We wish all of you, especially the graduating seniors, the very best in your current and future endeavors. Have a great summer and stay in touch... Send a picture postcard to add to Brock's postcard display!
IMPORTANT EVENTS FOR TODAY (WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30)
1. Academic Honors Pearsons Hall, 4:00 pm. There are lots of chemistry awards!
2. Annual Chem Club BOWLING event. Meet behind Chamberlin at
8:45 pm or Viking Lanes, South Beloit, at 9:00 pm. Let George know if you are
coming (we need enough people for the bowling alley to stay open late.)
Remember to let Rama know about your summer plans. Have all seniors submitted their paragraphs for the newsletter?
CHEM 380 SENIOR SEMINAR POSTER PRESENTATIONS
When and Where : 1 to 2 p.m., FRIDAY, APRIL 25 in the hallway, 4th Floor Chamberlin
Cookies and fruit punch will be provided. Everyone is cordially invited to drop
by and look at the posters. Very brief formal presentations are scheduled between
1 and 1.15 p.m.
Vu Nguyen: "Modification of Suppressor Mutation that Restores Biofilm Formation
to a siPW Mutant of Bacillus Subtilis"
Lauren Matzuka: "Is your thyroid making you fat? Synthesis of Thyroxine (T4)"
Jennifer Rumppe: "Evaluating Factors Affecting Cesium Extraction Performance
by Calix[4]arene Derivatives"
Ru Yi Teow: "Membrane Protein + fluorescent Probe = ?"
To All Chemistry and Biochemistry majors, especially
graduating seniors
A request from Rama
Please send email to ramav@beloit.edu letting him know about your summer plans. He plans to include your replies in the forthcoming Annual Newsletter. Graduating Seniors: Please send Rama a paragraph describing your summer plans and what you plan to do (Job? Graduate school? Travel?) after graduating from Beloit College. Also, contact Rama _soon_ to have your picture taken (or submit a picture to be scanned in) for publication in the Annual Newsletter--If you do not do this in advance, we will probably end up taking a picture of you in cap and gown at Commencement! Many thanks for your cooperation!
LOOKING FOR SUMMER INTERNSHIPS?
HERE IS ONE THAT STILL SEEMS TO BE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!
The Finch University of Health Sciences / The Chicago Medical School Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is offering a summer research program in biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, and biotechnology for current sophomores and juniors. $2500 stipend for 10 weeks. Information and application forms are posted outside 409 Chamberlin. Deadline May 15th.
SPECIAL THANKS
We received a note from Professor Wendy Crone, Department of Engineering Physics, UW-Madison, thanking Beloit for our help in presenting science to the public at the recent Engineering Expo. Thanks to Jason Marmon, Amanda Drennan, Jen Rumpe, Jacob Horger, Ru Yi Teow, Ezra Eibergen, and Stephanie Gage for spending Saturday talking about carbon nanotubes, ferrofluid, giant magnetoresistance, memory metal, and LEDs. For pictures see https://www.beloit.edu/chemistry/expo
To All Chemistry and Biochemistry majors, especially graduating seniors
Please send email to ramav@beloit.edu letting him know about your summer plans. He plans to include your replies in the forthcoming Annual Newsletter.Graduating Seniors: Please send Rama a paragraph describing your summer plans and what you plan to do (Job? Graduate school? Travel?) after graduating from Beloit College. Also, contact Rama _soon_ to have your picture taken for publication in the Annual Newsletter--If you do not do this in advance, we will probably end up taking a picture of you in cap and gown at Commencement!
Many thanks for your cooperation! Rama
27th ANNUAL STUDENT SYMPOSIUM AT BELOIT COLLEGE
Congratulations and best wishes to all the students who are presenting at the
Student Symposium today, Thursday, April 10. Here is a list of presentations
[verify times and venues in official booklet] by students who are Chemistry/Biochemistry
majors. Please attend as many as you can!
Muyiwa Awoniyi '03 (George Lisensky, Jonathan Arm) "Breathe Easy:
Regulating Asthma" 2.50 Wood Room
Ezra Eibergen '03 (George Lisensky) "Interfacing Instruments to
Computers: Visualizing Data" 1.35 Wood Room
Jimmy Franco '03 (Roc Ordman) "Alt-711 Reversing Crosslinkage
and Unlocking Aging" 2.00 Mathers (Pearsons) [poster]
Jimmy Franco (John Jungck, Rama Viswanathan) "Visualizing Complexity
in Biology: From Biochemistry to Ecology" 9.05 Wood Room
John Miura '04 (Laura Parmentier, James Remington) "Crystal Structure
of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Malate Synthase Complexed with Pyruvate and Acetyl-CoA"
4.25 Wood Room
Nancy Nguyen '04 (Marion Fass, John Meurer) "Asthma Nurse Education
Intervention and Lower-Income Asthmatic Children in Milwaukee, Wisconsin"
11.05 Wood Room
Vu Nguyen '03 (Beth Lazazzera, Nicola Stanley) "Biofilms: A General
Overview and Case Study" 4.00 Wood Room
Clarissa Schumacher '03 (Roc Ordman) "Controlling Disease Activity
in Rheumatoid Arthritis through Coping Efficacy" 2.25 Wood Room
Ru Yi Teow '03 (Roc Ordman, Paul Loach) "Preliminary Model of
Transmembrane Electron Transfer in Photosynthetic Bacteria" 3.35 Wood Room
SUMMER INTERNSHIP
The Bureau of Laboratory Services, Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection in Madison has a summer internship program analyzing environmental samples for pesticides and industrial pollutants. "We're looking for people with a basic knowledge of laboratory practices generally gained through participation in several college level laboratory courses, knowledge of the theory of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry [sounds like 230-235 would qualify!], an eye for detail, and the ability to work closely with others in a team." They also mention the advantages of getting practical experience with advanced equipment, networking with other professional chemists, and living in Madison, "one of the highest quality-of-life cities in the world." June 2 through August 22, 40 hours per week, $12 per hour. Send resume and a cover letter explaining what you hope to gain from this experience by April 28 to Steven Sobek, State of Wisconsin, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, PO Box 7883, Madison, WI 53707-7883.
The following schools have sent new information (on file in Chamberlin 409)
regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
St. George's University , St Vincent and Greneda- Medical Sciences
Summer Research Opportunity
I am pleased to announce the 2003 Schweppe Scholars Program for Biology and Biochemistry majors who are interested in Biomedical research. The Program funds 10 weeks of biomedical research and living expenses in the Chicago area. Interested students should apply with a description of their interests and a discussion of their career goals. Students who are interested in pursuing this program should speak with Jason Singer before they develop their proposals to refine their interests. Proposals are due April 7, 2003. Once your proposal is accepted, you will be paired with a researcher who will supervise your project in her/his lab. Former Schweppe Scholars include Jenny Brunk and Ru Yi Teow. Ken Yasukawa, Professor and Chair of Biology
Participate in Engineering Expo
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!
Contact George with the following information to volunteer for one or more 2-hour exhibit slots during the April 10th - 12th (Thurs. - Sat.) EXPO days:
Name:
e-mail address:
Preferred day to present (Thurs, Fri, or Sat): Preferred time of day (AM or PM):
Preferred demonstration (see list above) P.S. Participants will get some training about the demonstration, a nifty T-shirt, and get in free to the Expo.
Map of Chemistry and Biochemistry Majors
Check out the new map posted outside Chamberlin 411. It shows where in the world our majors are from and where they have studied, done research, or completed an internship abroad. If your pin has been misplaced or we didn't catch some place you've been, let Brock know.Have a relaxing and productive Spring Break..See you March 10
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy
The Department of Chemistry at the University of Iowa is pleased to announce
a Workshop on Microscopy, April 11th and 12th, 2003, Iowa City, IA
The workshop is open to Faculty and Students. Image your samples, learn about
Fluorescence Microscopy, Scanning Auger Microscopy, and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy,
and visit the University of Iowa! This workshop is FREE, and includes meals
and two nights lodging. All are welcome, but space is limited. RSVP michele-gerot@uiowa.edu
(319-335-1341) by March 26, 2003.
www.uiowa.edu/~chemdept/news/special.html
Special Seminar - Friday, February 21 - 2:00 PM in 400 Chamberlin Hall
BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE MIDWEST
Michael S. Rosen (Beloit '74) Vice-Chairman,
Human Health Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization ("IBIO") Michael will
be available for informal discussion of biotechnology career opportunities following
his talk.
Summer Opportunities
The Chemistry Department at Virginia Commonwealth University has a summer research program with a $3000 stipend and $500 for food. Deadline March 15th. Open to first year, sophmore and junior students. Projects are posted outside 411 Chamberlin and information/applications is available at http://www.people.vcu.edu/~sruder/reuhome.htm/.
The State University of New York College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry in Syracuse, NY has a summer research program in environmental chemistry, polymer chemistry, biochemistry, and natural products chemistry. Current first year, sophs, juniors. $3000 stipend, free housing, and some support for meals and travel. Deadline March 24th, and review of applications starts March 10th. Http://www.esf.edu/chemistry/reu/.
Abbott Laboratories, a health care products and services company near north of Chicago, offers 40 summer internships. Information and electronic resume submission are available at http://abbott.com/career/internships.html. Resumes are accepted from September 1 until March 1.
The Department of Energy offers a Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program for undergraduate research at its facilities (National Laboratories - Stony Brook on Long Island, Oak Ridge in TN, Argonne near Chicago, Los Alamos in New Mexico, Lawrence Livermore and Lawrence Berkeley labs in CA, and Pacific Northwest Labs in WA) . Applications are due at DOE no later than February 28, 2003. SULI targets undergraduate students who have not had an opportunity to work in an advanced scientific research environment, especially those belonging to underrepresented groups. The program incorporates both an individually mentored research component and a set of enrichment activities. Additional information is available at: http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/scied/erulf/about.html. To apply, students should complete the SULI application on the DoE Office of Science Web site.
Florida State University has a summer undergraduate research program in synthetic and bioorganic chemistry sponsored by the SynCure Cancer Research Foundation. For students at all levels through current juniors. $4500 stipend plus housing. Deadline March 3. Information and the application form are posted outside 409 Chamberlin (no web site listed).
The Academy of Natural Sciences offers Research Experiences for Undergraduates in a 10-week program running from June 1-Aug. 9, 2003. This NSF-sponsored program provides research experience in natural history, systematics, and environmental science. The program accepts 7-8 students each year, who work with research scientists on independent projects. Students are provided housing and a weekly stipend for living expenses. Deadline for applications is March 1, 2003. For more information on the program and how to apply, visit the Academy web site: http://www.acnatsci.org/research/reu.html
JOURNAL OF YOUNG INVESTIGATORS (JYI)
POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Science Journalists Feature Editors Senior Features Editor Associate Editors
Research Editors Web and Technical Staff Chief Technical Officer/Web Master
Public Relations Staff Director of Public Relations Graphic Designers Editor-in-Chief.
