Where are you from?
Folsom, California
What school do you go to? What year are you?
UCLA, senior.
Do you hold any positions in your AIChE chapter or with AIChE nationally?
I am the current president of the AIChE at UCLA student chapter.
Describe an event in your chapter that you are most proud to have been involved with.
It's so important for students to gain a good understanding of what they could be doing after college. I really enjoyed taking our chapter on a tour of THUMS oil drilling islands. Everyone learned a lot about drilling and had a blast on the boat tour!
What are your plans after graduation? In what field are you most interested in having an impact?
I hope to work in the petroleum industry after graduation. I love the complexity and relevancy of refining. Engineers in refineries are making decisions every day to keep the general public safe while providing energy for people to live their lives.
How do you blow off steam and keep your sanity between classes, homework and projects?
I love cheering on my Bruins in all sorts of sports, especially football! Last year, I was even a part of the UCLA Spirit Squad on Yell Crew. Yell Crew is a group of students who run around the stands at sporting events, signs and megaphone in hand, and lead cheers with the fans. Go Bruins!
Which of your undergraduate classes have you most enjoyed?
My favorite class so far was the senior chemical engineering lab. A lot of our curriculum is theoretical, so it was refreshing to be able to actually see the chemical engineering concepts at work. I really enjoyed working with our mini-CSTR and tuning our PID controller!
How did you decide to pursue a degree in ChE?
It was kind of lucky, I guess. I've always loved math and science, so I knew I wanted to pursue engineering. In high school, I also especially enjoyed chemistry, so I chose chemical engineering. Little did I know that chemical engineering and chemistry are two very different studies. Even though I didn't fully understand chemical engineering when I chose it, I'm very happy with my decision.
What is the best kept secret on your campus?
We have a system of tunnels underneath the campus. All students go tunneling at least once before graduating.
What are you most looking forward to after graduation?
I'm looking forward to having a steady income and being done with work when I leave work.
What will you be most saddened to leave behind at school when you move on?
I will miss the diversity of people. UCLA is great because there are over 40 thousand students here, all with such different backgrounds. I am constantly meeting new people every day, and I love that.
What is the most unexpected thing you have been asked in an interview?
"Parlez-vous français?" I studied French in high school, so one of my interviewers, who had lived in France for a few years, started to speak to me in French!
Do you have any advice to incoming students and underclassmen ChEs around the world?
Get involved and try new things. College is about so much more than just school. I've learned so much from the people I've met and the student organizations I've been a part of. When you look back at college, you don't want to remember all of the problem sets you've had to do. You want to remember all of the people you've met and the incredible things you've gotten to experience.
What's your first thought when you wake up in the morning?
I usually schedule every minute of my day with activities, whether it be class or meetings or lunch with friends or working out. When I wake up, I think about my schedule for the day so that I don’t miss out on anything!
If your initials (first/last or first/middle/last) stood for something other than your name, what would it be?
K. J. L.: Killer Jedi Lady. I actually have studied martial arts for twelve years and have my black belt in Bok Fu. Plus, Star Wars is awesome.
How would you like to be involved with AIChE after graduation?
I hope to be an active alumni for our chapter, attending our networking night and mentoring students whenever I can.