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Student Research

Our students take on research projects with faculty here at Gordon College as well as during summer research experiences around the US and abroad. All students discuss their results in lectures given on our campus; some students also bring the results of their research to an American Chemical Society national meeting. Here are a few selected examples of research projects that students have engaged in during the past year or two:

  • HanByul Chang '15 – on campus research toward Honors Thesis
    Undergraduate laboratory experience on kinetics: Using the FeIII-TAML system with common food dyes
  • Mollie Enright '15 – summer research at Michigan State University
    Further defining acylsugar structural diversity within Petunia axillaris
  • HanByul Chang '15 – summer research at University of Ulm, Germany
    Electrochemical Stability of Ru(0001) and Pt Modified Surfaces
  • Justin Andrews '14 – summer research at Texas A&M University
    A Novel Procedure for the Removal of Ru after ROMP using PIB-bound Isocyanides
  • Ben Stewart '13 – on campus research toward Honors Thesis
    A Green Chemistry Approach to Fabricating Porous TiO2-Acrylic Composite Photocatalytic Materials
  • CJ Daly '13 – summer research at Georgia Tech
    Plasmonic Enhancement of Solar Energy Conversion
  • Lee Andrews '13 – on campus research toward Honors Thesis
    The Relative Efficacy of Platinized and non-Platininzed Nanoparticles Deposited in a Porous Polymer Wafer Reactor for the Photocatalytic Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide
  • Bria Pelletier '13 – on campus research toward Honors Thesis
    The Determination of the Optimal Crosslink Density for the Durability of Acrylic-Titania Composite Photocatalytic Materials
  • Ruth Chadwick '13 – summer research at Purdue University
    Mapping Irradiance in a Compound Parabolic Collector
  • Rachael Albury '13 – on campus research toward Honors Thesis
    Greener Dehydration Chemistry: Clay Catalyzed Dehydration of Alcohols for the Undergraduate Laboratory

Student participation at American Chemical Society National Meetings

Some students bring the results of their undergraduate research to the primary professional conference for chemistry—the American Chemical Society national meeting. During the past decade, many of our students have made these journeys an important part of their professional development.

ACS Undergraduate Student Presentations

Poster presentations unless stated to be Oral. Presenting authors listed. (Non-presenting co-authors are parenthesized.)

2017/2018 (New Orleans, LA)

  • Victoria Arau (Yiliyasi Wusimanjiang, Shanlin Pan)
    Electrochemical and electrogenerated chemiluminescence study of organolead halide perovskite nanocrystals
  • Anne-Milda Pu
    Computational studies of the O2 binding energy and activation energy of O2 dissociation over M13@Pt42 nanoparticle catalysts
  • Julia R. Bonney
    Greener Friedel-Crafts acylation using a deep eutectic solvent: An undergraduate laboratory method
  • Kayla Kroning
    Using FRET to elucidate the lipid trafficking mechanism of SP-B C and N terminal peptides in comparison with KL4
  • Quincy Dougherty (Oral presenter) (Lian Atlas, Victoria Ganss, Anna H. Kjellson, Sara Lareau)
    (gc)2: Gordon College’s commitment to green chemistry
  • Lian Atlas (Quincy Dougherty, Victoria Ganss, Anna H. Kjellson, Sara Lareau)
    On the road again: Developing our chapter through service, locally and beyond

2016/2017 (San Francisco, CA)

  • Kayla Kroning
    Use of membrane fusion to understand the role of lung surfactant protein B in  lipid trafficking
  • Danel Gray
    Computational studies of oxygen bond lengthening with group-10 metal clusters
  • Mirielle Nauman
    Green microwave nitration as an undergraduate organic chemistry lab procedure
  • Logan Walsh
    Towards green multistep synthesis in the Organic Chemistry laboratory curriculum: Conversion of alcohols to ketones via conventional heating
  • Verna Curfman (Oral presenter)
    Recipe for success: How outreach has impacted Gordon College's ACS student chapter
  • Verna Curfman and Ivy Ngo (Oral presenters)
    How student chapters can have impact on green chemistry and social justice education
  • Ivy Ngo (Verna Curfman, Logan Walsh, Katie Elliott, Eimi Percival)
    Igniting change: Gordon College's ACS chapter's influence on campus and the community

2015/2016 (San Diego, CA)

