60th Annual Report on Research 2015

Since its inception in 1995, the American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholars program has awarded over 2670 college scholarships to minority students pursuing degrees and careers in the chemical sciences. The PRF has made grants of $50,000 to the ACS Scholars Program since 2007. During the 2014-2015 academic year the PRF funds were assigned to 10 students majoring in and planning careers in the chemical sciences and conducting undergraduate research related to petroleum and fossil fuels. The record shows that being selected by the American Chemical Society for this scholarship award not only reduces the students’ financial burden but it also boosts their confidence resulting in higher academic achievement. The PRF grant helps these students progress toward their bachelor’s degrees and beyond.

The following 10 Scholars benefitted from the PRF grant during academic year 2014-2015 and are either currently in good standing and renewed in the ACS Scholars Program, or graduated during or at the end of the 2014-2015 academic year.

Eric Dominguez, Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, Chemistry: Conducted research in polymer science; grafted polymer based and alkali based fuel cell membranes. Eric will graduate in May 2016.

Carmen Gil,University of Florida, Chemical Engineering: Conducting research on petroleum and fuels with Marathon Oil Corporation; also at the University of New South Wales in the area of thermal energy harvesting using thermoelectrics, and energy storage using batteries and hydrogen. Carmen will graduate May 2016.

Abdiasis Hussein, University of California Los Angeles, Biochemistry: independent research in the last three quarter as well as last summer in the laboratory of my mentor, Dr. James Gober. The goal of that project was production of advanced biofuels by using a microorganism called Burkholderia xenovorans. Abdiasis graduated April 2015.

Jacob Jacobs, North Carolina State University, Chemical Engineering: undergraduate research position in a bio fuels research lab. My project was to test, analyze, and compare the rate and conversions of hydrolysis of triglycerides and how that rate under varying conditions related to the transesterification of those same triglycerides in bio fuel synthesis. Jacob will graduate in May 2018.

Ciara Kelley, Cameron University, Chemistry: Independent research for Dr. Nalley at Cameron University in the area of material sciences - dye-sensitized solar cells. I have also had an internship through Cameron University performing the same research. Ciara graduated May 2015.

Jose Lopez, University of Delaware, Chemical Engineering: research with professor Ismat Shah at the University of Delaware on using Tin Sulfide thin films in solar cells. Jose will graduate in June 2017.

Moises Martinez, University of California Los Angeles, Chemical Engineering: research with chemical engineering professor involving the optimization of green energy systems, such as waste produced by carbon emitting smoke stacks in factories; namely dealing with developing systems of equations and optimizing operating costs versus efficiency. Moises will graduate in June 2018.

Karla Morrissey, University of Arkansas, Chemical Engineering and Mathematics: research with Dr. Greg Thoma from the Chemical Engineering department at UofA looking at conducting a life cycle assessment for sweet sorghum in the production of ethanol. Karla will graduate in May 2017.

Karla Murrieta, University of Arizona, Chemical Engineering: research with Dr. Ogden in obtaining the highest percentage of ethanol from the distillation of an ethanol-water mixture by designing and conducting a distillation column, integrating knowledge and skills from a unit operations course while following safety practices. Karla will graduate in May 2016.

Leslie Wynn, Austin College, Chemistry: Conducted research with Dr. Bradley Smucker; Synthesis of light harvesting supramolecular Pt compounds for use in dyes of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells; Georgia Tech- Dr. Seth Marder: Synthesis of organic semiconducting polymers for use in organic photovoltaics. Leslie graduated in May 2015.