The Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry held the 15th annual Chinook Symposium recently, showcasing the amazing research being done by students within the department.

This year, a total of five high school participants from the 2022 HYRS cohort, the most ever, presented their posters as well. Co-organizers Drs. Jean-Denys Hamel and Laura Keffer-Wilkes were thrilled with the event and appreciative to all the participants and judges.

“The event was such a success and that goes entirely to the wonderful students within our department and the judges who took time out of their day to volunteer for the symposium," says Hamel. “We’re super thankful to our sponsors and we’re looking forward to planning the next one in 2023.”

Chinook Symposium Winners

Oral Presentations

Sarstedt 1st prize for an oral presentation by a master’s student — Elizabeth Trofimenkoff

Blue Sky Analytical Labs 2nd prize for an oral presentation by a master’s student — Sam Drescher

KPrime Technologies 1st prize for an oral presentation by a PhD student — Felix O'Donnell

Blue Sky Analytical Labs 2nd prize for an oral presentation by a PhD student — Rajwinder Kaur

Poster Presentations

Agility Award for Innovation Poster Prize — Jenna Sullivan and Colyn Cleland

Poster Presentation (Undergraduate, Biochemistry)
1st — Zachary Robinson
2nd — Julia Stroud

Poster Presentation (Master’s, Biochemistry)
1st — Mitchell Geeraert
2nd — Jessica Semmelrock

Poster Presentation (PhD, Biochemistry)
1st — Darren Gemmill

Poster Presentation (Undergraduate, Chemistry)
1st — Trinity Deak
2nd — Kaileb Olson

Poster Presentation (Master’s, Chemistry)
1st — Elaura Lilienthal
2nd — Nathania Takyi

Poster Presentation (PhD, Chemistry)
1st — Dylan Nikkel

Posters, Best overall

RSC Advances Award for Best Undergraduate Student Presentation — Trinity Deak

RSC Advances Award for Best Graduate Student Presentation — Elaura Lilienthal

Rookie of the Year

New England Biolabs Rookie of the Year Award — Allison Baptista

EDI Scholar WinSTEM award of excellence — Elaura Lilienthal, Audra Lutterotti, Katherine Anderson-Bain, Veda Hegde, Allison Baptista