Ngassam Receives ACS Scholar Award

Armand Ngassam, a senior chemical engineering undergraduate student, received a $5,000 ACS Scholar Award from the American Chemical Society.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholars Program was established in 1994. Its main goal is to attract underrepresented minority students, including African American, Hispanic, and American Indian students, studying chemical sciences to pursue careers in this field. The program aims to build awareness of the importance and value of careers in chemical sciences.

To date, there have been more than 2,000 students who have received this scholarship. The selection committee chooses scholarship winners based on academic record, career objective, financial need, leadership ability, participation in school activities, and community service. The project donors have contributed over $8 million to the scholars program, allowing many students to receive this award.

Ngassam is currently researching the synthesis of zeolites, which are naturally occurring micro-porous minerals with several applications. In his lab, he is focusing on producing zeolites that could be used for water and air purification and the synthesis of detergents or catalysts for the cracking of petroleum products.

Ngassam is interested in the field of oil extraction and purification, with a focus on the synthesis of the appropriate catalysts to facilitate the safe cracking of oil products found in the ground. Last summer, he had the opportunity to perform research as an intern at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He worked with the civil and environmental engineering department to investigate the effects of UV light alone and MFI zeolites alone on the inactivation of MS2 bacteriophage on drinking water. His project was titled the "Disinfection of drinking water using low pressure ultraviolet radiation and MFI zeolites." His research at the University of Colorado, Boulder, has contributed to his water treatment research at UMD.

In addition to being an ACS scholar, Ngassam is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Tau Sigma Beta. Before transferring from Frederick Community College, he received the award of achieving excellence in academic learning and won the first prize of the Math Competition Differentiation Bee.

Learn more about the ACS Scholar Award.

Published October 20, 2015