The first September Symposium highlighted the work of nine Tuskegee science majors from Summer 2005, and gave the chemistry freshmen a chance to meet the upperclassmen. “This was an outstanding kickoff for 2005-2006,” said Mrs. Barbara Rackley, chemistry professor.  “Today a 10 year dream has come true.  I am proud to be the primary advisor for the best student affiliates chapter in the American Chemical Society.” Approximately 40 people attended the event, held Friday, September 9, 2005, in Armstrong Hall.  Students presented posters of their summer work, and all attendees enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and punch.

Senior Chemistry major Rozlyn Chambliss is currently president of the Tuskegee University Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society (TU/SAACS) and was a major organizer of the symposium.  “The symposium gave me an opportunity to actually make my first poster and poster presentation,” she remarked.  “I really am glad that we had the symposium because it gave me an opportunity to see some of the research that my fellow chemistry majors have performed.  I really enjoyed planning this event.”

Chemistry Department Head Dr. Gregory Pritchett commented, “I am extremely proud of the success that our students had during their summer research experiences.  They were all quite successful, and I look forward to more presentations during the academic year.”

Sophomore Chemical Engineering major and TU/SAACS member Garrett Malone attended the symposium.  “It was inspiring to see the enormous productivity of my fellow students.” The event was organized by the Tuskegee University Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society (TU/SAACS) and sponsored by the Chemistry Department and the Office for Undergraduate Research (OUR).  The OUR is sponsored by the NSF HBCU-UP grant.

Director of Undergraduate Research Dr. Melissa Reeves said “This is exactly the type of event the Office of Undergraduate Research was created to sponsor.  Encouraging more students to seek out these summer research opportunities is a mission of this office.”

A list of the posters presented follows.

1.                  “Synthesis, Characterization, and Magnetism of Dendrimer-Encapsulated Co Nanoparticles,” Marquita D. Bradshaw.  Advisors:  Marc Knecht and Richard Crooks, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.

2.                  “Thin Polymer Film Liner for Martian and Lunar Base Habitats,” Shayla Swain.  Mentors:  Benjamin Penn, Iris Rivero, M. Steve Paley, and Donald Frazier, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama.

3.                  “Analysis of Biomarkers of Tobacco Smoke in Human Saliva by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry,”  Jamelle Williams.  Mentor:  Jennifer Brodbelt, University of Texas, Austin, Texas.

4.                  “Investigation of the Crystalline Structure of Octaphenylsilsesquioxanes,” Christopher D. James.  Mentors:   Jihua Chen, David C. Martin, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

5.                  “Study of Nanostructured Materials by Magnetic Resonance Methods,”  Donald White.  Mentor: Natalia Noginova, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia.

6.                  “Synthesis and Analysis of Peptide Sequences of Chromium Bound Peptides,” Rozlyn Chambliss.  Mentor: Carolyn J. Cassady, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

7.                  “Induction of Keratin 17 by Sulforaphane, a Potent Inducer of Phase II Detoxification Enzymes,” Tiffany Taylor.  Mentor: Pierre Coulombe, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.

8.                  “Worms and Waste:  An Innovative Way for Deworming,” Shirron LeShure.  Mentor:  Adriane Ludwick, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama.

9.                  “Synthesis and Characterization of Modified Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofibers from an Organic Perspective,” Chadwick Corbett.  Mentor:  Pamela Leggett-Robinson, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama.