The Mid-Hudson Section of the American Chemical Society and Bard College present the 23rd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium
Friday, April 21, 2023 Bard College 30 Campus Rd Annandale-On-Hudson, NY 12504
Fun with 1 and 2 Electron Reactions
Speaker: Dr. Patrick Walsh University of Pennsylvania, Chemistry Department
Abstract: The umpolung synthesis of diarylmethylamines via palladium-catalyzed arylation of 2-azaallyl anion intermediates and related reactions and enantioselective versions will be presented. Next, the observation that that 2-azaallyl anions can behave as organic super-electron-donors (SED) will be introduced. Such unique behavior is illustrated in (i) generation of 2-azaallyl radicals from single-electron-transfer (SET) between 2-azaallyl anions and neutral ketimines, which then couple with vinyl bromides; (ii) generation of 2-azaallyl radicals from SET of 2-azaallyl anions with aryl and alkyl electrophiles, which generate aryl and alkyl radicals leading to formation of C–C bonds. Finally, some novel organocatalysts based on sulfenate anions (ArSO) will be described.
Speaker Biography: Patrick J. Walsh was born in San Diego, California. He received his B.A. from University of California, San Diego in 1986, and Ph.D. in 1991 from University of California, Berkeley with Prof. Robert G. Bergman. He moved back to San Diego for a postdoc with Prof. K. B. Sharpless (two-time Nobel laureate in Chemistry) at Scripps (1991–1994). From 1994–1999 he was an assistant professor at San Diego State University and professor at Centro de Graduados e Investigación, Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana (1996–1999). In 1999 he moved to the University of Pennsylvania where he is Professor of Inorganic Chemistry. With Prof. Marisa Kozlowski, he co-authored Fundamentals of Asymmetric Catalysis. Prof. Walsh enjoys extensive collaborations with labs around the world. Over his career Prof. Walsh and his team have worked in several areas of organic, organometallic, and inorganic synthesis and catalysis. Major focuses of their work include early research on organozinc- and titanium-based catalysts. Later the Walsh group became interested in late-transition metal- and lanthanide-based catalysts for C–S and C–C bond formations. Recent directions include development of sulfur-based organocatalysts and exploration of the unexpected reactivity of azaallyl anions. A commonality of this work has been a strong desire to elucidate reaction mechanisms. In 2016 Prof. Walsh won the undergraduate mentoring award and is currently the PI of the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates at Penn.
The Mid-Hudson Section of the American Chemical Society and Mount Saint Mary College present the
22nd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium
Friday, April 29, 2022 Mount Saint Mary College Newburgh, NY 12550
This symposium provides an opportunity for undergraduates from mid-Hudson colleges to present their research in the chemical sciences. All areas of chemistry, environmental science, molecular biology, and related fields are welcome. A poster session will allow students to share their work, followed by an invited lecture and a buffet dinner. ** Current Covid policy allows visitors on campus, with optional masking. This could change, depending on the current local Covid conditions.
Symposium Program
3:30–4:00 PM: Check-In & Poster Set-Up in Aquinas Hall 4:00–4:40 PM: Poster session A 4:40-5:20 PM: Poster session B 5:30–6:00 PM: Awards and Announcements – Hudson Hall 6:00 PM: Lecture by Dr. Darryl Boyd – Hudson Hall 7:00 PM: Buffet Dinner (Reservations required)
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Fabrication of High Refractive Index, Infrared Transmitting Organically Modified Chalcogenide (ORMOCHALC) Polymers
Darryl A. Boyd, PhD Research Chemist, Optical Sciences Division, Naval Research Laboratory
Abstract ORganically MOdified CHALCogenide (ORMOCHALC) polymers are novel materials that can be synthesized through the recently discovered inverse vulcanization process. Inverse vulcanization requires the heating of chalcogenide comonomers along with compounds that contain available pi electrons, with sulfur being the most common chalcogen used in these reactions due to its properties and abundance. The composition of the polymers presented includes the use of previously unexplored multi-vinyl branching agents, as well as polymer backbones that contain elements other than sulfur, such as selenium. The crosslinking by unique species, and the use of selenium as a backbone component are significant in that they have a direct and pronounced effect on the optical properties of the polymers produced. Specific optical benefits of ORMOCHALC polymers include the extensive infrared transmission profile and the unusually high refractive indices these polymers possess. The synthesis and optical characterization of unique ORMOCHALC polymers are presented.
Biography Dr. Darryl A. Boyd is a Research Chemist at the US Naval Research Lab (NRL) in Washington, DC working in the Optical Sciences Division. He has a BS in Chemistry from the University of Michigan, and Master and Doctorate degrees from Purdue University in Biochemistry and Inorganic Chemistry, respectively. Following his graduate work, Dr. Boyd began working at NRL as a National Research Council postdoc. His primary research focuses on the development of novel sulfur-based polymers that have unique optical properties, including unprecedented infrared transmission capabilities. His research efforts have earned him recognitions that include winning the 2021 BEYA Admiral Michelle Howard Legacy Award, being named to the 2020 class of ‘Distinguished Alumni’ for Purdue University’s College of Science, the 2019 National Academy of Engineering ‘Frontiers in Engineering class,’ the 2019 SPIE class of ‘Rising Researchers,’ and the 2018 class of Chemical & Engineering News ‘Talented 12.’ Independent of his research job, for years Dr. Boyd has volunteered throughout the country, introducing grade school children to Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics (STEM). This includes efforts through his science-focused YouTube Channel (as Dr. Boyd The Chemist), and his company “Science Made Simple LLC.” He is an active member of several scientific organizations, including the ACS, NOBCChE, and the Chemical Society of Washington. Finally, Dr. Boyd and his wonderful wife have a beautiful daughter, with another child on the way.
