Claire Ting Wins Both NSF Grant and Woodrow Wilson Fellowship

12:00AM / Friday, January 12, 2007Print Story | Email Story

The National Science Foundation has announced the award of $263,274 to Williams College biologist Claire Ting. It will support her work in exploring the structure, function and evolution of the photosynthetic apparatus in one of the most important marine primary producers of the world. Her project is titled "Photosynthetic Response to Abiotic Stress in Prochlorococcus, a Globally Important Marine Cyanobacterium." It addresses the remarkable differences in genomes of several Prochlorococcus strains and the implications of these differences for photosynthesis and acclimation to environmental stress. "These differences have evolved in response to selection pressures in the ocean environment," she explained. "The Prochlorococcus MED4 strain, for instance, has been found to be missing several genes encoding proteins associated with the biological apparatus crucial to photosynthesis and proteins that are critical in the acclimation response to specific environmental stresses." Ting's goal is to determine how genomic differences become advantages in the capacity for photosynthesis of cyanobacteria under certain environmental conditions. She will also examine the molecular responses and mechanisms triggered by changes in environmental factors, such as light and temperature. It is critical in the context of potential global climate changes to understand the effects of temperature on the photosynthetic capabilities of this ecologically important marine cyanobacterium. She hopes that the project will lead to a marked improvement in the ability to accurately model primary production in ocean ecosystems, as well as to a better understanding of the mechanics and evolution of photosynthesis. The project will involve a number of undergraduate students in scientific research. Students participating in this project will become familiar with state-of-the-art technology used in this field of study and have a chance to participate in national scientific meetings. Recently the Woodrow Wilson Foundation also has recognized Ting. She was awarded a Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Career Enhancement Fellowship for Junior Faculty for 2006-07 for her effectiveness as a college teacher and for her scholarship. Her teaching was previously honored, twice by the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award by Cornell University. Ting has won a number of grants for research in biosciences related to the environment, including an NSF-NATO postdoctoral research fellowship in science and engineering at the Institute of Biological Physical Chemistry in Paris, France. Her research has been published in journals including Plant Physiology, Microbiology, and Genome Research. She graduated from Yale University and received her Ph.D. in plant physiology, biochemistry and microbiology from Cornell. Following postdoctoral work at MIT, she joined the faculty at Williams College, where she has been teaching and conducting research since 2003.

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St. Stan's Students Spread Holiday Cheer at Williamstown Commons

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
12:50PM / Sunday, December 21, 2025

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Students from St. Stanislaus Kostka School in Adams brought the holiday spirit to Williamstown Commons on Thursday, delivering handmade Christmas cards and leading residents in a community caroling session.

"It honestly means the world to us because it means the world to them," said nursing home Administrator Alex Fox on Thursday morning. "This made their days. This could have even made their weeks. It could have made their Christmas, seeing the children and interacting with the community."

Teacher Kate Mendonca said this is the first year her class has visited the facility, noting that the initiative was driven entirely by the students.

"This came from the kids. They said they wanted to create something and give back," Mendonca said. "We want our students involved in the community instead of just reading from a religion book."

Preparation for the event began in early December, with students crafting bells to accompany their singing. The handmade cards were completed last week.

"It's important for them to know that it's not just about them during Christmas," Mendonca said. "It's about everyone, for sure. I hope that they know they really helped a lot of people today and hopefully it brought joy to the residents here."

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