For more information about available positions, please visit http://www.jyi.org/aboutJYI/helpWanted.html
Would you be great for a position not advertised? Inquire with the Director
of Public Relations, Joshua Tusin, by e-mailing him at: tusin@jyi.org
The Journal of Young Investigators (www.jyi.org) is an on-line science
journal dedicated to publishing excellent undergraduate research papers and
feature-type science articles covering all fields of science. Founded in 1997,
JYI's staff members currently represent over 30 different academic institutions
and are in 8 countries. JYI has been featured in Nature, EurekAlert!, Chemical
Engineering News, The New York Times and The Chronicle on Higher Education.
Associate Editors and Science Journalists work with university faculty mentors
and professionals in the science writing community to write and edit outstanding
research papers and feature articles. Feature Editors and Research Editors
work with Science Journalists and Associate Editors to produce articles for
publication. The Senior Features Editor and the Editor-in-Chief coordinate
the day-to-day functioning of the journal, and work to expand access to additional
learning experiences. The Webmaster coordinates publication of feature and
research articles on line, institutes website improvements and tends to the
web site, as well as coordinating the web team. The Director of Public Relations
coordinates the recruitment efforts of the journal, and works with the Public
Relations Staff to produce high quality PR materials, and works to increase
the awareness of JYI around the world. The graphic designers implement multimedia
features and images or figures to be used in conjunction with the published
articles.
JYI provides an unprecedented opportunity for undergraduate students to work
as part of an editorial team dedicated to producing a top-notch scientific
journal geared to address their needs. JYI is a great testing ground for students
contemplating a career in science writing, and provides undergraduate scientists
with an opportunity to experience scientific publishing. Because JYI's undergraduate
staff generally leaves the journal after graduating, applications are accepted
year-round.
The following schools have sent new information (on file in Chamberlin
409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
1) University of Wisconsin Medical School - Population health
IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ AND RESPOND ASAP!
Division I course schedules for next Fall are beginning to appear on the
blackboard in 215 Chamberlin. Please check them for conflicts and let us
know of any.
The preliminary course schedule for chemistry is:
117.1 General Chemistry 8-10 MWF
117.2 General Chemistry 10-12 MWF
230.1 Organic Chemistry I 9 MWF + 8 Tu + lab 1-4 Tu or W
230.2 Organic Chemistry
I 10 MWF + 11 Tu + lab 1-4 Tu or W
300 Biochemistry 11 MWThF + lab 1-4 Th
375 Advanced Biochemistry 9 MWF + 8 Tu + lab arranged
We will also offer either 250 Inorganic Chemistry or 375
Molecular Modeling and Visualization (which can be used in place of 245 Quantum
Chemistry for
the major)
Please complete and return the following survey to BROCK SPENCER (spencer@beloit.edu)
by noon on Monday, February 10th
___ I intend to take 300 Biochemistry next fall.
___ I intend to take 375 Advanced Biochemistry next fall.
___ If it is offered, I intend to take 250 Inorganic Chemistry next fall.
___ If it is offered, I intend to take 375 Molecular Modeling and Visualization
next fall.
This announcement has been sent by email to all declared
chemistry and biochemistry majors, but it is possible that we may have
missed you if
you declared recently or have just not gotten around to declaring the major--so
please respond to help select what course is offered.
Summer Opportunities
Loyola University in Chicago offers summer research in chemistry for current first year, sophomore, and junior students. $4500 stipend. Deadline March 3rd. See http://www.lue.edu/chemistry/reu/.
The University of Southern Mississippi has an NSF REU program in polymer science. $3500 stipend plus support for room, board, and travel. Deadline April 1st. http://www.psrc.usm.edu/mrsec/education.htm/.
American Chemical Society's Summer School in Nuclear and Radiochemistry seeks curious and highly motivated students with strong science backgrounds. If selected, these students receive an all-expense paid opportunity to complete a 6 week summer course in Nuclear and Radiochemistry in either CA or NY. They also earn 6 hours (tuition paid) of undergraduate chemistry credit through either San Jose State University or SUNY-Stoney Brook. Program information and downloadable application and personal reference forms, can be found at http://www.cofc.edu/~nuclear/nukess.html
Internship Opportunities
The Student Conservation Association offers 3- to 12-month internships around the country in national parks, forests, and historic sites. The positions provide expenses plus a weekly living allowance, and you can earn an AmeriCorps education award for many positions of up to $4725. The selection process for summer positions starts March 3rd, although earlier applications may be considered for early selection. Other time are June 2 for August-Sept starts, mid-September for Oct-Dec starts, and mid-November for Jan-Feb starts. Information is available at http://www.thesca.org/.
Job Opportunity
My name is Trevor Kaul, and I am an environmental associate with WISPIRG,
the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group. The PIRGs are state-based,
non-profit groups that work on behalf of the public to protect our environment,
protect consumers from being ripped off, and defend both public health
and our democratic process. When I was in college, I didn't really know
what I wanted to do for a living. I knew that I didn't want to work in
a cubicle, didn't want to work for
a faceless corporation, and didn't want to work for something I didn't
believe
in. Fortunately, I found out there are other options available. As a graduating
senior you are no doubt trying to decide what you will do next year and
I want to let you know about the opportunities available
in
the public interest and social change fields. This year we will be hiring
120 college graduates to work all around the country on a variety of issues
including: solutions to our energy problems;
protecting our national forests; campaign finance reform; clean air; protecting
individuals from identity theft; and many other public interest issues.
If you would like to find out more about these job opportunities, please
read the attachments on two of the positions we will be hiring for. If
you think that you would be interested in joining our fight you can e-mail
me
at WISPIRG_associate@tds.net. We will also be on campus to do an info session
at 7:00 p.m. on the 18th of February and interviews on the 19th. If you
would like to sign up for the info session and interview contact the Career
Center
at ext 2673. Trevor Kaul, WISPIRG
Summer Opportunities
Summer Program in Undergraduate Research at Case Western Reserve
University. Case Western Reserve University offers summer research opportunities
for undergraduates in the life sciences. Students will spend ten weeks working
in a research laboratory a will receive a stipend. Application Deadline must
be received by February 1. For more info go to http://www.cwru.edu/artsci/biol/hhmi/spur.html
The College of Marine Studies at the University of Delaware is offering summer
research opportunities in Marine Biology, Oceanography, Physical Ocean Science
and Engineering. Dormitory housing, travel, and a $3300 stipend. Deadline
February 28th. Information and applications available at http://www.ocean.udel.edu/academics/undergrad/reu/intern.html/.
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville has a summer research program for
current sophomores and juniors. Deadline February 18. Information and on-line
applications at http://www.chem.utk.edu/reu/reu.html/.
Fellowships
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Department of Chemistry Is pleased to announce the availability of a number of fellowships . The benefits include Doctorial Graduate Fellowships, $18,300 per year support stipend, Waiver of tuition and fees, $3,700 for health insurance, a personal computer, and travel to scientific meetings, add ional support for certain research expenses. Applicants must be U.S citizens or permanent residents with a Ph.D degree objective. For more info go to www.chem.iupui.edu
Internships
The University of Oregon has a paid industrial internship. Interns can
expect to earn $2000 - $3000. For more info go to http://materialscience.uoregon.edu/Graduate/apptext.html
Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE) at the University
of California Santa Barbara
Research Experience for Undergraduates - Summer 2003 Program Dates: June
16- August 22
Sponsored by the Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), the Advanced Optical
Materials IGERT Program, and the College of Engineering at the University
of California Santa Barbara
This internship program will bring science and engineering undergraduates
to the UC Santa Barbara campus for a summer research experience. Interns
will gain first-hand experience in scientific investigation in a dynamic,
collaborative research environment. They will be matched individually with
UCSB faculty and graduate student lab mentors who will provide training
and support. Interns will also attend weekly meetings, special seminars,
and have the opportunity to develop their presentation skills throughout
the summer. The stipend for undergraduate interns is $3,500 for 10 weeks
at 35 hrs/week. Housing and travel costs to and from the UCSB campus will
be provided. Visit our web site for complete information and to download
the application form at
http://www.mrl.ucsb.edu/mrl/outreach/edu_out/RISE/RISE.html
or e-mail Dr. Dorothy Pak, MRL Intern Coordinator at pak@geol.ucsb.edu.
Application Deadline: February 28, 2003.
Dr. Dorothy Pak, Intern Coordinator, Materials Research Laboratory, University
of California at Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 93106, (805) 893-4181 (phone),
(805) 893-2314 (fax)
.
The following schools have sent new information (on file in Chamberlin
409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
1) Iowa State University- Biochemistry
2) St. Georgeís University- Veterinary Medicine
3) Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis-Chemistry
4) The University of Texas at Dallas - Chemistry
5) University of Idaho- Chemistry
6) Boston University - Education
7) Colorado State- Chemistry
8) PennState- Biosciences
9) Montana State University, Bozeman- Biochemistry
10) University of Minnesota- Joint Program in Law , Health & the Life
Sciences
Welcome back after the holidays, and we wish you a Happy New Year. This is a special edition of the newsletter that should be quite IMPORTANT for those of you who are considering applying for SUMMER INTERNSHIPS/RESEARCH PROGRAMS. A whole slew of announcements came in over the break, so please read the notices carefully. Many of the application deadlines are SOON (February 1 to February 15), but the application process has become easier for many of the programs since you can simply apply on-line! Good luck! Talk to Brock Spencer or Rama Viswanathan if you have questions.
1. The systems software for the Chemistry Computer Laboratory machines (Rooms 412 and 419) has been upgraded so that all the Macs now use System 9.2.2. The latest versions of InternetExplorer (version 5.1.6) and Netscape (version 7) have also been installed. We hope that the computers will be more stable now. Please email ramav@beloit.edu or leave a note on Rama's door (Room 402) if you have questions or encounter glitches or problems. Note that as usual, you should save your work frequenctly to your server account. If the work is really important, you should also consider backing up your work to a ZIP disk from the server through one of the three machines in Room 412 that have a ZIP drive. Of course, you can also access your server account from any IBM PC on the network and copy your work to floppy disks. In any case, please note that the server accounts are not backed up frequently. In most cases, we will not be able to recover lost work!
2. ACS Rock River Section has an interesting dinner/talk scheduled for MONDAY, JANUARY 27 at ROCKFORD COLLEGE. Dr. Surles, Associate Director for Energy Programs at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (also Manager of the California Energy Commission's R & D Program) is the featured speaker.
Abstract: The California energy crisis exposed flaws in a system designed to be consumer friendly. The fundamental issue is whether we as a society should treat electricity as a public good or as a commodity. Further complicating this choice has been private sector behavior, which has cost society dearly and, in the final analysis, has done nothing to help the industry. The public sector's response is similar to that of the oil price shocks of the 70s. Conservation has come back into favor, fueled by new technologies and public incentives. New distributed energy resources are also offering customers additional choices that go beyond central station electricity. All this is taking place in the context of global climate change. Therefore, new energy technologies and policies must be developed to provide solutions for our planet's future.
