7.16.14 Cheyenne Simmons

        Well today It was good to be back after I missed yesterday. Today we had our presentation, I presented today. I was kinda nervous about it because I really wasn't sure about what I was gonna present. After I presented and we came back from lunch I worked on my power point some more. I have some of my slides full and I'm just waiting on my data. which hopefully I can have by tomorrow afternoon. Then I will put not all but most of my data into the power point.

7.14.14 Cheyenne Simmons

        Well today I really didn't do anything until after lunch. After lunch I made four more SEM stubs what have 7 reactions on them. I then spent the rest of the day in the basement working on the SEM. Tomorrow I will not be here but on wednesday I have to present my power point then on Thursday I have the SEM scheduled for most of the day so I can try to finish.

7.10.14 Cheyenne Simmons

         Well today I really couldn't do anything, I didn't have my computer and my power point was on my laptop. So before Kim's dissertation I read through my papers for information. Then 2pm came and it was time for Kim's dissertation. She did really well and I was proud of my lab mom. Her talk went for about half hour. Then we went back to the lab for cake! After that we all sat around and talked. So CONGRADULATIONS! Dr. Kimberly Rosmas!!!! :)

7.09.14 Cheyenne SImmons

         Well today I started off by going to the SEED meeting then after that we went to lunch. After lunch I came back and worked a little on my Abstract to finish it. Then after Dr. Aitken approved it I got to submit it. After all that I worked on my power point. That's all I did for today. Tomorrow I plan on work on my power point then going to Kim's dissertation. Then after that have cake.

7.08.14 Cheyenne Simmons

          Well today I actually did something I worked on my samples. When I came in they where all dry and I was able to go SEM on them. I came in and then I was able to after I turned in my abstract to Dr. Aitken get some SEM pictures. When I came upstairs out of the basement I worked on my power point for a little bit and that was about it.

Abstract. Cheyenne Simmons

Synthesis and Characterization of Quaternary Diamond-Like Semiconductors

Simmons,Cheyenne L.; Aitken, Jennifer A.; Brant, Jacilynn A.

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Duquesne University

The class of diamond-like semiconductors (DLSs)with the general formula I₂-II-IV-VI₄ is attractive for applications in nonlinear optics, solid state electrolytes, and photovoltaics. These materials exhibit compositional flexibility ,where various elements can be employed to tune the physical properties. Accessing these DLSs as nanophases can further impact properties, for example band gap. Most thin film solar cell materials are made from nanoparticle precursors. The synthesis and characterization of novel quaternary DLSs nanparticles is targeted in this project. The materials are structurally characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), morphology and elemental analysis are carried out using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy and band gaps' are assessed using UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy.

7.07.14 Cheyenne Simmons

         Well today started off slow, I began the day reading over emails and looking at the abstract that Dr. Aitken wrote. After lunch at around noon my fellow seedlings and I went to the abstract and poster making seminar. There we learned the proper way to set up our posters, and that abstracts are due Wednesday.  After we got back I was emailing Jaci about the abstract that Dr. Aitken wrote. I'm still waiting for an email back. Then I began putting my reactions on the SEM/EDS stubs. I have four reaction ready to do SEM/EDS on. Then Ill have my first set of results to put on my poster.

7.03.14 Cheyenne Simmons

        Well today I wrote my blog challenge it took me all day.  I wrote about this guy named Brett. It was three pages. I felt bad for him because I had fifty-two questions, but he answered all the questions I had. Even if they weren't the best. The interview took about fifteen minutes. Then came the writing part. I had to find somewhere quiet to work so I went down stairs to the first floor. After I came upstairs and had it checked, then made some corrections and sent it. On Monday I plan to have my reactions dried and then put them on SEM/EDS stubs. Then write my abstract.

