Chemistry and Biochemistry News

Biochemistry major, Courtney Aceto, plans to pursue a career in epidemiology and virology researching new vaccines. She had a great freshmen year. One of the highlights of the year was her Honors General Chemistry demonstration. Courtney used different salts (strontium, barium, sodium, etc.) to produce different colored frames. What a pretty end to a great year in Freshman Honors Chemistry!

Congratulations to Chemistry faculty member, Dr. Jason Sonnenberg, on winning the 2014 Innovative Teaching with Technology Award for the School of the Sciences. This award recognizes faculty who use technology in new ways to improve or advance teaching and learning at Stevenson University. Dr. Sonnenberg is an avid user of blackboards and whiteboards in his classroom. He uses available digital cameras to photograph all content placed on the board during class and digitally disseminates it to his students. This information is then readily available to students for studying.

Chemistry junior, Shelby Litz, presented her research at the Spring Poster Session at Stevenson. She worked with Chemistry Faculty member, Dr. Tracey Mason, on her ongoing project on understanding anti-cancer drugs. Shelby’s mom (left) came to see her presentation and was excited to be a part of the day! Shelby loves participating in research because she is able to apply what she learns in the classroom to real life problems. Shelby really enjoyed her research expereince, so this summer, she is participating in our Summer Science Scholars Research Program, studying RNA Interference.

The Environmental Club won several awards this spring at the Student Government Club Leadership Awards Banquet. The club won Best Collaborative Program for GreenFest, a fair in which individuals and other clubs showed the important roles the environment plays in our lives. Dr. Kimberly Tucker, left, was honored as the best club advisor. Congratulations to chemistry senior, Mercedes Vilasoa, right, president of the club!

Biochemistry sophomore Zoe Singman is spending her summer conducting research in a microbiology lab in the Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Zoe, a 2013 recipient of the Toby Eagle Scholarship for Cancer Research, learned a lot about lab work last summer and was very familiar with laboratory techniques when she started Stevenson last fall.

This summer, she looks forward to working in Dr. David Sidransky’s lab, learning more and being able to perform her own experiments. Zoe looks forward to a future career in medicine.