If there is enough interest, Rama will drive a minivan to Rockford. To be in time for dinner (FREE! ChemClub, Department will pick up the tab!), we have to leave Chamberlin Hall by 5.15 p.m. If we plan to just attend the talk, we can leave at 6.30 p.m. The talk begins at 7.15 p.m. and we should be back by approximately 9 p.m. Email ramav@beloit.edu by 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 23 if you are interested, and indicate whether you would like to attend just the talk or both dinner and talk.
3. Student Research Fellowships in Chemistry at BELOIT COLLEGE
We now have three student Research Fellowship funds in chemistry in memory of alumni David Norris '92, Ed Stevens '78 and Kenneth Kemmerer '30. The purpose of these Fellowships is to encourage and support chemistry-related undergraduate research by providing funds for research expenses and/or travel to present research results. Research that draws connections between chemistry and other fields in the sciences and beyond is encouraged, and student interest in and capability for benefiting from the research experience will be of primary consideration in making the awards.
Proposals for research support or for support to present research results at a regional or national meeting may be submitted at any time. For example, you may be registering for a Special Project now, or you may want to continue your prior research and/or present it at a professional meeting. If you are planning a research project or a research presentation and would like to be considered for support, please submit a proposal (a brief description of the project or presentation along with a budget) to Brock Spencer (spencer@beloit.edu).
The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth hires undergraduates as instructional assistants for their two 3-week summer courses for gifted elementary, middle, and high school students at 21 residential sites in AZ, CA, HI, MA, MD, NY, PA, RI, and VA. Courses are in chemistry, biology, engineering, and field studies. $900 per 3-week session with room and board. Consideration of applications begins January 31. Information is available at http://www.cty.jhu.edu/summer/employment/.
The University of Wisconsin - Madison College of Engineering offers a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURF) and Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program for current sophomores and juniors with a 3.0 GPA, US citizen or permanent resident, interested in graduate work in engineering or math, physics, chemistry, or other physical science. $3500 stipend, room, food allowance, transportation for a total of $4500. Placement began January 15 and will continue until March 1st. See http://studentservices.engr.wisc.edu/diversity/sure/.
Iowa State University has an REU program in computational materials science for students in chemistry, physics, and math. Support includes $3000 stipend, room, board, and funds to present your results at a national meeting. See http://www.chem.iastate.edu/reu/.
Argonne National Laboratory (west of Chicago) and other national laboratories around the country (Brookhaven on Long Island, Los Alamos NM, Lawrence Livermore CA, Pacific Northwest WA) have a summer basic science research program in the physical and life sciences, mathematics, computer science, and engineering, as well as applied research related to coal, conservation, environmental impact and technology, fission, and fusion technology. You can get information about all of the programs and submit an application at http://www.scied.science.doe.gov and specifically for the Argonne program see http://www.dep.anl.gov. Open to current freshmen through seniors with a 2.5 or higher GPA, US citizens or permanent residents. Information about stipend, housing, transportation etc. is on the web site.
The Department of Biochemistry at the University of Vermont (including faculty member Stephen Everse, a Beloit alumnus) has a 9-week summer research program for majors in biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, or physics. $4500 stipend. Deadline March 3rd. See http://biochem.uvm.edu/sure/.
The University of Pittsburgh Medical School's Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics has an NIH-NSF Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Summer Institute summer research program for current sophomores, juniors, and seniors. $300 per week plus subsidized housing. Deadline February 15. See http://www.ccbb.pitt.edu/bbsi/.
Northwestern University's Materials Research Science and Engineering Center has a summer research program (and additional minority program) for current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in physics, chemistry, materials science or engineering. $4000 stipend. February 15th deadline, but they suggest early application. See http://mrcemis.ms.nwu.edu/.
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has a summer research program in the biomedical sciences. Deadline February 15th. See http://gsbs.utmb.edu/surp/.
The Center for Computational Quantum Chemistry at the University of Georgia has a summer research program for current juniors who will have completed a year of physical chemistry. Travel plus $1900 per month provided. Deadline March 1st. http;//www.ccqc.uga.edu/summer page.
Summer Research The Department of Chemistry at the University of Virginia has a 10 week NSF REU summer research program. $3150 stipend and group housing with cooking facilities provided. Deadline March 4th. Information and applications posted outside 409 Chamberlin and available at http://www.people.virginia.edu/~jnd/REU02/REU02.htm.
The Department of Chemistry at the University of Southern California has an NSF REU program for 10 weeks with housing, meals, medical coverage, travel, and a $3000 stipend. Broad selection of research groups in inorganic/biochemistry, physical/theoretical, and organic/materials chemistry. Deadline February 10th. See http://chem.usc.edu/undergraduate/reu_prog.html. The NSF summer research program in solid state chemistry starts with a week of tutorials at Clemson University on state-of-the-art developments in solid state chemistry (by, among others, George Lisensky-- check out the program announcement on his door with his picture on it), then do 9 weeks of research in one of a number of academic, industrial, or government labs. At the end, the participants reconvene at Clemson to report on their research. $3500 stipend plus $700 housing and travel for the pre- and post-sessions. Deadline February 14th, but "evaluation and admission processes will begin upon receipt of the completed application," so early applications would appear to offer a real advantage. Information is available at http://chemistry.clemson.edu/nsfsrpssc.html and on George's office door.
Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland offers 10 weeks of research in the life sciences, including the School of Medicine and School of Engineering, chemistry, environmental health science, pharmacology, psychology, anthropology, biochemistry, and a variety of biolgical sciences. Deadline February 1. Partially funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (i.e. not NSF or NIH), so it may be open to international students. See http://www.cwru.edu/artsci/biol/hhmi/spur.html.
Coe College has an NSF REU program in chemistry and physics for the coming summer. $3200 stipend plus free on-campus housing. Deadline March 1st. Posted outside 409 and available at http://www.public.coe.edu/departments/chemistry/reu.
The University of Pittsburgh has a summer undergraduate research program in the biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, neuroscience, and physics for students seriously interested in a research career in biological sciences, biochemistry, biophysics, or computational biology. $4000 stipend, free housing, $600 food allowance. Deadline February 3, 2003. Information outside Chamberlin 409 and at http://www.pitt.edu/~hhmi. Since this program is supported by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant, it does not appear to have the restriction to US citizens and permanent residents that the NSF programs do.
Cornell University's Center for Materials Research is offering a summer research program for 35 students on interdisciplinary materials research projects involving chemistry, physics, materials science and engineering. This program has a particularly rich set of activities for the students involved including mini-courses, seminars, grad student discussions about their experiences, and optional weekend excursions. All participants share a campus house together with breakfast and dinner provided, along with a $3750 stipend and a travel allowance. This is the program that Jen Rumppe ('03) had a great time on last summer and recommends highly -- her picture at Niagara Falls is included in the brochure that just arrived. Information is [finally!] available at http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/reu.
The University of Oregon offers research opportunities in chemical physics and materials science for physics and chemistry majors. The program includes field trips and provides a $3200 stipend, room and board, and travel expenses. Deadline February 15th. Information is available at http://materialscience.uoregon.edu/Undergraduate/reu/reu.htm (with music!). We have had students in this program in the past who have had excellent experiences.
The University of South Carolina has a summer research program in nanoscience (polymers, quantum dots, self-assembling nanostructures, dendrimers, DNA....) with a $3700 stipend and free housing. Deadline March 1. Information at http://www.nano.sc.edu/reu
The University of Utah has a summer research program in chemistry for current juniors. $3000 stipend, housing, and up to $500 travel. No deadline, so apply sooner rather than later. Information is posted outside 409 Chamberlin (only - no web site).
NASA offers 10-week summer and 15-week fall undergraduate research experiences for current sophomores and juniors who are U.S. citizens with a GPA of 3.0 or above. Application deadline January 27, 2003. Information and applications are available at http://education.nasa.gov/usrp.
The Department of Bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has a summer undergraduate research program in microbiology, microbial genetics, and molecular biology. $3000 stipend, free dorm housing, and a food allowance are provided. U.S. citizens and permanent residents who will be seniors or juniors next year. "Disabled students, minority students, and students from smaller liberal arts institutions where comparable research facilities are unavailable are particularly encouraged to apply." Beloit students have been in this program in the past. Deadline March 1st. Information and applications are posted outside 409 Chamberlin and are available at http://www.bact.wisc.edu/REU/Application.html.
The Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island offers an 11-week NSSF-REU summer research program for 14 participants including a research cruise, field work, lab work, etc, as well as field trips and day cruises. A stipend and off-campus housing are provided. "All students graduating after September 2003 are encouraged to apply." Leah Bandstra '01 was in this program and went on to grad school in oceanography (although at Oregon State), so they should be favorably inclined toward Beloit students. Information at http://espo.gso.uri.edu/~surfo and deadline March 15th.
The Chemistry Department at Michigan State University has a summer research program for current sophomores and juniors. $3000 stipend plus room, board, and travel. Deadline March 1st. Information, including research areas, is posted outside 409 Chamberlin and is available at http://poohbah.cem.msu.edu/ungrad/reu/index.html.
The College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Madison is offering a summer research program that includes projects in chemistry, physics, biomedical engineering, materials science, and medical physics, as well as the usual fields of engineering. They are particularly interested in identifying underrepresented candidates including first generation/low income, women, and students of color. Current sophomores and juniors, US citizens or permanent residents, with a GPA of 3.0 or above. $3500 stipend, room, small food allowance, transportation. They prefer an on-line application at http://studentservices.engr.wisc.edu/diversity/sure/. Placements will begin January 15th so early applications are encouraged. Final deadline is March 1st.
he Marshfield Medical Research Foundation (Marshfield is in central Wisconsin) is offering five summer research internships in the laboratory biomedical sciences to current sophomores and juniors interested in careers in biomedical research or health care. We have had Beloit students here before, including an international student. The program provides a $3600 stipend and apartment housing for 12 weeks. Deadline February 21st. Information and applications are posted outside 409 Chamberlin and are available at http://www.marshfieldclinic.org/research/.
The Materials Research Center at Northwestern University is offering Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Materials Research Internships for Minority Undergraduates. We have a Beloit alumnus who is a grad student there now after having done a summer of research in this program. Open to students with at least one undergraduate year left to go. $4000 stipend. Deadline February 15th, but early applications are encouraged. Information and applications posted outside 409 Chamberlin and available at http://mrcemis.ms.nwu.edu/.
The Materials Science Institute at the University of Oregon is offering two week-long, expense-paid, summer workshops. Chip Camp, covering the physics and chemistry of microelectronic devices (make your own LEDs!) - June 15-22 with a February 15th deadline. Poly Camp, polymer synthesis and characterization - June 22-28 with a March 1 deadline. Posted outside 409 Chamberlin.
We seek curious and highly motivated students with strong science backgrounds. If selected, these students receive an all-expense paid opportunity to complete a 6 week summer course in Nuclear and Radiochemistry in either CA or NY. They also earn 6 hours (tuition paid) of undergraduate chemistry credit through either San Jose State University or SUNY-Stoney Brook.Information, and downloadable application and personal reference forms, can also be found on the web at the following URL:http://www.cofc.edu/~nuclear/nukess.html. The deadline for applications is February 1, 2003. We find, however, that many students begin their applications during the upcoming Christmas holidays. Please encourage your students to consider this unique opportunity! If you or your students have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me (nuclear@mail.wsu.edu).
