Grain & Chaff

Assistant professor of Chemistry Justin Ferman (left) helps University of Wisconsin professor Bassam Shakhashiri set up for his "Science is Fun" presentation on Oct. 17. The talk was part of the William E. Mahoney Annual Seminar series in the Chemistry Department. (Stan Sherer photo)

Polymer prize

Helmut Strey, assistant professor of Polymer Science and Engineering, has been selected to receive the John H. Dillon Medal by the American Physical Society for contributing significantly to the understanding of the physics of biopolymers and polyelectrolytes.

The medal is awarded annually to one person for "outstanding accomplishment and unusual promise in research in polymer physics," according to the society. The medal will be awarded to Strey at the society's meeting in Austin, Texas in March.

The award consists of $2,000, up to $1,000 allowance for travel to the meeting, a bronze medal and a certificate.

The medal was established in 1983 by the American Physical Society and the Division of Polymer Physics. Beginning in 1997, sponsorship was assumed by Elsevier Science, Oxford, UK, publishers of the journal Polymer.

Witch.com

The campus's Center for Computer-Based Instructional Technology built a Web site for Historic Northampton's new exhibit centering on a witchcraft case that preceded the Salem witch trials by more than 20 years.

The exhibit opened last weekend at the historic Parsons House. Mary Parsons was the subject of two and possibly three separate witchcraft-related trials.

The site was funded by the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities. It includes histories, timelines, family trees, and historic documents, images, and maps. A prototype version of the site can be viewed online (http://ccbit.cs.umass.edu/parsons/).

The site will be expanded to include interactive, standards-based curriculum activities developed by local teachers.