EC-10. Professor Sievers' Field of Dreams

Abstract
It is with pleasure that I take this opportunity to share some of Professor Sievers’ research of the past few years studying various aspects of hemp cultivation and chemical processing. Hemp varieties are cannabis plants that by legal definition only contains only a trace of the psychoactive cannabinoid, Δ9-THC. Hemp is more commonly known for its agricultural uses, for fiber, textiles, seeds, etc., in addition to its major cannabinoid of interest, CBD, especially known for its benefit in treating anxiety as well as certain forms of epilepsy. I will describe key learnings in several areas, most recently on the synthesis and purification of CBDA, the carboxylic acid that is the precursor to CBD, and I will summarize several of the techniques used in the field and within our laboratory. It is with honor that I also acknowledge Professor Sievers’ retirement from CU after a remarkable career.