Voting for next year's AIChE Board of Directors is under way as of September 8th at http://www.aiche.org/election. Have your say and help direct the future of AIChE by voting!
The Young Professionals Committee (YPC) asked potential members of AIChE's board four questions about Young Professionals and AIChE. They were asked to answer two main questions, and were given the option of choosing to respond to additional questions, so you may not see responses from every candidate for every question. Answers are shown in alphabetical order by position and the candidate's last name. This question is one of two optional questions, so you won't see a response from every candidate.
In addition to learning about the candidates here, you can also learn more about candidates and the election process on the AIChE election page. You can also hear from candidates for president-elect in this debate.
Q: (Optional) Share something about yourself that people in AIChE may not know about you (personal interests, achievements outside of professional life).
For President-Elect
T. Bond Calloway
My wife is a professional food journalist and recipe developer. She writes a weekly recipe column for our local paper and then demonstrates her weekly recipe on the local ABC affiliate. Each year she is the corporate chef for a company that attends the Augusta National’s Masters Golf Tournament. I work for my wife that week as a driver, waiter and bartender. Through this bartending job, I have the opportunity to attend the tournament and as a result my family and I have become avid fans of golf. The Master Golf Tournament is a very special event and I am very glad to be a part of it.
Wendy Young Reed
I was a competitive figure skater for 8 years when I was younger. This taught me the value of dedication and perseverance, as well as how to handle nerves when in front of an audience. I also enjoy playing piano to exercise the artistic part of the brain! My favorite hobby now is to go sailing with my husband, step-daughter, and friends whenever the wind and schedules allow.
For Secretary
Freeman Self
My wife and I like to travel. For years, we hosted graduate students at Rice University in Houston and had the pleasure of attending the wedding of our students in Spain and Mexico. We have a large group of interesting friends in France that we visit on a regular basis. We also enjoy and stay connected with friends in Europe, South America and other countries.
Rosemarie Wesson
Something that people in AIChE may not know of me is that one of my favorite TV shows is "The Big Bang Theory". The show resonates with my experiences as both an undergraduate and graduate engineering student. I also enjoy looking at the set in the background of the various scenes. On several occasions I have observed one of my old Physics textbooks (Halliday and Resnick, 1977). It's very recognizable because the cover has a green background with yellow swirls.
For Director
Heriberto Cabezas
Well, I have a few hobbies. I like reading history in general and military history in particular. The love of history is something that I learned from my father. History is important because it tells you something about your place in the World. I collect and enjoy wines in moderation! Wine is both a beverage and a culture. A old bottle of wine brings you back to the place and time where you bought it, and some times the memory of the friend or family member who gave it to you. Lastly, I enjoy cycling because there is no experience more freeing than riding a good bicycle.
Gregory T. Frank
Some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had have been being part of non-profit organizations with a mission to help others. Often you’ll hear people say they get more out of volunteering to help others then what they themselves contribute. I’d certainly echo that sentiment. I’ve been fortunate to be active in non-profits whose missions include at-risk youth intervention through science and technology education and others that provide resources to underprivileged youth in developing nations. These led me to new experiences and skills I never imagined. Recently I’ve been involved with marine based science and technology programs whose clients range from at risk youth, college students to Navy Sea Cadets. During this time I’ve become a licensed Coast Guard captain authorized to operate up to 100 ton sailing vessels. I’ve learned a lot more about marine biology and seen varied marine life up close. I also learned that given a choice between paying attention to a lecture on fluorescence applications in marine science or watching the whales feeding alongside the ship, the whales win out every time.
Zenaida Otero Gephardt
My greatest joy comes from my children who are the most genuine, kind and naturally curious people I know.
My work with the Delaware Girls Inc. Latina Initiative (program that brings informal education and resources to Latina girls and their families) has been most rewarding. We have made a positive difference in the lives of hundreds of girls and their families in southern Delaware since the program launched in 2012. We have concentrated on physical and emotional health and understanding the school system.
I enjoy Latin dancing and can do a very respectable Salsa.
Meagan Lewis
I think the biggest achievement that I have had in my life outside of my professional life and outside of finishing my chemical engineering degree and my MBA, is being a mom. Nothing has tested my limits like being a new first-time mom. Even an all-nighter studying for exams or working late on a deadline does not compare to the exhaustion you feel as a new mom or as a new parent. It is the most rewarding thing I have ever done. When my one year old son smiles at me and gives me a big hug — nothing brings me such joy!
Joseph B. Powell
My family is very important to me. I have three sons who are now in IT or engineering, and a wife who has been incredibly supportive of my career. Watching my sons grow up, being their coach and mentor, helping with their school projects and interests, has been incredibly enriching. I've always enjoyed sports, and was considering being a writer if not a ChemE!
Edward M. Trujillo
I like to play tennis and hike in the mountains. My first job as a Ph.D. was with an oil company in Colorado where I worked with a number of outstanding people who became my friends. One friend had a goal of climbing every mountain peak over 14,000 feet in Colorado. There are 53 such peaks and I was fortunate enough to accompany him on 19 of those. He eventually did accomplish his goal.
Ranil Wickramasinghe
I was born in Sir Lanka, attend high school and college in Australia and moved to the United States to pursue my PhD. I have lived in Minneapolis, Boston, Colorado and now Arkansas. In addition I have worked in Germany and Singapore. I very much enjoy living in different environments and regions of the world. This allows me to gain an appreciation of different languages, cuisines, cultures and ways of life. I particularly like travelling by train. I am able interact with other passengers and to view the countryside. I have made many long distance train journeys around the world ranging from high speed trains in Europe and China to much slower narrow gauge steam trains! This past summer my son and I traveled to Longreach in Outback Queensland (Australia). Longreach is important as it is the place where Qantas Airways was founded! I enjoy my current job as it enables me to develop research collaborations around the world. Not only am I able to conduct high quality research, I also learn about the research culture in different countries. I am excited that AIChE is rapidly becoming a global organization and look forward to being part of this transition.