Cameron students, faculty recognized at ACS national meeting in Atlanta

A contingent of students and faculty from Cameron University brought home the latest in a string of awards from the 2026 spring meeting and exposition of the American Chemical Society, a national event held recently in Atlanta, Ga.

The meeting theme of "Collaborate, Innovate and Transform" highlighted 150 years of the society. The event featured Nobel laureate keynotes, extensive technical sessions, an exposition and career development opportunities that celebrated scientific excellence and advances in chemical research.

Cameron's ACS chapter was presented its 26th national award at the meeting, an honor accepted by president Kaleb M Cossette. The University of Tulsa joined CU as the only two Oklahoma ACS chapters honored.

Aggie students participated in career development activities, attended technical sessions, presented research posters and attended the student awards presentation and a social event.

Cameron students who presented results of their research, and the title of their presentations, were:

• Marcos Aguilar of Lawton, "Applications of Microwave Synthesis in Undergraduate Organic Labs."

• Brock Barr of Chickasha, "Synthesis of Novel Imidazoles Using Microwave Technology and Molecular Modeling Applications."

• Kaleb M Cossette of Lawton, "Covalently Loaded Naloxone Nanoparticles as an Effective Measure for Opioid Poisoning."

• Felicity Godwins of Lawton, "Phenolic Acid Profiling of Sri Lankan Teas Cultivated Near the Ocean: A Nontraditional Growing Environment."

• Graciela Gonzales and Jessica Messa, both of Lawton, "Assessment of Antioxidant Potential in Sri Lankan Teas by Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) Assay."

• Lydia Park of Lawton, "Mechanochemical Polymer Synthesis."

• Jeran Rivera of Lawton, "Effect of Graphene Oxide on Fluorescence Quenching and Photo Physics of Fluorescent Dye Rhodamine 6G in Aqueous and Reverse Micelle Environment."

• Alison Trumbo of Comanche, "Investigation of Photo Physics and Fluorescence Quenching of Fluorescent Probe Molecules in Presence of Graphene Oxide Nano-Colloid in Confined Reverse Micelle Environment.

Accompanying the students to the expo were CU Department of Chemistry, Physics and Engineering faculty Dr. K. D. Priyasantha, Dr. Rajesh Nayak and Dr. Ann Nalley. Nalley is a councilor for the ACS and participated in its governance activities, and also presented a technical paper at the meeting.

PR#26-041