Homecoming Alumni Dinner 2019

This Year’s homecoming dinner, held Friday, October 18, was certainly an event to remember. Kicking off the yearlong celebrations for the 100th year of the Chemistry Department a stunning café light lit reception was held in the Benson Building followed by an exquisite dinner by Clarion Gardens catering. A special exhibit detailing the history of the department was on display at the front of the room for alumni, current faculty, and other attending guests to enjoy.

This year’s homecoming dinner also coincided with the celebrations of the international year of the periodic table. In honor of this, the department took down the historic tables that have hung in the building since its beginning and replaced them with state of the art modern, electric periodic tables. Each guest who attended this year’s dinner was gifted with an element tile that had been cut from these historic tables. This sparked friendly bargaining amongst alumni and professors.

Department chair Dr. David Dearden then announced several exciting events that will be held in honor of the department centennial celebrations. This includes an eagerly anticipated Alumni Symposium and a lecture by the 2016 Chemistry Nobel Laureate, sir J Fraser Stoddart.

Dearden then announced the Department wide goal to set up an endowment fund to support graduate student travel to conferences and symposiums. Having once been a chemistry student whose education was greatly benefitted by generous donors and professors who funded trips to conferences, and symposiums, this fund is of great personal significance. If you would like to contribute to this noble cause, please visit this page.

Dr. Ryan Kelly concluded the memorable evening by presenting his latest research. As part of his research. Dr. Kelly is currently developing improved methods for studying and measuring proteins in single cells; this includes the building of a molecular microscope. In order to combat the negative properties of conventional processing, Dr. Kelly is using nanoPOTS: Nanodroplet Processing in One-pot for Trace Samples. Dr. Kelly’s next steps then include optimization and miniaturization of sample processing as well as developing Chemical proteomics/ TTMs and a fully automated preparation and injection.

A special thank you to Anna Kennington, Layne Palmer, and Sue Mortensen for organizing the event and thank you to everyone who attended and made the evening a great success.

Image 1: Dr. Kelly concludes the evening with a presentation on his latest research.

Image 2: Centennial table decorations.

Photographer: Yao Kuang Lee

Writer: Taelin Wilford