Free Radicals

2023 Annual Chemistry Department Awards

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The Chemistry Department is proud to announce the recipients of the 2023 Annual Chemistry Department Awards:

ACS Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry: Alex Seys
Awarded for excellence in analytical chemistry
ACS Undergraduate Award in Inorganic Chemistry: Jessica Luu
To recognize achievement in inorganic chemistry and to encourage further study in the field
ACS Undergraduate Award in Organic Chemistry: Jeremy Kim
To a student who has displayed a significant aptitude for organic chemistry
ACS Undergraduate Award in Physical Chemistry: Emma Davis
To recognize achievement in physical chemistry and to encourage further study in the field
ACS Undergraduate Award for Excellence in Safety & Ethics: Rachel Nguyen
To recognize senior undergraduates who have actively demonstrated the intersectionality between chemical safety and ethical behavior
ACS Connecticut Valley Section Award: Michael O’Sullivan
For outstanding achievement by a graduating chemistry major
American Institute for Chemists Award: Kelly Fenton-Samuels
For outstanding achievement by a graduating chemistry major
Bradley Prize: Graham Gilchrist & Emmet Sherman
To the senior or junior who excels in chemistry and particularly in special original work
Silverman Prize: Alex Seys
Awarded to a member of the junior or senior class for excellence in chemistry
Peirce Prize: Fletcher Levy & Kelly Fenton-Samuels
Awarded for excellence in E&ES
CRC Award (General Chemistry): Owen Dunton
For the outstanding first-year student in Principles of Chemistry
CRC Award (Organic Chemistry): Carlos Romo
For the outstanding first-year student in Organic Chemistry
Hawk Prize: Rachel Nguyen
To the students who have done the most effective work in biochemistry
Martius Yellow Award: Leonard Majaducon & Angela Rojas-Merchan
Awarded for excellence in Integrated Chemistry Laboratory
The Wallace C. Pringle Prize for Research in Chemistry: Rachel Nguyen
Awarded to a student for excellence in research
Peterson Fellowship: Josh Dudley
For graduate study in biochemistry
Tishler Prize: Angelika Rafalowski
Awarded to the best graduate teaching assistant in chemistry

Chemistry Majors Elected to Phi Beta Kappa

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Spring 2023 elections to Wesleyan’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa have been announced, and it is with great pleasure that we recognize
Kelly Ann Fenton-Samuels and Minh Chau Rachel Nguyen.
To be elected, a student must first have been nominated by the department of their major. The student also must have demonstrated curricular breadth by having met the General Education Expectations and must have achieved a GPA of 93 or above.

The emblem contains the three Greek letters “Phi,” “Beta,” and “Kappa,” which are the initials of the Greek motto, Philosophia Biou Kybernetes, or “the love of wisdom is the guide of life.”

Kelly Ann Fenton-Samuels, 2023
Chemistry, Earth & Environmental Sciences

Minh Chau Rachel Nguyen, 2023
Chemistry, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry

Induction will take place on May 27, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. in the Memorial Chapel

2022 Annual Chemistry Department Awards

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The Chemistry Department is proud to announce the recipients of the 2022 Annual Chemistry Department Awards:

ACS Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry: Sally Tepper
Awarded for excellence in analytical chemistry
ACS Undergraduate Award in Inorganic Chemistry: Anna Friedman
To recognize achievement in inorganic chemistry and to encourage further study in the field
ACS Undergraduate Award in Organic Chemistry: Annika Velez
To a student who has displayed a significant aptitude for organic chemistry
ACS Undergraduate Award in Physical Chemistry: Alex Seys
To recognize achievement in physical chemistry and to encourage further study in the field
ACS Connecticut Valley Section Award: Sophie Wazlowski
For outstanding achievement by a graduating chemistry major
American Institute for Chemists Award: Mohammed Ullah
For outstanding achievement by a graduating chemistry major
Bradley Prize: Dylan Judd & Annika Velez
To the senior or junior who excels in chemistry and particularly in special original work
Silverman Prize: Corin Grady
Awarded to a member of the junior or senior class for excellence in chemistry
Peirce Prize: Caroline Pitton
Awarded for excellence in biology
CRC Award (General Chemistry): Othmane El Houssi
For the outstanding first-year student in Principles of Chemistry
CRC Award (Organic Chemistry): Katherine Fhu
For the outstanding first-year student in Organic Chemistry
Hawk Prize: Nadiya Jaunbocus & Mia Kim
To the students who have done the most effective work in biochemistry
Martius Yellow Award: Emmet Sherman & Nabiha Syed
Awarded for excellence in Integrated Chemistry Laboratory
The Wallace C. Pringle Prize for Research in Chemistry: Sterre Hesseling
Awarded to a student for excellence in research
Peterson Fellowship: Bakar Hassan & Jozafina Milicaj
For graduate study in biochemistry
Tishler Prize: Josh Dudley
Awarded to the best graduate teaching assistant in chemistry

Commencement 2022

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Graduates toss their caps into the air at the 190th Commencement

Twenty four degrees in Chemistry were awarded on May 22nd at the 190th Commencement. Join us in congratulating our new alumni!

Ph.D.
Andrea Gar Ting Lee
Sean Patrick McDarby
Jozafina Milicaj

M.A.
Giana Marie Argento
Akossiwa Brynn Assignon
Lucan Dresden Mani

B.A.
Colleen Michelle Carrigan
Oliver Cho
Anissa Tamilla Findley
Anna Pienza Friedman
Corin Louise Grady
Caitlin Eileen Grant
Mitchell Reuben Green
Sterre Nadine Hesseling
Nadiya Jaunbocus
Dylan Robert Judd
Mia Sunae Kim
Julia Lynnn Slamin Lanfear
Nabiha Syed
Dylan Robert Sylvester
Sally Landon Mossman Tepper
Mohammed Arfat Ullah
Annika Bo Velez
Sophie May Wazlowski

Class of 2020 In-Person Commencement

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Graduates from the Class of 2020 finally convened for an in-person commencement celebration on Sunday, June 5th. These alumni reunited after being separated at the end of their Wesleyan careers due to the global pandemic. Join us in celebrating the Class of 2020!

