The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society held it’s annual awards banquet on Saturday, December 6th, 2025 at the At Helena Modern Riviera (ICON Park).
The 2025 winners are:
Award
Recipient
Organization
The Eileen Tulley Award for Outstanding High School Student
SAlejandra Jaramillo Marin
Tohopekaliga High School
Outstanding Student at a primarily teaching institution
LeeAnn Andrews
Keiser University
Outstanding Student at a primarily research institution
Elisa Guerrero Supriya Bera
University of Central Florida Florida Institute of Technology
Outstanding Graduate Student
Pritha Sarkar
University of Central Florida
Outstanding High School Teacher
Kennan Wasinger
Lake Brantley High School
Outstanding Educator at a Primarily Research Institution
Alan B. Brown
Florida Institute of Technology
Outstanding Chemist
Rudolf J. Wehmschulte
Florida Institute of Technology
Outstanding Entrepreneur/Employer
University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program (Rafael Caamano)
Join us for a traditional awards banquet as the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society honors our 2025 award recipients.
Saturday, December 6th, 2025 11:30AM to 2:00PM Location:Helena Modern Riviera 8441 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819 (ICON Park)
Lunch Menu Appetizers Beef or Veggie Empanadas Bruschetta Crostini
Iberian Caesar Salad
Entrée choice of Pasta Primavera Seasonal veggies tossed over pasta in an olive oil, garlic white wine sauce Lady and the Tramp Spaghetti with homemade meatballs with our Marinara Sauce Vegetarian Paella Valencia rice, mushrooms, broccolini, asparagus, peas, artichokes, veggie consommé Chicken Pinxhos Chicken skewers and a bed of garlic mashed potatoes
Beverages Fountain drinks Cash bar available
The cost to attend is $25 per person, which includes tax and gratuity. The Section will cover the total bill with a single payment. You may pay in advance via the RSVP link or at the door using cash or check
Since 1991, the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society has recognized individuals who live, work, or study in the seven-county region of the Orlando Section and excel in chemistry. Continuing this tradition, this year, the Orlando Section will give the following awards:
Eileen Tulley Award for Outstanding High School Student
Outstanding High School Teacher
Outstanding Undergraduate at a Primarily Teaching Institution
Outstanding Undergraduate at a Primarily Research Institution
Outstanding Graduate at a Primarily Research Institution
Outstanding Educator at a Primarily Teaching Institution
Outstanding Educator at a Primarily Research Institution
If you know someone or companies who should be recognized publicly, please nominate them for an ACS Orlando Section award. Each Award consists of a plaque and a monetary award. Awardees will be honored at the local Section’s annual banquet held on December 6th, 2025. Student nominees need not be currently enrolled in chemistry but can be nominated for achievements for the spring 2025 term. Nominees for awards need not be members.
Nomination package includes: (1) A letter of nomination stating why this person/company* deserves the award. (2) A letter of support from someone else who knows the nominee.
Each letter should include the name of the award, and the writer’s email address, and daytime phone number. Electronic submissions are required by completing the google doc form (link below) and uploading PDF letters in the appropriate places on the form. Questions can be directed to Dr. Laura Sessions, Chair of the Orlando Section Awards Committee at lsessions@valenciacollege.edu. To be considered, nominations must be received by 5pm FridayNovember 7, 2025.
Chemical Society (ACS) and its affiliates, and to create opportunities for students to enhance their scientific experiences and networking, the Orlando Local Section of the ACS offers travel awards. Since the Orlando Section is hosting the 76th Southeastern and 81st Southwest Joint Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Orlando from Oct 26-29, we are pleased to offer registration fees for six students to this meeting — three for graduate students and three for undergraduate students.
