Worcester State University’s growing impact in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics was on full display during a series of recent STEM events on campus.
For starters, the university recently hosted the American Chemical Society (ACS) Northeast Regional Meeting (NERD), which attracted more than 400 attendees from across the region. Worcester State was strongly represented in both organizational leadership and in the scholarly contributions of its students and faculty, bringing significant positive visibility to the institution.
Serving as host, in collaboration with the regional American Chemical Society section, reinforced Worcester State’s reputation as a leader in chemistry education and research in Central Massachusetts.
“We were honored to be trusted by the ACS to host the Northeast Regional Discussion,” said Meghna Dilip, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry. “With our ACS-certified, undergraduate-centered chemistry program and vibrant research culture, seeing the sessions packed affirmed both the prestige of this gathering and our role in shaping the next generation of chemists.”
Six Worcester State students attended the conference, including X. Xiong, S. Furlong, A. Malek, and W. Xu. Their poster, “The Development of Protein Kinase C Inhibitors as Anticancer Agents,” received one of the meeting’s Best Undergraduate Poster Awards, underscoring the high caliber of undergraduate research being conducted at Worcester State.
Worcester State faculty also played a key role in advancing professional development and outreach during the meeting. Dr. KC Murphy led a professional development workshop for chemistry teachers, offering professional development points while introducing systems-thinking and green chemistry approaches that educators can bring back to their classrooms.
In celebration of STEM Week, there was also a variety of student and faculty research on display. These projects included studies of microbes in Antarctica, the impact of wildfire smoke in Massachusetts and Maine, and river metabolism in Worcester streams.
Together, these accomplishments exemplified the collaborative spirit, academic rigor, and commitment to hands-on learning that define Worcester State’s STEM programs. From hosting a major regional conference to earning student research honors and leading professional development initiatives, STEM Week provided a powerful snapshot of the excellence that continues to drive Worcester State University forward.