Annual Report Text, 2000-2001

Dr. Sanford spent the summer of 2000 working in the lab with Jeff Petkus (’01), Betty Tang (’02) and Julia Koeppe (’01) on the preparation of spiro-substituted [1.1.1]propellanes. One highlight of the summer was being an invited participant in the NSF sponsored Workshop for Physical Organic Chemistry in Warner Springs, CA. After wrapping up work in the lab, Dr. Sanford headed off to Zeeland for a sabbatical at the Gentex Corporation where she has been in the lab making new electrochromic materials for use in automotive mirrors and in windows. She’s had a lot of fun making practical materials that she can put into parts and see work right on her lab bench. Dr. Sanford was able to stay in touch with her students throughout the year and was extremely happy when Betty Tang (’02) was awarded a prestigious Barry M. Goldwater scholarship. In April, Jeff Petkus (’01) and Julia Koeppe (’01) joined Dr. Sanford at the ACS meeting in San Diego to give a poster on their propellane project. Dr. Sanford had a hard time convincing them to return to Hope for the last few weeks of their senior year. After finishing up her sabbatical stay at Gentex at the end of June, Dr. Sanford will be preparing to teach organic in the fall and working with Tod Gugino on the final plans for a new general education course in polymer chemistry. Following that Dr. Sanford and her family will be vacationing at her family’s cottage in Massachusetts. Husband Jim, Daniel (4) and Eleanor ( 2) are very excited to be going on a vacation that isn’t also a chemistry conference.