Topeka, Kan. – A poster presentation sparked a positive reaction for one Washburn University chemistry student. Ethan Conners, a senior from Leavenworth, Kan., received the James Manner Award at Pittcon®, an international conference for analytical chemistry held this year in San Diego, Calif.
Conners’ presentation, “Development of Maleic/Malonic Acid Modified Gold Nanoparticles for Selective Colorimetric Analysis of Lead Ions in Water Samples”, was among 600 posters presented at the annual conference. The honor is given to the top three outstanding poster presentations in the undergraduate session. Co-authors of the poster include fellow Washburn University student Manish Bhatta and Dr. Seid Adem, chemistry professor at Washburn.
“I am very honored to receive the James Manner Award,” said Conners. “I was surprised to have won as many other great researchers presented at Pittcon 2024.”
Pittcon, or the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, provides a venue for presenting the latest advances in analytical research and scientific instrumentation. The event’s goal is to advance scientific endeavor through collaboration, bringing together a world of knowledge to impact, enrich and inspire the future of science.
Conners, who graduates in May, plans to work in an environmentally related field and further his education by pursuing a master’s degree and beyond. He credits Washburn University for providing the right formula for success.
“Washburn has supported my educational journey by allowing me to explore chemistry research independently in the lab and the classroom. The Chemistry Department has provided the space to challenge my understanding of the chemical world around me in a way that facilitated my growth into the critically thinking chemist I am today,” Conners said.
