Organic chemistry students and their research advisors from Hamilton, Colgate University, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges gathered for the annual Summer Organic Research Symposium (SmORS). In total, 16 students contributed to oral presentations describing their summer research. This year’s event was hosted by Colgate on July 2.
Hamilton faculty attending were Robin Kinnel, the Silas D. Childs Professor of Chemistry Emeritus; Assistant Professor of Chemistry Max Majireck; and Associate Professor of Chemistry Ian Rosenstein.
Hamilton students participating were Alisha Blades ’20, Carlos Espindola Gomez ’20, Danielle McConnell ’20, and Danielle Gomes Rodrigues ’19 representing the Majireck research group, and Eddie Allen ’20 and Julia Ganson ’21 from the Rosenstein research group.
The Majireck group spoke about their efforts to explore the use of a family of compounds called N-quaternized ketene- N, O-acetals for doing novel organic reactions.
Students from the Rosenstein group discussed their work on the application of organic photocatalysts to initiate radical reactions.
SmORS originated in the late 1990s as an opportunity for students from Hamilton and Colgate to present the results of their summer research projects. Hobart and William Smith Colleges joined the group in 2010. Responsibility for hosting SmORS alternates between the three schools — Hamilton will host the symposium next year.