Between the 25th and 28th of October, the AIChE 2024 student conference was held in San Diego. This year we were fortunate enough to bring a group of 5 students. These were: Akiko Motoki (Class of ’25), Louiza Dimtsoudi (Class of ’25), Andrew Zerby (Class of ’25), Keyan O’Donnell (Class of ’25) and Grey Small (Class of ’28). The event provided the opportunity tojoin peers from over 200 schools and participate in networking, career development events and a poster competition.
Andrew Zerby, Grey Small, and Keyan O’Donnell represented Brown by presenting their research projects. Overall the presentations were well received by attendees but unfortunately did not take home any awards as was the case in 2023. The presentations reaffirmed Brown’s support of student research in multiple fields within chemical engineering.
Chapter presidents Akiko Motoki and Louiza Dimtsoudi also played a key role, attending the chapter president’s meeting to represent Brown’s AIChE chapter. They shared the chapter’s activities and initiatives, engaging with other student leaders to discuss strategies for building strong student chapters, a topic highlighted in workshops like “How to Build a Great Student Chapter”.
Networking was a significant part of the conference experience. Brown students connected with peers and industry professionals, exchanging ideas and building relationships that could benefit their future careers. A highlight was a lunch with the Penn ChemEs, where discussions ranged from academic pursuits to industry trends, fostering a sense of camaraderie and collaboration across institutions.
Beyond the professional activities, we were able to explore San Diego’s cultural repertoire. This included a visit to the Japanese Friendship Garden, the Museum of Art and 5th Street’s vibrant culinary offerings. In addition to this we were fortunate enough to sample some fantastic sushi and Italian cuisine. Lastly, and most certainly not least, In-N-Out burger was paid a few trips, as is only right when in California – 4x4s were of course light work for the group.
The conference featured several competitions, including the Undergraduate Poster Competition, where students presented their research to judges, and the ChemE-Sports Competition, which offered a lively, team-based challenge. Workshops on career development and student chapter management provided practical skills, while access to the AIChE Annual Meeting allowed us to attend technical sessions and learn about cutting-edge developments in chemical engineering.
To conclude, the 2024 AIChE Student Conference was a valuable experience for the group as out offered opportunities to showcase our research, build professional networks, and gain insights into the chemical engineering field. The combination of academic, professional, and cultural activities made the trip both productive and enjoyable.
