Asbury Science Team Presents Research at Chemistry Conference
September 5, 2024
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Laura Walther ’91 and Biochemistry major Luke Chitwood ’26 collaborated on research presented at the Biennial Conference on Chemistry Education (BCCE) at the University of Kentucky from July 28 – August 1. Presented by Chitwood, “Distinguishing Cinnamon Species: A Hands-On HPLC Analysis” focused on developing an educational procedure to perform an extraction and analysis of any cinnamon product using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
“Over 200 species are in the Cinnamomum genus, but two cinnamon species dominate the market: Cassia and Ceylon,” Walther said. “While they have similar tastes, their chemical compositions are quite different.”
“Last December, we sat down to discuss Asbury’s HPLC lab,” Chitwood said. “A few weeks later, Dr. Walther sent me an article on cinnamon species determination and simply asked if I could figure something out. Last semester, we had the Analytical II students test the lab, and the results were great. We decided it was worth presenting.”
Chitwood submitted the abstract to the BCCE and received acceptance shortly afterward. Walther guided him through the research process and helped him design a poster.
“Dr. Walther has given days’ worth of office hours to me and all of her students, and she is always looking for ways to improve laboratory experiences,” Chitwood said. “She has dedicated her career to ensuring that students have the most enjoyable and educational experience in the lab. From Kids’ College and the ImpactU forensic science camp to teaching general chemistry and analytical chemistry, Dr. Walther is passionate about her work and her students.”
Walther recently conducted research surrounding teaching with a purpose during ImpactU forensic science camps at Asbury University. She plans to present “Forensics Summer Camp – A Week-long Journey from Crime Scene to Court Case” in the near future.
“This research focuses on how to reach high school students before they come to college with something that interests them through a week-long journey in which they get to experience the process of collecting evidence, analyzing data, and putting together a scenario,” Walther said.
Asbury Science professors continue to teach science with a purpose through practical classes focusing on light and media, creation care, forensic science and more.
“Science should be applicable to someone’s life,” Walther said. “As a chemistry professor, my job is to make chemistry relatable and understandable for people in every field, so that we can appreciate that chemistry is everywhere in our lives.”
The BCCE is a national meeting sponsored by the Division of Chemical Education (DivCHED) of the American Chemical Society (ACS). The conference is designed for those who teach chemistry at all levels: K-12, secondary school science teachers, undergraduate students, graduate students and post-secondary chemistry faculty.
The Shaw School of Sciences offers 14 majors and six minors, including biology, chemistry, and physics. The Walt and Rowena Shaw Collaborative Learning Center (Shaw CLC) offers 11 laboratories, with spaces dedicated to eDNA research, cell and molecular biochemistry, ecology and environmental science, physics, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, instrumentation, biology preparation, chemistry preparation, and collaborative innovation.