In 1983, the Medical College of Wisconsin instituted the "Summer Program for Undergraduate Research" (SPUR). The major objective of SPUR is to introduce students to the operation of a basic science research laboratory. We want to attract talented students into basic science research, as well as facilitate the career choices of each student. The health of biomedical research is tightly linked to its diverse interdisciplinary nature, and we sense a strong and growing need to attract graduate students from diverse backgrounds. We have recently begun an initiative to broaden our prospective student base to include students in quantitative disciplines including chemistry, physics, engineering, biomedical engineering and computer science. The students receive a stipend of $3000.00 for their 10 week experience. SPUR is structured to allow the student and a preceptor work closely together for 10 weeks on research projects that are part of the preceptors' extramurally funded, peer-reviewed research program. We provide a "shadowing" experience for those who qualify giving students an extra opportunity to view the scientist or physician work flow. There are three major criteria for selection into the SPUR program. The first criterion for selection into our program is a minimum 3.0 grade point average. A second criterion the applicant must be studying in a science-related field with intention of a science-related career. Applicants must obtain two letters of recommendation to support the application. The undergraduate faculty or advisors who write these usually have knowledge of the applicant's aptitude for a science-related career. The extremely positive nature of the SPUR experience results in students becoming advocates or ambassadors of science. The importance of this advocacy can not be overstated. This is a terrific opportunity for scholars you currently mentor. Please visit our website at http://www.mcw.edu/research/student/spur/index.html
NASA is seeking undergraduate students from diverse communities who are interested in a challenging research experience at a NASA center . 10-week Summer sessions and 15-week Fall sessions will available. Aligned with NASA's research and development mission, the USRP program provides students with a technical mentor and excellent hands-on experience. Students will receive weekly stipends of $500, plus round-trip travel allowance. Eligibility: Students must meet the following eligibility requirements to participate in NASA's Undergraduate Student Research Program: * Must be classified as a rising junior or senior after Spring 2003 semester/quarter * U.S. Citizenship * Must be enrolled full-time in an accredited U.S. College or University * Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 * Eligible fields of study are academic majors or demonstrated coursework or concentration in engineering, mathematics, compute science or physical/life science * Demonstrated strong interest/commitment to one of the above career fields or disciplines (e.g., science/math/engineering fairs, clubs or awards; tutoring/mentoring; internships or other elated experience). For further information about USRP applications and deadlines, visit http://education.nasa.gov/usrp after. Deadline for application to reach the Virginia Space Grant Consortium office is January 27, 2003.
December 12, 2002
4 students from ChemClub went with Visting Instructors Hakan Carlsson and Christy Whiddon to the UW-Madison Chemistry Department on Saturday to see Professor Bassam Shakashiri's chemistry demonstration show on December 7, 2002. Bassam Z. Shakhashiri just won the 2003 AAAS award for "Public Understanding of Science and Technology" for his endless efforts to improve public understanding and appreciation of science and technology. The Chem Club sponsored the trip, which included a small tour of Madison and dinner following the show. A good time was had by all!
As they finish their teaching stints at Beloit College, we would also like to take this opportunity to thank Håkan and Christy for being such wonderful colleagues. We wish them all the very best in their future endeavors.
Sunday, Dec. 15 if there is enough interest and a quorum!
Please email zenir@stu by Friday 12/13 if you plan to attend-- in room 409 Chamberlin at 5.30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15. [Attendance makes you eligible to participate in a drawing for a framed print donated by Rama.]
The NSF summer research program in solid state chemistry starts with a week of tutorials at Clemson University on state-of-the-art developments in solid state chemistry (by, among others, George Lisensky-- check out the program announcement on his door with his picture on it), then do 9 weeks of research in one of a number of academic, industrial, or government labs. At the end, the participants reconvene at Clemson to report on their research. $3500 stipend plus $700 housing and travel for the pre- and post-sessions. Deadline February 14th, but "evaluation and admission processes will begin upon receipt of the completed application," so early applications would appear to offer a real advantage. Information is available at http://chemistry.clemson.edu/nsfsrpssc.html and on George's office door.
Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland offers 10 weeks
of research in the life sciences, including the School of Medicine
and School of Engineering, chemistry, environmental health science,
pharmacology, psychology, anthropology, biochemistry, and a variety
of biolgical sciences. Deadline February 1. Partially funded by
the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (i.e. not NSF or NIH), so
it may be open to international students. See
http://www.cwru.edu/artsci/biol/hhmi/spur.html.
Coe College has an NSF REU program in chemistry and physics for the coming summer. $3200 stipend plus free on-campus housing. Deadline March 1st. Posted outside 409 and available at http://www.public.coe.edu/departments/chemistry/reu.
The University of Pittsburgh has a summer undergraduate research program in the biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, neuroscience, and physics for students seriously interested in a research career in biological sciences, biochemistry, biophysics, or computational biology. $4000 stipend, free housing, $600 food allowance. Deadline February 3, 2003. Information outside Chamberlin 409 and at http://www.pitt.edu/~hhmi. Since this program is supported by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant, it does not appear to have the restriction to US citizens and permanent residents that the NSF programs do.
Cornell University's Center for Materials Research is offering a summer research program for 35 students on interdisciplinary materials research projects involving chemistry, physics, materials science and engineering. This program has a particularly rich set of activities for the students involved including mini-courses, seminars, grad student discussions about their experiences, and optional weekend excursions. All participants share a campus house together with breakfast and dinner provided, along with a $3750 stipend and a travel allowance. This is the program that Jen Rumppe ('03) had a great time on last summer and recommends highly -- her picture at Niagara Falls is included in the brochure that just arrived. Information is available at http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/reu.
Each year several of our MCW faculty visit undergraduate campuses to share their research and introduce students to the Graduate Program of Biomedical Sciences Medical College of Wisconsin. While presentations can be tailored to meet your student needs, the typical format would include a 30-minute discussion of specific research, followed by discussion and questions, concluding with an introduction to the graduate degree programs offered.
[Email ramav@beloit.edu if you are interested in having a speaker visit and make a presentation next semester. In particular, let rama know which topics you are interested in!]
Graduate students at the Medical College of Wisconsin focus on applied research with collaborative relationships worldwide. Students do not serve as teaching assistants, but rather as researchers. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers scholarship, tuition and health insurance to all Ph.D. students, a package totaling $31, 943 in the current school year. The amount includes living expenses. [As you may surmise there is healthy competition to be admitted into the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences!]
Dave Basile: Kidney injury resulting from low oxygen. How is
the kidney repaired after injury?
Bert Forster: What causes Sudden Infant Death? What causes breathing
to increase during exercise? Julian Lombard: Use of diverse rat
strains to identify genetic bases of altered vascular control
in hypertension Vascular alterations with high salt diet: major
changes in the absence of an elevated blood pressure.
Dave Mattson: Importance of our kidneys in high blood pressure
Peter Tonellato: Career Opportunities in Bioinformatics. The future
of Medicine: Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Personalized Medicine.
Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Applied to Biomedical
Genetics
Howard Jacob: Why I went to Graduate School Rather than Wall Street.
Graduate School in the genetic area: The moon shot or genetics
and physiology:The future of Medicine
Liz Jacobs The Lung HETEs and EETS up
Cecilia Hillard The brain's marijuana
Ted DeYoe The human brain and its role in vision Cheryl Stucky
: Pain in the brain
Maria Crowe: Approaches to spinal cord injury repair
Janis Eells: Neurotoxins, B-vitamins and blindness Ravi Misra:
How are genes in the brain expressed?
Alfred Nicolose: Role of stretch in cardiac contractile dysfunction
Andy Greene: Images of the working brain. How magnetic resonance
imaging is changing the way we think about the brain. Biotechnology
opportunities in medical research Life and death in the microcirculation:
A day in the life of a blood vessel
Simon Twigger: Bioinformatics-Linking physiology with the genome.
Rat genome database-Bioinformatics tools in support of rat genetics
and genomics
Michael Olivier: Human disease genetics, the Human Genome Project,
comparative genomics, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and
haplotypes, gene expression profiling, or proteomics.
December 5, 2002
DECEMBER 5, 1-3 PM in CAFE BIO
The biochemistry class has been doing a community service project. Students from the class have gone out to a wide range of people in the community (police, fire department, politicians, school teachers, pastors) and asked what biochemical questions they face and would like to have answered in their daily work. As a part of the project the students will be giving short talks on what they have found out in reply to these questions. We therefore invite you to come along and listen in. The talks will be held in CAFE BIO (the Biology dept Seminar room in Cham, 2nd floor) Thursday between 1 and 3pm. Come for one or two or why not enjoy the whole afternoon. Håkan Carlsson, Chemistry
1.00 Nana Sarkoah Fenny Plant Adaptations to UV Radiation-Induced
DNA Damage
1.15 Ezra Eibergen Structures During Replication and Transcriptions
1.30 Emily Good Photosynthesis Mechanisms
1.45 Molly Irick Photosynthesis and Respiration
2.00 Mike Flanagan The Threat Posed By Potential Biological or
Chemical Terrorist Attack
2.15 George Stanton The Science Behind Deep Breaths and Intoximeters
2.30 Don Rohr Properties of Pepper Spray
2.45 Joshua Tusin Recovery From Pepper Spray
DECEMBER 6, RUTH PETERSON ROOM, MAYER HALL
Mark Snider, a candidate for the tenure track biochemistry position, will speak on
Mark Snider received a BA in chemistry from Capital University (Columbus, OH) and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research examines structure-function relationships in enzymes and mechanistic enzymology. He is currently a visiting professor at The College of Wooster (Ohio).
Please attend and provide feedback to George Lisensky or Bryna Dunaway.
POSTER DISPLAYS BY YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE FOYER OF MAYER HALL.
You are cordially invited to join us for the class hour from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, December 6 in the foyer of Mayer Hall, when the authors will be on hand to present their posters and answer your questions. Cookies and fruit punch will be served!
(EARLY APPLICATIONS ENCOURAGED)
NANOTECHNOLOGY, WITH $$$$: The seminar speaker from Purdue (Prof. Albena Ivanisevic) mentioned two REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) programs there, one in Biomedical Engineering (http://www.ecn.purdue.edu/BME/REU/) and the other in Materials Science (https://engineering.purdue.edu/MSE/Research/MSE/REU/). Both accept students from a wide range of science backgrounds. The 10 week research program provides a $3000 stipend plus $1000 EACH for room, board, and travel.
MATERIALS SCIENCE WITH $$$: Virginia Tech offers a summer research program in advanced materials research (organic, thermo, pchem, engineering) for current sophomore and juniors with a $5000 stipend for 10 weeks. Deadline is February 7th. Information posted (with brochures) outside 409 Chamberlin and at http://www.chem.vt.edu/chem-dept/NSF/STCweb1/SURPhomepage.html
POLYMERS AND COATINGS WITH $$$: North Dakota State University Department of Polymers and Coatings has summer research positions for current juniors in chemistry, materials science, and related fields. Stipend of $3500 plus lodging for 10 weeks. "Applications should be submitted as soon as possible, since offers may be made as early as March 31, 2002." Information is posted outside 409 Chamberlin and is available at http://www.ndsu.edu/ndsu/polymers_coatings/.
