WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., June 29, 2005 – Forty-two Williams College students from the class of 2005 have been named associate members of Sigma Xi, the international scientific research society.

Students were chosen based on having exhibited talent for scientific research. Through their work at Williams College, particularly in senior thesis studies, the students chosen demonstrated the scientific initiative that the society seeks to promote.

Sigma Xi was founded in 1886 as an honor society for science and engineering. Its contemporary goals are to improve the interaction between science, technology and society and to celebrate scientific research among the various disciplines.

This year's Sigma Xi inductees and their majors, hometowns, and senior honors thesis advisors are:

Astrophysics

Kamen A. Kozarev, astrophysics, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Jay Pasachoff

Biology

Anna C. Brosius, biology, Ann Arbor, Mich. – Wendy Raymond Jeffrey T. Dougherty, biology, Oakdale, Conn. – Dan Lynch Christopher D. Eaton, biology, Bedminster, N.J. – Joan Edwards Meghan E. Giuliano, biology, Barrington, R.I. – Lois Banta Elizabeth A. Hambleton, biology, Dallas, Texas – Claire Ting Bryce G. Inman, biology, La Jolla, Calif. – Claire Ting Cameron M. Marshall, chemistry and biology, Crawfordville, Fla. – Lara Hutson Daniel E. Runcie, biology, Starksboro, Vt. – David Smith Molly R. Sharlach, biology and Russian, Redding, Conn. – Lois Banta Jasmine S. Smith, biology, Lee, N.H. – Henry Art

Chemistry

Noah S. Bell, chemistry, Oak Ridge, Tenn. – Lee Park James A. Enterkin, chemistry, Southborough, Mass. – Mark Schofield Renee Kontnik, chemistry, Garfield, N.J. – Amy Gehring Elizabeth C. Landis, chemistry and math, Providence, R.I. – Lee Park Edward A. McGehee, chemistry and math, Atlanta, Ga. – Enrique Peacock-Lopez Brian G. Saar, chemistry, Irvington, N.Y. – Jay Thoman

Geosciences

Alicia L. Arevalos, geosciences, Wellington, Colo. – Heather Stoll Jennifer E. Campbell, geosciences, Easthampton, Mass. – David Dethier Ryan P. Gordon, geosciences, Orono, Maine – Paul Karabinos Robert S. Hahn, geosciences, Belmont, Mass. – David Dethier Paul A. Skudder, III, geosciences, Niskayuna, N.Y. – Markes Johnson Susanna M. Theroux, biology and geosciences, Floral Park, N.Y. – Heather Stoll

Mathematics

Stephen S. Moseley, mathematics, Aptos, Calif. – Stewart Johnson John C. Mugno, physics and mathematics, Houston, Texas – Satyan Devadoss Ashok M. Pillai, computer science and mathematics, Finspang, Sweden – Ed Burger Jordan S. Rodu, mathematics, Birmingham, Ala. – Stewart Johnson Matthew P. Spencer, mathematics, Weston, Mass. – Allison Pacelli

Physics

John A. BackusMayes, physics, El Cerrito, Calif. – David Tucker-Smith Justin M. Brown, physics, Chelmsford, Mass. – Dwight Whitaker Colin D. Bruzewicz, history and physics, Lebanon, N.H. – Protik Majumder Joshua H. Cooperman, physics, Wynnewood, Pa. – Bill Wootters Joseph A. Kerkhoff, English and physics, Palo Alto, Calif. – Protik Majumder Aubryn Murray, history and physics, West Lafayette, Ind. – Jefferson Strait Sean P. O’Brien, physics, Newton, N.J. – David Tucker-Smith Jennifer E. Simmons, history and physics, Atlanta, Ga. – Sarah Bolton

Psychology

Rebecca M. Allen, psychology, Arlington, Va. – Kenneth Savitsky Matthew B. Kugler, political science and psychology, Bellmore, N.Y. – Al Goethals Rui Nie, psychology, Waban, Mass. – Laurie Heatherington Lydia J. Romano, psychology, Swarthmore, Pa. – Marlene Sandstrom John D. Rudoy, psychology, Pleasant Valley, N.Y. – Noah Sandstrom Amy D. Shelton, psychology, Sugar Land, Texas – Kenneth Savitsky

Sigma Xi was founded in 1886 as an honor society for science and engineering. There are nearly 75,000 Sigma Xi members in over 500 chapters at colleges, universities, industrial research centers, and government laboratories.

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Williams College is consistently ranked one of the nation's top liberal arts colleges. The college’s 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their undergraduate teaching. The achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in research. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student’s financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted. Founded in 1793, it is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college is located in Williamstown, Mass. To visit the college on the Internet: www.williams.edu