{"id":26812,"date":"2026-04-24T15:51:48","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T19:51:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/?p=26812"},"modified":"2026-04-24T15:51:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T19:51:49","slug":"acs-conference-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/acs-conference-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"ACS Conference Proves K ‘Punches Above its Weight Class’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo College students, faculty and alumni attend the American Chemical Society (ACS) Conference. Pictured (from left) are Caden Frost ’26, Will Tocco ’26, Baylor Baldwin ’26, Ellen Robertson ’08, Ava Schwachter ’27, ACS president-elect Christina Bodurow \u201979, Associate Professor of Chemistry Blakely Tresca, Bea Putman ’26, Devi DeYoung ’26 and Christopher Aldred ’26.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Will Tocco \u201926 joined an elite group this spring as one of just six undergraduates nationwide selected from more than 1,400 nominees to present at the American Chemical Society\u2019s<\/a> Presidential Symposium in Atlanta.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tocco\u2019s selection came through two pathways. He had already been approved to present at a specialized inorganic chemistry symposium at the ACS National Meeting, one of the field\u2019s premier annual gatherings. Separately, because Kalamazoo College offers an ACS-certified degree, the chemistry department was invited to nominate a student for the Presidential Symposium and put Tocco\u2019s name forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI felt very honored,\u201d Tocco said. \u201cIt was a great experience to network, meet people and learn how professionals found their way, because I’m still figuring out what I want my career to look like.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roger F. and Harriet G. Varney Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniela Arias-Rotondo and Dorothy H. Heyl Professor of Chemistry Regina Stevens-Truss nominated Tocco. For Arias-Rotondo, sending students to conferences is central to her lab\u2019s mission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery opportunity for students to share their work and practice presenting is valuable,\u201d she said. \u201cConferences give them the chance to get feedback from experts in the field and expose them to perspectives they may not encounter on campus.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One highlight of the experience was a private reception hosted by the ACS president the evening before the symposium, where Tocco mingled with leading scientists and industry professionals. He met a senior scientist from Pfizer, the president of the Goldwater Foundation and the president of the ACS. He also connected with ACS president-elect Christina Bodurow \u201979, a K alumna and member of the College\u2019s Board of Trustees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absorbing Light, Moving Electrons<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The opportunity stemmed from research Tocco has been developing in Arias-Rotondo\u2019s lab at the intersection of chemistry and renewable energy. Building on work started by Maxwell Rhames \u201925<\/a>, he has helped develop single-molecule dyes capable of absorbing light and converting it to electricity, an approach with potential applications in next-generation solar panels and hydrogen fuel production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey can be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and then you can burn that hydrogen as a fuel source,\u201d Tocco said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tocco synthesized one such complex and demonstrated that it can move electrons through nearly every step of the energy-transfer process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt can absorb the light and do everything up until the handoff, but it doesn\u2019t want to release the electron,\u201d he said. \u201cA solar panel needs to absorb light and give off electrons.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlocking that final step by enabling the compound to release its electron and complete the cycle will be the focus of future work in the lab after Tocco graduates. His contributions have already refined procedures for synthesizing key molecules, giving future students a strong foundation to build on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWill is a strong synthetic chemist, and his work is opening the door for new students to join this project and make contributions,\u201d Arias-Rotondo said. \u201cIt is impossible to overstate his contributions to our research group, both scientifically and personally. He is always willing to support and encourage others.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tocco\u2019s presentation was well received, particularly at the inorganic symposium as more of the audience was familiar with the topic. Ahead of the conference, he contacted faculty at the University of Notre Dame, where he will begin his doctoral studies this fall, and one professor made a point to attend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe had his own presentation, but he took the time to come see mine,\u201d Tocco said. \u201cThat was really inspiring.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tocco also earned an honorable mention for the National Science Foundation\u2019s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), a highly competitive award that provides three years of funding for graduate study. Although the honorable mention does not include funding, it is a significant distinction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs an undergrad, getting that honorable mention is big because I\u2019m a year behind most others applying,\u201d he said. He plans to apply again next year as a first-year doctoral student. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Math Major to Chemist<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"American
Tocco presents his research at the ACS Conference.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"American
DeYoung presenting at the ACS Conference.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"K
K representatives attend the ACS Conference in Atlanta.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Two
