This March, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting in San Diego, thanks to the generous funding from the Honors program. It was an event filled with inspiring talks, innovative research, and an opportunity to connect with professionals and fellow students in the field of chemistry. During the conference, I had the opportunity to present my research in a poster session. My poster, titled “Preparation of 2-Substituted Indoles by Reduction of (2-Nitrophenyl)acetylenes Followed by Cyclization of the Intermediate,” allowed me to showcase my work on synthesizing new indole derivatives. Presenting my findings was both exciting and nerve-wracking, but it was a rewarding experience to engage with other researchers and receive constructive feedback. Presenting my poster at the ACS conference also helped me develop my public speaking skills. Explaining my research to a diverse audience, including both experts and peers, pushed me to communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely.
-Abby