The South East Regional Meeting of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) was held recently in Atlanta. Georgia Tech and GT-NOBCChE had a very strong presence at the conference. Overall, nine GT students and two GT workshop presenters (Drs. Jan Youtie and Carsten Sievers) attended the conference.

GT-NOBCChE member Ms. Ariel Marshall won second place in the graduate student poster session competition.GT-NOBCChE President Imani Jones represented GT NOBCChE during the key note luncheon by sitting at the dais and presenting the keynote speaker, Assistant US Secretary of Commerce, the Honorable Larry Robinson, Ph.D. with a gift of appreciation.

Norfolk State University (NSU), which is member institution of the NSF Center for Materials and Devices for Information Technology research had four students attend. NSU graduate student Ms. Chanel Smith won first place in the undergraduate oral presentation competition. In addition, NSU student Ms. Latonya Waller won an IPOD at the closing raffle. Thanks to Dr. Suely Black of NSU for arranging for her students to attend.

Other GT affiliate conference participants included Dr. Kenyetta Johnson (GT, PhD Chemistry alum), Dr. Michelle Gaines, Postdoctoral Fellow with GTRI and Ms. PaviElle Lockhart, a former GT chemistry summer research student who is currently enrolled in graduate school at Auburn University.

Thanks also goes to Dr. Keith Oden (GT NOBCChE advisor) for his hard work and help with this event.