Last spring, Yanita Boayue responded to an email from Chemistry Department Chair, Dr. Ellen Roskes, and is glad she did. The email led her to a Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at James Madison U. She worked in an Organic Chemistry Research Lab under the direction of Dr. Kevin Caran using previously developed organogelators to synthesize supramolecular polymers, a dimeric version of the propargylic alcohol which was used to create an organogelator.
With her colleagues in the JMU lab, Yanita presented her research at the National American Chemical Society meeting in August. “I did not anticipate how useful these techniques would be until I was in my first organic lab session this fall and saw the same things I did this summer. It was an amazing experience. I was invited back next summer and I’m seriously considering it!”