Blog Challenge #2 Cheyenne Simmons

Blog Challenge #2

        For this blog challenge we had to interview a graduate student. I was nervous about interviewing someone, with questions running through my head of “what if they find me annoying?”or “ maybe they don’t want to talk to me because I’m way younger than they are”. I put it off for so long until finally Kim was like Cheyenne who are you going to interview and I said I haven’t gotten that far yet. Then she took me around and I met a few people. At first I was going to interview this girl Chelsea but then Kim saw Brett and was said that he would be the perfect person to interview because we both have snarky personalities. I felt bad for him because I had a ton of questions and some of them he couldn’t answer because he doesn't have a SEED student. My questions that I asked him are as followed.

Graduate Questions for the Second Blog Challenge.

1. How many colleges did you apply for before Duquesne?
2. Why did you want to pursue a career in science?
3. What’s your favorite part of the experiment you’re working on now?
4. Do you plan to continue on in research or go into teaching after you finish schooling?
5. What was you dream school?
6. What are some of the goals you want to reach?
7. Is it hard to balance life here and life at home?
8. Do you ever get upset when your result don’t come out as planned?
9. Whats an over view of your project?
10. Whats the purpose or use for you project?
11. Why were you interested in Duquesne?
12. Does your experiment work?
13. Who had the biggest influence on you to go to college?
14. Do you enjoy coming here everyday?
15. What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?
16. How much longer do you have left?
17. If you could do anything different in school to lead up to this point what would it be? Why?
18. Where are you from? What was it like?
19. What do you have a degree in?
20. Did you apply for a SEED student or did your mentor give you one?
21. How did you find out about the summer research program?
22. What did you want to be when you grew up?
23. What was it like trying to find the right college for you?
24. Did you always want to go into chemistry?
25. Whats you favorite part of chemistry?
26. Did you apply for scholarships in high school? If so how many? And if how many did you get?
27. Whats college like?
28. What high school did you go to?
29. Do you like being in an experimental lab? Would you ever work computational?
30. What was your first poster session like?
31. What was writing your first paper like?
32. Were you comfortable with you research when you first presented?
33. How did you come up with the project for you SEED student?
34. What is you SEED students project about?
35. Is this your first year having a SEED student?
36. Were you excited about having a SEED student?
37. How many majors did you go through until you settled on one?
38. How many different mentors did you have?
39. How much did your tuition cost?
40. Did you play any college or intramural sports?
41. On average, how many hours did you spend a day studying?
42. Is studying rigorously worthwhile?
43. What made you want to go to grad school?
44. Do you wish you went to parties more in college?
45. Did anything from your childhood make you want to better your life?
46. What grades did you get in school?
47. Whats you next step in life?
48. How old are you?
49. What helps you when your stressed with your research?
50. Do you ever wish you would have chosen a different career?
51. Do you hate O. Chem. like everyone else?
52. What Lab are you in?

Brett DeMarco Biography.

          Brett Demarco is a graduate student at Duquesne University who works in Dr. Rita Miharlescu lab. He is 23 and is from Mercer, Pa. He liked growing up in Amish country because he enjoyed seeing all of the horses in the fields. He attended Mercer High School, and his favorite class was chemistry. His grades were excellent, meaning all A's and B's. With those good grades you would think he would have applied for scholarships, but not Brett. His tuition is only $11,000 for grad school. When Brett was a child, he aspired to be the best Brett he could be and he also wanted to be a hero. His brother was his biggest influence to go to college, and he generally wanted to better his life.

        He didn’t have a dream school but applied to four different colleges before choosing Duquesne. He believes finding the college for you is important and to just go with the one that feels good to you, not just for the name. He has always liked science and wanted to pursue a career in chemistry, which led him to pursue a degree in it. He didn’t always want to go into chemistry, but he likes the logic of how it all fits together and makes everything coherent. He chose Duquesne because of the structure. They focus more on the actual research than on the class work. He didn’t play any college or intramural sports so he had more time to study. He studied rigorously anywhere between one to three hours a day. He believes that there are two different types of students who attend college: the ones who lock themselves away and study and go to class and enjoy being submerged in academia, and the ones who skip class and party because there’s no one watching their back and telling them what to do. Brett considers a balance of the two to be liberating. He doesn't think partying in school is worth it. If given the chance to do it all over, he would major in math, biology, and physics. He also would have taken more majors as an undergrad, as well.

