McNair student wins poster award

University of North Georgia (UNG) junior Riley Rowland received the Southeastern Regional Conference of the American Chemical Society (SERMACS) 2023 Undergraduate Poster Award in October in Durham, North Carolina.  

Currently pursuing a degree in chemistry, Rowland  used total reflection X-ray fluorescence to detect contaminants in local well water samples for her project, "Analytical Determination of Iron and Manganese Concentrations in Raw and Filtered North Georgia Well Water Via Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence Testing."

She is in the McNair Scholars Program, which is designed to prepare sophomores, juniors and seniors from all UNG campuses for post-graduate studies through involvement in research and scholarly activities. Participants are either first-generation college students with financial need or members of a group traditionally underrepresented in graduate education who have shown strong academic potential.

Rowland said she had three influences in the project: a service-learning project conducted by UNG alumna Sarah Clark, '23, Chemistry and Biochemistry associate department head Dr. Royce Dansby-Sparks and  Dr. Lori Wilson, associate professor of chemistry.  

"Sarah and I explored total reflection X-ray analysis in our analytical chemistry lab, which led to the discovery of contaminants in some samples and sparked an interest in finding a solution to this problem," the Savannah, Georgia, native said.

Rowland has also impressed Wilson with her success.

"Riley's commitment to research turned a lab experiment into a practical solution for homeowners who were having problems with excessive manganese levels in their well water.  Seeing her incredible journey and successes makes me very proud," Wilson said.

Rowland said her time at SERMACS has deepened her desire to attend graduate school, where she would continue her exploration of analytical chemistry research.