Ryan Kinlin of New Braunfels Conducting Chemistry Research at Southwestern University This Summer

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Ryan Kinlin explains an experiment to students at Williams Elementary School in Georgetown. He and other participants in the Welch Summer Research Program participated in the school's Science Day.

GEORGETOWN, TX (06/27/2011)(readMedia)-- Ryan Kinlin of New Braunfels is one of 11 students conducting research at Southwestern University this summer as part of the Welch Summer Research Program, which is funded by the Robert A. Welch Foundation of Houston. The Welch Foundation has funded this program in Southwestern's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry since 1985.

Students selected for the program receive a stipend as well as living expenses that enable them to spend eight weeks conducting research with Southwestern faculty members.

Kinlin is working with Willis Weigand, associate professor of chemistry, on two projects. One focuses on the synthesis of spherical large molecules called dendrimers. The other project studies the synthesis and structure of complex metal compounds to determine their use as antibacterial or anticancer drugs.

In addition to the research component, students who participate in the Welch summer program also do science outreach activities for children in the Georgetown community. This year's program participants helped with Science Day activities at a local elementary school.

Kinlin is a sophomore biochemistry and biology double major at Southwestern. He hopes to become a physician/researcher.

Kinlin is the son of Terry Jackson and Joseph Kinlin of New Braunfels. He is a 2010 graduate of Canyon High School.

Southwestern University is a selective, nationally recognized undergraduate liberal arts college with an enrollment of 1,370 students. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in Texas. For more information on Southwestern, visit www.southwestern.edu.