Students win national chemistry awards

Competing against more than 5,000 scientists, four students took home a chemistry award for outstanding material and outstanding presentation. The GC students won the award for their research on the water in the Oconee River. 

Students attended the 242nd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Denver, Colo., in August. The award is a result of the continued research of associate professor of chemistry Catrena Lisse’s research group monitoring the water in Milledgeville.

“I interview and hand-pick every student who wants to work on this research,” Lisse said. “The students work together for four years and we all get very close.”

Lisse started the research group 10 years ago and continues to take on new students every year.

“Typically a student will join the group as a freshman and continue working on it through their senior year,” Lisse said. “We have a very family oriented environment.”

Allison Barfield, Ashley Collins, Amber Pentecost and Chelsey Williams are currently part of Lisse’s research group, and were all recognized for their work.

“It is an honor to win a national award,” said Amber Pentecost, senior chemistry major. “We are such a small school and being recognized nationally is a big deal.”

Pentecost plans on attending graduate school after graduating from GC and hopes to work with government research and develop

Centers for Disease Control.

“Chemistry incorporates everything in the world,” Pentecost said. “This award was an eye-opener for me because I realized this is what I should be doing.”

Sophomore chemistry major Allison Barfield joined the research group as a freshman and will continue with Collins when the two seniors graduate. The research is an ongoing process and each new member of the group brings her own ideas and suggestions for further research.

The group focused on the quality of water in the Oconee River for its research topic, looking at the standards of the drinking water.

“The problem with the water is the large amounts of agriculture and farms around the Milledgeville area resulting in large quantities of nitrogen in the water,” Barfield said. “Especially after rain storms, we pick 10 to 15 different locations and test the water to see if it meets the EPA drinking water standards.”

Barfield hopes to become a pediatric oncologist.

“Chemistry is very relevant,” Barfield said. “You use it every day whether you want to or not.”

Senior pre-med major Chelsey Williams won two awards at the conference. She did her own research and analysis on water in Kenya in addition to Lisse’s research group.

“I tested the water looking for nitrates that negatively affect babies,” Williams said. “I found them in the drinking water.”

Her parents started a charity called Kenya Medical Outreach in Africa and have since built a hospital. Williams spent two months in Kenya over the summer testing the water.

“I am really interested in helping people,” Williams said.

Williams is also a recipient of the Chemistry Scholarship program. She receives $500 per year to spend on travel and supplies. With the scholarship, she has attended conferences in California and Puerto Rico, in addition to three GC conferences.

“This is such an exciting award for them,” Lisse said. “They work so hard throughout the year, and it is nice to see it rewarded.”

Posted by Julia Richardson on Oct 20 2011. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.