Chemistry Department

Hall-Atwater Laboratories Room 10
52 Lawn Ave.
Middletown, CT 06459
chemistry@wesleyan.edu
1-860-685-2210

Research in Science 2010

Presentations form the Undergraduate Research Fellows and Associates in Chemistry

In conjunction with the Ronald E McNair & Mellon Mays Research Programs

(Photos by Olivia Bartlett)

	"Topological Mapping of the Alanine Dipeptide Hyperserface." Mentor: Professor David L. Beveridge "Scientific Computing and Informatics Center Summer Fellowship" Samuel Berman '10
	"Computational and Spectroscopic Investigations of Reversible Furan-Maleimid Cycoadditions: Parent Reaction and Derivatized Analogues." Mentor: Professor Brian H. Northrop "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Robert Boutelle, '11
	"The Interrupted Feist-Bénary reaction of 3,5-dimethoxyphenal with p-methoxybromopyravate." Mentor: Professor Michael A. Calter "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Sunil Chulani, '12 Sunil is a rising junior from Montego Bay, Jamaica. He is currently on the Wesleyan Cross Country and Track and Field teams, and enjoys learning/speaking Chinese, dancing, watching sports, and breaking glassware.
	"Determining Sequences specificity of TATA-binding protein using Molecular Beacon-Equilibrium Cyclization Detection" Mentor: Professor Philip H. Bolton and Professor Ishita Mukerji "Hughes Associate" Abstract Stephanie Clemente, "11
	"Construction of a Mn(II)-Selective Electrode" Mentor: Professor T. David Westmoreland "Hughes Associate" Abstract Jennifer Corcoran '12 Jennifer is from Manasquan, NJ where she attended High Technology High School She plans to major in Chemistry. Her interests include environmentalism, literature, artsy movies, music and singing. After Wesleyan, she hopes to attend medical school, maybe in a MD/PhD or MD/MPH program.
	"The Synthesis of a Novel b-lactamase Inhibitor." Mentor: Professor Rex F. Pratt "Hughes Associate" Abstract Cameron Couch '13 Cameron is from Dalton, Georgia but attended Patch American High School in Stuttgart Germany. He plans to major. in English and Neuro or MB&B. He enjoys the Rubik's cube, hiking, rock climbing and writing short fiction. After Wesleyan, he may join the Peace Corps or go to Grad School.
	"The Synthesis of a Novel b-lactamase Inhibitor." Mentor: Professor Erika A. Taylor "Hughes Associate" Abstract Molly Deutsch-Feldman '12 Molly is from Washington, DC. She is pursuing an Chemistry, MB&B, and International Relations majors. certificate. Her pastimes include running, violin and reading British murder mysteries. Her future plans include the Peace Corps and a job in public health.
	"Insight into Transition States in Protein RNA Recognition through MD Simulations" Mentor: Professor David L. Beveridge "Hughes Associate" Na Le (Lena) Dang '11 Lena is from Hanoi, Vietnam. She is a double major in Chemistry and MB&B. In her spare time she enjoys running. After Wesleyan, she hopes to attend medical school.
	"Determination of the Spectra and Structure of the ³⁶ AR Cyclopentanone van der Waals Complex." Mentor: Professor Stewart E. Novick and Professor Wallace C. Pringle "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Chinh Duong '13 Chinh is from Lincoln, NE, where he attended Lincoln North Star High School His majors are Chemistry and Environmental Studies. He enjoys playing soccer with friends, practicing mixed martial arts, reading the latest scientific news and learning to cook. His plans after Wesleyan, include potentially the Peace Corp or graduate school. Eventually, he would like to become a research chemist with contributions that can benefit academia and society.
	"Total Asymmetric Synthesis of Antifungal 8" Mentor: Professor Michael A. Calter "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Scott Greene, '13 Scott is from Summit, NJ. His interests include chemistry, Israeli Studies, baseball, tennis soccer, a and trumpet. In the future, Scott hopes to attend law school.
