December 20, 2024
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Trine University’s McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering students showcased their skills and excellence at the 2024 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) National Student Conference, earning national awards and honors while competing against top programs from across the country.
The conference was held Oct. 25-28 in San Diego, California.
Outstanding Student Chapter Award
A highlight of this year’s conference was the Trine University AIChE Student Chapter receiving the Outstanding Student Chapter Award, a prestigious recognition for exceptional participation, professionalism, and involvement in university and community activities. This award is a significant achievement for the chapter, which continues to cultivate student leadership and engagement.
“To receive this award, a chapter has to show a broad and continued commitment to student involvement and scholarship. As such, this honor recognizes the dedication of our students. Their efforts approach elite status, and we couldn’t be prouder,” commented Jacob Borden, Ph.D., associate professor and AIChE student chapter advisor.
Chem-E-Car competition
In the Chem-E-Car competition, teams build a car that starts and stops using chemical reactions. The shoebox-sized car that stops closest to a designated distance, which is not revealed until the day of the competition, is declared the winner.
Trine’s team placed 18th out of 51 teams in the highly competitive international competition. The team’s car, powered by zinc and copper chloride electrochemical batteries and stopped by a light sensor blocking “sulfur clock” reaction, stopped just 3.2 meters from the goal distance of 26.6 meters.
Team members included Natalie Crowner (senior, captain), of Saline, Michigan, Madison Ruen (senior) of Antwerp, Ohio, Dean Campbell (senior) of Batesville, Indiana, Noah Glassman (junior) of Greenwood, Indiana, and Ethan Davis () of Fairborn, Ohio.
“It can be quite intimidating to compete against teams from prestigious U.S. schools and teams that represent entire countries, and it feels amazing to stack up in the top half of that field,” noted Crowner.
ChemE Jeopardy semifinalists
Trine’s ChemE Jeopardy team advanced to the semifinals, performing strongly against some of the top universities in the nation.
The team, consisting of Aaron Phillips (senior) of Marengo, Illinois, Jake Doyle (senior) of Marengo, Illinois, Alyssa Keptner (senior) of Midland, Michigan, and Caitlyn Glitsch (sophomore) of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, placed second in their opening round against UC Berkeley and Texas Tech, earning 6,200 points. All three teams advanced due to high point totals.
In the semifinals, the team faced Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland Baltimore County, ultimately falling short. New buzz-in rules posed challenges for the team’s strategy, but provided valuable learning for future competitions.
“Finishing as one of the top 10 teams in the country out of over 160 departments is an impressive feat,” added Matthew Liberatore, Ph.D., McKetta department chair.
ChemE Sports regional runner-up
The ChemE Sports team placed second in their region, with overall national results still being tallied.
The hybrid competition combined optimization and safety in scenarios based on a gas treating unit with a Distributed Control System. Scoring was based on both profitability and safety during simulated runs.
Team members included Jake Doyle, Aaron Phillips, Joshua Scott (senior) of Ossian, Indiana, and Isaac Braun (junior) of Portland, Indiana.
“ChemE Sports is my favorite competition because of how realistic it is. The simulation mirrors what is used in the industry, helping us prepare for real-world applications,” said Scott.
“It’s also rewarding because it lets us apply everything we’ve learned from our studies and internships, highlighting how impactful these past few years have been.”
Individual Design Competition award
Halle Tisovic, a recent Trine chemical engineering graduate, earned second place in the Individual Design Competition for her innovative solution to the challenge, “Sustainable Power-to-Gas System Design: Integrating Renewable Energy Storage and Environmental Responsibility.”
Tisovic is currently pursuing her Doctor of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati.
Undergraduate research excellence
Trine students also showcased research presentations at the conference:
Natalie Crowner placed second in the Separations Division Undergraduate Research Poster Competition for her summer REU research at the University of Notre Dame on adsorptive microparticles for removing harmful water contaminants.
Joshua Scott presented a poster on optimizing processes for desalting crude oil.
Alyssa Keptner presented her undergraduate research, Media Optimization for Biofuels from Cyclotella cryptica, during the Early Career Community’s Undergraduate Research Presentations.
Building momentum
The AIChE National Student Conference provides an opportunity for students to connect with peers and professionals, showcase their skills, and gain valuable experience that prepares them for future careers in chemical engineering.
“Being able to support cross-country travel for 11 students, a significant fraction of our chemical engineering majors, would not be possible without the generous support of our alumni and friends, especially the McKetta Charitable Foundation,” stated Liberatore.
For more information about Trine University’s McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, visit trine.edu/che.
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