Conference Presentation: Adri Barni

I was able to attend the National American Chemical Society Conference in San Diego this spring to present my research on the 1,2-Diazidation and 1,2-Azidooxygenation of 1,3-Dienes Utilizing Zhdankin’s Reagent.  My time in San Diego was truly inspiring, for I was able to meet and see many highly experienced chemists present their current research.  I was able to attend this conference with my mentor, Dr. Brett Hemric, my lab mates, Jacob Pangborn, Jeremy Williamson, and Caroline Evans, as well as with many other students and faculty from the University of Tampa.  This experience opened me up to understanding how to find the gaps in research and begin to help me see how to do the impossible.  During my time at the conference, I was able to meet up with old friends from my past Summer REU, graduate school visits, and meet even more people!  Being able to attend this conference allowed me to expand my network in chemical sciences.  While I was not attending the conference, I was able to hike at Torrey Pines State Park, see Scripps Research Institute, and try many delicious foods! Going to San Diego allowed me to complete many firsts: first time in California, first time seeing seals, and first-time trying cactus! As I end my time here at the University of Tampa, I will be continuing my passion for chemistry by attending graduate school at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to pursue a PhD in Organic Chemistry. Although many people believe this is a difficult route to take, I want to inspire others to put their mind into the impossible and follow your dreams!

Best,

Adri Barni

Conference Presentation: Southern Regional Honors Conference

This past week, Adriana Lutzio, Jessica Sullivan, Jackie Sibila, Abigail Scohera, and Amanda Audette were lucky enough to attend the Southern Regional Honors Conference (SRHC) in Chattanooga, Tennessee and present their research. Students got to attend the Hunter Museum of American Art, a President’s Reception at the Aquarium, and a City as Text Bike Tour of Chattanooga, in addition to attending panels and presenting their posters. Amanda Audette presented Behind the Screen: The Effect of Social Media on Adolescents’ Cosmetic Use. Adriana Lutzio presented “Make it Stand Out! Children’s Memory for Dinosaur Facts.” And Sullivan, Sibilia, and Scohera presented work that stemmed from one of their Dialectics classes. They recount their time at SRHC below:

“This experience was exciting and a first for all of us, we certainly enjoyed the presenters but also had a lot of fun participating in activities such as City as Text. This activity took us on a biking tour where we got to explore Chattanooga and uncover the friendly, diverse, and innovative place we were staying in. The theme of the conference was “Honoring Story,” emphasizing the importance of shared experience but also uniting in our differences. We enjoyed all sorts of presentations ranging from Women & Creative Expression, Scientific Innovations, The U.S. Prison Culture, and Environmental Impacts to name a few. Additionally, we were excited to have the opportunity to present our research that fits perfectly under the umbrella of Honoring Story and discuss a topic that has been historically hidden: The Saltwater Railroad. This figurative railroad was the 713 mile route that enslaved people utilized to escape from southern slave states to the British-controlled Bahamas, and has not received much attention for a few reasons. First, due to its secretive nature resulting in a lack of primary accounts, as well as certain eras of slavery being emphasized while others are overlooked. With that being said, our goal with this project was to highlight and recognize the voices of slaves and their resistance, emphasizing that they were not passive victims and rather fought against their oppression. Presenting our research was certainly nerve-wracking but we were excited to share with peers, answer any questions, and most importantly display to people a small part of history that made a big impact. Overall, the SRHC was an amazing opportunity and Jessica, Jackie and I are all extremely grateful to the honors program for their generous funding.” 

Conference presentation: Shane Petagna

During spring break, I attended the 50th AEJMC Southeast Colloquium on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I presented my research in progress on the content strategies used by MLB teams on TikTok during the off-season following the 2023 regular season.

My advisor, Sohana Nasrin, was an integral part in helping me craft my presentation for my honors thesis paper and pushing me out of my comfort zone to apply to present at this conference. It was a bit intimidating as an undergraduate student being surrounded by so many scholars, but I was able to both convey my knowledge on my niche topic with confidence and learn more about so many other areas about journalism and mass communication by attending other sessions throughout the three-day event. It was also cool to explore the campus and the town of Chapel Hill, and I was even able to see some of the school’s iconic athletic facilities even when spring break made much of the area feel like a ghost town. This was a valuable experience that I will never forget.