Williams College Professor Receives Regional Teaching Award

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Susan R. Loepp, professor of mathematics at Williams College, has been awarded a regional teaching award from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).  The Northeastern Section Teaching Award is given out every year to an "extraordinarily successful" professor who gets students excited about math.

At Williams since 1996, Loepp teaches Applied Abstract Algebra, Algebraic Error-Correcting Codes, and Galois Theory and Modules. She is an authority on commutative algebra. Her research has appeared in the Journal of Algebra and the Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra, among others.

In 2000, she and physics professor Bill Wootters received a grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a course on using abstract algebra and quantum physics to protect information. They are the authors of the subsequent textbook "Protecting Information: From Classical Error Correction to Quantum Cryptography."

Teaching awards are not new to Loepp. At Williams, she received the 2001 Faculty of the Year Award, which is presented by the student body. When she was in graduate school, she was recognized four times for excellence in teaching. She is a contender for the MAA’s national Haimo Award.

Loepp received her B.A. and B.S. from Bethel College in Kansas, and her Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin. She received the 2007 Young Alumnus Award from Bethel. Before coming to Williams, she taught at the University of Nebraska.

Three other Williams professors— Frank Morgan, Colin Adams, and Ed Burger— have won previous Northeastern Section Teaching Awards.

The MAA is the largest professional society that focuses on undergraduate mathematics education. Its mission is to advance the mathematical sciences, especially at the collegiate level. The MAA's Northeastern Section includes the six New England states and four Canadian provinces.

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Friday Front Porch Feature: An Energy-Efficient New Build

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Are you looking for a sophisticated home with low utility bills?

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 15 Orchard Lane.

This three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath, contemporary farmhouse was built in 2025 and is 1,704 square feet on less than an acre. The house features an attached and insulated two-car garage. 

The interior boasts hardwood floors, electric fireplace and a kitchen with stainless steel appliances. The primary bedroom and en suite are located on the first floor, and two bedrooms, a full bath and bonus space on the second floor. 

The home is electric and energy efficient with heating and cooling technology from the latest Energy Star-rated heat pump technology.

Down in the waterproofed full basement, there is a dehumidifier and a battery-backed sump pump. It has a generously sized covered side porch. 

It is on the market for $829,500.

We spoke with Paul Harsch III with Harsch Associates, which has the listing.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market? 

This home stands out from anything else on the market now or that has been available in recent memory because it is brand new. Save for a portion of the foundation and some first-floor framing, it is completely new and much expanded from the original house. Unless one is building from scratch, to find a brand-new home is virtually impossible as there is no spec building and hasn't been any for many years. 

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Crisp, clean, all new, bright, and spacious with the cathedral ceiling in the living room space yet compact and efficient. 

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history? 

The sellers had designed this as their forever retirement home but family matters dictated they remain in Texas thus they are reluctantly giving up their dream home here.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for? 

The buyer for this home wants a quiet location yet very convenient to the center of things. They want ground-floor living with spare bedrooms on the second floor for guests or office space. They want a modest-sized yard not requiring a lot of expense or care to maintain but providing a pleasant hot-weather retreat in the shade of mature trees. This buyer wants an efficient low-maintenance home not requiring any attention or work on the exterior other than perhaps the occasional power washing of the siding to show the crisp white lifetime siding. They want a totally dry basement with a warranty to back that up, and they want a spacious two-car garage to protect themselves and their vehicles from the weather or summer heat.

Are there any recent renovations or standout design features? 

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