The following schools have sent new information (on file
in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
PennState - Integrative Biosciences
Tulane University - Chemistry
St George's University- Veterinary Sciences
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - Biochemistry
University of California, Riverside - Chemistry
Arizona State University - Chemistry
November 27, 2002
DECEMBER 3, CHAMBERLIN 400
Christine Smith, a candidate for the tenure track biochemistry position, will speak on
Christine Smith received a B.S. in chemistry and election to Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University, an M.A.T. from Concordia, and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale. Her research involves analysis of proteins isolated from yeast. She is currently a visiting professor at Reed College.
Please attend and provide feedback to George Lisensky or Bryna Dunaway.
November 21, 2002
NOVEMBER 22, ROOM 409 CHAMBERLIN
Come and learn about the latest developments in NANOTECHNOLOGY
from an expert!
Prof.Albena Ivanisevic, Departments of Chemistry & Chemical
Engineering, Purdue University
Dip-Pen Nanolithography (DPN) is a scanning probe nanopatterning technique in which an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip is used to deliver molecules to a surface via a solvent meniscus, which naturally forms in the ambient atmosphere. This direct-write technique offers high resolution patterning capabilities for a number of molecular and biomolecular "inks" on a variety of substrate types such as metals, semiconductors, and monolayer functionalized surfaces. The ability to achieve precise alignment registration of multiple patterns is an additional advantage earned by using an AFM tip to write, as well as read nanoscopic features on a surface. These attributes of DPN make it a valuable tool for studying fundamental issues in colloid and combinatorial chemistry, surface science, and nanotechnology. In this talk, the fabrication and evaluation of several chemical and biological systems will be presented, where the characterization and manipulation will be primarily based on scanning probe microscopy.
STUDENTS, PLEASE ATTEND. WE WILL GO OUT FOR DINNER AT DOMENICO'S IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE TALK.
Friday, November 22 at 1 p.m. Room 409, Chamberlin Hall. All are welcome to attend.
Leta Moser will speak about Strategies to Determine the Optimal Dosage of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe by the Food and Drug Administration) substance, which means it is considered safe and may be added as an ingredient to any other food in any quantity. Approximately 40% of the people of the United States take vitamin C, although is a discrepancy as to the optimal amount of vitamin C. Research by Ordman et al and Levine et al have left it unclear whether 100 mg or 500 mg of vitamin C twice a day are more effective at lowering lipid peroxidation in serum. Ten volenteers are currently part of a study examining different dosages of vitamin C (200mg from diet, 500mg twice a day from supplements, 1000mg twice a day from supplements) on serum free radical levels. Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) is one method used as an indicator of the potential of serum to cause lipid peroxidation damage. The TBARS assays run will determine how many free radicals are present in the plasma. There are, however, other methods to measure oxidative damage which will be discussed. The optimal dosage of vitamin C is thought to be where there are the fewest free radicals present. Considering the list of free radical diseases that affect millions of people each year, the knowledge gained from this research has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives from diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
Literature mentioned:
Levine, M., Conry-Cantilena, C., Wang, Y., Welch, RW, and Cantilena, LR,"Vitamin C pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers: evidence for a recommended dietary allowance", PNAS USA 93: 3704-9 (1996)
Ordman, A. B., "Recommendations for Vitamin C Intake", AGE 18:51-62 (1995)
LOOKING FOR DINNER ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24? COME TO THE CHEM CLUB MEETING IN ROOM 409, CHAMBERLIN HALL, AT 5.30 P.M. PIZZA WILL BE SERVED AND WE WILL DISCUSS TWO AGENDA ITEMS PROPOSED BY REBECCA ZENI: (a) Chemistry outreach program for local schools. Volunteering, etc. (b) Ways to obtain funding for a trip to New Orleans (!) in spring, 2003 to attend the ACS National Conference.
NSF REU Sites
The National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) sites are now posting their program announcements for this coming summer at http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/reu/start.htm (a new location). Remember that programs of interest may be listed under things like atmospheric sciences or materials sciences as well as the more obvious chemistry, biological, or earth sciences. These will all provide a reasonable stipend (on the order of $3000 for 10 weeks of research), and some provide housing, meals, and a travel stipend. For many programs, some science beyond the introductory level (e.g. Chemistry 230-235) will be sufficient background, although there is some preference for more advanced students in some programs. The only hitch is that you must be US citizen or permanent resident. Although deadlines may be later in the year, earlier applications won't hurt.
The Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Texas A&M University has a 10-week summer research program for students majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, or biology. Preference will be given to current juniors who will have finished organic and biochemistry, but outstanding sophomores will also be considered. The program provides a $3000 stipend, on-campus room and board, a travel allowance of up to $600, and 2 hours of tuition-free academic credit. The deadline is March 1, 2003. Applications are posted outside 409 Chamberlin, and application on-line is available at http://biochemistry.tamu.edu.
The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation provides support for young people with a bachelors degree in science who want to become licensed high school science teachers. Some are full-time students in teacher preparation programs and others teach while taking course work. This year they are seeking applicants interested in teaching high school physics, physical science, and/or chemistry. Information is available at http://www.kstf.org.
The following schools have sent new information (on file
in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
Loyola University - Chemistry
North Dakota State University - Chemistry
Colgate University - Teaching
Iowa State University - Biochemistry
Texas A&M University - Biochemistry
November 14, 2002
4:00, Ruth Peterson Room
Kathleen Mandell, a candidate for the tenure track biochemistry position, will speak on
She received a B. S. in chemistry from Elmhurst College and will receive her Ph. D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago this spring. Her research involves thermodynamic and spectroscopic studies of DNA interactions. As a graduate student she has worked to enhance the opportunities for students at a Chicago high school to learn through experimentation.
4:00, Chamberlin 237
Brett Woods will be speaking. He is a physiological ecologist with interests in hibernation physiology and a candidate for the physiology/neurobiology tenure-track position (to replace Marc Roy.) He received his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and is currently a post-doc in the Department of Neurobiology and Physiology at Northwestern University.
PLEASE ATTEND (ESPECIALLY STUDENTS) AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO PROF.YASUKAWA.
Friday, November 15 at 1 p.m. Room 409, Chamberlin Hall. All are welcome to attend.
Emily Good will present a talk on the discovery and synthesis of Warfarin. This is an anticogaulant used by many hospitals for heart attack victims, but it also has been used for killing pests in a earlier day. It was discovered by Carl Link, a professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison's Biochemistry Department. Legend has it that it all started when a farmer showed up with a dead cow, a bucket of blood, and mouldy hay.
Emily also says "I am in the musical so Go See The SHOW!!!!!!Hooray!!"
FIREWORKS..FREE FOOD..FREE DINNER....READ ON AND RESPOND TO REBECCA ZENI rjzeni@yahoo.com!
For those of you who are chem/biochem majors, there are several events (listed below) coming up that may be of interest to you. Please let me know if you would like to attend any of these events, or are interested in being involved in the chem club. Also we plan to hold an official chem club meeting on Sunday the 24th, the Sunday before thanksgiving, at 5.30 p.m. in Room 409, Chamberlin Hall.Yes, there will be pizza. More information coming on that soon.
1- ACS Rockford Dinner Talk on Biological Mass Spec on Tuesday, Nov. 19, which is this coming Tuesday. Dinner starts at 6:00 and the talk is immediately after. The Nobel was given out this year for biological mass spec techniques. Assuming people would like to go, chem club can probably pay for dinner.
2- In December one of the professors in Madison performs some really cool lab demonstrations, which include explosions, and firework type of stuff (I think). I will be getting more information to you on this event, but let me know if there is any interest because tickets need to be ordered.
3- In spring, there is an expo in Madison, that usually hosts several thousand people. Beloit usually hosts a booth at the expo, so we may recruit people to take a shift or two at the booth.
4- Any possible interest in starting a program with a local grade school, where we help do chem activities, either during school or as an after school activity? Again let me know.
International Young Chemistry Writer of the Year Award 2002. Are you 16-30? Do you want a chance to win a trip to the Spring ACS 2003 meeting in New Orleans and $2500 prize money? Why not try your hand at writing a feature length article, of between 1000-2000 words, on a chemistry-related topic of interest. Deadline November 30.
The winning articles will be published in the alchemist - but that's not all! The winning author will travel to New Orleans with flights and accomadation paid to the ACS Spring National Meeting 2003 and collect $2500 - all thanks to BioSpace, the competition sponsor. Two runners up will each win $1000.
BioSpace, the premier Website for jobseekers in the life sciences, invites you to advance your career at one of BioSpace's live Career Expos. http://www.chemweb.com/utils/email.asp?id=9102&uid=415326
Entries can be submitted until 30 November 2002 at: http://www.chemweb.com/utils/email.asp?id=9107&uid=415326
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Colorado State University has a summer research program for students (US citizens and permanent residents) who will have completed organic chemistry and a year of biology by this coming summer. The program includes a 10-week research experience, seminars, and a program of informal evening and weekend activities. The program provides room, board, a travel allowance, and a $3200 stipend. Applications are available from Brock Spencer, can be requested from beubiochem@colostate.edu, and are at the web site http://www.bmb.colostate.edu (click Undergraduate on the left side of the menu bar and then click the REU program link on that page). Deadline is February 3rd. NOTE: This REU program has a unique international option. With support from NSF, this department has established an international internship program so that students who have participated in the NSF summer research program are eligible for a subsequent semester or summer of research in a collaborating foreign host laboratory.
CHEMISTRY/BIOCHEMISTRY STUDENTS CAN ACTUALLY BE PAID TO LIVE AND WORK ABROAD (PLACEMENTS IN 80 COUNTRIES). CHECK OUT http://www.iaesteunitedstates.org/ and/or talk to Brock Spencer!
The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory has a Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at three sites: Florida State University, University of Florida, and Los Alamos National Laboratory (New Mexico). The sites offer unique facilities for studies at extremes of pressure, temperature, and magnetic field with the research spanning broad areas of physics, chemistry, biology, and materials science. In addition to the eight week research experience, the program provides an extensive program of seminars and lectures. Students receive a generous stipend, housing allowance, and travel support. For more information and applications see http://reu.magnet.fsu.edu.
The Department of Defence plans to awarded approximately 200 new three-year graduate fellowships in April 2003. For more info go to http://www.asee.org/ndseg
The following schools have sent new information (on file
in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
University of South Carolina - Biochemistry
University of Nebraska - Biomedical Research
Oregon State- Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
University of Utah - Biochemistry
Texas A&M University - Biochemistry
November 6, 2002
Talk by Bryna Dunaway at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 8, in Room 409, Chamberlin Hall
Adefovir dipivoxil and its efficacy in treating HIV in the context of Directly Observed Therapy (DOT)
Currently, patient non-adherence (not drug failure) is the leading cause of HIV treatment failure in the US. Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) is one strategy that has been developed for handling the problem of non-adherence. However, HIV patients often have to take large numbers of pills several times a day, and this makes DOT difficult to administer. This presentation will briefly examine DOT and will highlight a clinical trial for once daily dosing of Adefovir dipivoxil, a commonly prescribed HIV drug.
