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Assistant Professor of Chemistry Ann Baranger has been chosen to attend the prestigious 12th Annual Frontiers of Science Symposium.

The symposium, held by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), annually invites approximately 100 of the nation’s most promising scientists under the age of 45 to discuss, learn and debate current natural science issues. 

"I’m very excited to go because it’s going to be an unusual conference. All different fields will be represented so I’m really looking forward to seeing that. I’ve also heard from other people that it’s really interesting," Baranger said.

Baranger said she suspects her selection for the event was due to the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship which she was awarded earlier this year. The award included a $40,000 grant towards research projects. 

According to a statement on the NAS website, the symposium allows scientists in various disciplines to share knowledge from their different fields.

"In doing so, they have, by their own account, gained not only those wider perspectives but also, in many instances, new insights and techniques to be applied to their own fields," the NAS said.

Professor of Physics Roderick V. Jensen, who attended the symposium about five years ago, said it gives scientists a great opportunity to communicate new ideas.

"It’s a really exciting opportunity to meet the real sharp young people in a variety of different fields," Jensen said.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, The Frontiers of Science symposia have become a major instrument in bringing together the best young researchers–the next generation of leaders–in the natural sciences and engineering fields, in the United States and around the world. 

The symposium will run from November 2-4 and includes approximately 15 talks on topics ranging from Extrasolar Planets, Acquisition of Language in Children and Visualizing Biological Processes to North Atlantic Oscillation and Superconducting Vortex Dynamics.

A poster session, during which guests set up displays and discuss their current work, will follow these talks. Baranger will take part in this portion of the symposium.

Baranger’s particular area of study is Bioorganic Chemistry. She is currently focusing on the way in which RNA and proteins interact with each other. Further information about the topic can be obtained from Baranger’s homepage http://www.wesleyan.edu/chem/faculty/baranger/.

"She’s an awesome lecturer. I have no doubt that she will give a stellar presentation at the symposium," said Pauline Wyrembak ’03, a student of Baranger’s.

Baranger has been at the University for five years and is currently teaching Principles of Organic Chemistry I. 

Baranger said a combination of Wesleyan’s large university resources with its small school atmosphere drew her to the University.

"It has a very interesting and exciting combination of strength in teaching and research. It’s one of the few institutions that has a Ph.D. program and still values teaching highly, so it’s actually really unique in the sciences that way," Baranger said.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1988 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her Ph.D. in 1993 at the University of California at Berkeley. In 1998, Baranger received a National Institute of Health grant for which she received $790,000 over five years. She also has had numerous articles published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.