         Brett enjoys coming here everyday. He found out about the summer research program when he applied for the graduate student position. He is currently is teaching both basic college level and honors organic chemistry. Balancing home and research was a little bit overwhelming for him at times, but he adapted quickly. He has worked computationally for a while but then decided to try to get into a wet lab. An over view of his project is the characterization of the secondary structure of DNA on the BDNF gene to determine whether a geocentric structure is forming and doing the bio-physical characterization of said structure. The purpose and or use for it is once the structure is characterized to target it with drugs, so that you can manipulate the structure in the cell to regulate production of the BDNF protein. His favorite part of his experiment is the way the logic comes together to determine the structure. He's never gotten nervous before presenting a poster or giving a talk because no one knows more about his project than him. “What about the first paper you wrote?” I asked. He said, “your first paper isn’t nothing to stress over, all you do is write a draft then send it to your mentor (He has had five different mentors.) and it comes back covered in red pen and a whole new paper.” His tips for helping with research stress were to take a walk, read, and sleep. I personally like the last one the most.

         Upon finishing school he could either see himself going into teaching eventually, but research first. He hopes to graduate here in four to five years with his doctorate. His plans for the next ten years include finishing schooling then doing something for the rest of his life that involves a lab and research. For him, moving to find a job isn’t an issue. What ever the best position is, whether its teaching or its in the industry, he'll cross that bridge when he comes to it. Brett wants to make an impact on his community that will be remembered for years to come.

7.02.14 Cheyenne Simmons

         Well today I finished rinsing my reactions. Then I set them out to dry except the one that wont for some reason settle. After I did that then I began working on my power point, I only finished three slides. I'm hoping to finish a lot more slides tomorrow. After that I was working on my blog challenge questions. I ended up with 52 questions. Kim asked me who I was going to interview and I didn't know. So she sent me over to interview Brett. He answered all 52 questions. Then Kim told me I was a stalker for all the questions. Lol. After that I came back to the lab I began to start my Blog Challenge. Well until tomorrow...

7.01.14 Cheyenne Simmons

         Well today I began rinsing my reactions. I had to wait overnight for them to settle. This morning I came into the lab and began rinsing them. First I had to take the water we first used to fill the autoclaves with out. Then the vials were filled half way up again with HCl and sonicated for a couple minutes until everything was mix well. Once it settled again we then rinsed it so far once with methanol but we want to keep rinsing until the liquid has no color. After an hour or so of waiting kim came over to me and was showing me and Ashley how to make a plot. She described it as you have one data graph thats equal to say 1032 then another graph thats equal to 32 and 1032 is way heigher then 32. She described the process as trying to measure an elephants leg to a mouses leg with a twelve inch ruler. Sounds kinda crazy doesnt it. Well the shorter way of trying to describe it would be scaling the both graphs to the same height of one. Then there was this equation used C2=C1/max peak. Then after all of that i went and piped out the excess Methonal form four of the vials, then they were set out to dry over night. Then the other four had to be rinsed one last time.

6.30.14 Cheyenne Simmons

         Well this morning I took my other two autoclaves out of the oven. I took them into the back and then emptied the reactions out back into their correct vials. How I did that was I took the autoclave and emptied it using a pipet. For each reaction I used a separated pipet so we didn't cross contaminated the reactions. For one of the reactions at the bottom of the autoclave there was clumps of the reaction I had to use water to be able to rinse it out. Once I got that out I was able to clean up everything and set my reactions out to settle so I can characterize them under the microscope.

        When I came back from lunch I saw that my reactions were settling. I began to then characterize them under a regular microscope. My first reaction was a golden like color with clumps at the bottom of the vial. My second was gray and it looked like shards of metal. The Third was brown in color with piece floating at the top that if the got close to each other they looked like magnets and connected together. The fourth was a flat powder like gray and dull. Fifth the reaction wasn't settled enough to see so it was just cloudy and dark. The sixth was another brown in color golden like, tiny and together. Seventh had a green tint and was powder looking and was gray under the microscope. The eighth and final one was laying flat on the bottom, a dark gray looks like dirt and had two orange crystal like dot in it.