DOT entails a healthcare worker observing the patient taking every dose of medication, and in addition to improving adherence, also decreases the development of resistance, and improves patient access to other health care services. Since the introduction of the DOT model in 1993 by the World Health Organization in response to the global tuberculosis emergency, it has been more recently introduced to treat HIV patients. The limitations and implications for future use were examined in a literature review. Among the studies reviewed are a study of DOT in an Italian prison (Lanzafame et al. 2000) and others. The data from these trials suggest that DOT is very effective at promoting adherence but raises many concerns of feasibility.
Adefovir dipivoxil is a nucleotide analog which is commonly used to treat both HIV and Hepatitis B. In JAMA in 1999, a study was published which evaluated the efficacy and safety of Adefovir dipivoxil in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients in the experimental group received 120mg doses of the drug. The study concludes that Adefovir dipivoxil is effective at lowering HIV RNA levels. In August of 2002, the FDA approved once daily dosing of the drug for Hepatitis B but did not approve once daily dosing for treatment of HIV.
The following schools have sent new information (on file
in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
University of South Carolina - Biochemistry
Colorado State University - Chemistry
University at Buffalo ( New York State) - Chemistry
University of Nebraska , Lincoln - Chemistry
October 31, 2002
FRIDAY, NOV. 1 AT 4 P.M. IN ROOM 409, CHAMBERLIN HALL
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins and Their Role in Cartilage Integrity and Repair.
Dr. Susan Chubinskaya, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Section of Rheumatology at Rush Medical College, will be the guest speaker at the Chemistry Seminar at 4 p.m. on Friday, November 1, 2002 in Chamberlin Room 409.
Dr. Chubinskaya will also be speaking to the Biology Department on complementary aspects of the same topic at 2 p.m. in Chamberlin Hall Room 237.
Contact Roc Ordman asap to set up an appointment if you are interested in talking to her about summer internships/research/graduate school!
Talk by Ezra Eibergen at 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, in Room 409, Chamberlin Hall
Synthetic organic chemistry: Developing a general strategy for synthesizing a probe for anion binding
I will be talking about the research that I performed this summer during an NSF-sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) internship at Wichita State University, Kansas. The probe, when synthesized, will allow for insights into how anion binding is affected by solvent, showing whether and how the solvent encourages or resists anion binding. It will also allow insights into anion selectivity and molecular recognition. The target molecule serves as a control against other molecules that have the ability to interact with solvent in second sphere binding.
The following schools have sent new information (on file
in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
University of South Carolina - Biochemistry
University of Nevada, Reno - Chemistry
Carnegie Mellon - Chemistry
University of Iowa - Biochemistry
October 24, 2002
Special Guest Lecture by Professor John Jungck, Dept. of Biology, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Friday, October 25, in Room 409, Chamberlin. All are invited to attend.
Molecular Visualization: Computational Geometric Approaches Using Voronoi Polygons and Polyhedra as Well as Their Topological Duals, Delaunay Triangulations, to Understand Protein Structure, Function, and Evolution
While the structure of biological macromolecules are always in motion, static geometric and topological models can be used to gain insight into many molecular processes such as: Folding, Packing, Fitting, Sharing, Space filling, Surfaces of filled and covered convex polyhedra, Planes through packed tessellated polyhedra, Cavities, Docking, Epitopes, Minimal Spanning Trees, Understanding How Structures Bind Other Molecules (Function), Designing Inhibitors (drugs), and Structure Modeling. Voronoi polygons are nearest neighbor tessellations of a plane. They geometrically divide space into regions where all points within a polygon are closer to its generator point than any other generator point. The topological dual, a Delaunay triangulation, defines which generator points are neighbors. These tools can be invoked to determine distances, areas, volumes, paths of minimal contact, complementary surfaces, etc. I will illustrate these geometric and topological approaches through instantiation with many macroscopic as well as microscopic biological images.
Talk by Jimmy Franco at 1 p.m. on Friday, October 25, in Room 409, Chamberlin Hall. All are invited to attend.
PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER
Putting the pieces together refers to a synthesis of a ribose derivative and an adenine derivative, then connecting the correct side-chains. The difficulty in this project is in targeting sites for the reactions. There are many amine and alcohol sites that could react, but we do not want to change them all. So stereoselectivity is a big problem in the design of this synthesis. One of the strategies for solving this problem that I will be talking is a novel "one-step/one-pot" reaction that involves Friedel-Craft catalyzed silyl-Hilbert-Johnson nucleoside synthesis.
Take the practice MCAT this Saturday! Ten lucky students will have the opportunity to take the practice MCAT this Saturday in the Wood Room-Mayer Hall, 8am-4pm. Cost: $15 (make checks payable to Beloit College). Juniors and seniors will be given priority--first come, first serve basis. Contact Brock Spencer at x2249 or spencer@beloit.edu to sign up.
Pam Kindschi, a Beloit alum and practicing veterinarian, will be on campus this Sunday, October 27 at 6pm in Cafe Bio (Chamberlain) to talk with students about Vet. School and her veterinary work. PIZZA will also be provided.
Dr. Susan Chubinskaya, Associate professor, Department of Biochemistry and Section of Rheumatology at Rush Medical College, will be the guest speaker at the Chemistry Seminar at 4 p.m. on Friday, November 1, 2002 in Chamberlin Room 409. The title of her talk is "Bone Morphogenetic Proteins and Their Role in Cartilage Integrity and Repair".
Contact Roc Ordman to set up an appointment if you are interested in talking to her about summer internships/research/graduate school! -----
The Chemistry Division encourages CUR members to nominate their undergraduate students for a CUR Chemistry travel award for the presentation of their research results at the Spring 2003 American Chemical Society Meeting in New Orleans. A complete description of the award and application form is available here: http://www.cur.org/pdf/curchemtravelaward.pdf
17th National Conference on Undergraduate Research Each year students from around the country give presentations on their research at this conference. We often send several students from Beloit, who find the experience quite useful. This year the conference is at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on March 13-15. Deadline for registration is February 14, 2003. Details and registration are available at http://conferences.utah.edu/ncur2003/.
It's time to start working on summer internships or jobs before
the end-of-semester crunch. One excellent source of research experiences
is the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for
Undergraduates (REU) program. Positions are available around the
country in a variety of disciplines (Astronomical Sciences, Atmospheric
Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer and Information
Science and Engineering, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Mathematical
Sciences, Materials Research, Materials Research Science and Engineering
Centers, Ocean Sciences, Physics, Social, Behavioral, and Economic
Research). Typical programs provide a $3500-4000 stipend for 10
weeks of research, some with housing and travel allowances in
addition. Application deadlines vary with the program. For information
see
http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/reu/reulist.htm.
Summer research internships are available at IBM Almaden, one of the three world-class central R&D facilities where IBM conducts research in many areas of science and technology, including chemistry, physics, math, and (of course) computer science. George Lisensky visited the laboratory recently. Contact him for more information. [ Rama Viswanathan spent eight months performing research at IBM Almaden in 1986-87!]
June 2-August 8, 2003, Department of Medical Education, Hartford Hospital, 80 Seymour Street, Hartford, CT 06102-5037
Contact: Lizabeth Roper, MHS, Program Director, Dept. of Medical Education, (860) 545-2536
Qualifications: Pre-med students completing junior or senior year by May 30, 2003
Stipend: $2500 for 10-week period Expenses: Student pays own travel and meals in hospital cafeteria. Housing available and may be partially or wholly subsidized by the hospital. Applications available at www.harthosp.org or may be requested by mail at the address above.
Interviews: Must schedule a required interview at Hartford Hospital after submitting required completed application. Completed application includes: 1) application form, 2) essay, 3) official transcript sent directly from the College, 4) two confidential letters of recommendation from college professors, sent directly from the writers to the hospital Closing Date: Applications due (must be received) by Feb. 14, 2003. Announcement: All decisions regarding candidates will be announced by April 1, 2003.
IAESTE provides overseas internship placements (with pay) in technical fields. Deadline for applications is January 1, 2003. Information is available at www.iaesteunitedstates.org or stop by Brock Spencer's office (411) to see the current brochure and discuss the program.
The 2003 issue of the Directory has just arrived. It lists contact information for a wide range of industry (Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, IBM, Kodak, etc), government (national laboratories, NASA, NIH, Smithsonian, etc.) and academic (Mayo Clinic, Bowling Green, Oregon, etc) summer and academic year placements for research experience with pay. Stop by Brock Spencer's office (411) to take a look at it and discuss options and strategies for getting these placements.
The College Fund/UNCF and The Merck Company are offering 15 scholarships for 2003 consisting of up to $25,000 in scholarship and two summers of research internship with a stipend of at least $10,00. This program is open to African American (Black, non-Hispanic) US citizens for permanent residents who will graduate in the 2003-4 academic year and are life or physical science majors interested in biomedical research with a minimum GPA of 3.3/4.0. Deadline for applications is December 16, 2002. Information is posted outside 409 Chamberlin and is available at http://www.uncf.org/merck.
The National Physical Science Consortium offers six-year graduate fellowships with an emphasis on recruiting minority and women into science and engineering fields. The member universities provide tuition and fees, and collaborating industries and government laboratories provide generous stipends and two summers of employment (the total can reach $200,000 depending on the university). A Beloit chemistry alumna has gotten one of these -- talk to Brock Spencer about details. November 15th is the application deadline. Information is posted outside 409 Chamberlin, and applications are available at http://www.npsc.org.
The following schools have sent new information (on file
in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
Loyola University Chicago - Chemistry
Case Western Reserve - Biomedical Sciences & Molecular Pharmacology
University at Buffalo ( New York State) - Chemistry
University of Nebraska , Lincoln - Chemistry
Ohio University- Biochemistry
New Mexico Tech - Chemistry
Baylor University - Biomedical Studies
Stony Brook ( New York State ) - Chemistry
South Dakota State University - Chemistry & Biochemistry
October 10, 2002
HAVE A PRODUCTIVE AND REFRESHING BREAK
Congratulations to Kari Roettger, Karl Mehta, and Muyiwa Awoniyi, whose research proposal to develop a plate-based immunoprecipitation technique for Advanced Biochemistry Laboratory has been awarded $830 from the David Norris Research Fund administered by the Chemistry Department. Our best wishes for success with the project!
1. Who won the Nobel prize in Chemistry for the discovery that stable elements could be transformed to become radioactive elements?
Irene Joliot-Curie (the daughter of Marie Curie, herself a two-time Nobel Prize winner) and her husband Frederic.
http://www.netsrq.com/~dbois/joliot.html
2. Who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for pioneering the field of radioimmunoassay?
Rosalyn Yalow. http://hallbiographies.com/professionals_academics/615.shtml
3. Who was the chemist who developed an efficient industrial process and went on to become the President of a country? What chemical did the process produce?