  • Ian Commins (Elizabeth Fjellstad, Luke O'Donnell, Andrew Swartzel)
    Markovnikov hydration of alkenes using greener alternative reagents
  • Elizabeth Fjellstad (Ian Commins, Luke O'Donnell, Andrew Swartzel)
    Greener procedure for the regioselective hydration of alkenes: Use in the undergraduate organic laboratory
  • Verna Curfman (Daruenie Andujar)
    Fermentation of yeast cells as a greener and effective method to produce starting materials in the Hantzsch reaction
  • Daruenie Andujar (Verna Curfman)
    Green Hantzsch reactions suitable for the teaching laboratory
  • Daniel Gray
    Computational studies of oxygen bond weakening with group-10 metal clusters
  • Harrison Miller
    Preparation of 6-nitro-2,3-diphenylquinoxaline: Green multistep organic synthesis
  • Julia Bilancieri, Abigail Lutz, and Sarah Zuidema
    Microwave-assisted direct amidation: A green chemistry laboratory preparation
  • Logan Walsh and Courtney Olbrich
    Genetic diversity of the newly invasive species Colpomenia peregrine along the coast of Massachusetts
  • Mirielle Nauman (Daruenie Andujar, Verna Curfman, Elizabeth Fjellstad, Daniel Gray, Logan T. Walsh)
    Catalysts: Changing reactions through professionalism, community, and outreach

2014/2015 (Denver, CO)

  • HanByul Chang
    Undergraduate laboratory experience on kinetics: Using the FeIII-TAML system with common food dyes
  • Mollie Enright
    Green extraction of lycopene from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) using 2-methyltetrahydrofuran
    Further defining acylsugar structural diversity within Petunia axillaris
  • Stacy Strobel and David Parr
    Direct amidation of carboxylic acids via microwave-assisted synthesis: Greener organic laboratory options
  • Daniel Gray (Brittany J. Marshall, Logan T. Walsh, Elizabeth Fjellstad, Daruenie Andujar, Mollie C. Enright)
    The Science of Service: Gordon College’s Student Chapter of the American Chemical Society

2013/2014 (Dallas, TX)

  • Justin Andrews
    Novel procedure for the removal of Ru after ROMP and RCM reactions using PIB-bound isocyanides
  • Mollie Enright
    Effect of high tunnels use on lycopene content in 'Brandywine' and 'Jet Star' tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)
  • Brittany Marshall
    Greener synthetic methods for the undergraduate laboratory curriculum: Microwave-assisted catalytic oxidation of alcohols
  • Stacy Strobel
    Microwave synthesis in the undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory: Greener synthesis of amines
  • Sarah McCarron (Sarah Goss, Maria Cunningham)
    Second graders model the effects of pollution on a small plant system
  • Logan Walsh (Justin Andrews, Owen Williams, HanByul Chang, Sarah McCarron, Ruth Chadwick, Elizabeth Fjellstad, Rachel Olugbemi, Daniel Dufoe)
    Passing the torch: A second generation of leadership at Gordon College

2012/2013 (New Orleans, LA)

  • Rachael Albury and Justin Andrews
    Greener dehydration chemistry: Montmorillonite clay-catalyzed dehydration of alcohols
  • Lee Andrews
    Porous TiO2/acrylic composite materials for the photocatalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide
  • HanByul Chang
    Undergraduate kinetics laboratory experiment: The catalytic degradation of common food dyes using the FeIII-TAML system; 
  • Clyde Daly (Lee Andrews, Bria Pelletier and Benjamin Stewart)
    Investigation of porous polymeric support materials for TiO2 photocatalytic water purification
  • Bria Pelletier (Clyde Daly and Benjamin Stewart)
    Determination of the optimal crosslink density for the durability of acrylic-titania composite photocatalytic materials
  • Benjamin Stewart (Clyde Daly and Bria Pelletier)
    Green chemistry approach to fabricating porous TiO2-acrylic composite photocatalytic materials
  • Owen Williams
    Photocatalytic degradation of triclosan
  • Sarah McCarron (Stacy Strobel, Elaine Hong, Ruth Chadwick, Mollie Enright, Benjamin Stewart, Bria Pelletier and HanByul Chang)
    Gordon College Student Chapter of the ACS: Making connections

2011/2012 (San Diego, CA)

