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New Alum Pursues Chemistry PhD on Fellowship

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Sean Millikan
Sean Millikan

Firmly grasping the gonfalon that represents the School of Sciences and Social Sciences and relishing the thrill of the day, Sean Millikan, who earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, led his fellow graduates in a procession down Appian Way during the recent commencement ceremony at Keene State College. Millikan who is from Westfield, Massachusetts, was awarded one of the 1,124 degrees that were conferred at the commencement ceremony in early May. As one of the College’s newest alums, he will have little time to relish his rewarding Keene State academic career before heading out to Indiana University to begin a five-year PhD program focused on organometallic synthesis and crystallography.

Millikan, who has been recognized by the New England Institute of Chemists (NEIC) for his achievement as an undergraduate student in inorganic chemistry, was rewarded for all his hard work. He earned a teaching and research fellowship at Indiana University that is worth over $26,000 per year for five years, with free tuition and health benefits, as he pursues his PhD in chemistry focused on crystallography.

“The Keene State Chemistry Department helped me get where I needed to go. From my perspective, I think it’s the best department on campus,” said Millikan. “There are tremendous facilities and the faculty is very dedicated—they challenge you in a way that promotes problem solving. The program is a real gem.”

Begin pull-quote…The Keene State Chemistry Department helped me get where I needed to go. From my perspective, I think it’s the best department on campus. There are tremendous facilities and the faculty is very dedicated— they challenge you in a way that promotes problem solving. The program is a real gem. …end pull-quote
– Sean Millikan

Millikan made the most of his academic career at Keene State. A member of Keene State’s Honors Program, Millikan was the top graduating chemistry student academically, and president of the Chemistry Lyceum. Millikan worked alongside Keene State Chemistry Professor Jerry Jasinski, who was awarded a grant from the Fulbright US Scholar Program in 2013–2014. The partnership provided Millikan the opportunity to coauthor 12 peer-reviewed scientific research papers on crystallography of pharmaceutical compounds, which were based on his laboratory work.

“Sean is a dedicated, hard-working student who respects his faculty and colleagues,” said Dr. Jasinski. “He will surely make a name for himself professionally and personally as he moves on with his academic pursuits. I have truly enjoyed working with him in the classroom and in the laboratory—he has excelled in both areas.”

“Sean is an excellent student and a great role model to younger students,” said Brian Anderson, Keene State Assistant Professor of Chemistry. “Sean was an excellent student from his first semester here, but what really set him apart was how much he pushed himself to improve. I was always impressed by the time that Sean put forth on assignments and how much he sought out feedback and used that feedback to improve as a student and chemist. I think it is these skills, his motivation and desire to learn, that will help him succeed in his PhD program at Indiana University.”

During his studies at Keene State, Millikan also found time to work as a tutor in the College’s Aspire program, present at Keene State’s Academic Excellence Conference, participate in an Honors Program trip to Cuba and earn a National Science Foundation grant for a summer internship at UNC-Charlotte.

As far as his future plans, Millikan says he’s leaving his options open. “I’ve thought about academia, but before I do that I think I want to go into industry first,” he said. “I’d like to have that background so that I can help other students.

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