Graduates toss their caps into the air at the 188th Commencement

Ph.D.
Melissa Elizabeth King
Yoana Throssell

B.A.

Anik Macy Bernstein
Yin-Tung Chen
Daniel JongHwa Chung
Calvin Robert Coffey
Joshua Crane
May Do
Alexandra Nicole Goss
Liam Nathan Isaacs
Alexander James Kapphahn
Miranda Lillie Nestor
Dillon James Noone
Josephine Margaret Russ
Anastasia C. Saar
Iman Iqbal Sigman
Rochelle Barrie Spencer
Katherine Hanson Sundberg
Sydney Maya Taylor-Klaus
Aryan K. Vavila
Claire Jing Jing Wang
Sonja Maria Welch
Jaina Sarris Wollowitz

Rewatch the 2020 Commencement

 

Chemistry Majors Elected to Phi Beta Kappa

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Spring 2022 elections to Wesleyan’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa have been announced, and it is with great pleasure that we recognize

Dylan Robert Judd and Mia Sunae Kim.

To be elected, a student must first have been nominated by the department of their major. The student also must have demonstrated curricular breadth by having met the General Education Expectations and must have achieved a GPA of 93 or above.

The emblem contains the three Greek letters “Phi,” “Beta,” and “Kappa,” which are the initials of the Greek motto, Philosophia Biou Kybernetes, or “the love of wisdom is the guide of life.”


Dylan Robert Judd, 2022
Chemistry, Environmental Sciences


Mia Sunae Kim, 2022
Chemistry

Induction will take place on May 21, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. in the Memorial Chapel.

Chemistry Major Elected to Phi Beta Kappa

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Fall 2021 elections to Wesleyan’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa have been announced, and it is with great pleasure that we recognize Julia Lynne Lanfear.

To be elected, a student must first have been nominated by the department of his or her major. The student also must have demonstrated curricular breadth by having met the General

Education Expectations and must have achieved a GPA of 93 or above.

The emblem contains the three Greek letters “Phi,” “Beta,” and “Kappa,” which are the initials of the Greek motto, Philosophia Biou Kybernetes, or “the love of wisdom is the guide of life.”

 

Julia Lynne Lanfear, 2022
Biology, Chemistry 

Elected students will be honored at an induction ceremony on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 4:30p.m. in Allbritton 311.

Chemistry Major Demonstrates Flimsiness of Amherst Construction

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In a baseball game late in the spring semester, senior Chemistry major Dylan Judd shows that the Amherst fence is no match.  Dylan emerged unscathed and is now the only Wesleyan chemist we know who has gone viral (over 101,000 views and counting).  When he isn’t dispatching physical barriers, he works with Prof. Personick using nanoparticles to catalyze organic reactions.

 

Fire & Ice Event 2021

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On May 4th, the Chemistry Majors’ group, the Free Radicals, held the annual Fire and Ice Event on the patio of the Exley Science Center. Students performed a number of chemical demonstrations and entertained fellow students, faculty, and staff with lighthearted one-liners.  Among the experiments performed, students blew up several balloons with various gas concentrations, created a flaming tornado inside two shields, burned a quantity of magnesium inside a solid block of dry ice, ignited thermite within a clay pot, and blew up guncotton (nitrocellulose).

Student demonstrations were performed by: Emily Aoki, Gianna Argento, California Clark, Oliver Cho, Bryan Guarin, Sterre Hesseling, Dylan Judd, and Kyle Sylvester.

Click here for a short video from the event.

 

2021 Annual Chemistry Department Awards

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Awards – ACS Younger Chemists Committee

The Chemistry Department is proud to announce the recipients of the 2021 Annual Chemistry Department Awards:

ACS Analytical Award: Cole Harris
Awarded for excellence in analytical chemistry
ACS Award in Inorganic Chemistry: Abrar Habib
To recognize achievement in inorganic chemistry and to encourage further study in the field
ACS Award in Organic Chemistry: Niels Vizgan
To a student who has displayed a significant aptitude for organic chemistry
ACS Award in Physical Chemistry: Caitlin Grant
To recognize achievement in physical chemistry and to encourage further study in the field
ACS Connecticut Valley Section Award: Emma Shapiro
For outstanding achievement by a graduating chemistry major
American Institute for Chemists Award: Gianna Argento
For outstanding achievement by a graduating chemistry major
Bradley Prize: Sterre Hesseling & Emma Shapiro
To the senior or junior who excels in chemistry and particularly in special original work
Silverman Prize: Oliver Cho & Annika Velez
Awarded to a member of the junior or senior class for excellence in chemistry
Peirce Prize: Sophia Marra
Awarded for excellence in chemistry
CRC Award (General Chemistry): Alexis Papavasiliou 
For the outstanding first-year student in Principles of Chemistry
CRC Award (Organic Chemistry): Anne Kiely
For the outstanding first-year student in Organic Chemistry
Hawk Prize: Kate Luo
To the students who have done the most effective work in biochemistry
Martius Yellow Award: Sophie Wazlowski
Awarded for excellence in Integrated Chemistry Laboratory
The Wallace C. Pringle Prize for Research in Chemistry: Sean McDarby
Awarded to a student for excellence in research
Peterson Fellowship: Nick Wells
For graduate study in biochemistry
Tishler Prize: Jeff Keyes
Awarded to the best graduate teaching assistant in chemistry