Greater Houston Section - Project SEED Program

2023 Area Coordinator: Carolyn Burnley

Project SEED was established in 1968 to help economically disadvantaged high school students expand their education and career outlook.  2020 marks 52 years since Project SEED was created and has allowed research in more than 400 institutions for more than 11,000 students.  Project SEED provides opportunities for students who historically lack exposure to scientific careers by allowing them to spend a summer conducting hands-on research with a scientist in academic, industry, and government research laboratories. Students usually receive a fellowship award and a chance to receive a Project SEED college scholarship.

2023 Project SEED Report

 Carolyn Burnley, Greater Houston Project Seed Area Coordinator

Dr. Gina Chiarelli, Prairie View University, Greater Houston Project Seed Area Co-Coordinator

Four high school fellows participated in the 2023 ACS-GHS summer Project SEED fellowship program. The program started on June 12^th and ended on August 3^rd. Three valued mentors located at the Prairie View University participated in the 2023 ACS-GHS summer Project SEED fellowship program. All four fellows served as Project SEED interns at Prairie View University.

The GHS Project SEED program is in the Houston, Texas area and due to the lack of mass transportation, many students must commute via car for at least 45 minutes to their work sites.  Despite this extraordinary commute, the fellows are in attendance for 8 weeks.

Despite the commute challenges, the program has sustained itself through the support of dedicated mentors, parents, and the local section.

Jeremiah Frasier, Myles Richardson, Bralon Wilson, Donovan Miller 

  The 2023 Project SEED Fellows and mentors and their Projects are as follows:

1. Impact of organic pollutants– Mentor: Dr. Yingchun Li and Fellow: Myles Richardson -Atascocita High School
2. Preparation and instrumental studies of transition metal complexes with organic ligands – Mentor: Dr. Gina Chiarelli and Fellows: Jeremiah Frasier – Harmony High School and Bralon Wilson – Hightower High School
3. Molecular modeling of metal amino acid interactions – Mentor: Dr. Harshica Fernando and Fellow:  Donovan Miller – Harmony High School

A Project SEED Poster Session featuring the four fellows was held on August 3, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart – Hutcheson Fine Arts Lobby, 10202 Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas 77024.  The fellows successfully presented the data and results of their research projects.