6.27.14 Cheyenne SImmons

         Well today went kind of slow, I started of the day good. I finally got to do something for once in two days. Since somebody was here from my lab today I got to work! This morning I got to put my last two reactions into the oven and bring the other six out. Whenever I finally got done with that I began working on my power point even though I don't have that much I still have something. After all that we went to a Seminar where this girl spoke and she use to be an under grad here at Duquesne. She spoke about her undergrad research she did here. She also talked about the things she does and steps she has taken to get her PhD.

         When ever we came back from the Seminar I helped Amber with what she needed to know for her power point. After that I worked more on my Power point then sat around for a little bit because I had nothing to do for the rest of the day because Jaci wasn't here today. So on Monday I plan to take my last two reactions out of the oven then I plan to begin drying them out.

6.25.14 Cheyenne Simmons

        Well today wasn't very interesting. I really had nothing to do all day because my co-mentor and everyone in my lab were in a meeting all day so I wasn't able to work in the lab and start rinsing my reactions. Now I have to wait until Friday to begin that because the meeting/conference they're at is a two day thing. Then come time for the meeting today we realized there wasn't any mentors here to listen in on it an ask questions . So the meeting go moved to tomorrow and hopefully we can present.

        Although my Co-mentor wont be back until Friday I plan on reviewing the things from last year. Im going to try and get myself back into the swing of things and keep myself busy while I wait for them to get back. Hopefully I can rinse my reactions on Friday.

Blog Challenge #1

         For this Blog Challenge we had to choose a career in science that we wanted to pursue. Along with why you have chosen that career. Then we had to choose and research three different colleges that offered classes and programs in the field of science you wish to pursue. Then you had to find the requirements to be accepted for the college of you have chosen and any special classes that you need for that college. Then you had to explain the programs they offered.

         My career that I have chosen was geology. Geology- the science that deals with the earth's physical structure and substance, its history, and the processes that act on it. Geology is the science that deals with the earth's physical structure and substance, its history, and the processes that act on it is the science comprising the study of solid earth, the rocks of which it is composed , and the process by which they change. Geology can be referred to the study of the solid feature or any celestial body. Geology gives insight into the history of the earth by providing the primary evidence of tectonic plates, the history of the evolution of life along with past climate change.

         In modern time, geology is commercially important for mineral and hydrocarbon exploration as well as for evaluating water resources. It is publicly important for the prediction and understanding of natural hazards, the remediation of environmental problems, and for providing insight into climate change. Geology also play a role in geotechnical engineering. Geotechnical Engineering is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering behavior of earth materials. Geologists use a number of field, laboratory, and numerical modeling methods to decipher the earths history and to understand the process that goes on inside the earth. Geologist use primary information related to petrology (the study of rocks), stratigraphy (the study of semimentary layers), investigate past and current life biochemical pathways, and use geophysical methods to investigate the subsurface.



          I chose geology because it has always interested me ever since seventh grade. Even though I at that time didn't know exactly what the correct name for it was. That was until last year around this time when I had so focus on what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I started to google earth science and natural science. That is when I came across geology and was like yeah this fits the part. So I did more and more research and came to a conclusion that this was the right career path for me. With my luck I have recently found out that geologist are in high demand. The three Universities I chose were West Virginia University, Ohio State University, and the University of Pittsburgh.


          The University of Pittsburgh is a large four-year, public school with around 28,770 students enrolled 24,980 of which are undergraduates. The school was originated in 1787 and is one of the thirty three schools and colleges located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the University of Pittsburgh you can enroll  in a seven month certificate program, a two year certificate program, Bachelor's Degree, Post Baccalaureate certificate, Masters Degree, Post Masters certificate, or Doctoral Degree. All geology majors take a multi-week summer field camp, and ,any also choose to intern with companies, researchers, or government organizations. Courses offers are Natural Sciences, Which you customize to fit your interest and your career goals. Requirements are as followed.
            *SAT- 1750 (Critical reading- 570/680), (Math- 600/690), (Writing- 560/660)
            *GPA- 3.0 or higher.