"...Dr Chaim Weitzmann, who later became the first President of Israel, discovered a bacterial process for the fermentation of starch to yield the solvent acetone... " http://www.geocities.com/~fossilfreak/j99/9901/30.htm
1 P.M. FRIDAY, OCT.11, ROOM 409 Chamberlin. All are welcome to attend. Cookies and fruit punch will be served!
Speaker: Rama Viswanathan
The structures of weakly-bound complexes using Molecular Beam Electric Resonance Spectroscopy (MBER): The sterochemistry of the hydrogen hond
In the presentation, I will talk about my Ph.D. dissertation research performed at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon during the late 1970s. As part of the research, I determined a high precision structure (bond angles, hydrogen bond length) for the weakly-bound complex between H2S and HF in the gas phase using a Molecular Beam Electric Resonance spectrometer constructed in-house. The complex is unstable at atmospheric pressure because thermal collisions are energetic enough to break the hydrogen bond. However, once the isolated complex is formed by expansion of a mixture of the gases H2S and HF through a pinhole nozzle into a high vacuum chamber, the complex enters a collision-free domain-- a "molecular beam"-- and is essentially isolated. The structure of the isolated molecule can then be determined by using high resolution microwave spectroscopy and/or Stark electric resonance spectroscopy. Why is this "cool" (literally and figuratively)? I will attempt to answer the question in terms of the unique experimental setup and detection scheme where the spectroscopy was actually done without measuring the intensity of the radiation emitted or absorbed. Instead, the _molecules themselves_ were detected in different rotational quantum states using a mass spectrometer. Finally, I will discuss the experimental results in the context of current theoretical (and computational) models for hydrogen bonding and weak interactions.
The Center for Adhesive and Sealant Science at Virginia Tech and the Adhesive and Sealant Council Education Foundation are offering summer internships with member companies. The program offers includes a 2-week training program at Virginia Tech, followed by a 10-week internship at one of 130 companies that are ASC members. The deadline for applications is January 31, 2003. For information see http://www.ascouncil.org/educationfoundation.
The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation offers a $25,000 (for 9 months) personal stipend and full tuition equivalent, renewable for up to 5 years total for Ph.D. work in the applied physical sciences (broadly defined to include physics, chemistry, biology/biotechnology, materials science, earth science, comuter science, astrophysics, engineering, mathematics, etc.). Deadline is November 1st. The fellowships are tenable at a good number of select graduate schools around the country. See http://www.hertzfoundation.org and talk with Brock Spencer.
The following schools have sent new information (on file
in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
Indiana University - Biochemistry
University of Illinois - Chemistry
Western Michigan University - Chemistry
University of Minnesota - Molecular and Cellular Biology
University of California , Irvine - Chemistry
Georgia Tech - Chemistry
Cornell University - Molecular and Human Nutrition
Miami University - Chemistry and Biology
University of Southern California - Chemistry
Vanderbilt University - Toxicology
September 26, 2002
All are welcome to attend and participate in the discussion of the paper (summary below).Bryna Dunaway will lead the discussion with a 15 minute presentation.
Summary: Carbon nanotubes are a new material discovered in the last decade and a half. This paper, published in Nature (Kong et al., "Synthesis of individual single-walled carbon nanotubes on patterned silicon wafers", v.395, 878 [1998]), describes the synthesis of carbon nanotubes. Though much has happened in the investigation of carbon nanotubes since the publication of this article, it provides a relatively straightforward account of synthetic procedures. By depositing methane vapor onto catalytic islands on a silicon substrate, well-constructed carbon nanotubes are created. These nanotubes are 90% singular, remarkably straight, and have diameters of 1-3nm, giving them good qualities for practical purposes.
Questions: 1. Given the information in this article, what molecular structure do you envision carbon nanotubes having? How do you think carbon nanotubes compare to graphite, diamond, or buckeyballs?
2. Carbon nanotubes have some astonishing properties. For instance, it has 100 times the tensile strength of steel with only 1/6 the weight (C&E News, January 11, 1999.) What kinds of materials can we construct?
Open House in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This half-day event will be held on Saturday October 5th from 10:30-3:30 and is specifically intended for undergraduate juniors and seniors who are interested in graduate study in materials science and engineering. Any interested students should pre-register by September 30, using http://www.mse.uiuc.edu/
The Midwest Chapter, Society of Cosmetic Chemists is offering in 2002 two (2) $1000 scholarship stipends to students exhibiting excellence in either course work or research concerning the specific areas of Cosmetic Sciences. The deadline for this application is October 14, 2002. For more info contact Eugene Frank Tel # 708-496-8025
The National Chemistry Week will be Oct 20 -26 , 2002. The theme is "Chemistry Keeps Us Clean." The goal is to collect as many personal hygiene products as possible for donation to shelters in the Milwaukee area. On a national level the student affiliate chapter that collects the greatest weight will receive a 350 gift certificate redeemable at a local restaurant. If you plan to be part of the event send email to mschuder@cc.edu by Oct 20.
The following schools have sent new information (on file
in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
John Hopkins University - Chemistry
NC State University - Chemistry
University of Pittsburgh - Chemistry
University of Tennessee - Chemistry
Washington University, St Louis - Biology and Biomedical Sciences
Rice University - Chemistry
September 19, 2002
Friday, September 20 from 1 to 2 p.m. in Room 409, Chamberlin.
All are welcome to attend and participate in the discussion of the paper (summary below).Leta Moser will lead the discussion with a 15 minute presentation.
Haes, AJ and Van Duyne, RP. "A Nanoscale Optical Biosensor: Sensitvity and Selectivity of an Approach Based on the Localized Surface Plason Resonance Spectroscopy of Triangular Silver Nanoparticles" JACS 2002, 124, 10596-604.
A biosensor is a device that is used to detect chemical compounds and to study biomolecular interactions. Biosensors may be used to detect various DNA sequences, proteomics, and drug discovers, and are useful because they provide can screen a high quanity of substances. The maximum excitation of (a given structure's) localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is dependent upon the size, shape, and location of the nanoparticle used to make the biosensor. The measurement variable is then described as a wavelength at which the maximum excitation occured. When the wavelength at the maximum excitation increases (red shift), the biosensor is thought to have more particles attached to it, having greater sensitvity. Triangular silver nanoparticles were found to increase biosensor sensitivity.
Questions for discussion: How is a biosensor made? What does a 'red shift', 'blue shift' mean and what does that tell us about the biosensor? What is figure 4 showing us? Why is this cool?--what are the implications of this? Can you think of things that could complicate/interfere with?
NSF PRE-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS
INFORMATIONAL MEETING on Friday, Sep. 20 at 4 p.m. in Room 409, Chamberlin.
Professor Jaffa Grossman (who has previously evaluated applications at NSF) has kindly agreed to meet with NSF Pre-Doctoral Fellowship applicants and other interested students (all welcome, we encourage any major in the Sciences/Math/CS thinking about graduate school and/or applying for a prestigious graduate school fellowship once they get to their Senior year to also attend) at 4 p.m. in Room 409, Chamberlin Hall on Friday, September 20.
In particular, we hope that all applicants will attend. Cookies and fruit punch will be served.
Note that the NSF application deadline is November 7, and that the process involves taking the GRE plus detailed answers to a number of questions relating to the candidate's research and teaching interests.
Dr. Greg Beitel (Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology (BMBCB) at Northwestern University) will be the guest speaker at the Biology Senior Seminar on Friday, 20 September at 2:00 in Chamberlin 237. The title of his research presentation is: "Unexpected roles of the Na K ATPase in Drosophila epithelial tube size control and septate (tight) junction formation." At about 3:00, following his talk, Greg will also give a short 10-20 min presentation on the IBiS graduate program, which will be accompanied by pizza and beverages. The IBiS program is broad based and encompasses the chemistry, material sciences and engineering departments in addition to more biologically oriented departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology, and Neurobiology and Physiology. Students (and faculty) are welcome to attend only the IBiS presentation if they can't fit both the research seminar and the IBiS presentation into their schedules.
Did you ever want to get your body covered with exotic designs? Have you ever been swept into the mesmerizing trance of belly-dancing? Would you like to taste the flavors of the world in one afternoon?
The International Club invites one and all to the annual Multi-Cultural Fair!
Who: Beloit College Community students, faculty, staff, and parents What: Cultural dances and music, mouth-watering food, traditional outfit fashion show, and fascinating informational tables. When: Saturday, September 21st, 2:30 -- 5:30 PM Where: Pearson's, 1st Floor Why: Your opportunity to experience and celebrate international diversity at Beloit College.
It's already time to start thinking about next summer. The first of what promises to be a large flow of announcements of summer research opportunities has just arrived. It's typical of what's to follow. Georgia Tech offers current sophomores and juniors a 10-week summer research program in chemistry and biochemistry with a $3500 stipend, travel allowance, dorm housing, and health insurance. Application deadline February 28, 2003, "but early submissions are encouraged!" Notification of awards by March 14, 2003. If they see applications that they like early, they are likely to make early offers, so don't put it off until the deadline.
For a complete list of all Research Experiences for Undergraduate sites by discipline, go to http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/reu/reulist.htm. [Note: REU funds support only US nationals and permanent residents, but schools with sites may also have other funds to support additional students. It never hurts to ask since they are using these programs as recruiting tools for potential graduate students.]
Also, check out the Oak Ridge Associated Universities web site at http://www.orau.gov/orise/edu/uggrad/ug.htm for research/internship possibilities.
Finally, here is a "one-stop shopping" site for students to look for internship and/or summer employment in an agency (NIST, Transportation, Commerce, NASA, etc.) that provides a single application point for students: http://www.usajobs.opm.gov
Dr. Kenneth Foreman (kforeman@mbl.edu), the Associate Program
Director of the Semester, recently sent an email message to Brock
Spencer saying how much they appreciated having Beloit College
students in the program. Here are some quotes..
" I have to say the students you've sent us have been superb.."
"In the hope of recruiting another Tori (Ziemann '01) or
Leah (Bandstra '01),...send you a package of promotional materials."
See Brock Spencer soon if you are interested or check out http://courses.mbl.edu/SES/
(Beloit College President John Burris was the Director of
the world-renowned laboratory before he came to Beloit!)