Application Instructions: To apply, student applicant should prepare an application package (a single PDF file) that includes the following:
A brief introduction of the applicant
Proof of acceptance of the abstract
The abstract of the presentation
A brief explanation of why a travel award from the Orlando Local Section of the ACS is necessary (especially for those whose research projects are federally, industrially, or privately funded)
Contact information of the advisor (the award committee will request a statement from the advisor indicating the need for the travel award for registration, lodging, and/or travel expenses)
The application package should be sent via email to the Awards Committee (Dr. Laura Sessions, lsessions@valenciacollege.edu) by August 29 September 12 September 19, 2025, at 11:59 PM. The committee will select awardees based on financial need, with preference given to those who possess an active ACS student membership in the Orlando Section or its student chapters, those who have not received a previous travel award from the Orlando Section, and distribution among the colleges and universities in our Section. Novelty and impact of the research project are bonus criteria.
The American Chemical Society (ACS) has announced the launch of the ACS Graduate Student Success Grant, a new initiative aimed at supporting graduate students affected by the termination or cancellation of their adviser’s research funding.
The ACS Board of Directors has approved a total of $2.5 million for this program. The grant is designed to assist MS and PhD students who are within one year of completing their degree and whose progress has been disrupted due to the loss of their adviser’s research grant(s).
Eligible students may receive up to $25,000 for one year, with funding awarded per research institution.
Applications will open on September 15 and close on October 1. Additional information about the grant can be found at www.acs.org/gradsuccessgrant.
To encourage student participation in local, regional, and national conferences organized by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and its affiliates, and to create opportunities for students to enhance their scientific experiences and networking, the Orlando Local Section of the ACS offers travel awards. Students with an accepted abstract to present are encouraged to apply for a Student Travel Award for the ACS Fall 2025 National Meeting and Expo in Washington DC, in August. Two travel awards of $500 each are planned—one for a graduate student and one for an undergraduate student.
Arden Floyd gave a poster presentation on her research titled “Cloud Condensation Nuclei Activity of Fresh and Aged Maleic Acid Aerosol Particles” at FAME 2023.
Application Instructions: To apply, student applicant should prepare an application package (a single PDF file) that includes the following:
A brief introduction of the applicant
Proof of acceptance of the abstract
The abstract of the presentation
A brief explanation of why a travel award from the Orlando Local Section of the ACS is necessary (especially for those whose research projects are federally, industrially, or privately funded)
Contact information of the advisor (the award committee will request a statement from the advisor indicating the need for the travel award for registration, lodging, and/or travel expenses)
The application package should be sent via email to the Awards Committee (Dr. Laura Sessions, lsessions@valenciacollege.edu) by June 20, 2025, at 11:59 PM. The committee will select awardees based on financial need, with preference given to those who possess an active ACS student membership, those who have not received a previous travel award from the Orlando Section, and distribution among the colleges and universities in our Section. Novelty and impact of the research project are bonus criteria.
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) recently awarded $500 travel grants to two outstanding students, enabling them to attend the Spring 2025 ACS National Meeting in San Diego, CA. This prestigious event brought together more than 15,000 chemists from around the world to share their latest research and innovations.
Cecilia presents her poster.
Cecilia Uchechukwu Ezeanya, a second-year master’s student at the University of Central Florida, was one of the recipients. Working in the lab of Prof. Swadeshmukul Santra, Cecilia presented her research on “Optimized Polyphenol-Polymeric Nanoparticles for Encapsulation and Delivery of Oxytetracycline-Divalent Cation Complexes against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.”
Reflecting on her experience, Cecilia expressed her gratitude: “I am truly grateful to the ACS Orlando Section for recognizing me as a deserving graduate student and awarding me a travel grant to share my research with thousands of attendees at the ACS Spring Meeting in San Diego. The experience was a perfect blend of diverse expertise, spanning Chemistry to Pharmaceutical Chemistry, with engaging discussions and extracurricular activities. I am glad I maximized the daily networking events, happy hour moments, and the Laboratory 271 escape room. Overall, I took home valuable suggestions – some of which I began exploring the very night I returned from San Diego. I am confident that my work on Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient, Cargo Loading, and Analytical Chemistry will contribute to advancing the scientific community and ultimately benefit the populace.”
