PROJECT SEED 2004

PROJECT SEED, SUMMER 2004

This year was the 13th year that Project SEED (Summer Educational Experience for Disadvantaged Students) has been structured by Keith Williams.  This year's program was formatted to provide the
participants with both the challenges and the rewards of advance research in chemistry as well as establish a foundation for the students to excel in this area of science at the college level.  Six
students from Detroit high schools were selected in this year's program.  These students were selected from over 60 total applicants who were then cut down to a short list of 20 students who were all
interviewed.  Special thanks to the Detroit Professional Chapter of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) for their assistance in the interviewing and in the selections' process of the students. The listing is:
Student Name/High School      
Preceptor/Location        
Project Title

Charles Bell / Detroit Denby  HS                    
Keith Williams / Wayne State University
Project Title:   Student Learning Assessment in an Urban Pre-College Residential Program

Herman Bolden/Detroit Chadsey   HS       
Mark Benvenuto/  University of Detroit-Mercy
Project Title:  Attempted Synthesis of DA-18 using 2-Pyridinecarboxaldehyde and using N2S and 2-Thiophenecarboxaldehye

Roza Hassen/ Detroit Murray Wright  
David Benson/Wayne State University                     
Project Title:  The Molecular Orbital Analysis of Unsaturated Hydrides of Group 14

Mashkir  Husain / Detroit Northern  HS      
Ted Goodson/Wayne State University                     
Project Title:  Investigations of Novel High Dielectric Organic Materials

Crystal Martin/ Detroit HS Renaissance  
Claudio Verani/Wayne State University                       
Project Title:  The Application of Metal Containing Liquid Crystals in
Nanotechnology:  Synthesis and Characterization of Precursors

Sumaiyah  Mu' Min/ Communication & Media Arts
Howard Matthew/ Wayne State University     
Project Title:  Heterogeneous Acetylation of the Biomaterial Chitosan

Most of the research was done in the afternoon.  Hence, the students had plenty of time to enhance their background in the research assignments as well as lay the framework for the required final paper.
Also, for the third year the Project SEED students served as science peer mentors for students enrolled in Biology, Chemistry and Physics in the Wayne State University Upward Bound program (UB).  UB is a residential program that provides its participants with a full six week academic experience that extends from foreign language to Physics.

A fundamental component of each summer's program is student presentations. Students made presentations on topics such as scholarships, letters of inquiry, admissions requirements, developing
a plan of work relative to a college major as well as research and other issues of interest.  Of course, the students did find some time to enjoy the summer.  The group went to a Detroit Tigers baseball
game, which the home team won along with a number of other scheduled activities. Next summer only half of the selected students will be eligible to return to the program.  If these students return they will be eligible for the Project SEED scholarship as well as an increase in the stipend they received the prior year.

External funding drives the Project SEED scholarships. The division administers the program, but funding has come from a number of sources, including NSF, the Department of Education, and individual contributors. Among the notable contributors are Alfred Bader, who alone has contributed $300,000, and the Campaign for Chemistry and an ACS matching gift fund that added $1.5 million.

Project SEED originated 32 years ago by Dr. Alan Nixon, past-president of the ACS, and like-minded chemists.  This program was created to offer economically disadvantaged students the opportunity of a lifetime. Instead of loafing away the summer, a high school student who has had at least one year of chemistry can work with a scientist doing a project with a chemical focus. These students work a full 40-hour-week; it is a great summer job.

Detroit Section Project SEED would also like to acknowledge BASF for its contribution of support to Charles Bell.  Mr. Bell is in his freshmen year at Wayne State.  BASF has for the second year
recognized one of the SEED students in the form of a book scholarship.   A thank you also goes to Cliff Norman for his support and Sunitha Grandee (past Detroit section Chair) who initiated this award.
(Keith Williams, Detroit Project SEED Chair)