Students honored at AIChE Annual Meeting
Michigan Chemical Engineering students received awards at the American Institute of Chemical Engineer’s Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
Chemical Engineering students were recently honored with awards at the American Institute of Chemical Engineer’s (AIChE) Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
AIChE administers more than 60 awards, including monetary prizes, certificates, plaques, medals, honoraria, scholarships, travel awards and invited lectures.
Outstanding Student Chapter
During the meeting, the University of Michigan received the Outstanding Student Chapter Award for 2021-2022. The award was accepted by chapter president, Jack Mukhtar, and is presented to student chapters that show an exceptional level of participation, enthusiasm, program quality, professionalism and involvement in the university and community.
“I was beyond honored to accept this award on behalf of our AIChE chapter. Over the past year, our chapter has made strides in advancing DEI initiatives in the chemical engineering department at Michigan while also building an incredible community that was much needed following the virtual pause we all took for COVID-19,” Mukhtar said. “Our executive board has continuously made a positive impact and I was beyond proud to accept this award on our behalf.”
Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Travel Award
Doctoral student Rachel Elias received a Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Travel Award to aid in funding travel expenses to present her research at AIChE. Nominations for this award are made by the student’s research advisor and AIChE awards up to 20 travel grants to assist graduate students.
“The research award helped fund my travel expenses to present at AIChE and included my registration to attend the annual CRE dinner, which was a great opportunity to meet new people and network within my research area,” Elias said.
Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Award
Undergraduate student Sean Fernandez received the 2021-2022 Donald F. & Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Award for outstanding academic achievement and involvement in student chapter activities and a third place award in Materials and Sciences at the Undergraduate Student Poster Competition.
“More than anything, receiving the Donald F. & Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Award reminded me of how grateful I am for the chemical engineering community we have here at Michigan,” Fernandez said. “Thank you so much to everyone who helped with this award: Professor Bryan Goldsmith, our president Jack Mukhtar, and the entire AIChE executive board! In participating in AIChE over the past few years, my one hope has been to give back to the ChE community that has given so much to me, and receiving this award is a huge motivation for the work left to be done.”
Donald F. Othmer Second Year Student Academic Excellence Award
Undergraduate student Makayla Fletcher received the 2021-2022 Donald F. Othmer Second Year Student Academic Excellence Award for attaining the highest scholastic grade-point average during their freshman and sophomore years, on recommendation of the Student Chapter Advisor.
“The strength of the Michigan ChemE community is what made me fall in love with chemical engineering,” Fletcher said. “I feel so much gratitude to be surrounded by the incredible people here, as well as the support and friendship I’ve found within the AIChE E-Board. They drive me to be a better engineer and person.”
The AIChE Annual meeting, held November 13-18, 2022 is the premier educational forum for chemical engineers. Academic and industry experts convene to discuss topics relevant to cutting-edge research, new technologies and emerging growth areas in chemical engineering. The 2023 Annual Meeting is scheduled to take place from November 5-10, 2023 in Orlando, Florida.