  • Clyde Daly (Bria Pelletier and Benjamin Stewart)
    Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy for the detection of TiO2-Ti removed from the surfaces of acrylic-titania composite photocatalytic materials
  • Bria Pelletier (Clyde Daly and Benjamin Stewart)
    Effect of crosslink density on the durability of acrylic-titania composite photocatalytic support materials
  • Benjamin Stewart (Clyde Daly and Bria Pelletier)
    Effect of porosity on the photocatalytic activity of acrylic-titania composite photocatalytic materials
  • Ariel Guiguizian
    Optimizing the use of the FeIII-TAML system for a methyl-amine to ketone conversion
  • Kristen Entwistle
    Structural determination of a phenolic polymer produced using the FeIII-TAML system
  • Rachael Albury (with Salem State University collaborators)
    Green chemistry in the laboratory curriculum: Alkene synthesis by dehydration of alcohols in the presence of Montmorillonite clay
  • Justin Andrews (Kristen Entwistle, Ariel Guiguizian, and Benjamin Stewart)
    Reawakening the student chapter at Gordon College: A project accomplished!

2010/2011 (San Francisco, CA and Boston, MA)

  • Grant Eilers (Cory Strnad)
    Partnerships between chemistry departments and the community: Green chemistry activities for homeschooled high school students
  • Andrew Worth
    Conversion of secondary aliphatic amine moiety to ketone by FeIII-TAML system
  • Kim McCabe and Jess Doiron
    Ambassadors for Green Chemistry networking project 

2009/2010 (Washington, DC)

  • Rachel Shirron
    First principles investigation of ruthenium metal complexes used as catalysts in water oxidation
  • Rowan Walker (Keti Gitit Assor)
    Greener oxidation options: Molybdate-catalyzed synthesis of conjugated aldehydes and ketones

2008/2009 (Salt Lake City, UT)

  • Erin Thames and Rowan Walker
    Selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde: A green chemistry laboratory experiment
  • Suzanne Poole
    Determining the efficacy of popular antioxidants through the fluorescence of diphenyl-1-pyrenylphosphine (DPPP): An analytical laboratory experience
  • Ryan Cappa and Gina Gioranino (Kevin Quackenbush, Leonard Stevenson and Trevor Wright)
    BGB-20 ecoSoap: Utilizing biodiesel glycerin by-product in the large scale preparation of soap to illustrate the principles of green chemistry

2007/2008 (New Orleans, LA)

  • Soo Yeon Kwon (Matthew Levy, Daniel Sargent, and Marissa Weaver)
    Measuring ecotoxicity: Green chemistry experiment for the undergraduate laboratory curriculum
  • Rebecca Havens and Jennifer Soerensen (Matthew Austin)
    Okra seed oil biodiesel: Investigating underutilized seed oils as potential biofuels

2006/2007 (Boston, MA)

  • Angela Langlais and Amanda Wagers (Oral presentation)
    Green chemistry curriculum development to empower outreach to middle- and high-school students and teachers
  • Laura Hasiuk and Erica Wetter (Sarah Massanari and Marissa  Weaver)
    Comparative ecotoxicity of petroleum diesel, biodiesel from waste fryer oil and biodiesel from unused fryer oil 
  • Andrew Luhrs
    Introducing ecotoxicity to the chemistry laboratory curriculum: Studying green chemistry principles by measuring ecotoxicity using Escherichi coli 

2005/2006 (Atlanta, GA)

  • Eric Mehlberg
    Daphnia ecotoxicology: An interdisciplinary green chemistry laboratory exercise for concurrent organic chemistry and animal physiology courses  
  • Andrew  Luhrs,  John Stoeckle (Dustin Hendrickson, Aaron Schiffer)
    Green Chemistry Metrics Calculator (GCMC): A JavaScript application for green chemistry education 
  • Matthew Austin and Kathryn Laporte    
    Synthesis and photochromism of 6-nitrospiropyran: A green chemistry preparation for organic chemistry laboratory
  • Erica Wetter
    Multicomponent zeolite-catalyzed synthesis of  β-acetamido ketones: A green chemistry laboratory experience.

2004/2005 (San Diego, CA & Washington, DC)

  • Andrew Luhrs
    Expansion of Topological Index Calculator: Incorporation of the Schultz Index
  • Laura Hamel (Oral presentation)
    Analyzing green chemistry: A description of metrics with applications in academia and industry   
  • Steven Granz
    Topological Index Calculator III: Computation of the Hosoya Index using SMILES representation

 


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