RD
Rachel Denny
  • psychobiology
  • Class of 2014
  • New Windsor, Md.

Science Major Rachel Denny and Chemistry Professor Travel to Budapest for Research Project

2013 Sep 27

Lebanon Valley College's Dr. Timothy Peelen, associate professor of chemistry, spent 12 months on sabbatical teaching and researching in the organic chemistry field in Budapest, Hungary at Etovos Lorand University (ELTE). Rachel Denny '14 assisted him with research at ELTE this summer.

Tai Nguyen '14 decided to join Peelen in Hungary after working in his organic chemistry summer research group in 2012. "Before the school year ended, 'Dr. P' already had his one year sabbatical planned to research in Hungary and approached me after class one day asking if I would be interested in being part of the first international summer research group," Nguyen recalls. "He also mentioned that he received an Arnold Grant that would cover the cost of our flight and room and board so from there on I knew I couldn't pass up this type of opportunity."

The research that Nguyen worked on took place over six weeks. "The main focus of my research was around a family of highly conjugated benzothiazole dyes (referred to 'clickable dyes'). The reason of interest in these dyes is because they are fluorescent probe molecules that can be incorporated into or attached to biomolecules to make a tracer. My project was to make different benzothiazole dyes with different substituents (electron-withdrawing, electron-donating, at different positions on the ring) to add to a pre-existing library. The most important thing was that the method of synthesizing these dyes would have to be fast and efficient."

Psychobiology major Rachel Denny '14 says she leapt at the opportunity to travel to Hungary, where she worked on discovering a new photocatalyzed reaction. "It was such an amazing opportunity that I had to say yes," she says. "I love traveling, seeing new things, and experiencing different cultures." She especially enjoyed attending a conference in the Hungarian town of Balaton--"Going to a chemistry conference in mostly Hungarian was really interesting," she said--and experiencing the various festivals and other activities of a vibrant European city. Denny found herself especially challenged by the language, though she quickly learned enough to get by.

"It was pretty easy to immerse into the culture," Nguyen said. "Most of the people were very friendly toward us and very generous, with the most social people being those that were more fluent in English. For the most part, while we were out in the city, most people could speak some English so we were never really too lost and stranded."

"My favorite part of the experience was just being indulged in a new environment," Nguyen said. "It's always fun when you try things for the first time and being in Hungary it was a new life. We had the opportunity to meet new people, travel to new places, drink new drinks, eat new foods, and just experience everything for the first time ever again."

Peelen returned to life at the Valley this fall, where he resumed teaching organic chemistry to 70 LVC students. Denny plans to pursue a doctorate in pharmacology after graduation this spring, and Nguyen has his sights set on dental school.