The New York Chemistry Students’ Association

2008 STUDENT AFFLIATE COMMITTEE REPORT

56th UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

Co-Chairs:  
Dr JaimeLee Rizzo, Pace University
Dr. Sharon Lall-Ramnarine, Queensborough Community College
Dr. Alison Hyslop, St. John's University

Committee Members: Alison Hyslop (Co-Chair), Sharon Lall-Ramnarine (Co-Chair), JaimeLee Rizzo (Co-Chair), Sharokh Saba, James Caiccio, Richard Cassetta, Neil Jespersen, Sasan Karimi, Pamela Kerrigan, Yorke Rhodes, Nanette Watcher, Raifah Kabbani, Jill Rehmann, Zhaohua Dai, Justyna Widera.

Committee meeting and planning for the 56th URS took place on May 17, 2008 at Queensborough Community College.  Members of the Students’ Association Committee present:  Justyna Widera, Zhaohua Dai, Richard Cassetta, Alison Hyslop, Sharon Lall-Ramnarine, JaimeLee Rizzo

Number of URS Attendees: Estimated at ~280 students, faculty, family and friends.
Number of Presentations: 109





   <<<<<<<<   THE SYMPOSIUM  >>>>>>>>

     The New York Chemistry Students' Association of the New York Section held its 56th URS on Saturday, May 71, 2008, at Queensborough Community College, Bayside, NY.  One hundred thirty three papers from 31 different colleges were presented in twenty concurrent sessions.  The areas covered were analytical, biochemistry, chemical education, environmental/green, inorganic, organic, nano- and surface chemistry, physical and polymer chemistry.


     Attendees were formally welcomed by Dr. Alison Hyslop and Sharon Lall-Ramnarine, Co-Chairs, Students’ Association Committee, who introduced Dr. Paris Svoronos, Chair of the Chemistry Department at Queensborough Community College, Dr. Marc Walters, the ACS New York Section Chair, and Dr. Eduardo Marti, President of Queensborough Community College.  Dr. Sharon Lall-Ramnarine, Co-Chair, Students’ Association Committee then introduced the keynote speaker Dr. JaimeLee Rizzo, Department of Chemistry, Pace University. The keynote presentation entitled “Antimicrobial and Antiviral Surfaces” was a wonderful introduction to the field of organic and surface chemistry. As a token of appreciation from the ACS-NY Section, the speaker was presented with an inscribed plaque commemorating the event. The group picture was taken and then students, faculty and guests attended the student presentations taking place in twelve concurrent sessions.

   
     The students gave 15 minute PowerPoint Presentations.  The conference rooms were equipped with computers and projection systems. Student presentations were saved on either CD or flash and, for the first time, there were no computer compatibility problems.

.......... .........

     Representatives from McGraw Hill, Wiley, Pearson/Prentice Hall, Cengage,  Pepsi, Ciba, Maruzen, Dionex, Hitachi, and On Assignment Lab Support attended the symposium.  Tables were made available for these representatives in the reception area.

    The symposium concluded with a luncheon and an Award Reception where students were presented with Certificates of Participation and mementos (flash drives) were distributed by Sharon Lall-Ramnarine, Alison Hyslop and JaimeLee Rizzo, including an “ice cream social”. Student moderators were also presented with flash drives for their participation.
........ ........
 


 <<<<<<<<  SYMPOSIUM PREPARATIONS  >>>>>>>>

     Announcements for this event were made electronically by e-mail as well as advertising in the Indicator issues of February, March and April. Submission of abstracts was done using e-mail and web technology.  The program for the day and a complete listing of all student abstracts were published in the book of abstracts which was distributed to all attendees and can be found at http://www.newyorkacs.org/urs.html. The website for submission was developed and maintained by Paul Tukey the Web Master for the ACS-NY section. In addition to the registration of presenters we added two other categories, one for the registration of mentors and another for the registration of guests to help us estimate the number of attendees to the program.  Receipt of the abstracts online, collation and organization of the abstract booklet was performed by Sharon Lall-Ramnarine and Alison Hyslop.  Printing of the abstracts was carried out at Queensborough Community College.

