Wheaton chemistry student receives prestigious honor

Wheaton graduate Anastasia Pano '02 of Worcester, Mass., was the first recipient of the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society's (ACS) Phyllis A. Brauner Memorial Book Prize Undergraduate Research Award.

Every year the Northeastern Section organizes a research symposium for undergraduates, graduates and postdocs to present their research in a poster session; six of the 60 students are asked to make a presentation as well. Pano spoke about her research with Wheaton Professor Herb Ellison on the dielectric properties of pyridine in different solvents, an investigation important to the understanding of the structure of matter.

''I felt honored but scared, and my professors and mentors not only convinced me that I should have no doubts and accept it, but they worked for days with me on the presentation,'' Pano said. ''This collaborative environment led us not only to take the first prize at Boston University on that Saturday and many other awards, but also to succeed in the real world.''

A tremendous honor, the award for undergraduate research is even more meaningful because it's named in honor of Phyllis Ambler Brauner, Wheaton Class of 1938 and the first female chair of the Northeastern Section.

Brauner was a role model for scientists in the New England area, holding several high-profile roles in the ACS and teaching chemistry at Simmons College for 34 years. A lover of nature and world cultures, she frequently represented the ACS on research expeditions to China, the Soviet Union and Europe. After retiring from Simmons, she taught in Japan and Guam. Brauner passed away in 2000.