Achievement

IGERT Fellow, Julie Heinecke, reports: The ConvEne IGERT has done a great job at bringing in a variety of speakers that have influenced our current and future research. I think that the educational information gained from the environmental side presented by the speakers has been quite valuable. Understanding the life cycle analysis assessment presented by one speaker was really important to me. I think we all, in the future, will have to use very careful analysis when designing new materials, products, etc. The information obtained during the IGERT presentations has influenced my research. I am trying to devise a way to get oxygen atom transfers using more environmentally friendly conditions, however, at this time synthesis of our water soluble porphyrin involves the use of concentrated sulfuric acid. One advantage is that is it an iron based catalyst, and not a precious metal.