More than two dozen science alumni returned for Science Alumni Conference; gave talks in Williams Center

Alumni Science Conference at SUNY Fredonia; above is Fred Guerriero, '71.

More than two dozen alumni returned to campus this weekend for the SUNY Fredonia Science Alumni Conference, which took place on Saturday, Sept. 29, from 1 to 5:30 p.m., in the Williams Center. Science alumni gave 20-minute talks in biology, biochemistry, chemistry environmental science, space and atmospheric science, medicinal and pharmaceutical sciences. 

The special event was held in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of Jewett Hall and Homecoming Weekend.  The alumni are graduates of degree programs offered in the chemistry, biology, physics, and geosciences departments at SUNY Fredonia.

Alumni and their talks were as follows:

Jeffrey Diers, Watershed Coordinator for the Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Economic Development, presented "Invasive Water Chestnut in Chautauqua Lake;"

Tony Contento (1995 Biology), Visiting Assistant Professor at SUNY Oswego, presented " A Life in Science and the Importance of Scientific Advocacy;"

Jeanette Almekinder (2004, Medical Technology) of Almekinder Dairy presented, "How Now, Brown Cow?- My path to a non-traditional career;"

Terri Minunni Ercole (1984 Medical Technology), teacher in the Penfield Central School District, presented "From Testtubes to Teachertube.com;"

Frank J. Priznar (1976 Special Studies Environmental Science), President & CEO of PRIZIM Inc., presented "Mistakes Are Only Lessons;"

Jason Gestwicki (1997 Chemistry & Recombinant Gene Technology), Associate Professor and Director of the Center of Chemical Genomics at the University of Michigan, presented "Houghton meets Jewett: New Treatments for Cataract Using Chemical Biology"

Scott Simpson (2010 Chemistry), who is a Ph.D Candidate at SUNY Buffalo, presented "Substituted Benzene Derivatives on the Cu(111) Surface;"

Jim Kempf (1993 Chemistry) of Bruker Biospin Corporation, presented "Electric Fields in NMR;"

Christopher Cahill (1993 Chemistry), Professor of Chemistry at George Washington University, presented "Interesting chemistry from the part of the periodic table that no one really talks;"

Barry E. Moore II (2011 Chemistry), PhD Candidate at  SUNY Buffalo, presented "The analysis of optical activity in terms of bonds and lone-pairs: the difficult case of norbornenone;"

Don Brenner (1982 chemistry), Associate Department Head and Kobe Distinguished Professor at North Carolina State University presented "Computational Materials Chemistry;"

Amy Diegleman Parente (1995 Chemistry), Assistant Professor at Mercyhurst College, presented "Biochemistry in the Environment: an Elusive Quest for Splenda and More in Lake Erie;"

Amanda Petrus (2003 Chemistry) of Clark University's Biology Department, presented "Comparative analyses of vitamin B12 synthesis and usage among the ancient thermophilic Thermotoga phylum reveals novel biosynthesis pathways;"

Carl Gaupp (1997 Chemistry), on the faculty at Hilton High School in Rochester NY,  presented "From Research Chemist to High School Chemistry Teacher: an Unconventional Path to Fulfillment;"

Loriana Valentin Bromberg (2009 Chemistry), a Ph.D Candidate at SUNY Binghamton, presented "Smooth Sailing After Fredonia: Navigating the Journey After Graduation;"

Jonathan Sanford (2009 Molecular Genetics), PhD Candidate at Ohio State University, is presenting "Analysis of polymorphisms regulating hepatic CYP2C19 expression and the role of biomarkers in personalized medicine;"

Dr. Shari M. Yudenfreund-Sujka (1978/79 Biology) of the Department of Anesthesiology at Kissimmee Memorial Hospital presented "Life is not a straight path, there are many twists and turns to take;'

Dr. Paula Sperry (1977 Biology) of Sperry Chiropractic in Eastham MA, presented"The Doctor of the Future;"

Fred Guerriero (1971/74 Biology), retired from GlaxoSmithKline after 37&1/2 Years in the pharmaceutical industry, presented "Twists, Turns and Mergers;"

A talk on "Pharmaceutical Development and Business Strategy" was jointly given by Deborah Bruner (1985, Medical Technology), Business Process Analyst for Worldwide Safety and Regulatory Operations at Pfizer, Inc., and Mark Bruner (1984 Biology/Chemistry) Associate Director at Johnson & Johnson, Janesen Pharmaceutical;

Dave Mittlefehldt (1973 Geology), a Planetary Scientist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, presented "The NASA Dawn Mission to Asteroid (4) Vesta;"

Andrew Heymsfield (1969 Physics), Senior Scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, presented "Can Airplanes Make Holes in Clouds?"

Gerald Heymsfield (1971 physics), Research Meteorologist at the Goddard Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes Branch at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center,  presented "Studying Hurricanes with Unmanned Planes."