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Six Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science Seniors Present at Pittcon 2018

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Posted on Friday, March 23, 2018

Six seniors from the Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science Departments participated in the 2018 Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy (Pittcon) in Orlando, Florida. The students presented posters on their research and served as conference aids for the duration of the conference.

Students who presented were chemistry majors Christina Robb, Nathanial Cavlovic, Jennifer Bickel and Daniel Bogen and biochemistry majors Lindsay Homan and Tristan Toca

“Pittcon allowed me to get a taste of what it's like to be a professional chemist,” she said. “Not only did I get to talk to exhibitors and professors from across the country about what industry and higher-level academia are like, but I got to work alongside and help others in my field as an undergraduate.”

The students presented their research once, and then for the rest of the conference they assisted with registration, the Pittcon booth and exposition services. In exchange for their services, the conference covered the students’ registration and housing expenses.

While there, students also participated in networking opportunities, and three students obtained job interviews through the employment bureau at Pittcon. In the past four years, five graduates have secured technical positions through Pittcon’s employment bureau.

“I was able to communicate with scientists from all over the world while having fun at stations such as Lego car races or the lab gauntlet,” Robb said. “Basically, I was able to get a sense of how to network and work with other chemists.”

Dr. Helen Boylan and Dr. Jessica Sarver attended Pittcon with the students.  Boylan is a member of the Pittcon organizing committee, and this year she served as the chair of the social events committee with Sarver serving as a member of the committee.

Travel expenses for this conference were supported, in part, by Westminster’s Drinko Center for Experiential Learning

Written by Megan Simpson