4 October 2024 – The lab received its new FTIR, three months earlier than expected!

Prof. Wilkins was ecstatic for the FTIR pallets to arrive in the lab 🙂

5 September 2024 – Olivia Lyon joined the group and will be doing experimental astrochemistry research. She will be doing “Laboratory Investigations of Cosmic Ices” as a Dana Research Assistant.

3 September 2024 – Grace Helton joined the group and will be doing observational astrochemistry research. Her project is “ALMA Observations of Methanol Isotopologues in Orion KL” (CHEM 560).

20-23 August 2024 – Prof. Wilkins attended the Science Explorer (SciX) Workshop at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, MA, as part of her role of SciX Lead Ambassador.

21 August 2024 – Prof. Wilkins received a Special Act Award for her time as part of the NGAPS+ Officers Group while at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).  The award is in recognition of outstanding support to the Center’s early career personnel as an officer of the NASA Goddard Association of Postdoctoral and Early Career Scientists (NGAPS+).

17-18 August 2024 – Prof. Wilkins attended the American Chemical Society (ACS) Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) full committee meeting at ACS Fall 2024 in Denver, CO, in her role of YCC Associate.

31 July 2024 – The group received funding through an NRAO Student Observing Support Award to support two undergraduate summer Research Assistants, one in 2025 and one in 2026. Students interested working with radio astronomy data, molecular emission spectra from interstellar space, or improving computer code are encouraged to fill out the interest form for Summer 2025!

1 July 2024 – Prof. Wilkins was named the 2024 Astrochemistry Dissertation Award from the American Chemical Society recipient for her Caltech Ph.D. thesis “High-Resolution Chemical Imaging of Extreme Interstellar Environments”.

1 July 2024 – Prof. Wilkins began at Dickinson as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry. She is excited about teaching Quantum Chemistry & Spectroscopy (CHEM 341) and the Friday section of General Chemistry I Lab (CHEM 131-L5) in the fall and starting her research program!