Students and Faculty Attend ACS Meeting in New Orleans

Anna Falls, Jared Baisden, Megan Liggett and Mallorie Boron pose for a photo with the Mole and other characters from the ACS Exposition

Seven chemistry faculty members and eight of their research students gave presentations at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society held in New Orleans.  This conference attracted more than 15,500 chemists, graduate and undergraduate students, as well as other professionals.  The AU students attending were Drew Adkins (Chemistry, '13), Jared Baisden (Biochemistry '13), Mallorie Boron (Biochemistry & Forensic Chemistry '13), Katelyn Elliott (junior chemistry major), Anna Falls (junior biochemistry major), Megan Liggett (Biochemistry '13), Jennifer Pyle (Biology '13), and Aaron Tipton (junior biochemistry major).  Faculty members attending were Dr. Robert Bergosh, Dr. Perry Corbin, Dr. Rebecca Corbin, Dr. Brian Mohney, Prof. Trina Mohney, Dr. Nick Regan, and Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer.

Ten technical presentations were given by the AU students and faculty.  Coauthors included several science alumni as well as additional science students faculty members.

• “Isolation and exploration of the biological properties of natural products from the invasive plant Phragmites australis.” Drew Adkins, Robert G. Bergosh, Jeffrey D. Weidenhamer, Mei Li (Chemistry '12), Kelly Sullivan (EVS/Bio '13) and Dr. Mason Posner.
  

• “Synthesis and time dependent toxicity of nicotine analogs.” Jennifer Pyle, Robert G. Bergosh, Kelly Mozena (Chemistry/Chem. Ed. '10), Megan Liggett and Dr. Douglas A. Dawson. 

• “Progress towards the synthesis of resorcinarene-core polylactide/polyethylene glycol star block copolymers using click chemistry.” Aaron E. Tipton, Anna C. Falls and Perry S. Corbin.
  

• “Measuring halogenated flame retardants by silicone tubing mictroextraction.” Megan E. Liggett, Brian K. Mohney and Jeffrey D. Weidenhamer.
  

• “Synthesis, characterization, and degradation of multi-armed calixarene-core polylactide star polymers.” Anna C. Falls, Mei Li, and Perry S. Corbin.
   
• “Bioavailability of cadmium in inexpensive jewelry.” Mallorie L. Boron and Jeffrey D. Weidenhamer.   
  

• “Isolation and characterization of a suspected phytoalexin from Acer rubrum L.” Jared T. Baisden, Janna Pearson, Beth Miller-Lisy (Chemistry '98), Robert G. Bergosh and Jeffrey D. Weidenhamer.
   
• “Synthesis of nicotine analogs using click chemistry.” Katelyn Elliot and Robert G. Bergosh.
  

• “Impact of the cCWCS Renewable Energy Workshop on curriculum and outreach at Ashland University.” Rebecca W. Corbin.  

•  “ACS activities at Ashland University” by Anna C. Falls, Marie R. Southerland (Biochemistry '12), Cassandra E. Nix (junior EVS/Bio/Tox major) , Mallorie L. Boron, Katelyn B. Elliot, Perry S. Corbin, Rebecca W. Corbin, Dr. Matthew L. Arthur, Brian K. Mohney, and Nicholas B. Regan.

Support for faculty and students attending the meeting included funds from Ashland University, the National Science Foundation, the ACS national organization and the ACS Local Section. 

Dr. Weidenhamer, Drew Adkins, and Dr. Bergosh at the ACS Meeting

Three Ashland biology majors to start Occupational Therapy programs

Science majors at Ashland University pursue a number of different health-related professional careers.  In the last few years we have had a growing number of students work towards admission to graduate programs in occupational therapy (OT).  We are excited that three of our biology majors will be starting OT programs this Fall.

Chelsea Kaminski

Chelsea Kaminski will be graduating this spring and has been accepted into the Master of Occupational Therapy program at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA.  

After helping our woman's basketball team win a national championship, Beth Mantkowski will also be finishing at AU this Fall and will be joining the Master of OT program at Cleveland State.  She will be entering with Merianna Shihada (Biology '12), who has been working in an orthopedic practice since graduating from AU last fall where she had the opportunity to shadow the occupational therapists on staff.

Merianna Shihada

To learn more about careers in OT visit this resource page from the American Occupational Therapy Association.  

Beth Mantkowski

Ashland science athletes finish strong

This spring semester has been exciting for Ashland University science athletes.  Our majors have competed for national championships in basketball and track and field.

The team celebrates after winning
the national championship

Biochemistry major Daiva Gerbec and Biology major Beth Mantkowski won a national championship as part of our woman's basketball team this past Friday.  The team finished the season 37-1 and won the championship game in San Antonio beating Dowling College 71-56.

Daiva Gerbec with teammate and fellow
Academic All-American Kari Daugherty

Daiva was also named an Academic All-American.

Earlier in March Biology major Cory Lamar won a national championship in Birmingham as part of our 4X4 relay team, a performance that helped land the AU men's team a second place finish in the nation.  Biology major Jennifer Foster finished second in the nation in the high jump.

Jennifer Foster

Cory Lamar