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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences Student Earns National Science Foundation Scholarship, Attends Green Chemistry Conference
Song Gao, Ph.D., associate professor at the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, and student Roshni Patel at the 16th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in Washington, D.C.
Roshni Patel, a biology major and chemistry minor at the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, recently received a National Science Foundation (NSF) scholarship and attended the American Chemical Society’s 16th annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference that was held in June in Washington, D.C.
A member of NSU’s Undergraduate Honors Program, Patel represented the college and NSU at the conference, considered one of the top meetings on sustainability in the world. Patel joined international researchers, scholars, and industry leaders. She was one of 28 NSF Scholars nationwide to attend, and the only student from a Florida university.
“For an undergraduate, this is a high honor bestowed at a national level,” said Song Gao, Ph.D., associate professor at the college, who also attended the conference. “Attending such conferences always has a significant, positive impact on a student’s academic growth and career development.”
Topics of discussion included the design of safer chemicals and processes; ensuring safe and abundant drinking water; reducing greenhouse gas emissions; developing recyclable catalysts; developing bio-based chemicals and fuels; and developing green chemistry metrics for assessing sustainability.
As an NSF Scholar, Patel also had the opportunity to attend a special workshop that lectures on green chemistry’s approach to engineering, sustainable development, and international perspectives. She also discussed with fellow scholars her ongoing research project on water contamination, being conducted under Gao’s mentorship.
“One of the most important things I took away from the conference was that prevention is an important aspect that has been under-emphasized by science in the past,” said Patel. “A lot of the speakers said that prevention seems like a simple idea, but it has been overlooked.”
Visit the college’s Spotlights page to read more about Patel’s experience at the Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference.