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AIChE student chapter members
February 28, 2023

Madison’s AIChE chapter introduces students to the wide world of chemical engineering

Written By: Jason Daley

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During his first semester at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Alex Bloemendal went to an industry presentation hosted by the UW-Madison student chapter of AIChE, the professional organization for chemical engineers. While the Saint Paul, Minnesota, native knew he was interested in chemical engineering, he wasn’t aware of just how wide-ranging the discipline was; not only do chemical engineers work in the petroleum industry, they also work in pharmaceuticals, food manufacturing, agriculture, semiconductors, biotech, and process engineering, to name just a few.

The company giving the presentation that day was Cargill, the largest private company in the United States. “They gave their spiel, explaining what chemical engineers do at Cargill. They talked about their agricultural roots and how they love farmers,” says Bloemendal. “I was like, ‘Wow.’ I didn’t know chemical engineers worked in the food realm, and I knew I wanted to be there.”

Co-presidents Alex Bloemendal (left) and Adam Malmstrom (right) are recruiting a more diverse, engaged membership base to the UW-Madison student chapter of AIChE. Credit: Jason Daley.

The next year at a career fair, he approached Cargill, eventually doing an eight-month co-op there. Now, the senior is close to starting a full-time position with the company. That’s exactly the type of relationship the UW-Madison AIChE chapter, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, hopes to foster. It’s also one reason Bloemendal decided to give back to the organization by becoming co-president.

Like students in many disciplines, chemical engineers come into the major wondering about their future, like how will they progress through their courses and what kind of job they will get after graduation. The UW-Madison chapter of AIChE hopes to offer some guidance to those students, as well as camaraderie. The organization’s flagship events are its industry nights. About half a dozen times per semester, the students bring in an industry representative to talk about their company and the types of opportunities it provides for chemical engineers. Over the last few years, that has included major firms like Georgia Pacific, Amcor, Genentech, PepsiCo, Honeywell, Marathon, Johnson Controls, Cargill and others.

Sophomore Adam Malmstrom, AIChE’s other co-president, says that the organization also offers professional development events, like resume writing and job interview clinics, as well as social events, which have included pumpkin carving and bowling. The organization is also participating in AIChE’s Chem-E-Car competition, in which teams builds a model car powered by a chemical energy source.

Malmstrom says that for him and lots of other students, the organization is a way to meet other chemical engineers and create peer networks. “I actually met a lot of my friends in the major through AIChE events, especially when I was a freshman,” he says. “I felt like I wanted to put myself in a position where I could give back in a way, and I felt like joining the board was a good way to do that. Now I can help give the experience I received to other freshmen. Each semester we have more people joining. It’s just fulfilling.”

Recently, the organization also sharpened its focus on diversity. Last fall, the UW-Madison student chapter won the 90-Day Equity Challenge sponsored by parent organization AIChE. The goal of the competition was to find strategies for bringing younger students and women into the major. The group’s winning initiative included organizing a weekly student study session which ultimately included a higher percentage of women and even led to a new board member.

Bloemendal says the student org plans to continue that effort. “I want to make sure our commitment to equity continues, and it starts with our board,” he says. “Our board represents people of different backgrounds, genders and beliefs. So we’re very cognizant of encouraging people to run for positions on the board that they may not have thought of before.”

The organization hopes to build on that and also hopes to restart some activities that fell by the wayside during the pandemic, including a tradition of volunteer service. Malmstrom says the organization is also getting more active visiting classrooms and introducing people to AIChE through events like the College of Engineering E-Bash, things that didn’t happen during the COVID years. “It’s going to be nice to go out there and show some of the younger students what it’s like to be a chemical engineer,” he says.

Featured image caption: AIChE student chapter members recently gathered for an industry night to hear about the role of chemical engineers at NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes based in Beloit, Wisconsin. Credit: Jason Daley.