Elmhurst resident Kelsey Schmitt presents research at ACCA symposium

2014 May 8

Kelsey Schmitt of Elmhurst, Ill. presented "Decoding the Molecular Level Binding Interactions of Commercial Pesticides/Herbicides" at the 47th annual Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area Student Symposium at Elmhurst College.

ACCA is a consortium of 15 private liberal arts colleges that was formed in 1966 to promote cooperation in education and training in the sciences. The symposium provides an opportunity for students to speak to an interested audience on a meaningful academic topic. It is an educational experience that helps students organize their thinking and address groups of people. Students are given the opportunity to verbally share the excitement of their intellectual labors and discoveries in a formal, 15-minute presentation and receive feedback and ideas from the audience.

The following Chemistry students presented with Dr. Jason Keleher, chair and assistant professor of Chemistry, as their faculty adviser:

Julianne Truffa and Logan Johnson presented "Biomimetic Polyaniline Nanocomposites for Conducting Film Applications."

Lisa Janes and Sarah Parker presented "Electrochemical Analysis of Film Forming Mechanisms Relevant to Data Storage Chemical Mechanical Planarization."

Kelsey Schmitt and Kathleen Hallenbeck presented "Decoding the Molecular Level Binding Interactions of Commercial Pesticides/Herbicides."

Samantha Brain, Caitlin Higgins and Nathan Hoffman presented "The Effectiveness of the Luminol Presumptive Test for Blood Under Arson-Like Conditions."

Amy Mlynarski presented "Investigating the Role of Surface Film Formation on the CMP of Sapphire."

Kevin Kuchler, Andrea Portillo and Danielle Volk presented "Photocatalytic Nanocomposites for Alternative Clean Fuel Production."

Samantha Rinehart and Jeromy Rech presented "Photocatalytic Biomimetic Filters for Non-Energy Required Water Purification with Additive Antimicrobial Properties."

Hubert Bilan presented "The Development of Laser Attenuating Films for Use in Aviation."

The following Computer Science students presented with Joseph Ninh Van Nguyen, assistant professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, as their faculty adviser:

Vanessa Basick and Jessica Dreher presented "Memory Allocation."
Jos Marquez, Mark Braasch and Jesus Guzman presented "The Syntax and Semantics of C#."

The following Physics students presented with Dr. Ely Leon, assistant professor of Physics, as their faculty adviser:

Alec Pickett and Alessandro Mazza presented "Simulation of Planetary Orbits in Curved Space-Times."
Jordan Kaiser presented "Comparison of Contact Angle Techniques to Determine the Wettability of a Liquid."

The following Psychology students presented:

Jessica McKenzie presented "The Effect of Context on Music Perception." Dr. Valerie Hill, associate professor of Psychology, served as her faculty adviser.
Elizabeth Michener presented "Intimate Relationships and Academic Performance of College Students." Dr. Chwan-Shyang Jih, professor of Psychology, served as her faculty adviser.

Lewis University is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,600 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.