SUNY New Paltz hosts annual Mid-Hudson American Chemical Society Undergraduate Research Symposium

The SUNY New Paltz Department of Chemistry hosted the 24th annual Mid-Hudson American Chemical Society Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 19, where 12 student-faculty teams from New Paltz’s School of Science & Engineering presented original scholarship in Science Hall, amongst a room of nearly 200 participants from local colleges and universities.  

Topics included potential insecticidal compounds found from trees such as white birch and American sycamore, surface adhesion, and the effects of biphenol A (BPA) found in plastics.

This was a chance for SUNY New Paltz students to not only showcase their research to other scientists in the field, but to hone in on the all-important skill of public speaking.    

“This symposium was an incredible opportunity for students to discuss their research in chemistry and biochemistry with peers in the field from neighboring colleges,” said Chemistry Professor Pamela St. John. “Conferences like this help SUNY New Paltz students prepare for future work in professional, graduate, and industrial settings.”  

They also had a chance to view groundbreaking scholarship from a potential future peer in the field, as Sean Brady, a professor from Rockefeller University in New York City, served as guest speaker for the event with a lecture on using natural selection in guiding a synthetic approach to developing highly bioactive natural antibiotics. 

Click here to learn more about the Department of Chemistry at SUNY New Paltz.