A team of scientists led by Jay Pasachoff observed the shiniest object in the solar system, 2002 TX300, a fragment of Haumea, using a network of telescopes. The measurements reveal its icy surface and size, confirming it as a small, reflective body with an age estimated to be around a billion years.
A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology reveals that people underconfidently assess their learning abilities but overconfidently predict their memory performance. The researchers found that individuals failed to account for improved learning outcomes following additional study and testing.
Morgan McGuire and Dr. David Luebke developed a new method for computerized lighting and light sources that can improve video game graphics to film-like quality in faster time. The algorithm reverses the process of producing light effects, pulling it onto the world and pushing it into the image, resulting in a faster processing speed.
The Atlas of Coastal Ecosystems in the Western Gulf of California tracks limestone deposits and their impact on the carbon cycle. The book features high-quality satellite images and field photos, providing valuable insights for earth and marine scientists studying coastal areas.
The project aims to develop interactive computer programs to visualize and analyze strain in rocks, improving undergraduate courses in structural geology. Students will gain hands-on experience in gathering and analyzing data, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject.
The National Science Foundation has awarded a $247,553 grant to Enrique Peacock-Lopez, supporting his project on chemical self-replication and regulatory mechanisms. The research will involve undergraduate students and upgrade local high school chemistry teaching to Advanced Placement Chemistry.
Researchers led by Williams College Professor Anne Skinner investigate the lifestyle of humans living near the Nile tributaries during the Middle Stone Age. The study focuses on water resources concentrated near riverbanks during seasonal dry periods, and the site may have been a refuge during climate stress.
Jeannie Albrecht's five-year grant aims to develop techniques for increasing stability in mobile applications, benefiting students and researchers at small colleges. The project will integrate human interaction patterns into a software toolkit, providing valuable hands-on experience with emerging mobile computing systems.
The researcher will explore bystander passivity in school bullying, investigating how children misjudge their peers' failure to help as evidence of tolerance for bullying. The study's findings could inform the content of classroom-based intervention programs.
Brent Heeringa's research focuses on three specific problems: optimal algorithms for hierarchical data, dynamic models of information organization, and new models for categorical data. His project aims to create systems where desired information is quick and easy to find.
Jeannie Albrecht is heading one of 29 academic/industrial research teams working on prototypes to expand the security, manageability, and versatility of networking systems. The team aims to build a user-friendly experiment control and management framework called Gush to support large-scale network management.
Frank Morgan has received a three-year NSF grant to research manifolds with density, a generalization of Riemannian manifolds. This work builds on previous summer research and aims to solve isoperimetric problems in probability theory and geometry.
Thomas E. Smith, associate professor of chemistry at Williams College, has been awarded a $217,710 three-year grant by the National Cancer Institute to develop new methods for synthesizing pyran-based anticancer compounds. The research will focus on natural products with promising medicinal value, including acutphycin and tedanolide C.
Lara Hutson's research on Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, the most common inherited neuromuscular disease, aims to investigate disease mutations in zebrafish. The study seeks to understand axon degeneration and its implications for prevention and management.
Researchers are using planetary nebulae as probes to uncover patterns of chemical enrichment in spiral galaxies. By analyzing the chemical elements in these shells of gas, scientists can gain insights into how galaxies were formed and developed.
The National Science Foundation awards $105,110 to Williams College for a high-speed imaging facility to investigate ultra-fast biological movements. The facility, which can film up to 100,000 fps, will expand the understanding of rapid events and provide stunning visual insights into nature.
The National Science Foundation has awarded a four-year grant to the Center for Workshops in the Chemical Sciences (CWCS), supporting series of workshops for college professors. The workshops have had an enormous impact on course development, programs, and majors at many institutions.
Claire Ting's project aims to determine how genomic differences become advantages in the capacity for photosynthesis of cyanobacteria under certain environmental conditions. The research will also examine molecular responses and mechanisms triggered by changes in light, temperature, and other environmental factors.
Professor Wootters was awarded the International Quantum Communications Award and the APS Prize to a Faculty Member for Research in an Undergraduate Institution. His research on quantum teleportation has been widely cited, and he is recognized for his engagement of undergraduate students in physics research.
A team of scientists and students captured data during a rare three-minute solar eclipse to study why the Sun's corona is millions of degrees hotter than its surface. The expedition used new electronic cameras and specialized filters to record images of the corona.
A team of researchers from Williams College will travel to Greece to study the solar eclipse, capturing observations of the Sun's corona and testing new electronic cameras. The expedition aims to provide valuable insights into the mechanism that heats the solar corona to millions of degrees.
A team of astronomers from MIT and Williams College observed the light from a star as it disappeared behind Charon and reappeared on the other side. They determined Charon's radius to be 606 ± 8 km, roughly twice the width of Massachusetts, and established a density of 1.72 g/cm3.
The National Science Foundation has awarded support for a DNA analysis laboratory at Williams College, enhancing research capabilities and integrating technology into the curriculum. The lab will facilitate studies on human DNA variants, zebrafish neural development, and Hox gene regulators, revolutionizing life sciences.
Sandstrom aims to understand the relationship between estradiol's neuroprotective effects and its ability to preserve learning and memory abilities. His team will examine biological mechanisms and hormone interactions to uncover new insights into estrogen's role in brain function.
False confessions are a significant issue in law enforcement, with various factors contributing to their occurrence. Research suggests that mandatory videotaping of police interviews and interrogations could help reduce these cases by providing an objective record of the proceedings.
