Chemistry Majors’ Research Results From NSF Award, Faculty Mentorship, Internship

By Purnell T. Cropper | March 2, 2012

 

Seven Arcadia University Chemistry majors—including one who received an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates, several working with Arcadia faculty mentors, and one doing an internship with a local company—participated in the 12th Annual Student Poster Sessions sponsored by the Philadelphia Section of the American Chemical Society on Feb. 23 at Temple University.

This was an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to present research to members of the scientific community from the tri-state area. The posters and oral presentations were evaluated by peers from academia and industry.

Haylie Lobeck, who received an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates Award last summer, presented her data on “Hydrothermal Synthesis of Uranyl-Tungstates.” This research was done at the University of Notre Dame in the laboratory of Dr. Peter Burns. Lobeck will return to Notre Dame this summer to continue her research.

Mentored by Dr. Manny Curotto, Kelsey Roberts presented “Sampling Enhancement for Diffusion Monte Carlo,” Chelsey van de Gohm presented “Parallel Computing Strategies for the Genetic Algorithm: Optimizing Ammonia Clusters,” and Sara Wolf presented “Potential Energy Model of the Water Dimer and Trimer.”

Under the direction of Jon Orr, Laboratory Manager for the Department of Chemistry and Physics, Lynn Beatty and Annastassia Gallo explained the results of their investigation of “The Faraday Effect: Exploring the Magneto-Optical Phenomenon.”

Celia Foster, who has interned at Biocoat Inc. since last the fall, presented “Slippery Substrates: The Testing of Poly(ethylene glycol) as a Lubricious Coating” in collaboration with Dr. Linda Mascavage.