The Computational Science Graduate Fellowship Program provides outstanding benefits and opportunities to students pursuing a Ph.D. in scientific or engineering disciplines with an emphasis in high-performance computing benefits include: $28,000 yearly stipend, Payment of all tuition and fees, Workstation assistance, Yearly conferences, $1000 yearly academic allowance, Research opportunity at a DOE laboratory. This program is open to US citizens and permanent resident aliens who are exceptional senior undergrads or in their first or second year of undergraduate study. Deadline is Jan 15, 2003 apply online at http://www.krellinst.org/csgf/application
The Ford Foundation Fellowships for minorities are giving fellowships to minorities who are US citizens who are planning a career in teaching and research at the college or university level. Deadline is November 20, 2002 for more info go to http://national-academies.org/fellowships or email infofell@nas.edu
Applications for the 2003-2004 competition for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program are now available. The deadline for applying is November 7, 2002. For more info email nsfgrfp@orau.gov
The following schools have sent new information (on file
in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
University of Missouri - Biochemistry
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Cleveland State University - Clinical/Bioanalytical Chemistry
Indiana University - Chemistry
University of Iowa - Chemistry
University of California, San Francisco - Pharmaceutical Sciences
September 12, 2002
The 30 August 2002 issue of Science has a small article in their NetWatch section about an education website for Exploring the Nanoworld. The site is "hosted by UW-Madison" but at the bottom of many of its movie pages you will find "This page created by George Lisensky, Beloit College." The photo on page 1451 was filmed on George's office desk. http://www.mrsec.wisc.edu/edetc/index.html
Friday, September 13 from 1 to 2 p.m. in Room 409, Chamberlin.
All are welcome to attend and participate in the discussion of the paper (summary below).Emily Good will lead the discussion with a 15 minute presentation.
"Writing with DNA and Protein Using a Nanopipet for Controlled Delivery" Authors: A.Bruckbauer et al. JACS, Vol. 124, #30, July 31, 2002 pages 8810-8811
Due to the interest and innovations in producing nanopipets for direct delivery to a specific site, scientists and doctors are striving to improve the functions and structure of the pipets, in order to attain the most functional and effective pipet. Previously the methods for delivering molecules directly to a site relied on microcontact printing or microfluidic devices. The results from these methods were unsatifactory because of lack of control in the amount of material distributed and inability to create sizes smaller than a micrometer. In an attempt to solve these problems, an experiment has been developed to test the properties of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) with dip-pen nanolithography, that when combined provide fine control of the density of application and smaller feature sizes.
Experimental Setup? The chosen surfaces were scanned by an electrolyte-filled micropipet probe using a scanning ion-conductance microscopy method. The pipet holds the molecules to be dispensed and uses an electric field to control when the material is dispensed.
The Merck/AAAS Undergraduate Science Research Program (USRP) is a national competitive awards program to promote interdisciplinary research experience for undergraduate students in chemistry and biology. The application deadline for 2003 is Friday, November 8, 2002. Application materials and additional information are available at HTTP://www.merckaaasusrp.org/ , or sen email inquiries to merck@aaas.org.
BELOIT INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ,WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2002
This message is to double check that we have not missed any nominations for students to present at the International Symposium. Faculty should have received an email confirmation of their nominations. Nominated students should have received a written set of instructions by campus mail.
Participating students must submit an abstract and return the registration form (green sheet) with a faculty signature that indicates the faculty sponsor has approved the abstract. Students should be talking with you now about their abstracts. Registration forms and abstracts are due on September 30.
The ACS is giving out awards to students with disabilities. The goal is to encourage students with disabilities to pursue careers in Chemistry and allied fields. Too often the disabled incur additiona travel and lodging expenses when attending scientific meetings. The grant is to help defray some or all of the additional costs. The Application deadline is October 15 for meetings scheduled between January 1 and June the 30 and March the 1 for meetings scheduled between July 1 and December 31. To be eligible for a travel Award one must be an undergrad, grad, or post doctoral researcher having a documented disability, be an ASC member or student affiliate. Submit an application on or before the deadline, be willing to provide follow-up information about the conference attended and must have not received previous funding from this program. To receive a hard copy of the app email cwd@acs.org
Joshua Tusin, a senior at Beloit College in biology, writes
"The Journal of Young Investigators (JYI) is an undergraduate,
online, peer-reviewed journal. It is run by undergraduates, for
undergraduates. We have a research article side, and a feature
article side. Check us out at
http://www.jyi.org. If you want
to submit research or features articles, there is information
online or talk to Joshua Tusin (tusinj@stu.beloit.edu;
x4976). JYI is also looking for staff members. If you would like
to be on a regular mailing list of JYI news, please send your
name, e-mail address, year in school (or other pertinent information),
and how you heard about JYI to Holly Cummings, our Managing Editor,
at me@jyi.org."
Be sure to check out this month's feature articles; there are some really great ones. Also, see announcement that JYI author recently won a Rhodes Fellowship, while a staff member won a Marshall Fellowship!
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, is a non-profit membership society that promotes science education, science policy, and the public understanding of science. The society has a membership of nearly 75,000 scientists and engineers who were elected to membership because of their research achievements or potential. Sigma Xi has more than 500 chapters at universities and colleges, government laboratories, and industry research centers. In addition to publishing American Scientist, Sigma Xi awards grants annually to promising young researchers, holds forums on critical issues at the intersection of science and society, and sponsors a variety of programs supporting honor in science and engineering. The Sigma Xi website can be found at www.sigmaxi.org.
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, is sponsoring its 2002 Student Research Conference Saturday, Nov. 16, 2002, from 9 a.m. 7 p.m. The conference is in the Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston, TX. It will be an excellent opportunity for undergraduate students to present research at a national meeting. The conference is free for students and will include workshops, judged presentations with cash prizes, graduate school recruiters and an opportunity to meet Benoit Mandelbrot, known to many as "the father of fractal geometry. An awards ceremony and reception will be held in the Moody Gardens living rainforest museum. More information is available at: http://www.sigmaxi.org/meetings/student/index.shtml, or by contacting Julia Reed, Program Coordinator, at (800) 243-6534 x 206, or at jreed@sigmaxi.org.
Bob Drexler, the spokesperson for the ACM India Program, will be on campus on September 18th to talk about studying abroad in India. He will also give a power-point presentation on that same day in the seminar room at the International House (717 Chapin Street) at 3:00 pm.
The ACM India Studies Program takes place in Pune, India, and incorporates both cultural, historical, and language study. Language studies focus on Marathi, an extremely important but understudied Indic language. If you think any of your students might have an interest in spending a semester in India, please ask them to attend his presentation.
Rama's Note: My parents live in Pune, India, and it is a really interesting mid-size city with many historical and religious sites within a day's travel + interesting geology (mountains--The Western Ghats.) Pune is about 100 miles from Mumbai (Bombay) and is connected to Mumbai by air and by an efficient high-speed rail link! Finally, Pune University has world-class Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Physics/Radioastronomy, and Chemistry Departments.
Campus Contact: Prof. Natalie Gummer, gummern@beloit.edu
The following schools have sent new information (on file in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
Northern Illinois University- Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Florida - Chemistry
UCSF-Program in Quantitative Biology
September 5, 2002
Congratulations to Jeffrey Willis, who was the first new student to sign up for our newsletter this semester. He won a nice Monet print!
(PRACTICE--WE'LL HAVE A REGULAR [more dificult!] QUESTION OF
THE WEEK WITH PRIZES LATER ON IN THE SEMESTER):
Who won the Nobel prize in Chemistry for the discovery that stable
elements could be transformed to become radioactive elements?
Who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for pioneering the field of
radioimmunoassay?
ANSWERS NEXT WEEK!
We need student volunteers to resurrect the CHEM CLUB and plan and coordinate activities for this semester, including organization of field trips, pizza parties (!), etc. Contact Rama (ramav@beloit.edu) if you are interested. Suggestions for field trips include a trip to Aldrich Chemicals in Milwaukee and a visit to FritoLay and/or Ecolabs in the Beloit area.
We plan to have an active program of Departmental Seminars with invited speakers from other universities and industry. A list of potential speakers has been posted on the Bulletin Board next to Room 409. Please indicate your preferences/choices on the list(s), and make sure you look at the lists ever so often -- they will be updated frequently!
The Opportunities in Engineering Conference creates an opportunity
for outstanding undergraduate juniors and seniors to visit the
UW- Madison campus and explore graduate programs in engineering.
Participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, juniors
or seniors majoring in physics, chemistry, math or engineering.
It will be from October 30, 2002- November 3, 2002. All costs
are covered by the conference. All applications must be received
no later than September 13, 2002. For more information
contact Kelly Burton, University of Wisconsin-Madison College
of Engineering, 2703 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive,
Madison, WI 53706-1691, Tel: 608/2634583 or email
kburtin@engr.wisc.edu.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Dept. of Materials Science is having an Open House for prospective graduate students on Saturday, October 5. They are doing cool stuff in nanotechnology and are one of the top-ranked Materials Science Departments in the country. Register on-line by September 30 at http://www.mse.uiuc.edu/info/gradopenhouse.html
The following schools have sent new information (on file in Chamberlin 409) regarding GRADUATE STUDIES:
Penn State - Chemistry
Rice University - Chemistry
University of Michigan - Pharmacology
Purdue University - Chemistry
NC State University - Chemistry
Johns Hopkins- Chemistry
University of Missouri-Rolla - Chemistry
University of Wisconsin, Madison - Biomolecular Chemistry
Kansas State University- Chemistry
University of California, Irvine - Chemistry
Iowa State University- Chemistry
August 27, 2002
Welcome back. We hope everyone had an enjoyable and productive summer.
You are cordially invited to join us for cookies and punch
in the Chemistry Department Seminar Room (409, Chamberlin) at
4 p.m. on Friday, August 30. In particular, we welcome new students
and returning students and would love to hear you tell everyone
about your summer experiences (research and otherwise).
Come and check out the new carpet and fresh coat of paint!
The Summer 2002 issue of the Chemistry Department Annual Newsletter has been placed in the campus mailboxes of all registered chemistry and biochemistry majors and all faculty. If you did not receive a copy or would like a copy, please email ramav@beloit.edu. Please note that off-campus mailings to alumni are in the works and may take a few more days.
We are looking for a diligent and responsible student who can
work independently on assembling our weekly newsletter from email
announcements sent to him/her as well as paper announcements and
mailing received by the Department and placed in Room 402, Chamberlin.
The newsletter mailing has a Wednesday evening deadline, and we
intend to stick to this deadline as much as possible.
In addition, the student will be responsible for organizing and
sorting magazines, journals, and graduate school bulletins (received
by the Department) in the Chemistry Department Seminar Room (409),
Chamberlin, at frequent intervals--at least once weekly, or more
often if required. Student must have a working knowledge of chemistry
and chemical terms. Email an expression of your interest no later
than 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 29, to ramav@beloit.edu. Indicate
your year and major.
We now have three student Research Fellowship funds in chemistry in memory of alumni David Norris '92, Ed Stevens '78 and Kenneth Kemmerer '30. The purpose of these Fellowships is to encourage and support chemistry-related undergraduate research by providing funds for research expenses and/or travel to present research results. Research that draws connections between chemistry and other fields in the sciences and beyond is encouraged, and student interest in and capability for benefiting from the research experience will be of primary consideration in making the awards.
Proposals for research support or for support to present research results at a regional or national meeting may be submitted at any time. For example, you may be registering for a Special Project now, or you may want to continue your prior research and/or present it at a professional meeting. If you are planning a research project or a research presentation and would like to be considered for support, please submit a proposal (a brief description of the project or presentation along with a budget) to Brock Spencer (spencer@beloit.edu).