Southern Region Silver Medal Winner
“Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Phenylbis (mercaptoimidazolyl) borates of Manganese and Zinc”
Bhaskar Mookerji’s project focused on the fundamental coordination chemistry of zinc. Mr. Mookerji created and characterized new chemical compounds that could potentially serve as a stepping stone for the pharmaceutical industry and across a number of other applications. He extended the study of organometallic compounds known as poly(mercaptoimidazolyl)-borates to the largely uninvestigated phenylbis (mercaptoimidazolyl)borates. In the process of his research he also discovered a metal bonding sphere of zinc and a potential model of an enzyme used in the production of DNA nucleic acids.
Mr. Mookerji, a senior, is fluent in Bengali and Spanish. He is co-founder and co-president of the NCSSM Debate Team and is a member of the National Forensic League, the Charlotte C.A.N. (Computer Access to Neighborhoods), the NCSSM Model United Nations Team and the Myers Park Interact (service-volunteer group). His hobbies include public speaking, cinema, reading and chess. He plans to study chemistry and applied mathematics in college and would like to become a research professor of physical sciences and mathematics. Mr. Mookerji’s mentors on this project were Dr. Daniel Rabinovich, Associate Professor of Chemistry (Inorganic) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Dr. Myra Halpin, Research Chemistry Instructor at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.
