Faculty Attend National ACS Meeting

Professors Cindy Burkhardt and Francis Webster, and Emeritus Professor Robert Boggess attended the 234th National Meeting and Exposition held in Boston on August 19th-23rd.

Dr. Burkhardt and Dr. Boggess organized and presided over the symposium " NSF Catalyzed Innovations in the Undergraduate Curriculum" showcasing faculty efforts around the country to improve chemical education through innovative curricular changes.

Dr. Webster presented a paper in the symposium "Biofuels: Biodiesel Chemistry and Implementation" co-sponsored by the divisions of Agrochemicals and Fuel. This talk, " Synthesis and characterization of a novel solid acid catalyst for improved biodiesel production" summarized his group efforts to prepare and characterize carbon based catalysts for use in esterification reactions. The work has implications for the improved use of fatty acid containing waste oil used for biodiesel production.