Arias-Rotondo, Bodurow, Frost, Tocco and ACS President Rigoberto Hernandez at the ACS Conference in Atlanta.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Tocco did not arrive at K intending to pursue chemistry. He planned to major in mathematics, entering with dual enrollment calculus credits, before taking General Chemistry I with Arias-Rotondo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just had so much more fun than I did in any other class,\u201d he said. \u201cEven what some might consider boring felt kind of cool.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the first day of class, Arias-Rotondo\u2014known to her students as Dr. DAR\u2014mentioned her research and invited interested students to speak with her. By the next term, Tocco had joined her lab, where he has worked since. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I first started chemistry, I thought I\u2019d get my bachelor\u2019s degree and find a job,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I kept going to conferences, kept learning and realized I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. A lot of that was Dr. DAR\u2019s influence.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tocco also credits Associate Professor of Chemistry Blakely Tresca, who organized a group of graduate student mentors to help K students navigate the demanding GRFP application process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t have started it without his help,\u201d Tocco said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The process also strengthened his Senior Integrated Project, as feedback on his grant proposal turned into improvements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tocco\u2019s undergraduate experience also has included a Research Experience for Undergraduates fellowship at Duquesne University and a study abroad term in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He will graduate this spring with a major in chemistry and a minor in mathematics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Lab Community in Atlanta<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tocco was not the only K student to attend the conference. He was joined by fellow chemistry and biochemistry<\/a> students Caden Frost \u201926, Ava Schwachter \u201927, Bea Putman \u201926, CJ Aldred \u201926, Jack Bungart \u201926, Max Plesscher \u201926, Baylor Baldwin \u201926 and Devi DeYoung \u201926, along with Arias-Rotondo and Tresca. The students shared an Airbnb, and the trip became as much a bonding experience as a professional one.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe went to the Georgia Aquarium, went to dinner, hung out and watched movies,\u201d Tocco said. \u201cIt was a great experience to be professionals and also just spend time together.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That blend of close community and high-level research is what Tocco sees as distinctive about K. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKalamazoo College punches above its weight class,\u201d he said. \u201cOur professors are well connected, so if we don\u2019t have an instrument, we know someone who does. I\u2019ve built relationships with all of the chemistry faculty, and that wouldn\u2019t always happen at a larger institution.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arias-Rotondo has seen the impact firsthand. After returning from Atlanta, she led students through a debrief, reflecting on what they learned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery time we take students to conferences, colleagues from other schools tell me how well our students present,\u201d she said. \u201cWe could see the growth that happened in just a few days.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, Tocco imagines returning one day to a lab that has continued to evolve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be exciting to see what others build,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s what makes it special.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Will Tocco \u201926 joined an elite group as one of just six undergrads nationwide selected to present at the ACS Presidential Symposium in Atlanta. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":147,"featured_media":26813,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[233,3,231],"tags":[53,50,39,37,38],"post_formats":[],"class_list":["post-26812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty-staff","category-news","category-students","tag-biochemistry","tag-chemistry","tag-faculty","tag-research","tag-students"],"yoast_head":"\r\nACS Conference Proves K 'Punches Above its Weight Class' - News and Events<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Will Tocco \u201926 was one of just six out of 1,400 undergrads nationwide selected to present at the ACS Presidential Symposium in Atlanta.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/acs-conference-2026\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"ACS Conference Proves K 'Punches Above its Weight Class' - 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aria-label=\"archive of category Faculty & Staff\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/category\/faculty-staff\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Faculty & Staff<\/a><a aria-label=\"archive of category News Stories\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/category\/news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News Stories<\/a><a aria-label=\"archive of category Students\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/category\/students\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Students<\/a>","tags_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/tag\/biochemistry\/\" rel=\"tag\">biochemistry<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/tag\/chemistry\/\" rel=\"tag\">chemistry<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/tag\/faculty\/\" rel=\"tag\">faculty<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/tag\/research\/\" rel=\"tag\">research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/tag\/students\/\" rel=\"tag\">students<\/a>","social_share_info":"<a data-share=\"facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/acs-conference-2026\/\" class=\"pl-facebook-share social-share-default pl-social-share\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fab fa-facebook-f\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a><a data-share=\"twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/acs-conference-2026\/\" class=\"pl-twiiter-share social-share-default pl-social-share\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fab fa-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a><a data-share=\"linkedin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/acs-conference-2026\/\" class=\"pl-linkedin-share social-share-default pl-social-share\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fab fa-linkedin-in\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>","wordExcerpt_info":"<p>Will Tocco \u201926 joined an elite group as one of just six undergrads nationwide selected to present at the ACS Presidential Symposium in Atlanta. <\/p>\n","comment_info":"No Comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/147"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26812"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26812\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26825,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26812\/revisions\/26825"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26813"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26812"},{"taxonomy":"post_format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_formats?post=26812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}