         West Virginia University is also a large public college offering numerous disciplines along with geology programs and is located in Morgantown, West Virginia. Operating since 1867 and is presently offering Bachelors, Master's, and Doctoral Degrees in general geology and earth science. West Virginia University  is a little bit on the expensive side depending on the program you choose, the cost varies around $20,000/year. AP credits and other credits can be considered when being considered when applying for admission. Their geology has an overall four and a half stars. Ranked number one geology school in West Virginia, twenty-fifth in the South, and Seventy in the United States. The requirements are as followed. Four English credits, four math credits, three history credits, three science credits, two foreign language credits and one credit for the arts. A GPA of a 3.3 and a combined reading and math SAT score of a 1052. They offer a program that runs in the geology field camp for five weeks in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. Some courses they offer are as listed along with many more.
 GEOL. 101, Planet earth. which talks about the composition and structure of earth and the physical properties.
- GEOL. 102, Planet earth lab. Where you work in labs on samples.
- GEOL. 105, The study of Dinosaurs.

         Ohio State University is a very large public college offering many disciplines along with the geology major and located un Columbus, Ohio. This college is operating since 1870 and is presently offering Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral Degrees in general geology and earth science. Ohio State is quite expensive depending on the program tuition price may vary around $28,000/year, Your dual credits and AP credits maybe considered when applying at Ohio State University. The school of earth science offers two major programs, a BA (Bachelor of Arts) and a BS (Bachelor of Science). Both involve course work in preparation for the major ad the major program itself. BS program preparation for the major consist of the following courses. In basic science and mathematics: 5-10 credit hours of general chemistry, 10 credit hours of calculus and analytic geometry, 5-10 hours of biological science, 4 credit hours each of physical geology and historical geology, and two additional courses other science or mathematics. Over a third of the students who apply to Ohio Sate university get rejected, and successful applicant tend to have above average standardized test scores who have a 3.5 GPA or  1650 SAT scores. Although students have still been accepted with below average standardized test scores, not just your grades, AP, IB and honors classes get you in. But they do carry extra weight. Ohio State is also interest in leadership experiences, extracurricular activities, and work experience. If your a first generation college student or part of an underrepresented group, you may get additional consideration.

6.24.14 Cheyenne Simmons

        Well today started out rough I came into the lab to find that the oven was still on at 220 degrees Celsius. So I wasn't able to start on my reactions, which really bummed me out because I was looking forward to actually starting my project. But after I got over the fact that I couldn't start my reaction today I went ahead a kept myself busy. I saw that my notebook for my data was falling apart to I went ahead a rewrote it. taking out the doodles I had in my previous notebook. Well rewriting my notebook only took about an hour I needed to find other things to keep me busy so I read.

         I looked over some of my notes form last year and even looked over my power point from the symposium last year. Tomorrow we have a meeting with our fellow seedling to see how everything is going with their projects. Kelly, Melissa and I have it being our second year have to present our power point to the first years so they could see what we did and how they will have to do it. Well I hope everything goes as planned and I don't forget anything.

6.23.14 Cheyenne Simmons

        Well today I began researching my blog challenge and I believe I have found the career that I want to proceed with is Geology. Although last year I was not quite sure which path I wanted to go I found my way. Before I finalized what career I wanted to talk about I researched it. Geology is the science comprising the study of solid earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the process by which the change, geology can refer generally to the study of the solid feature of any celestial body. I researches all morning to find that geology gives insight into the history of the earth by providing the primary evidence of plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates. I could go on but then I would have nothing to put into my blog challenge.