Gene Koifman, an undergraduate majoring in Chemical Engineering at Florida Tech, was the other recipient. Gene has been conducting research in the lab of Prof. Pavithra Pathirathna since Spring 2023. He presented his poster titled “Surface-Modified Four-Bore Carbon Fiber Microelectrodes for Simultaneous Detection of Neurotransmitters and Toxic Metals,” which focuses on developing electrodes that detect multiple analytes using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry.
Gene shared his excitement about the opportunity: “I am very grateful to the Orlando Section of the ACS for their generous funding, which helped cover my travel expenses to attend and present my research at the ACS Spring Meeting. The conference provided a fantastic opportunity to explore cutting-edge research across various chemistry disciplines, from Electrochemistry to Catalysis, giving me valuable insights for my planned PhD journey. Presenting my work was an invaluable experience, allowing me to receive constructive feedback, engage in meaningful discussions, and connect with potential collaborators. I was especially encouraged by the strong interest from researchers in analytical chemistry and neuroscience, which inspired new directions for my work. Overall, this experience has strengthened my understanding of the field and reinforced my excitement for graduate research. I sincerely appreciate the Orlando Section ACS for making this opportunity possible.”
Both students returned from the conference with new insights and inspiration, ready to apply what they learned to their ongoing research. The Orlando Section’s support has not only facilitated their professional growth but also contributed to the broader scientific community.
Be on the lookout for fall travel awards announced at the beginning of June.
To encourage student participation in local, regional, and national conferences organized by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and its affiliates, and to create opportunities for students to enhance their scientific experiences and networking, the Orlando Local Section of the ACS offers travel awards. Students with an accepted abstract to present are encouraged to apply for a Student Travel Award for the ACS Spring 2025 National Meeting and Expo in San Diego, CA, in March. Two travel awards of $500 each are planned—one for a graduate student and one for an undergraduate student.
Arden Floyd gave a poster presentation on her research titled “Cloud Condensation Nuclei Activity of Fresh and Aged Maleic Acid Aerosol Particles” at FAME 2023.
Application Instructions: To apply, student applicant should prepare an application package (a single PDF file) that includes the following:
A brief introduction of the applicant
Proof of acceptance of the abstract
The abstract of the presentation
A brief explanation of why a travel award from the Orlando Local Section of the ACS is necessary (especially for those whose research projects are federally, industrially, or privately funded)
Contact information of the advisor (the award committee will request a statement from the advisor indicating the need for the travel award for registration, lodging, and/or travel expenses)
The application package should be sent via email to the Awards Committee (Dr. Laura Sessions, lsessions@valenciacollege.edu) by January 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM. The committee will select awardees based on financial need, with preference given to those who possess an active ACS student membership, those who have not received a previous travel award from the Orlando Section, and distribution among the colleges and universities in our Section. Novelty and impact of the research project are bonus criteria.
Helein Hitchcock was recently recognized as a 60-year ACS member at a luncheon with Darlene Slattery and Michael Hampton. Helein has been involved in the Section as an awards reviewer and a science fair judge.
Helein received her B.S. in chemistry from the University of Maryland in 1964 and went to work for Bendix Field Engineering at Kennedy Space Center doing routine analysis of spacecraft and ground systems gaseous samples to meet specifications. Eventually, Helein transferred from working as a contract employee to being a NASA employee. She continued working at KSC supporting the space program until her retirement. During that time, her exemplary service was acknowledged with a number of awards, including the prestigious Silver Snoopy award and the Manned Flight Awareness Award.
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society held it’s annual awards banquet on Saturday, December 7th, 2024 at the At the blu on the avenue restaurant in Winter Park, FL.
The 2024 winners are:
Award
Recipient
Organization
Outstanding Student at a primarily teaching institution
Julia Dasque
Seminole State College
Outstanding Student at a primarily research institution (undergraduate)
Disha Iyengar
University of Central Florida
Outstanding Graduate Student
Edwin Davidson
University of Central Florida
Outstanding Educator at a Primarily Research Institution
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