Call for Poster Abstracts: To present a poster, please submit an abstract of 200 words or less. Please make every effort to adhere to the specific formatting guidelines, as follows:
Submit each abstract as a separate Microsoft Word file. The filename should include: the first author’s last name, the institution name, and the faculty advisor’s last name.
Use 16 point Times New Roman font with one inch margins all around.
Do not include references.
Include an abstract header with each of the following items centered, on separate lines, and formatted as follows a) Title: in bold and all caps b) List of authors: in bold and separated by commas. The faculty advisor’s name should be followed by an asterisk (*) c) Institution Name: in bold d) Institution Address: in bold (e.g., 330 Powell Avenue, Newburgh, NY 12550) e) Faculty Advisor’s Email Address: in bold and lower case
Poster Information: To fit on the poster boards, posters should be approximately 48 inches wide by 36 inches in height.
Abstract submission: Please submit your abstract as an email attachment on or before Thursday, April 7th to: acs@msmc.edu . If you are unable to meet this deadline, please contact Dr. Lynn Maelia (lynn.maelia@msmc.edu) to make arrangements. There is a $25 conference fee per poster up to $400 maximum per school, which will be billed to your school. In addition to sending your abstract by email, please register by clicking the link below.
Registration: You must register in advance for this meeting, even if you are giving a poster. You can register at this link:
This year’s virtual symposium provides an opportunity for undergraduates from Mid-Hudson colleges to present their research in the chemical sciences. All areas of chemistry, environmental science, molecular biology, and related fields are welcome. A poster session will allow students to share their work, followed by an award ceremony and an invited lecture.
Symposium Program 3:30–4:00 PM: Participant Check-In 4:00–4:45 PM: Poster session A 4:45-5:30 PM: Poster session B 5:30–6:00 PM: Awards and Announcements 6:00 PM: Invited Lecture by Dr. Nasrin Hooshmand, Senior Research Scientist Georgia Tech Laser Dynamics Laboratory
Photos from 20th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Guest Speaker: Theodore Gray, author of The Elements “The Periodic Table: Completing a Work of Ages”
Abstract: The periodic table has been an inspiration since its outlines were first published 150 years ago. At first an inspiration for scientists to fill in its missing pieces. Then an inspiration for students to learn about the rich patterns and symmetries of chemistry. Now an inspiration to all of us as an example of what can be accomplished when a community of dedicated researchers works together over a span of seven generations to complete a task that only the last few could hope to see finished in their lifetime.
Speaker Bio: Theodore Gray is the co-founder of Wolfram Research, Inc, makers of Mathematica, and the author of The Elements, the internationally best-selling book and App on the beauty of the periodic table, translated into 25 languages. He is the creator of the BAFTA award-winning, 2013 iPad App of the Year Disney Animated, and proprietor of periodictable.com and mechanicalgifs.com. His most recent project is a book on the functional beauty of mechanical devices, to be published in the fall of 2019.
Photos from URS 2018
Guest Speaker: Dr. Bart Kahr, Department of Chemistry, New York University
“Why are Crystals Straight?”
Abstract: Why are Crystals Straight? In chemistry, we know the vast majority of what we know about molecular structure from the scattering of X-rays from crystals. Diffraction works so well because crystals have long range translational symmetry. In fact, crystals are straight, by definition. Their sharp edges and flat faces, so unlike most everything else in Nature, flash forth their symmetry, translational symmetry first and foremost. However, we have shown in the past decade that a large fraction of simple molecular (organic) crystals can be made to grow with helicoidal morphologies, as structures with curvature that are decidedly not straight. Studies of the mechanisms that give rise to these apparent distortions in crystals that twist as they grow has developed into a meditation and a program of computation aimed at understanding why and when crystals develop translational symmetry. We have come to see translational symmetry not as a requirement of crystallinity, but rather as an imperfect compromise between free energy and size.
About the Speaker: Bart Kahr was born in New York City in 1961. He studied chemistry with I. D. Reingold at Middlebury College, with Kurt Mislow at Princeton University (Ph.D., 1988), and with J. M. McBride at Yale University. He was a faculty member at Purdue University from 1990 to 1996 and at the University of Washington, Seattle from 1997 to 2009. After which, he returned to his hometown where he is currently Professor of Chemistry in the Molecular Design Institute at New York University. Kahr's research group studies the growth, structure, and physical properties of complex organized media. Bart also practices the experimental history of chemistry and crystallography, that is those aspects of the development of science of can only be informed by contemporary laboratory experiments. In recent years, he has been advocating for the changes in the way that universities and government agencies manage scientific misconduct. In 2014, he was named NSF Distinguished Lecturer in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences.