        Before I could do any research this morning we had a little problem I went to use the computer in my lab but I couldn't read anything because it was in Chinese. I'm pretty sure that the problem was fixed but for the time it wasn't I used my lab mate Steve's computer. All I basically did today was research schools. But after I finally finish I go to start my reactions I have six reactions in the over now and I hope that tomorrow I can start the rinsing process and put my last two reactions in. Well that all I have for today...

6.20.14 Cheyenne Simmons

        Well today was a pretty interesting day. This morning while I was taking notes one of the people who work in the office came over to the table by my lab and started taking everything out of the fridge and throwing it away because we're getting a new fridge soon. While she was tossing things out me and a person who works in my lab Steve were laughing because she through three packs of hot dogs away. Along with ice cream and a whole bunch of Tupperware. Off course there was sprinkles and Steve kept them, now they're on the table right outside my lab. After that I finished all of my notes I had to write and all of my reading is done.

          After lunch I came back to the lab and sat while they rest of my lab went out to lunch. While they where out to lunch I sat in the computer lab with Melissa while she drew her periodic table because she had nothing to do. When ever Jaci and the rest of my lab got back I went back and sat with them. A girl in my lab Ashley had to learn to seal DTA tubes, Jaci told we to watch and to try because I might have to learn to because I might need to seal tubes in future work. To seal them you first put them under vacuum then you have to wrap a wet Kim wipe around them. Then you have to put the torch on the highest flame which is a very light purple. Then you take the tweezers and try to put them as far down as possible then put the torch on the tube and it melts. You have to hold it there for a minute until it seals then you put it in cold water to cool down.

         After they were all sealed we had cake because it was someone's birthday. After cake I went and checked my autoclaves and all but three were clean. I emptied them and refilled the three and put them back in. On Monday I plan on the autoclaves being clean so I can begin my reactions. Once my reactions are in I hope to start on my new project and work with that. Well that's all I have to say for today, until Monday.

6.19.14 Cheyenne Simmons

         Well today didn't start off to well. Last night my oven wasn't running when it should have been, so this morning I discovered that it didn't move up in temperature at all since yesterday before I left. Then we couldn't figure out how to get it to work until one of the people in my lab figured out that the run button has to be held in until its a solid green light. Once we got that situation under control I began to finish my reading. I only had two more papers to read that Jaci had given me.  Once I was done reading them I put all of the notes I took into my notebook. I still have more to put into my notebook but I plan to finish that tomorrow morning while I wait for Jaci.

         When it was lunch time we all got together and right before we left I realized that we had forgotten one of our fellow SEED members Cheyeanne. After we got her we ended up finding Kelly and headed to lunch. After we got back from lunch I went and work on notes then Jaci told me to go down to the basement with Bri and Ashley to the SEM. While we where down there I showed them how to measure particle sizes and Jaci pointed out how I still could take amazingly clear pictures with the SEM. After we measured some more particles we came upstairs and we watched two of the people in my lab grind up crystals.

         My plans for tomorrow include finishing my notes in my notebook. Then hopefully the oven works over night and I can take the autoclaves out and see if they are clean. If they're not clean then I'm going to have to do the whole process over again with acid and this time ill make sure to hold in the green button so we don't have another incident like last night. If they are clean them I'm going to start putting my reactions that weren't finished last year in. 

6.18.14 Cheyenne Simmons

         Well today wasn't that exciting. In the morning I came in and had to wait about an hour or so until Jaci got here so we could clean the autoclaves. To clean them I had to take them apart, fill them with water then I had to put them back together. Once they were together I had to put all eight of them into the oven and set the heating profile. I used the same heating profile as I did last year with my reactions. If the water turns a brownish color when we take them out tomorrow then I have to do the same exact process but with acid.

        After I got done setting up the heating program and running the oven, I began to read. I read two articles today. One was the process description of a set of reactions and the other was about semi-conductors and diamond like structures. I read for the remainder of the time until it was lunch. When we got back from lunch I checked on the oven to make sure it was heating, it was. Then from then on the rest of the day was more reading.