Presenters at the First Annual Research Symposium: Top row, left to right: P. Bhatiya (MS, Biochemistry), D. Hagaman (MS, Chemistry), Dr. G. Moyna (Associate Professor), K. Adams Barrett (PhD, Chemistry), N. Chubatyi (PhD, Chemistry), D. Sardelis (PhD, Chemistry), V. Pagnotti (PhD, Chemistry). Bottom row, left to right: T. H. Nguyen (PhD, Chemistry), M. Werner (PhD, Chemistry), E. Chu (PhD, Chemistry), E. Gianti (PhD, Biochemistry), J. Zinskie (PhD, Biochemistry), S. Chakrabarty (PhD, Chemistry), S. Saylor (PhD, Chemistry), J. Geer (PhD, Chemistry).
The University of the Sciences Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry hosted its First Annual Research Symposium on Oct. 10, 2011. In addition to a keynote address by Dr. Guillermo Moyna, 14 masters and doctoral students from the department gave research presentations that were judged by a panel of outside chemists including experts from Drexel University, Merck, and Cellgen Inc.
The student and faculty audience, that at times filled the Griffith C auditorium, had a chance to hear about exciting research projects ranging from polymer brushes and organic electronics, to development of anticancer drugs and novel mass spectrometry methods.
Concluding the event, several awards were presented including the Edward Birnabum and Al Gennaro Excellence in Research Awards, dedicated to recognizing outstanding research and encouraging development of the ability to communicate the results of scientific research in an oral presentation at the doctoral and masters level respectively. Also presented were the John Nikelly and Murray Zanger Excellence in Teaching Awards which recognized demonstrated sustained excellence throughout the USciences teaching of chemistry courses at the entry level (Nikelly) and the advanced level (Zanger). The following is a summary of the awardees and their talks:
The Edward Birnbaum Excellence in Research Award:
Eleonora Gianti (PhD in Biochemistry)
“Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) Studies of Pharmacologically Relevant Protein Targets”
Advisor: Dr. Randy Zauhar
The Edward Birnbaum Excellence in Research Honorable Mention:
Nick Chubatyi (PhD in Chemistry)
“The detection of Small Molecules Using Liquid Chromatography-Solvent Assisted Inlet Ionization (LC-SAII) Mass Spectrometry”
Advisor: Dr. Charles McEwen
Thuy Hien Nguyen (PhD in Chemistry)
“Molecular Dynamics of Embedded Ion Channels Within a Lipid Bilayer”
Advisor: Dr. Preston Moore
The Al Gennaro Excellence in Research Award:
Dan Hagaman (MS in Chemistry)
“Block Copolymer Supramolecular Assemblies as Nanopatterns for Organic Electronics”
Advisor: Dr. Alexander Sidorenko
The John Nikelly Excellence in Teaching Award:
Vagmita Pabuwal and Jessica Geer
The Murray Zanger Excellence in Teaching Award:
Sarah Saylor
Congratulations to all of the honorees and recipients!
The Murray Zanger Excellence in Teaching Award
Left to right: Dr. Murray Zanger, Professor Emeritus, Honoree; Sarah Saylor (PhD student in Chemistry), winner of the award. |
The John Nikelly Excellence in Teaching Award
Left to right: Dr. Vagmita Pabuwal (PhD, Chemistry, 2011), winner of the award; Dr. John Nikelly (Professor, retired), honoree; Jessica Geer (PhD student in Chemistry), winner of the award.
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The Al Gennaro Excellence in Research Award
Daniel Hageman (MS student in Chemistry; BS, Chemistry, 2009), winner of the award. |
The Edward Birnbaum Excellence in Research Award
Eleonora Gianti (PhD student in Biochemistry), winner of the award. |
The Edward Birnbaum Excellence in Research Award winner and honorable mentions, and The Al Gennaro Excellence in Research Award winner.
Left to right: Thuy Hien Nguyen (PhD student in Chemistry); Eleonora Gianti (PhD student in Biochemistry); Daniel Hageman (MS student in Chemistry), Nicholas Chubatyi (PhD student in Chemistry) |