles M. Lovett
Nancy
Piatczyc
David P. Richardson
Nancy Roseman
Kristin
Carter-Sanborn
Cesar Silva
David L. Smith
Elizabeth Wengert
Dr.
Michael Payne
Full or partial federal, foundation and alumni support for summer student stipends was provided by the following sources: Source of Funding # Students College funds 40 Howard Hughes Medical Institute 26 NSF and NIH research grants to individual faculty 19 NSF/REU 10 Essel Foundation 8 Keck Geology 6 Departmental Funds and Related Grants 6 Center For Environmental Studies 4 Keck Foundation (Astronomy) 3 USGS 2 WEGE 2 Global Studies 2 Whitehead Institute 2 Pfizer 1
Fourteen students took classes in chemistry (including a major laboratory component), 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 regular classes, the students participated in biology and geology in-the-field experiments. They also engaged in a variety of extracurricular activities, including the Williamstown Theater Festival, and a day trip to Boston.
Enthusiasm for the Program has been high. Participants have taken full advantage of the opportunity to study at Williams in the summer. Their academic year experiences have, as a result of the Program, 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.
The Summer Science Program has been principally funded by Williams College as part of the institution's commitment to encourage the participation of women and minorities in the sciences. 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 the success of the Program and of the students.
As a result of a change in the Constitution and By-Laws of the national organization, the William College Sigma Xi `Club' officially became the Williams College Sigma Xi `Chapter' on July 1, 1995. With this change, the Chapter is entitled to all of the benefits of chapter status including the right to elect scientists to full (in addition to associate) membership.
During the 1996-97 academic year, our chapter sponsored two speakers in its annual Sigma Xi Research Lecture series. In October, Professor Jay M. Pasachoff Department of Astronomy presented a two part lecture titled, "The Triumph of the Hubble Space Telescope." In April, Professor Richard DeVeaux, Department of Mathematics presented a two part lecture titled, "In Pursuit of Structure: Guided Tour of High Dimensional Data." Both sets of lectures were interesting and informative and receptions were held to honor each speaker.
Next fall, in a slight departure from our traditional faculty lecture series, the Sigma Xi chapter will be sponsoring a symposium on science journalism and ethics.
The Sigma Xi Club also sponsored a High School Science Award for a student at Mount Greylock Regional High School in recognition of a high level of motivation and accomplishment in science courses. This year, the award was made to Christopher Weimer.
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 inducted into the Society at a ceremony during Class Day on Commencement Weekend. On Saturday morning, June 7, the Chapter honored thirty-four newly elected associate members from the class of `97 in a short and very well attended ceremony in the Bronfman Auditorium A detailed description of the research projects of these students is presented later in this Report. We note that during the 1997 national meeting of Sigma Xi, our chapter received a special certificate acknowledging continued success in electing new members through our student associateship program.
Biology:
Annaliese Beery, E. Adler
Timothy Billo, H. Art
Lauren
Burwell N. Roseman
Jennifer Danforth, H. Williams
David Jaskowski. D.
Smith
Karen Lee W. Raymond
Jason Meyers S. Zottoli
Franklin Mullins H.
Williams
Leocadia Paliulis W. Raymond
Jason Wilder J. Edwards
Chemistry:
Eli Bortiz, D. Weiss
Darci Gaiotti, C. Lovett
Martha
Johnson C. Lovett
Casey Londergan E. Lopez
Henry Roe B. Koehler
Stacey
Rutledge D. Weiss
David Vosburg J.H. Markgraf
Computer Science:
Hilary Browne. K. Bruce
Geology:
Robin A. Beebee R. Cox
Martha J. Foley R.A. Wobus
Jonathan
Payne M. Johnson
Patrick Russell M. Johnson
Mathematics
Sandeep K. Bhatt S. Johnson
Deborah Greilsheimer S.
Loepp
Erich Muehlegger C. Silva
Jason Schweinsberg R. De
Veaux
Alexander Woo D. Bergstrand
Physics:
Scott Hill W. Wootters
Ruth O'Gorman M. Demianski
Julie
Rapoport P. Majumder
Psychology:
Lori Chelius A. Thapar
Stephanie Nelson A. Thapar
Samuel
Sommers. S. Kassin
