Student-faculty research prepares students for next steps
These research experiences not only advance their areas of study, but the skills and knowledge they gain working in labs and presenting their findings at professional conferences help prepare them for their future careers.
Dr. Jocelyn Lanorio, assistant professor of chemistry, is among IC faculty whose work with students has ignited their passion for science and opened doors for their futures. Lanorio’s areas of interest are in inorganic, organometallic and green chemistry. She says students working with her gain expertise in organic and organometallic synthesis, catalyst optimization, mechanistic studies of catalytic processes, and characterization methods using modern instrumentation.
Lindsey Bruce ’20 worked with Lanorio on inorganic and catalysis research during the summer of 2018. She said that the skills she learned in the lab will carry into her future pursuits. “During this research, I became more familiar with the instrumentation and possible chemical machinery I can use in my field,” Bruce said. “I also have a love for being in the lab and have gained more experience outside the classroom.”
Bruce, along with Sirikarn Phuangthong ’22 and Lisset Perez Carapia ’19 presented their student-faculty research with Lanorio at the regional American Chemical Society (ACS) Undergraduate Research Conference in November. Phuangthong said her experience showed her how collaborative research can be and is helping her prepare for a future career in medicine.
Many of the students who have meaningful research experiences working alongside skilled professors go on to find positions where they are able to apply their knowledge and skill in professional positions or graduate school. Recent graduate Scarlett Lin Latt ’18 worked on research with Lanorio which led to a position as a lab technician for a pharmaceutical company. She presented her work at the American Chemical Society National Meeting; the Illinois State Academy of Science 2018 Meeting; the International Symposium on Science, Sustainability, and Teaching; and on campus during IC’s Celebration of Excellence.
Brandon Young ’18 also presented his work at the International Symposium on Science, Sustainability, and Teaching and on campus. He was awarded the 2018 Undergraduate Award in Inorganic Chemistry from the ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry for demonstration of excellence in the field of inorganic chemistry at the undergraduate level and obtained the highest (98th) percentile in the chemistry field test last spring. He is now a laboratory project manager at STAT Analysis Corporation in Chicago.
As a member of the Western Illinois Mass Spectrometry Center, Lanorio will oversee IC’s use of a new $300,000 instrument designed to identify unknown materials in forensic chemistry, chemistry, biology and agriculture studies. According to Lanorio, the new equipment will enhance a number of science courses and expand the College’s research capabilities. IC students and faculty will have access to training sessions, research activities, handson laboratory experiments and summer workshops.
“One of our goals is to revolutionize undergraduate chemistry curriculum with engaging, easy-to-perform and cutting-edge labs,” she said. “This also opens up opportunity to teach and conduct new kinds of research in forensic chemistry.”
Like many IC faculty, Lanorio is a leader in the field of chemistry, regularly presenting the results of her work with IC students to a national audience. Thanks to funding from the 2018 Ernest G. Hildner, Jr. and C. Reed Parker Endowed Awards she was able to attend as a presenter at the 22nd Annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference in Portland and the 25th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education in Indiana. She was among the nine faculty chosen to attend the NSF-funded Virtual Inorganic Pedagogical Electronic Resource Summer 2018 workshop where she contributed to six online teaching publications.
Having accomplished professors who are actively involved in their fields helps connect IC students to their future careers and inspires them to have more hands-on experiences as undergraduates. When these professors believe in them and work alongside them, as Lanorio does with her students, they are better prepared for the professional challenges they will face in the future.
