On Saturday, October 10, 2015, the Department of Chemical Engineering hosted its third Chemical Engineering Annual Event. The Chemical Engineering Department has been taking the initiative to reunite alumni with the department, while creating a community among students, faculty, and alumni.
Three years ago, under the leadership of department head, Dr. Giuseppe Palmese, the department organized the first annual event. With the help of alumnus, Chris Owens ‘03, the event has continued every October. It has continued to grow over the years, and this latest event had the most participants yet, with over 100 alumni, faculty and staff enjoying the afternoon.
The day began with a cocktail reception, where guests reconnected with former classmates, made new connections, and met with faculty from the department. Five Ph.D. students showcased their research posters, allowing alumni to glimpse the cutting edge research taking place in the department.
Following the reception, undergraduate students led a walking tour of campus to show the remarkable changes that have taken place at Drexel over the last several years.
A sit-down buffet reception followed. During the reception, Dr. Giuseppe Palmese provided an overview and update of the department, citing all of this year’s efforts to generate more alumni initiatives, including the mentoring program, the annual event, and the spring panel discussion. Following his presentation, Dr. Palmese presented Dr. Padma Narayan ’99 with the Alumna of the Year award, noting her outstanding engagement efforts and commitment to the department. Dr. Steven P. Wrenn, who has been conducting research on biological colloids for 20 years, delivered the keynote lecture on “Chemical Engineering Applications of Coated Bubbles: From Blood to Beer.”
The next alumni and student event on Saturday, April 23, 2016, will be a panel discussion, “Changing Roles of Chemical Engineers.” For more information, contact Jenn Bing, 215-895-1855, jlb453@drexel.edu.
Below are selected comments from alumni after the event:
"It was nice to see familiar faces and all of the hard work the department has been doing and also how much has changed since I graduated in 2010. The event was well organized and provided a great networking opportunity between former graduates and faculty."
- Candice Cernera, BS ’10
“It’s just a joy to be with my fellow alumni while having fun in such an informal atmosphere. It’s truly rewarding to be present while getting educated on what’s new in the department and learning about the professors’ research which are helping our society.”
- Michael Treat, BS ‘79
“A fun and festive way to spend a weekend is at the Drexel CBE Annual Event- I reconnected with old friends and made new ones, and it was remarkable to see all the positive changes on Campus after several years! Interactive involvement with the students and faculty was paramount. I’m very enthusiastic for attending the next annual event.”
- Padma Narayan, PhD ‘99
“The CBE Annual Event for Alumni continues to grow over the last few years that I have attended, and this year was the strongest one yet. I had the pleasure of reconnecting with colleagues from my lab as well as some classmates I haven't seen in five or more years. It's inspiring to see my colleagues pursuing successful industry and academic careers and learn more about their experiences. I already have my calendar marked for next year!”
- Arianna Watters, BS ‘10, PhD ‘15
"The CBE Annual Event is a fun and interesting day of activities, which allows me to feel a sense of community by bonding with my fellow Chemical Engineers."
- Chris Owens '03
Click here to view a photo gallery of this event