Chemistry Students Inducted into Sigma Xi

At its annual banquet, the NMU chapter of Sigma Xi inducted three chemistry students as associate members.  Judy Pumper is a senior Biochemistry major.  Her undergraduate research project was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Suzanne Williams and focused on characterization of receptor associated protein from C. elegans.  She has presented her work at the Celebration for Creative Works at NMU and a student research symposium sponsored by the Upper Peninsula Section of the American Chemical Society.  Stacey MacNeil is a graduate student in the department.  Her thesis project involves the use of isothermal titration calorimetry to study protein-protein interactions.  She presented her work at this year's Celebration of Creative Works.  Her thesis advisor is Dr. Suzanne Williams.  Ben VanHandel is a first-year graduate student working under the direction of Dr. Frankie McCormick.  His research involves synthesis and characterization of organic compounds with interesting non-linear optical properties.  He presented some of his work at the spring national American Chemical Society meeting in Atlanta in April.        

Sigma Xi is an international honor society which recognizes excellence in research in all scientific disciplines.