	"Synthesis of Platinum Ammine Complexes." Mentor: Professor T. David Westmoreland "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Christine Hsueh, '12 Christine is from Stony Brook, NY.
	"Dynamic Self Assembly of Porous Macromolecular Structures." Mentor: Professor Brian H. Northrop "Hughes Fellow" Abstract David Kishpaugh '11, Fellow for the Mellon Maya Undergraduate Program David hails from Lexington, MA where he attended Lexington High School. He is a double major in Chemistry and Physics. David enjoys playing and watching soccer and hockey. He is also interested in strategy games and politics.
	"Spectroscopy of Gas Phase Hydrogen Bound Clusters." Mentor: Professor Joseph L. Knee "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Thomas Kuntz, '12
	"Using MBEC to monitor Protein-DNA complexes." Mentor: Professor Philip H. Bolton and Professor Ishita Mukerji "Hughes Fellow" Jun Ha "John" Kwak, '12
	"Exploring an alternate syntheses pathway of Rocaglamide." Mentor: Professor Michael A. Calter "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Kelvin Kwofie, "12 Kelvin is a rising sophomore from Tema, Ghana. He attended United World College of the Atlantic. He plans to major in chemistry and possibly French. He plays club soccer and dances occasionally. He hopes to go to a medical school after Wesleyan but he is still thinking about his options.
	"The Oxidation of Diphenylacetaldehyde to Benzophenone." Mentor: Professor Albert J. Fry "Hughes Associate" Abstract Rachel Merzel, '12
	"Research Towards Synthesis of Simplified Lipid A Analogs Aa Targets for LPS Inhibitors." Mentor: Professor Erika A. Taylor "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Noreen Nkosana '11 Noreen is a rising junior from Harare, Zimbabwe, where she attended Harare High School. She is a chemistry major. She enjoys playing and watching soccer, watching TV, and listening to music. After Wesleyan she plans to go to medical school or study chemical engineering or pharmacy.
	"Investigation of Lignin Degradation Pathway: Characterizing Amidohydrolase Enzymes." Mentor: Professor Erika A. Taylor "McNair Fellow" Alejandra Olvera, '12
	"Effect of Condensins on Transcriptional Silencing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae." Mentor: Professor Scott Holmes "Hughes Fellow" Shiwei "Marjorie" Pan, '12
	"The Synthesis of a Novel b-lactamase Inhibitor." Mentor: Professor Rex F. Pratt "Hughes Fellow" Heidi Ransohoff, '12
	"Crystallographic Investigations of Heptosyltransferases in Gram-Negative Bacteria." Mentor: Professor Erika A. Taylor and Professor Rick Olson "Hughes Associate" Abstract Elisa Shapiro, '11
	"Anodic Oxidation of Cyclooctatetraene (COT) in the Presence of Various Diol." Mentor: Professor Albert J. Fry "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Boris Sheludko, '11
	"Synthesis of Dendritic Nanoparticles of Click Chemistry Methods." Mentor: Professor Brian H. Northrop "Scientific Computing and Informatics Center Summer Fellowship" Abstract Robert Stolz, '12
	"Synthesis of furan-substituted crown ether macrocycles and applications in self-assembling host-guest systems." Mentor: Professor Brian H. Northrop "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Sarah White, '11
	"Experimental/Computational Study of the Electrochemical Oxidation of isomer of Dibenzoyclooctatetraene and its isomer in methanol." Mentor: Professor Albert J. Fry "Scientific Computing and Informatics Center Summer Fellowship" Matenga Zuikomborero, '13
	"Ferromagnetically coupled trinuclear species as potential MRI contrast agents." Mentor: Professor T. David Westmoreland "Hughes Fellow" Abstract Nelson Zwane '12 Nelson (AKA King) is a rising junior ('12) from Siteki, Swaziland. He did his college prep at the United World College-USA after attending Good Shepard Catholic High in Swaziland. He plans to major in Chemistry and MB&B with a particular interest in NMR imaging studies. King plays on the Wesleyan soccer B team and club and intramurals and he likes Hip hop and kwaito music. He has a vision of helping alleviate if not eradicate HIV/AIDS in Africa.