2013 News

1) Chemistry Students Presented Research Projects at the College of Science and Technology Research and Scholarship Day (May 11, 2013)

Poster Presentations:

Scott Blackburn (Mentor: Dr. Tapsak): Studies on the Refractive Index of Copoly (Arylene-Siloxanes) Constructive with Amide, Ester, or Ether Linkage Units.

Hannah Cronk (Mentor: Dr. Osburn): Rh(I) Complexes of a Non-Innocent Pincer Ligand Bearing Thioether and N-Heterocyclic Carbene Donors.

Christopher Houser (Mentor: Dr. Hawrelak): Cobalt Catalyzed Production of Aromatics Using [(C6F5)C5H4]Co(CO)2.

Matthew Miele (Mentor: Dr. Zimmerman): Determination of Solid-Liquid and Vapor-Liquid Phase Diagrams of Organic Binary Mixtures Using Differential Scanning Calorimetry.

Owen O’Sullivan (Mentor: Dr. Tapsak): Studies on the Refractive Index of Copoly (Arylene-Siloxanes) Constructed with Amide, Ester, or Ether Linkage Units.

Jacob Powell (Mentor: Dr. Zimmerman): Determination of Equivalent Conductances of Lanthanum Chloride Solutions at 25, 50 and 75 Degree C and 0.7 MPa.

Gene Tunney (Mentor: Dr. Pugh): Analysis of Gun Shot Residue Using a Handheld X-Ray Fuorescence Spectrometer (XRF).

Jessica Viscomi (Mentor: Dr. Bell): Loss of Sigmoidality in Fibrin Clot Formation in the Presence of Inhibitors Acet-LSPR-Amide or Acet-ISPR-Amide.

Research Talks:

Wesley Addison (Mentor: Dr. Pugh): Evaluation of Atlantic Bay Scallop Microsatellite DNA with Pacific Scallop Microsatellite DNA Primers.

Louisa Andrew (Mentor: Dr. Bell): Kinetics of Blood Clot Formation in the Presence of Tetrapeptide Inhibitors.

Hannah Cronk (Mentor: Dr. Osborn): Rh(I) Complexes of a Non-Innocent Pincer Ligand Bearing Thioether and N-Heterocyclic Carbene Donors.

Christopher Houser (Mentor: Dr. Hawrelak): Cobalt Catalyzed Production of Aromatics Using [(C6F5)C5H4]Co(CO)2.

Mike Jurbala (Mentor: Dr. Zimmerman): Measurements of the Electrical Conductivity in Lanthanum Trifluoromethanesulfonate Solutions at 25 Degree C.

Elizabeth Ola (Mentor: Dr. Borland): Defining the Receptor-and Ligand-Dependent Functions of PPARβ/δ on Cell Proliferation and Metastasis in Human Malignant Melanoma.

Owen O’Sullivan (Mentor: Dr. Osborn): Synthesis and Catalytic Studies of a Polyisobutylene-Supported Bidentate Triazole/NHC Rh(I) Complex.

Erik Rahner (Mentor: Dr. Borland): Examining Palmitoleic Acid As A Natural PPAR Ligand and Melanoma Therapeutic.

Zachary Rhoden (Mentor: Dr. Morgan): Tin-Mediated Aryl Vinylation As A First Step in the Organometallic Total Synthesis of Clomipramine.

2) Three Chemistry Students were inducted into Lamba Chapter of Kappa Mu Epsilon national mathematical honor society: Kristie Darrah, Brooke Shannon, and Gene Tuney

3) Eight BU chemistry majors and five faculty members presented their research recently at the 245th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans. In additional to presenting research and attending other scholarly seminars, the students and faculty met BU alumnus Dr. Conrad Stanitski (’60) the recipient of the George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education, and attended Stanitski’s award acceptance speech.

