Can you tell us more about yourself and where you came from?

My name is Laney Browder. I am from western North Carolina in the USA. I am currently attending Western Carolina University, where I am majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Biology. I am also an athlete for my university’s cross-country and track-and-field teams, and have been a member of 3 conference championship-winning teams. Before this internship, I had never traveled out of the US.

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Why did you join the ACS Student Chapter?

I chose to join my university’s ACS Student Chapter because I wish to explore my options in Chemistry, be exposed to current research being conducted by other lab groups around the country and the world, and engage the community in Chemistry. I also wish to form connections with fellow Chemistry undergraduates and have fun with other people who are just as passionate about Chemistry as I am.

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What kinds of activities does the ACS Student Chapter in your city organize?

The ACS Student Chapter at my university mainly organizes outreach events, conference trips, and industry/graduate school visits. For community outreach, our club mainly partners the local elementary schools to perform demonstrations at local science fairs and science days in order to get children excited about Chemistry. Every year our club also organizes a trip for club members to attend a Chemistry conference, such as SERMACS or Pittcon. These conferences allow us to see what research is in progress in various labs across the region and country. We organize industry/graduate school visits to show students their options after getting their chemistry degree.

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Why did you choose to join the IREU program?

I chose to participate in the IREU program to gain more Chemistry research experience while being able to experience a new country and culture. The research aspect of the IREU program prepared me for graduate schoolwork while making me a more competitive applicant to PhD programs. The international component of the IREU program was my greatest motivation to join the IREU program. I have always been intrigued by other cultures and been drawn to traveling. I had always wanted to travel the world, but I had not had the opportunity to travel out of the US. Many students at universities in the US complete a semester at a university in another country. However, many STEM students, myself included, have difficulty finding the opportunity to study abroad due to our degree requirements. The IREU program was a 10-week research internship, and was a fantastic opportunity to study abroad without interrupting my studies.

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Why did you choose Singapore?

I knew that NUS had a highly ranked Chemistry program, although I did not know much about Singapore’s history or culture. I decided to apply for a research position in Professor Chin Wee Shong’s lab because I was intrigued by the project Prof Chin had proposed and I wished to explore Singapore and the surrounding area.

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Can you briefly describe your research project?

This summer I was involved in the biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Basically, I created silver nanoparticles using plant extracts and ran tests to determine the compounds in the extracts that assisted in the creation of the nanoparticles. I also characterized the nanoparticles synthesized by each extract and explored their antimicrobial and catalytic capabilities.

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What are your takeaways from participating in this program?

I became more confident in my laboratory and communication skills through my interactions in the lab. Through my explorations out of the lab, I became more confident in my ability to navigate a new environment on my own. I also made many new friends from Professor Chin’s lab group and the K5 running group I joined on Thursday nights. These friendships were very meaningful to me and brightened my stay in Singapore. I tried so many amazing cuisines and had so many awesome explorations throughout the city and the other places I visited. I will definitely miss Singapore dearly. I feel that this program has opened my eyes to the world and has encouraged me to explore and form new connections in other parts of the world.