WELCOME!

The scope of research and scholarship at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is truly remarkable — from the study of the Renaissance to the study of how children learn from television; from the study of what goes on beneath the earth’s surface to the study of the origin and characteristics of stars. In fact, the scope of our collective efforts is so great that most people on our own campus are unaware of much that goes on beyond the boundaries of their own disciplines. Imagine then how much less our activities are understood and appreciated off campus. These observations are what have led to the creation of Synergy: Research and Scholarship at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In this first issue, as in future issues, we intend to present articles on some of the most dynamic research and scholarly endeavors taking place in our community. Synergy will highlight talented individuals who are at the heart of this thriving enterprise — the faculty, staff, and students of our University community. Occasionally, we will publish an article that explores an aspect of the world of research and scholarship which we feel is not adequately understood or an article that addresses an important policy issue. Our purpose is to be interesting and informative, and we hope that Synergy provides readers, both on campus and off, with food for thought. Synergy will appear both in traditional printed format and in an electronic version to be posted on the World Wide Web. Throughout the text, the reader will note references to web pages. We hope that these articles inspire the reader to learn about University activities by visiting these and related web sites. Frederick W. Byron, Jr. Vice Chancellor for Research