More than 15,000 chemists, academics, students and other professionals participated in the conference, addressing the relationship between chemistry and food in our society. Representing BU were Michael Pugh, Philip Osburn, Gene Tunney, Jessica Viscomi, Hannah Cronk, Christopher House, Jacob Powell, Toni Trumbo-Bell, Matthew Miele, Mark Tapsak, Owen O’Sullivan, Scott Blackburn and Diane Hinkens.

4) Chemistry Department Junior Award Winner: Brooke Shannon. Picture is Brooke with Department Chair Dr. Pugh at the Awards Ceremony.

5) Promotions:

Promoted to Full Professor: Dr. Toni Trumbo Bell and Dr. Gregory Zimmerman

Promoted to Associate Professor: Dr. Philip Osburn

2012 News

Student researchers showcase summer work

Students of BU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry recently showcased their summer research results, covering topics from blood clotting to fragrances to gun shot residue analysis.

Research Presentations

• Brandon Brown — Interaction of LSPR with Thrombun as an Inhibitor of Blood Clotting, mentored by Toni Bell.
• Matthew Miele — Determination of Solid-Liquid and Vapor-Liquid Phase Diagrams of Organic Binary Mixtures using Differential Scanning Calorimetry, mentored by Gregory Zimmeran. Funded by URSCA.
• Jacob Powell — Determination of the Equivalent Conductance of Lanthanum Chloride Solutions at 25, 50 and 75 degrees Celsius and 0.7 MP, mentored by Gregory Zimmerman. Funded by URSCA.
• Amanda Pritzlaff — Percent Composition of Lavandula Augustifulia and the Art of Fine Fragrance, mentored by Toni Bell.
• Franklin Rodemer — Influence of the Oneida #3 Acid Mine Drainage and Passive Limestone Treatment System on Little Tomhicken Creek in Luzerne County – Department Summer Research, mentored by Christopher Hallen. Funded by Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Scholars Summer Program.
• Gene Tunney — Analysis of Gun Shot Residue using a Handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF), mentored by Michael Pugh. Funded by Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Scholars Summer Program.
• Jessica Viscomi — Analysis of Blood Clot Inhibition by ISPR, mentored by Toni Bell. Funded by Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Scholars Summer Program.

Student Summer Presentations

Matt Miele

Matt Miele presented at the Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Conference held at the Henry Hood Center for Health Research, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA on August 2, 2012. His poster was titled "Determination of Solid-Liquid and Vapor-Liquid Phase Diagrams of Oranic Binary Mixtures using Differential Scanning Colorimetry." Mentor: Dr. Gregory Zimmerman.

Ariana Winder

Ariana Winder presented Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Conference held at the Henry Hood Center for Health Research, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA on August 2, 2012. Her poster was titled "Percutaneous Cholecystostomy in Patients with High Risk Acute Cholecystitis." Mentors: Mohanbabu Alaparthi MD, John Semian MD, Mohsen Shabahang MD, Nicole Woll PhD, Joseph Blansfield MD (Geisinger Medical Center, Danville PA).

2011 News

COST 2011 Spring Honors Symposium

Pictured with BU President David Soltz, chemistry students receiving honors were (L-R):

• Benjamin McFadden — ACS award in Inorganic Chemistry
• Adam Miller — Junior Chemistry Achievement award and ACS award in Analytical Chemistry
• Hannah Cronk — ACS POLYED undergraduate award in Organic Chemistry
• Kenneth Myers — Susquehanna Valley Section ACS Outstanding Senior award, American Institute of Chemists Foundation Outstanding BS Biochemistry Senior award, Phi Lambda Upsilon National Chemistry Honor Society inductee, and Cum Laude

Nanotechnology students making the grade

Jackie North and Andrew Sibley, seniors in the chemistry and biochemistry department, were the first BU students to complete the 18-credit Capstone Semester at Penn State University during the summer of 2010 as part of BU’s new nanotechnology track. Nanotechnology is the study of the controlling of matter on an atomic and molecular scale.