Chemistry comes into focus as CO2 research draws to a close

Carbon dioxide is often considered a by-product of fossil fuel consumption — and not a useful one, either. But what if carbon dioxide could be turned into something useful or even an energy source? Jocelyn Legere, a Bloomsburg University student, is working on a project at Yale University this summer to do just that.

June 30 to July 4 —   More work in the Lab. I am getting a lot of results; but it’s getting close to the end of the program, so I’m trying to get as much data as possible to present  at the Leadership Alliance Symposium at the end of my time at Yale.

July 7 to July 11 —   This is my second to last week in the lab, so it’s crunch time! Still getting a lot of results and troubling shooting to make the set-up the best it can be. Starting looking more closely at the chemistry this week, which was really cool! So sad that it is almost over but most of my 20-page paper is written!

I have learned so much from this program. I have expanded my knowledge in inorganic catalysis and got a “taste” of what graduate school will be like. I have also learned a lot about Yale University and the opportunities they are able to give their students.

The chemistry program at Bloomsburg University has really prepared me for the research I conducted at Yale this past summer, as well as the research I did with Dr. Eric Hawrelak last summer. It gave me the ability to jump the learning curve and get started on the research right away having learned all the techniques, procedure, and safety at Bloomsburg.

This summer really showed me that I have the ability and know-how to conduct research and contribute to a project. It’s been a very busy but exciting summer. Thank you everyone for tuning in and following me through this summer.

I really appreciate your support. Happy Summer!

— Jocelyn Legere is a junior chemistry major concentrating on nanotechnology.

#CollaborativeLearning #HuskyUnleashed

Guess this is what graduate school will be like

Carbon dioxide is often considered a by-product of fossil fuel consumption — and not a useful one, either. But what if carbon dioxide could be turned into something useful or even an energy source? Jocelyn Legere, a Bloomsburg University student, is working on a project at Yale University this summer to do just that.

June 18 to June 20 —  This week I made my catalyst from scratch for the first time. It was very intense and technical, but I managed to make the correct catalyst! It was a long and work-filled week but satisfying that I correctly made it.

Otherwise, it was a fairly uneventful week other than being in the lab for long hours of the day. I guess this is what grad school will be like, bring it on!

June 23 to June 27 —  Abstracts, presentations, progress reports are all due soon, so I am trying to get as much as possible done as early as possible. It is supposed to be beautiful outside this weekend and would like to have nothing to do but sit in the sun and read!

I am almost done with most of the assignments that are due in the weeks to come, but a daunting 20-page research paper still lingers over my head … I am officially half way done with the program and luckily my research is working out well and I am able to get results. The time has really been flying.

— Jocelyn Legere is a junior chemistry major concentrating on nanotechnology.

#CollaborativeLearning #HuskyUnleashed

When a positive reaction has double benefit

Carbon dioxide is often considered a by-product of fossil fuel consumption — and not a useful one, either. But what if carbon dioxide could be turned into something useful or even an energy source? Jocelyn Legere, a Bloomsburg University student, is working on a project at Yale University this summer to do just that.

Monday, June 9 - Today was the first group meeting. I had to present what I did in the lab last week, which wasn’t much. Mine was pretty much the only reaction that works! That’s not saying much since the two reactions that I did work almost all the time.
Tuesday, June 10 - I had a meeting with the director of the program to check in with how my project is working out. It went really well.

That evening a big group of us went to the planetarium to see a show, and it was really cool! It was a nice break from being in the lab.

Wednesday, June 11 - I learned how to set up the catalyst I will be running for the rest of my time here. It all went well. Fairly uneventful day.

Thursday, June 12 - Came into the lab this morning to find out that the lab was flooded over night! The water from my condenser had flooded the drain, my hood, our lab and the lab below us! NOT GOOD!

But it all cleaned up quickly and no damage was done to anyone’s reactions or equipment.
Did find out later that day that the reaction that I set up worked! Good news! I set up two more reactions to go over night.

Friday, June 13 - Thankfully this morning the lab was not flooded and the problem fixed! Also found out that my reactions worked again! Got to go home early since my reactions worked!

Saturday, June 15 - My boyfriend came to visit me this weekend, so we went to East Rock and saw an aerial view of New Haven.

— Jocelyn Legere is a junior chemistry major concentrating on nanotechnology.

#CollaborativeLearning #HuskyUnleashed

Researching new uses for CO2 at Yale University

Carbon dioxide is often considered a by-product of fossil fuel consumption — and not a useful one, either. But what if carbon dioxide could be turned into something useful or even an energy source? Jocelyn Legere, a Bloomsburg University, is working on a project at Yale University this summer to do just that.

Monday, June 2 – moved into Yale graduate housing. A much bigger room than I expected. Met a few other students in the program; one was a chemistry major and the other an anthropology major. Explored the building we would be living in and walked around New Haven.

Tuesday, June 3 - The SURF orientation was in the morning. This was where we received our ID cards and food stipend. Sadly, most of the people in the program are not from the east coast, so depositing this money was an issue for the majority of us, but we seemed to get it taken care of.

I met my principle investigator, Nilay Hazari, for the summer, and the graduate student that was going to help me through the first couple days in the lab until my graduate student advisor returned. I also met the rest of the research group and everyone seemed very nice and helpful.

Wednesday, June 4 - Today was a day full of safety training. Most of training was not relevant to my project but it was to others. The training took place from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Lunch was included so that was great! During the radiation training session, the intern who was helping the safety instructor graduated from Bloomsburg University last spring! She graduated from the physics department and was at Yale for an internship before she headed off to graduate school!

Thursday, June 5 - This was my first day in the Lab! I was making the precursor for the ligand that I will be using for the rest of the summer. We had some issues with solubility but got it all worked out. The reaction took 3.5 hours! I got into the lab around 9 a.m. and then left at 6 a.m.! It was a long first day but it was good to be back in a chemistry lab.

Friday, June 6 - Second day in the lab and much of the same techniques repeated from the previous day’s events just with different starting materials. Another long day in the lab, but the first week was over!

Saturday, June 7 - A few of us walked down to the shore to sit and read and enjoy the beautiful day. It was a 2 mile walk down and back, a total of 4 miles! Once we got back, we found out that there was a bus that takes you right down there!

A group of us went to an Ethiopian restaurant! That was a very new experience. It is family style eating where you unroll the bread that you are given and lay it on top of the different dishes and pinch and scoop up the food.

Sunday, June 8 - I went on a run with a friend and we found a community water park! It was pretty hot and humid so it was nice to know that it's available!

— Jocelyn Legere is a junior chemistry major concentrating on nanotechnology.

#CollaborativeLearning #HuskyUnleashed