Boise State University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Have you checked out Chris Saunders in his podcast "On a First Name Basis?" Episode 2 is a conversation with our own Owen McDougal! Owen shares his unique perspective on how outdoor activities like cycling and skiing have not only shaped his personal life but also invigorated his academic endeavors.

Check it out here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409917

Check out the new promotional video from COAS, featuring Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry graduate student Kylie Johnson! She did a great job representing our department!

Welcome to the College of Arts and Sciences at Boise State University. Boise State's College of Arts and Sciences hosts over 20 departments across the arts, humanities and sciences.

On January 31, 2025, several members of the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry showed up to support Associate Clinical Professor Chris Saunders and his band, Innocent Man, at their new album’s release party. Students, staff and faculty enjoyed a great show at the Treefort Music Hall, and took home some great memories and great merchandise, which was being sold at a booth manned by our very own Chem Club.

One of the best things about this department is the people and how much they support one another, and that was truly evident last Friday. Congratulations to Chris and the rest of Innocent Man on a fun night and the release of the new album. We’ll all be looking forward to the next show!

Congratulations to Department of Chemistry Assistant Professor Konrad Meister, Ph.D. and Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Sophia Theodossiou, Ph.D! They have received a $50,000 grant from the NIH Institute of Translational Health Sciences (ITHS) Translational and Clinical Studies program to develop novel microneedles designed to deliver functional proteins.

Congratulations to chemistry graduate student Rylli Burton on the birth of her son!
Marcello Alessandro Salguero Burton was born on January 12th, weighing in at 6 lbs 9 oz and measuring 18.5 inches long.
Both Rylli and Marcello are doing well, and we can't wait to meet him!

Luca Manning, was featured in the Intern Highlight from NASA ISGC for her hands on chemistry research!

Luca, a chemistry major with an ACS Certified Professional emphasis and a Materials Science & Engineering minor at, had an incredible summer internship filled with hands-on experience and professional growth.

"During my internship, I had hours and hours of laser time, which helped me get plenty of hands-on experience," Luca shared. "I learned to grow single-crystalline ice for my samples, practiced programming in Python and MATLAB, and presented a poster at the Idaho Conference of Undergraduate Research (ICUR)." Luca credits a supportive mentor who worked closely with her and other undergraduates to teach research methods and data analysis.

To learn more about NASA ISGC funded internship opportunities visit www.idahospacegrant.org/student-resources

On December 6, 2024, the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry “swore in” two new chemical wizards.
Kelso Hinrichs and Molly Gage finished up their chemistry bachelors degrees, both graduating with an emphasis in Biochemistry, in Fall 2024. They joined another of our chemistry majors, Kathryn Pierson, at commencement on December 14. Kathryn received her wizard hat in Spring 2024 when she finished up her chemistry requirements, and graduated this Fall with a bachelors in chemistry, with dual emphases of ACS Certified Professional and ACS Certified Biochemistry.
Please join us in congratulating these three new chemistry graduates!

Three of our chemistry majors were announced as recipients of Spring 2025 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarships. These students will each receive a $3,000 stipend to conduct research over a 12-week period, under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
• Haley Betterton, majoring in Spanish and Chemistry, Faculty Mentor: Jenée Cyran
• Dalia DeLaCruz, majoring in Biology and Chemistry, Faculty Mentor: Trevor Lujan
• Dinh Tran, majoring in Biology and Chemistry, Faculty Mentor: Raj Nagarajan

Applications for the Fall 2025 scholarships will open February 21, 2025.

We are excited to celebrate Rianat Lukman for successfully defending her thesis, "Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Proteins in Milk."

About Her Research:
Rianat's work focuses on the critical role of milk proteins in nutrition and the dairy industry, emphasizing the need for rapid, precise methods to quantify key whey proteins like β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, and lactoferrin. Using advanced spectroscopy techniques—Fourier transform mid-infrared (MIR) and near-infrared (NIR)—Rianat provided data that supported the developed innovative model to accurately measure these proteins.

