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Pomona
College Senior & His Research Recognized at National
Science Conference
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Pomona College senior Celeo “Danny” Solis has received a
“best poster in chemistry” award at the Society for the
Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science
national meeting, in Austin, TX. In addition to the 2004
SACNAS Student Poster Presentation Award, Solis will receive
$250.
Solis’ poster, describing his research developing new
methods for detecting hydrogen bonds, was one of 49 posters
in chemistry and almost 500 posters overall to be presented
at the 2004 SCANAS Conference. “It isn’t easy to reach the
podium for a SACNAS award,” noted Dr. Refugio I. Rochin,
executive director of SACNAS. Solis was one of three to
receive the award in chemistry. He has also presented his
research at conferences at U.C. Berkeley and U.C. Irvine.
Solis’ research has involved studying hydrogen bonding in
the anti-tumor agent Epoxyquinol A, synthesizing model
organic compounds, conducting computational analysis, and
using NMR spectroscopy. The ultimate goal is to provide
chemists with a "chemical ruler" for measuring the strength
of hydrogen bonds. In collaboration with researchers at
Boston University, his method has already been applied to
studies of the promising new anti-tumor drug epoxyquinol,
which inhibits the formation of blood vessels in tumors.
Solis, who was undecided on a major when he arrived at
Pomona, notes that, “I haven't had one chemistry professor
that wasn't encouraging and truly passionate about what they
are teaching, which perked my interest in pursuing a career
in chemistry.” Both Professor Wayne Steinmetz, who taught
his first chemistry class at Pomona, and Professor Daniel
O'Leary, with whom he has been conducting research since
summer 2003, have been great mentors, he says. Both
encouraged his participation in the American Chemical
Society Scholars Program, from which he a 2003 scholarship
and the 2004 ACS Slayton Evans summer research fellowship,
one of only two given nationally. As part of the latter
award, he attended the national ACS meeting in Philadelphia
to present on a workshop panel titled: Undergraduate
Research as a Springboard to Graduate School.
His research hasn’t been limited to chemistry. While
spending a semester abroad in Spain, he served as a research
assistant to Dr. Jose Manuel Friere and Dr. Elena Alvarez,
at the National Institutes of Health (Instituto de Salud,
Carlos III), where he designed a public health research
project, dealing with the burden of disease. He has also
participated in sociology and psychology research projects
with professors through his Pomona classes.
At Pomona, Solis has taken full advantage of the college’s
broad scope of classes. “In addition to majoring in
Chemistry,” he explains, “I've been able to minor in
Spanish, study abroad in Spain, take upper division
sociology classes and even take a theatre class.” In his
spare time, he is a residence hall resident advisor and a
Chemistry Department Liaison. “I truly believe that Pomona
has given me a broad base education that I can apply to
whatever career path I take in the future,” says Solis. His
current plans include attending graduate school and possibly
a career in teaching.
Pomona College, one of the nation’s premier liberal arts
institutions, offers a comprehensive program in the arts,
humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Its
hallmarks include small classes, close relationships between
students and faculty, and a range of opportunities for
student research. Visit Pomona College on the web at
www.pomona.edu. |
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