Bridging Innovation and Sustainability On Co-op

For pre-junior chemical engineering student Vivian Le, finding the right engineering discipline came through family connections.

"I learned about chemical engineering through my cousin, who is also a Drexel alumnae," Le explains. "I deepened my interests in chemistry, and later in environmental sustainability and efficiency, through classes and clubs in high school."

That early interest in sustainability has shaped her co-op choices. Now on her second co-op at Church & Dwight's Research and Development facility, Le works as a Process Engineer supporting personal care product development. Her role involves validating processes with contract manufacturers and creating pilot-scale batches for major brands like Therabreath and Arm & Hammer.

"My team sits between research and development and manufacturing," Le explains. "I work with engineers and lab technicians to test and confirm that ideas can come to fruition."

This hands-on experience follows her first co-op at Merck's West Point facility, one of the country's largest pharmaceutical manufacturing plants. There, she worked in the Large Molecule Science and Technology Department, collaborating with facilities in Hong Kong and Ireland on database projects supporting post-manufacturing investigations.

The contrast between these experiences has been illuminating. While Merck provided insight into the highly regulated pharmaceutical industry, Church & Dwight offers more flexibility and direct product involvement. This variety has helped Le refine her professional interests and connect classroom theory with practical application.

"Since my role is more hands-on, I have had the opportunity to see many of the tanks that I have learned about theoretically in class," she says. "It has been enlightening to preview many integral parts of fluid dynamics."

Le's current work often involves process adjustments to maintain compliance with EPA and other environmental protection agencies' regulations. This aligns perfectly with her passion for environmental justice. "I feel so excited and grateful to know that my work can create a positive impact on the climate crisis," she reflects.

As she prepares to return to the classroom, Le brings with her enhanced laboratory skills and practical experience with industrial equipment that will prove valuable in her upcoming thermodynamics courses. Her co-op experiences have not only validated her choice of major but also reinforced her commitment to building more sustainable systems in the chemical engineering field.