Rachel Sitko
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Personal Information
Year: Senior
Major: Chemistry
Minor: Mathematics
Hometown: Des Plaines, IL
Undergraduate Research Activities
Summer 2016: Summer Opportunity for Intellectual Activity (SOfIA) with Dr. Bradley Sturgeon & Dr. Laura Moore
Fall 2019-Spring 2020: Synthesis and Characterization of Lignin Monomers
Abstract:
Lignin is the second most abundant organic polymer. The structure of lignin is composed of three monomers: p-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, and sinapyl alcohol, which all are found in nature. These natural compounds are not cost friendly for undergraduate research. The carboxylic acid forms of these monomers (p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and sinapic acid) can be obtained commercially. This poster will discuss our synthetic approaches to produce the alcohol forms of lignin.
Presentations
August 2016: SOfIA Presentation
Poster Titles:
- The Chemistry of Baking: The Basics
- The Chemistry of Baking: Experiments
Interests/Activities
Swimming
Pi Beta Phi