AZUSA, Calif. — Recent Azusa High School graduates Hector Correa and Erica Ascencio are returning to Azusa Pacific to further their education as a part of the American Chemical Society's Project SEED. Correa and Ascencio will spend eight weeks this summer pursuing their passion for science working alongside Kevin Huang, Ph.D., assistant professor and director of undergraduate research in the Department of Biology and Chemistry, and three APU students to research anthropomorphic molecules.
Both participated in Project SEED at APU previously; Correa in 2007 and Ascencio in 2008. This experience allows them to further their Project SEED research prior to attending college in September. Correa plans to attend Yale University and Ascencio will attend University of California, Irvine.
They will learn alongside APU students Andrew Shore, Rebecca Skilbred, and Sallie Hallum, as they discover how to utilize nano technology to understand organic chemistry under the guidance of Huang to complete last year's anthropomorphic molecule synthesis project. In addition, they will be exposed to new state-of-the-art instruments in the Segerstrom Science Center, which was not possible in the previous building. They hope to present the data at APU's Fall Research gathering.
"The resources available through our new science center coupled with the synthesis of anthropomorphic molecules, allow the students to engage in meaningful and rewarding chemistry experience," said Huang. "We're learning chemical reactions, and making really cool molecules, or molecular action figures. This program also allows our APU students not only to conduct research, but also to mentor other students."
For the third year in a row, the Department of Biology and Chemistry received a research grant from the American Chemical Society (ACS), sponsors of Project SEED, which encourages high school students to develop an interest in chemical science careers and to pursue higher education. The grant provides financial assistance to an economically disadvantaged, minority high school student, allowing the student to participate in meaningful research. Participants are selected based on academic achievement, strong recommendations, and notable enthusiasm for the project. For more information, visit www.projectseed.com.
APU's Department of Biology and Chemistry offers bachelor's degrees in seven areas of science, as well as pre-allied health and pharmacy, pre-dental, and pre-medical programs. The latest addition to the growing science program will be the new, state-of-the-art Segerstrom Science Center. The three-story, 70,000-square foot facility will house classrooms, research labs, a lecture hall, offices, and study breakout rooms, in addition to APU's Center for Research in Science. Additional features include an ecology pond, a greenhouse, and tissue culture, imaging, and magnetic resonance facilities for the use of faculty and students in collaborative research.