     The arrangements at Queensborough Community College were overseen by Sharon Lall-Ramnarine. These arrangements included planning the breakfast and lunch, scheduling the moderators, staffing the reception area, arranging for AV support, converting the program to PDF and hiring a printer, printing the badges and making sure signage was in place to direct the symposium participants.

     Fund raising was managed by JaimeLee Rizzo. JaimeLee Rizzo also ordered the flash drives from Princeton Disc which were presented to the students and moderators as mementos. Neil Jespersen made the certificates and Marilyn Jespersen ordered the plaque for the speaker. The photographer was hired from Queensborough Community College, Paphoto.
<<<<<<<< FUND RAISING  >>>>>>>>

    Thanks to the generous support of local industrial donors and for publishing companies, participants of this year’s symposium received an abstract booklet, a memento, and a copy of the group photo taken on the day of the symposium.


Participating Colleges and Students Presenting

Adelphi University  5
Borough of Manhattan Community College  3
Bronx Community College  2
Brooklyn College  5
Brown University  1
City College of New York  6
College of New Rochelle  1
CUNY College of Staten Island  6
Fairleigh Dickinson University  6
Hofstra University  2
Hostos Community College  1
Hunter College  4
John Jay College  5
Kingsborough Community College  3
Manhattan College  2
Medgar Evers College  2
NewYork City College of Technology  2
Pace University  4
Polytechnic University  6
Prince Georges Community College  1
Purchase College  4
Queens College  4
Queensborough Community College  31
Ramapo College of New Jersey  4
St. Francis College  2
St. John's University  9
Stony Brook University  1
Suffolk Community College  1
SUNY Geneseo  2
Wagner College  2
York College, CUNY  6
    
Total Students Presenting    133
    

$2000.00 was allocated by the ACS- NY section; the following institutions made monetary donations in the amount of $13,375 (including guest and on-site registration). There is an excess of $5517.14 (including the $2000 allocation from the ACS-NY section).
<<<<<<<<  SPONSORSHIP  >>>>>>>>
COMPANIES   
        
LSAMP        
Ciba        
Pepsi        
Anasazi        
McGraw        
Pearson        
Wiley        
Cengage        
Hoffmann&Baron    
On Assignment    
Maruzen        
CUNY        
Pfizer        
Dionex        
Hitachi        
Guests        120
Non-Student Affliate Presenter    385
OnSite Registration    325
OnSite Registration    45
        
Total Raised    13375
ACS Support    2000
Total Budget    15375
Money Spent    9857.86
Balance        5517.14
<<<<<<<<  EXPENSES  >>>>>>>>

Lunch                        3225
Breakfast                     900
Ice Cream                   600
Coffee break                275
Linen Usage                255
Photographer               850
Flash Drives              1655.5
Flowers                      100
Plaque                          50
Abstract Books           195
Badges                         71.16
Gifts                           561
Breakfast (meeting)      10.3
Breakfast (meeting)        8.4
Receipt Book & Mail    19.22
Mailing                         25.2
2nd Mailing                  74.74
3rd Mailing                    2.34
Photos 57th                980
        
Subtotal                     9857.86


JaimeLee Rizzo sent all sponsors official thank you letters and an abstract book the week following the URS.
<<<<<<<<  FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS  >>>>>>>>>

Under the direction of the Students’ Association Committee, plans for the 57th URS to be held at Pace University, May 2009 are currently underway.  

Due to the very large contingent from Queensborough Community College (QCC), in the future, the host institutions should have at least 25 AV equipped rooms. In addition, the students from Community Colleges will have the option of presenting their research in 10 minute blocks.
<<<<<<<<<  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  >>>>>>>>>

The committee wishes to extend its warmest thanks to the following individuals for their generous help with the 56th URS: Prof. Neil Jespersen (St. John's University, ACS NY Section), Marilyn Jespersen (ACS NY Section), Brian Gibney (Web Master), Prof. Zhaohua Dai (Pace University), Prof. Justyna Widera (Adelphi University)and the students and staff of the Chemistry Department at Queensborough Community College.

Copies of the 56th URS abstract booklet and the group photo will be sent to the ACS-NY office.

Respectfully submitted,

Alison Hyslop
Sharon Lall-Ramnarine
JaimeLee I. Rizzo