TAMIU Students, Professors Present at Chemistry Conference

Keeping with Texas A&M International University’s  (TAMIU) commitment to promote research and provide students with skills and abilities to think critically and apply their knowledge, a group of five undergraduate students, two graduate students and three faculty members attended and presented research at the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting held recently in San Francisco.

The ACS is the world’s largest scientific society of chemical professionals.

Dr. Kameron Jorgensen and Dr. Keith Combrink, both  TAMIU assistant professors of chemistry, accompanied five TAMIU Chemistry Club undergraduate students to the meeting. The students presented individual research posters in the “Chemical Education Division Undergraduate Research” poster session.

“Students are encouraged to take a research course their junior and/or senior year, choosing an advisor from the department. They are also encouraged to present at both regional and national meetings to promote networking and aid in their ability to present and understand their research projects,” explained Dr. Jorgensen.

All students in attendance presented research they conducted under faculty of the TAMIU College of Arts and Sciences Biology and Chemistry Department.

“Students benefit from presenting at a conference. They get exposure to the most recent advancements in their field. Presenting allows students to learn how to talk about their research, i.e., science, and they learn to respond to feedback. It contributes to their resume or curriculum vitae and it allows them to network with other researchers, increasing future opportunities and positions,” said Jorgensen.

Jorgensen and Combrink did more than just accompany and encourage their students to present. They each presented their own research at the Conference.

Jorgensen presented additional research taking place in her laboratory and gave an oral presentation on her research on fluorine halocarbons energetics. She also presented on bond dissociation energies of greenhouse gases in the computational chemistry division.

Combrink presented his research on Mycobacterium abscessus infections in medicinal chemistry.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for them to meet with other scientists and discuss their ongoing research projects,” added Jorgensen.

With thousands of chemists and related professionals from around the world in attendance, the ACS National Meeting was an opportunity for attendees to share their passion for chemistry. It also provides students with network opportunities because recruiters get to meet the “cream of the crop.”

Antonio Jiménez, senior chemistry major, presented research on antimalarial triclosan derivatives. Jiménez, Jorgensen’s research student, has plans to attend medical school in the fall at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.

Yoana Flores and Jasmine Escobar, both chemistry juniors and Dr. Combrink’s research students, presented research on rattlesnake venom inhibitors.

Kira Elizondo, senior biology major, and Andrea Ramírez-Ramos, biology graduate student, presented research on derivatives to treat Mycobacterium abscessus. They conducted their research in Combrink’s laboratory.

Irma Maldonado, biology graduate student, presented her research on evaluation of antimicrobial properties of Combretum igneiflorum extracts. Her research was done under Dr. Alfred Addo-Mensah, TAMIU associate professor of chemistry.

Mabi Vazquez-Camacho, senior chemistry major and TAMIU Chemistry Club president, presented her research, “Effects of Lectin on HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase,” conducted under her research advisor, Dr. Ruby Ynalvez, TAMIU associate professor of biology.

“I am very proud of the students that presented at this Conference. In addition to presenting their research, they attended chemistry demonstration activities, research presentation symposiums, a graduate recruitment event and poster sessions to learn about current research,” said Jorgensen.

For more information, contact Jorgensen at kameron.jorgensen@tamiu.edu or 326.2568 or visit offices in Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center 307.

University office hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.

Additional information is available at www.tamiu.edu and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.