Lt. Col. Kevin Braun, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Military Institute, and 1st Class cadet Charles McLaughlin (’26) presented their research at the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) fall conference held at the Washington Convention Center in D.C. As one of the largest scientific organizations in the world, the ACS annual meeting attracts representatives from industry, government agencies, and academia.
McLaughlin, a chemistry major from Maryville, gave a poster presentation of his Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) project on the trace lipid residue analysis of archaeological pottery at the conference. For McLaughlin, attending the conference was a wonderful experience to interact with his peers, explore advancements in chemistry, and present his research to many people.
“VMI has provided me exposure to the professional world of chemistry and deepened my knowledge in the field. The funding and support provided by SURP are vital for opportunities like this. I loved meeting other chemistry students across different disciplines and getting feedback on how to improve my research. It was also helpful to learn more about graduate school opportunities and varied careers in chemistry,” he said…