Waynesburg University Associate Professor of Chemistry Dr. Bradley Davis recently attended the Japan Analytical & Scientific Instruments Show (JASIS) 2024 in Tokyo, Japan, as a representative of Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy (Pittcon).
Pittcon, a local nonprofit, is focused on science outreach and education. The organization is largely organized and staffed by members of the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (SACP) and the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) and holds an annual conference known for its extensive exposition of laboratory equipment and instrumentation, alongside a technical program where research advancements are presented. Proceeds from the annual Pittcon conference help fund various programs of SACP and SSP.
“Each month these two societies host a joint meeting that myself and many of our Waynesburg students attend, just as I did as a student here back in the day with Dr. LaCount,” said Dr. Davis, who has represented the University at Pittcon for over 10 years. “I stayed involved with the societies and eventually took a more active role within the conference as well. Each year, several students and I attend Pittcon and volunteer our time to help staff the conference.”
Representatives from Pittcon attend the JASIS exhibition every year as exhibitors. This was Dr. Davis’ first attendance.
“This year, I am serving as Technical Program Chair of Pittcon, overseeing all of the invited sessions, oral presentations and poster sessions,” Dr. Davis shared. “In this role, my wife and I joined another colleague from Pittcon to exhibit at JASIS, meet with our collaborating organizations and present summaries of what Pittcon has to offer our international audiences.”
JASIS 2024, which was held in person Wednesday, Sept. 4, through Friday, Sept. 6, featured 407 companies and organizations with a total of 1,214 booths, welcoming approximately 21,918 visitors. The conference also included 92 company presentations and 312 sessions on new technology.
In addition to his trip to JASIS 2024, Dr. Davis recently published a paper titled, “A 3D-Printable, Modular Absorption Spectrophotometer and Fluorimeter for use in Education.” This paper features work completed over the course of several years by three research students and collaboration with an alumna who teaches high school chemistry.
“We often introduce the technique of spectrophotometry in high school and introductory college courses,” explained Dr. Davis. “Spectrophotometry measures the interaction of light with matter. Specifically, for this research, the amount of light absorbed or released by a sample was used to quantify the concentration of something in solution. These instruments often cost well over $5,000, so their usage in introductory courses, especially those in high schools, can be limited.”
Through the work featured in his paper, Dr. Davis’ goal was to create a more affordable 3D-printed device accessible to high schools that was capable of measuring absorbance or fluorescence of a sample.
“Each device costs approximately $15 and uses a student’s cell phone to capture images of the resultant spectra (i.e. rainbow of colors),” he continued. “Based upon differences within these photos, students determined the concentrations of dyes in various samples including drinks, antifreeze, etc.”
For high school teachers interested in working with the device, the 3D-printed files and paper are available online upon request. Contact Dr. Davis at bdavis@waynesburg.edu for more information.
Department of Chemistry and Forensic Science
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