Why It Matters:
Her research offers significant advancements for industrial dairy processes by simplifying protein analysis, enhancing efficiency, and unlocking new possibilities for using whey proteins in functional foods. This work bridges cutting-edge technology with practical dairy applications, paving the way for improvements in nutrition, functionality, and sustainability in the dairy industry.

Join us in congratulating Rianat on her exceptional achievement and contribution to dairy science!

Tomorrow is a BIG day for our department! We celebrate our Fall graduates and chemistry majors with our Wizard Hat Ceremony and Nacho Bar, and then carry the fun on into the evening with our holiday demonstration show, Miracle on University Drive. Check out the flyers for details on how to join the festivities!

On November 7th, faculty members Konrad Meister and Oliviero Andreussi joined Boise State School of the Arts to present BASH AIR in the Stein Luminary.
BASH AIR showcased the impact of smoke on the lungs, and included a paper plane/origami activity station and a smell and color experiment.

We'd like to congratulate Elizabeth Ryan on a great presentation of her BUILD Dairy project on November 13, 2024. Her research, titled "Effect of Pulsed Electric Field Technology on Whey Proteins," is co-sponsored by the National Dairy Council, and aligns with the National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator Track J program in Food and Nutrition Security. She is a fourth year PhD candidate and hopes to defend her thesis within the next year. Great work Elizabeth!

Chemistry Club has been busy this semester! They've participated in outreach programs with local elementary schools, won Best Overall Float in the Bronco Homecoming Parade, hosted a photo contest and a week of fun events for National Chemistry Week and are currently helping students prepare for their chem finals by selling ACS Study Guides.
Keep up all the great work Chem Club!

Big shoutout to Madison Dirks for presenting her impressive BUILD Dairy project at the Boise State University Biomolecular Science (BMOL) seminar series on November 6, 2024! Madison's research, titled "Assessing Quality of Glycomacropeptide as a Medicinal Food Ingredient," is a groundbreaking step in the field of food and nutrition security.
Her work is co-sponsored by Agropur and supports the goals of the National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator Track J program. With four years of her BMOL PhD program already completed, Madison is on track to defend her thesis in the next year—what an achievement! Congratulations on a stellar presentation, Madison! We can’t wait to see where your research takes you next!

Join us for BASH AIR

A Luminary experience showcasing the impact of smoke on the lungs, a paper plane/origami activity station, a smell and color experiment and other exhibits and exciting announcements.

Snacks and drinks provided.

November 7, 2024 @ 4 -7 pm
Stein Luminary, 1110 University Dr.

CELEBRATE THE EXPANSION OF THE FOOD AND DAIRY INNOVATION CENTER!

Join us as we celebrate the continued growth of the
Food and Dairy Innovation Center (FDIC).
Connect with students who are leading industry projects, tour our newly expanded, state-of-the-art laboratory, and hear insights from
Dr. Owen McDougal and Boise State leadership on the FDIC's impact on the food and dairy industries in Idaho and beyond.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2024

Open House
1:00 - 3:00 P.M.
Micron Center for Materials Research
1435 W University Dr, Boise, ID 83716

Drop in anytime during the open house to explore student poster presentations, participate in faculty-led tours, and engage with our researchers at your own pace.

National Chemistry Week - Oct 20th─26th

BSU Chemistry Club is planning some fun for this year's National Chemistry Week! This year's theme is Picture Perfect Chemistry.

Join us for some photo related activities throughout the week, and submit your entry into the Photo Contest for a chance to win up to $100!

The deadline for submissions in the Photo Contest is October 18th.

Boise State has launched a new research podcast with a twist - "On a First Name Basis," hosted by our own Chris Saunders, takes an inside look at the human side of the innovative projects at the university. Chris introduces listeners to the people behind the research, not just the projects.
To listen in, copy and paste this URL into your favorite podcast app:
https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2409917.rss