Senior Chemistry Majors and Professor Participated in Conference
Posted on Monday, April 4, 2011
Dr. Helen Boylan, Westminster College associate professor of chemistry, and three chemistry majors participated in the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy (Pittcon) March 13-18 in Atlanta.
Boylan served as a member of the Pittcon organizing committee and as the student coordinator. Pittcon is one of the largest analytical chemistry conferences in the world with more than 17,000 attendees, hundreds of technical presentations, and thousands of exhibits.
Ryan Konik presented his Honors research, "Analysis of Non-Thermal Effects of Microwave Radiation on Acetylcholinesterase Using Covalent Labeling Techniques and Mass Spectrometry," as a poster. Boylan is his faculty adviser.
Konik, a biochemistry major, is a son of David and Terrie Konik of Youngstown, Ohio, and a graduate of Canfield High School.
Emily Landis presented her Honors research, "Lutetium Oxyorthosilicate (LSO) Powder Synthesis Using Mild Reaction Conditions," in a poster session. Her faculty adviser is Dr. Peter Smith, Westminster associate professor of chemistry.
LSO is the crystal inside PET scanners that converts the radiation from the medicine in the patient to visible light that the computer can detect. Landis' research explored the possibility of synthesizing LSO as a powder rather than as a single crystal, since the common crystal synthesis is very time and energy intensive. She performed the synthesis in a microwave reactor to considerably reduce the amount to time and energy required. If the powder has the same arrangement of atoms as single-crystal LSO, it is possible that it could replace the crystal in PET scanners and reduce the cost of producing the scanners.
"This was a valuable experience because I was able to present my research, get an idea of what the professional world is like, and network with professionals and students who I may be working with in the future," Landis said. "I appreciate that Westminster encourages its students to go to conferences, because not all undergraduate institutions have such a strong focus on making sure students have a full idea of the professional world before they graduate."
Landis is a daughter of Carl and Janine Landis of New Waterford, Ohio, and a graduate of Crestview High School.
Landis received a travel/presentation grant from Westminster's Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to attend the conference.
Konik, Landis, and Nathan Barefoot served as student aides at the conference, making sure presentation rooms were prepared for the day's speakers and helping set up and supervise poster sessions.
Barefoot is a son of Deborah Barefoot of Huntingdon and a graduate of Huntingdon Area High School.
The Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning was created to enrich undergraduate education at Westminster through advancing world-class teaching as well as by participating in collaborations that address community and regional needs including strengthening K-12 education. The Undergraduate Research Initiative provides funding for students to conduct research and to present their research at regional and national conferences. Visit www.westminster.edu/drinko for more information about the Drinko Center and its programs.
Contact Boylan at (724) 946-6293 or email boylanhm@westminster.edu for additional information.
More Stories
