Eight Eastern students from the chemistry and biology departments attended and participated in the 13th annual Student Research Conference at Governor’s State University on Friday.

Jesse Stein, a senior chemistry major, and Xiguang Zhau, a graduate chemistry major, made poster presentations, Howard Black, professor of organic chemistry who attended the conference, said.

A podium, or oral, presentation was made by Mike Yurkovich, a senior chemistry major.

Vince Chebny and William Graham, both senior chemistry majors, attended the conference, as well as Jagadish Boppisetti, a graduate chemistry major.

Two Eastern students from the biology department, Paul McAdamis, senior biology major, and Yoriko Saeki, senior biology major, also gave poster presentations at the conference.

The conference was attended by over 170 students and faculty members from nine universities, which was its highest attendance ever, Black said.

The other schools that came to the conference were Chicago State University, Illinois State University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Western Illinois University, Harold Washington College, Kennedy King College and Olive Harvey College.

“Twelve podium presentations and 29 poster presentations ran Friday afternoon,” Black said. “Then there was a banquet at night featuring a keynote speaker.”

The speaker was Viresh Rawal, a professor of organic chemistry from the University of Chicago.

Rawal’s speech, titled “The Joy of Organic Chemistry,” not only expressed the evolution of organic chemistry, but also his love for the science, Black said.

In the United States, Rawal pointed out, graduate school for those interested in the sciences is free, which will hopefully encourage more students to major in subjects such as biology and chemistry.

“The average stipend is $18,000 per year in chemistry-that’s better than free,” Black said.