Project SEED Research Symposium 2016 – Chemical Society of Washington

Contributed by Allison Aldridge, CSW Project SEED Coordinator

CSW’s Project SEED program continues to provide chemistry-related research opportunities to economically disadvantaged high school (HS) students in the DC area. In 2016, 19 fellows completed the program, including four SEED II (returning) fellows. The students represented Washington DC (Roosevelt HS), and Maryland (John F. Kennedy HS, Highpoint HS, Wheaton HS, Centennial HS, Walter Johnson HS). The institutions that hosted the fellows were Howard University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, University of Maryland (College Park and Baltimore County), University of the District of Columbia, the Library of Congress, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The fellows from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Project SEED program, organized by Dr. Victoria Volkis (Montajha Bowen, Cierra Jennestreet, Ashley Rochford, and Alaya Lewis), joined us for the research symposium.

The CSW Project SEED committee organized a Project SEED Research symposium on September 10, 2016 at ACS headquarters. The SEED I (first-year) fellows presented posters of their research and the SEED II (returning) fellows gave oral presentations. Five CSW members served as judges (Dr. Richard Goodman, Dr. Jason Schaff, Dr. Wesley Farrell, Dr. Darrell Boyd, and Mr. Zeus de los Santos). Prizes were awarded to Zane Haug, (first place), Ashley Rochford (second place), and Anulichi Okorie (honorable mention).

*Project SEED fellow Florence Kyremanteng, with graduate student Joe Ramirez (Georgetown University) at the poster session. Her mentor, Travis Holman, was also in attendance.*

*Project SEED fellow Nicholas Mbenga, who worked at the Library of Congress, presenting his poster to CSW Board member Wesley Farrell.*

Photo credit: Allison Aldridge