Natural Sciences students explore opportunities through travel, research professional engagement

Heidelberg University’s Natural Sciences students have been making the most of opportunities for research, travel, and professional engagement this spring, representing the university at both regional and national scientific conferences.

On April 23, members of Chem Club gave a campus presentation highlighting their recent trip to the American Chemical Society (ACS) Conference in Atlanta. During the presentation, students shared insights, experiences, and key takeaways from the trip, including the sessions they attended, the networking opportunities they participated in, and ways students can become involved at the national level in the field of chemistry.

The group also reflected on additional activities they participated in during their time in Atlanta and celebrated a major achievement as Chem Club officially accepted its Outstanding Chapter Award from ACS. In total, 17 Heidelberg students presented research at the conference, showcasing the strength of undergraduate scholarship and student involvement in the sciences.

For senior biochemistry major Sarah Grosse, the Chem Club trips have been one of the most meaningful parts of her Heidelberg experience. Having attended the ACS conference every year of her undergraduate career, she said the opportunity helped shape both her academic path and her personal growth.

“My time in the club has been busy, but so rewarding,” Sarah said. “It has been an honor to serve as president this past school year and to get to watch years of hard work pay off.”

She shared that some of her favorite college memories came from the connections built during these trips.

“Between karaoke with my friends in Atlanta, almost missing the ferry in San Diego, late-night dinners at diners in New Orleans, and dancing at the student social in Indianapolis, some of my favorite memories from college have been on these trips,” she said. “Getting to know everyone in the club while exploring different cities allowed me to make connections I would not have made in class or lab.”

Sarah also credits the conference experiences with helping her clarify her future goals. As a first-year student, she was beginning to question her original plan of attending medical school, but exposure to different areas of chemistry opened new possibilities.

“Getting to explore the many areas of chemistry allowed me to seek a new direction,” she said. “As a senior chemistry major, that growth in my understanding has helped me narrow down my field of interest as I begin searching for industry jobs and master’s programs.”

Looking back, she said the support from faculty and the opportunities provided through Chem Club have made a lasting impact.

“This club has helped me redirect my future, and I don’t know where I would be without this experience,” Sarah said. “The faculty truly care about the students and their futures, and knowing they have been there to support me means so much.”

The ACS trip was generously supported through the Joseph and Brenda Stearns Endowed Chemistry Conference Program Award.

In another professional development opportunity, Dr. Justin Pruneski, Assistant Professor of Biology, and eight students attended the Annual Meeting of the Ohio Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (OBASM) on April 10-11 at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Kacy Connolly presented a poster titled “Effectiveness of Popular Acne Treatments on Common Acne-Causing Bacteria” based on her Honors 455 research project with Dr. Pruneski. 

Riley Elliot, Mikael Paulson, and Cody Thomas presented a poster titled “Antibacterial Properties of Honey,” which was mentored by Dr. Pruneski as part of the ongoing Honey Project by Dr. Brandon Van Ness (Chemistry).

Jodie Hellickson presented “Colony Count of Cultured Microbes from Decomposing Pork Loin,” which was co-mentored by Dr. Pruneski and Dr. Noel Mano (Biology).  

Olivia Raubenolt presented a poster titled “Genomic Analysis of Penicillin Resistance in Environmental Bacterial Isolates” as part of a project also co-mentored by Dr. Pruneski and Dr. Mano. 

This conference trip was generously funded by alumni donors through the Beyerle Fund.