Pictured (L-R): Kyla Dewittie ’24 and Tristan Mabee ’24
Elizabethtown College Biochemistry and Molecular Biology majors Kyla Dewittie ’24 and Tristan Mabee ’24 recently presented their research at the 87th annual Intercollegiate Student Chemists Convention (ISCC) on April 6 at Lincoln University in Oxford, Pa.
“Tristan and Kyla have both made significant progress on their projects and as seniors, the presentations they gave at ISCC allowed them to showcase all the meaningful research results they have obtained during their time at Etown,” Elizabethtown College Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Lauren Toote said.
DeWittie presented her research completed with Toote titled, “Development of Polymer Nanoparticle Sensors for Detection of Heavy Metals in Water,” and received third place in the quantitative chemistry division. She worked on the project throughout two summers through the Summer Creative Arts and Research Program (SCARP) in addition to consistent work throughout the academic year.
“It was very rewarding to have the opportunity to share my research with a community of chemists from other schools and industry professions, in addition to being recognized for my work,” Dewittie said. “Having the opportunity to present at the ISCC not only allowed me to practice the communication and presentation skills I have acquired through my coursework but also allowed me to build by network with other chemists and industry professionals.”
Mabee gave a presentation of the research he has conducted with Elizabethtown College A.C. Baugher Professor of Chemistry, James A. MacKay titled, “Design and Synthesis of Extended PNA Nucleobases with Flexible Linkers for Triple Helical U-A Recognition in RNA Using Distal Recognition.” Mabee has worked on the research since the fall of 2022 and received third place in the organic chemistry division at the conference.
“I’ve presented at numerous conferences, but what makes ISCC special is the opportunity to connect to local graduate professors and students,” Mabee said.
About the Intercollegiate Student Chemists Convention
The Intercollegiate Student Chemists Convention (ISCC) provides the opportunity for undergraduate students to present their research in the field of chemistry and network with graduate schools and professionals in the chemistry field. The convention has been held since 1936.
