Six students receive support for research

3:51 p.m., May 13, 2011--Six University of Delaware students have been named to the 2011 -- and fifth -- class of Alumni Undergraduate Research Fellows (AURF). They were introduced by Klaus Theopold, chairperson of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, at a dinner May 4 at the Courtyard Newark. 

The AURF program has been funded, from its outset, by David A. Plastino, who earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry at UD in 1978. Plastino, who recently retired as senior vice president of the Swiss bank UBS, was the guest of honor at the dinner, which also was attended by many of the fellows' parents.

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The 2011 fellows are

• Elyssa Bernfeld, a sophomore biochemistry major from Melville, N.Y., who will carry out her research in the laboratory of Sharon Rozovsky, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry;

• Gregory Darone, a sophomore chemistry major from Middletown, Del., who is working in the laboratory of Svilen Bobev, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry; 

• Michael Ghidiu, a junior chemistry major in the Honors Program from Bridgeton, N.J., whose research mentor will be Joel Rosenthal, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry;

• Shannon Owings, a sophomore environmental chemistry major from Eldersburg, Md., who will join the research group of George Luther, Maxwell P. and Mildred H. Harrington Professor of Marine Studies;

• Justin Teesdale, a sophomore chemistry major from Stratford, N.J., who will also work in Rosenthal's laboratory; and

• Jonathan Tomczak, a junior chemistry major from Medford, N.J., whose research mentor will be Brian Bahnson, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry.

At the dinner program, Derek Ahneman, a junior chemistry major in the Honors Program from Stamford, Conn., who was a member of the fourth class of Plastino Alumni Undergraduate Research Fellows, described his research results during the past year, while working in the laboratory of Donald Watson, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry. Ahneman was recently selected as the recipient of an American Chemical Society Division of Organic Chemistry Summer Research Fellowship.

Plastino spoke at the conclusion of the evening and talked about using personal financial resources for the common good and the difference between what people want and what people need. 

Photo by Klaus Theopold