VCU chemistry student wins top honors at National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers Conference

By Malorie Burkett

RICHMOND, Va. – Takiya Ahmed, 22, a senior chemistry major at Virginia Commonwealth University, received first place honors for her presentation at the National Organization for Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers conference in Indianapolis.

The honor comes after a February announcement in Chemical & Engineering News online that VCU’s Department of Chemistry is the top producer of Bachelor of Science degrees for blacks at non Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Ahmed was selected as a finalist in the competition based on a paper she submitted titled “Oxidase and Oxygenase Activity of Silica Supported Copper Nitrate Catalysts,” which described her undergraduate research work with her faculty advisor, chemistry professor Stephen Watton, Ph.D., in the area of green chemistry – an approach at pollution prevention that focuses on the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances, and also aims to reduce exposure of chemical workers to hazardous materials.

“Takiya’s success shows just what impact research opportunities can have on our undergraduate students, how good our students can be and what an important impact undergraduates can have on our research efforts,” said Watton.

After presenting the paper at the conference, Ahmed was awarded first prize in the competition, which earned her a $1,000 cash prize and an internship for the summer with Rohm and Haas Corporation in Marlborough, Mass. The paper describing her work will be published in the conference proceedings later this year.

"The recognition of Takiya's work by this award brings attention to the fact that in this department research opportunities for undergraduate students are wide ranging and substantive,” said Fred Hawkridge, Ph.D., chair of VCU’s Department of Chemistry. “Our faculty do a wonderful job of weaving undergraduate students into their research groups, having them do exciting chemistry, and providing them with career guiding research experiences that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.”

Ahmed began her undergraduate research less than one year ago as a participant in the Department of Chemistry’s National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. She also is the recipient of this year’s Ingraham Scholarship from the Richmond Chromatography Discussion Group.

“I hope that the accomplishments of all undergraduate researchers who have benefited from working in a chemistry laboratory will encourage more involvement in the future,” said Ahmed.

A Richmond resident and 1997 graduate of Henrico High School, Ahmed has received numerous offers for graduate study, and has decided to continue her studies in green chemistry at the University of Oregon. Ahmed will be awarded her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry at commencement exercises May 17. She hopes to one day become a chemistry professor.