Chemistry and Biochemistry News

Senior Chemistry major Justin Killough has a job already waiting for him even though he’s still in his last semester at Stevenson. He will begin working at Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories after graduation this May, and will be joining several other Stevenson alumni working at the Lancaster, PA site. He credits his Stevenson chemistry degree for preparing him for the workforce. Also key to his competitiveness, Justin completed an internship at BASF in Delaware last summer, working on organic pigment oxidation optimization methods. Justin is pictured above, examining a flask of 2-9 dichlorodiquinacridone, a red pigment first synthesized by BASF in the 1990s

Biochemistry junior Keith McNeill completed independent research last fall with chemistry faculty member Dr. Sara Narayan. The work was computational-based, examining potential new anti-HIV medications using Gaussian molecular modeling software. Keith was able to compare his non-laboratory based experience with those he’s had in the laboratory. You don’t always have to do chemistry with beakers and flasks; there are many opportunities to do work outside of the laboratory in chemistry.

Celebrating the chemistry behind feelings of love and happiness!

^{Krystine Hill is studyng at University of Pittsburgh}

^{Stacey Wardenfelt is studying at Ohio State University}

^{Delaney Patterson is studying at U. Maryland College Park}

We checked in recently with three of our chemistry alums, Krystine Hill (Chem’18), Stacey Wardenfelt (Bioch ’18) and Delaney Patterson (Bioch ’18), who after graduating from Stevenson last May, decided to pursue a Ph.D. Krystine is at University of Pittsburgh, Stacey is attending Ohio state and Delaney is at Maryland College Park. They have some observations to share of their first semester of graduate school: [You are] “not prepared for how much goes on in your first year of grad school. having to balance graduate level classes, teaching 10 hours a week (and grading ), getting comfortable in a new city, learning a new school, finding new friends, getting into a lab group and finding a PI that is a perfect fit for you…” “Grad school is a lot of work and is definitely an adjustment period. The learning curve is substantial, just like any transition in life….plus TAing has left with me many funny stories to be able to tell.” We look forward to hearing from you all again soon!

Chemistry faculty chat with students and parents over lunch.

Corinna Carter (CHEM BS ’16/ MFS ’17)

Accepted students day is one of our favorite events. We get a sneak preview of our future Mustangs and chat with them over lunch, AND we are visited by our amazing alumni!

Alums Corinna Carter and Kathryn Merrick Jendras (BS/Bioch ’15) were on hand to share their Stevenson experiences with new students and their parents.