July 01, 2022
Grant: $475 in Spring 1983 (Northwestern University Chapter Grant)
Education level at the time of the grant: Undergraduate student
Project Description: I applied for a travel grant to attend an American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting. My research explored the hydrolysis chemistry of metallocene dichlorides, a newly discovered class of anticancer agents, using inorganic and physical chemical methods. Our multidisciplinary approach set the foundation for a better understanding of the structure activity relationships of these compounds to help develop more effective and safe therapeutics to treat cancer.
How did the grant process or the project itself influence you as a scientist/researcher?
Meeting fellow graduate students from across the nation, as well as having the opportunity to attend lectures by leaders in chemistry, was truly inspiring and motivating. As the first in my family to attend college, this experience was particularly impactful. My presentation at that ACS meeting became a chapter in my PhD thesis completed at Northwestern University. Two years later, this work was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, coauthored with my thesis mentor Dr. Tobin Marks. I have continued research throughout my career, as well as mentoring scores of students.
Where are you now?
I currently serve as the senior vice president of research at Kean University, visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy, and visiting scholar at Harvard University in the Department of the History of Science.
Students may apply for Sigma Xi research grants by March 15 and October 1 annually at www.sigmaxi.org/giar.