Researchers found that genetic selection for low aerobic capacity in rats led to high cardiovascular risk factors, mirroring human data on fitness and survival. The study suggests a link between impaired oxygen metabolism and disease, supporting the importance of aerobic health.
Bruce Danyluk, a Williams College computer science professor, has won an award for his significant contributions to computer science education. He is recognized for designing and implementing the college's computer science major and department, as well as developing national computer science curricula.
Two Williams students, Nathan Hodas and Gerke, have won the prestigious Apker Award in physics, showcasing their exceptional academic records and research potential. The college's emphasis on student-faculty research has been credited with producing high-caliber physics majors.
The Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium will continue to support collaborative student-faculty research projects in astronomy for the next two years. The program has funded over 160 students and nearly 300 presentations since its inception.
Burger's work on number theory and mathematics education has earned him numerous awards, including the MAA Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award. His research focuses on Diophantine approximation and geometry of numbers, and he is also dedicated to making math accessible to everyone.
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has awarded Williams College a $1.6 million grant to enhance science education and research opportunities for students, faculty, and local communities. The award will support programs such as elementary school outreach, high school laboratory exercises, and student summer research initiatives.
Williams College researcher Dr. Fein has received a $240,455 NSF grant to investigate the links between social context, physiological arousal, and cognitive appraisals in relation to student underperformance. The research team will include experts from education, neuroscience, health, cognitive psychology, and social psychology.
A recent study published in JAMA found that ginkgo biloba provides no measurable benefit in memory, attention, or concentration in healthy older adults. The study, conducted by researchers at Williams College, tested the effects of ginkgo on memory and cognitive function in 230 volunteers over 60.
Researchers examine the evolution of collaboration, from World War I to modern-day global partnerships, highlighting its benefits and impact on scientific productivity. The study also delves into how emerging technologies like email and the Internet have revolutionized research collaboration, making it more diverse and effective.
Researchers detect significant amount of deuterium in Sagittarius A cloud, 30 light years from Milky Way's center. The findings suggest that deuterium was created in the first few minutes after Big Bang and is not produced by stars or stellar activity.
Mathematicians Frank Morgan and colleagues have proved the Double Bubble Conjecture, showing that the double soap bubble is the most efficient shape for separating two air volumes. The proof uses only pencil and paper, making it a significant breakthrough in mathematical research.
Steven J. Swoap, an assistant professor of biology at Williams College, has been awarded a $497,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to investigate the mechanism of how restricting caloric intake lowers blood pressure. He will also receive a $95,783 NIH award to study why skeletal muscle becomes more fatiguable under disuse.
Koehler's project focuses on the adsorption of trace atmospheric gases on soot under simulated conditions. Her research aims to understand how soot derived from jet fuel affects the chemical balance of the atmosphere, with potential implications for sulfur dioxide conversion to sulfuric acid.
Brian Gerke, a 1999 Williams College graduate, has won the LeRoy Apker Award for his research on the effect of light on retinal molecules. His work could potentially help design optical computer memories and sensors.
Dr. Karen Kwitter's research focuses on the chemical composition of planetary nebulae, which can reveal information about the life cycle of stars and the evolution of our galaxy. By analyzing light spectra from these clouds, she aims to refine models of galactic chemical evolution.
The Williams College research team observed a two-and-a-half-minute period of totality in a clear sky, collecting fabulous scientific data that will keep researchers busy for years. The experiments focused on understanding the corona's temperature and magnetic field, which can reach temperatures of up to four million degrees Celsius.
A team of Williams College astronomers will conduct scientific experiments during the August 11 solar eclipse to study the coronal heating of the sun. The research, supported by grants from NASA and National Geographic, aims to observe rapid oscillations in the corona using advanced telescopes and optics.
Wendy Raymond has received a three-year NIH grant to study cell division regulation in yeast using genetic and molecular approaches. Her research focuses on the role of CDC-14 in exit from mitosis, building on serendipitous findings from her 1997 winter study class.
Researchers aim to understand how the sun's corona reaches temperatures of two million degrees Celsius despite the surface being only 6,000 degrees. The team will use various techniques, including comparing electronic images and searching for rapid oscillations, to gather data during the February 26 eclipse.
Nancy Roseman, assistant professor of biology at Williams College, has been awarded a $266,191 NSF grant to study the biochemistry of dUTPase, an enzyme involved in DNA metabolism. Her research uses the vaccinia virus as a model to understand viral/host interactions and DNA replication.
Colin Adams, Williams College math professor, has been awarded the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Distinguished Teaching Award for his innovative teaching methods and ability to increase student enrollments in mathematics classes. He is also recognized for involving undergraduates in serious pure mathematics research.
The National Science Foundation has awarded Williams College a $143,912 grant to equip a new laser facility, bringing together four research labs and a student workspace. The new equipment will enable researchers to measure optical wavelengths accurately and support a broad range of research in atomic, molecular, and optical physics.
Weiss's research focuses on controlling Il-4 gene expression to develop therapeutic strategies against detrimental effects. Published in top journals, her work aims to improve understanding of Il-4 production regulatory mechanisms.
Williams College professors Zimmerberg and Wisniewski create interactive multi-media resources to support introductory neuroscience courses, including videos and CD-ROMs for laboratory simulations. The project aims to make materials available globally for various educational levels and settings.
A fishwheel harvesting method could benefit both fishermen's incomes and native salmon populations. The traditional method was banned in the 1920s due to large harvests and political conflicts, but is now being reconsidered as a potential solution to ecological and management problems.