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Topics:
Where are you from?
Leavenworth, Kansas
What school do you go to? What year are you?
Senior at Kansas State University
Do you hold any positions in your AIChE chapter or with AIChE nationally?
KSU AIChE President/AIChE Conference Chair
Describe an event in your chapter that you are most proud to have been involved with.
As president of Kansas State University’s AIChE chapter, I was given the responsibility to host the 2016 Mid-America Student Regional Conference. This was a very challenging task as I tried to balance a part time job, Chem-E-Car co-captain, school, and regular AIChE president responsibilities while coordinating the conference. I realized that for the conference to be professionally pulled off I would have to delegate responsibilities to others who had more expertise in this area. As a result, I reached out to our university's Hospitality Management Department where 15 students from the department’s capstone class volunteered to organize the event. During this time we were able to increase our AIChE funds by an order of magnitude and for the first time host the first mini-career fair that our conference had done.
What are your plans after graduation? In what field are you most interested in having an impact?
Shortly after graduation, I will be moving to St. Louis, MO, to work for Roeslein Alternative Energy. I have always been interested in sustainable energy and will be working in repurposing waste for bio-gas production.
What is it about chemical engineering that you’re most passionate about?
Something that makes me passionate about chemical engineering is the tools it provides to solve prominent issues that our world faces today. In particular, I am very passionate about how we can meet the growing demand of energy while addressing climate change.
What are you studying that you think could change the world someday?
In my senior design class I have been studying economical alternatives that the state of Kansas could take for energy production. The purpose of this study is to provide options for Kansas to reduce its carbon dioxide levels to EPA standards by 2030.
How do you think your experience within your AIChE Student Chapter will impact your career and professional goals?
First and foremost, being involved in AIChE gave me leadership experience that I will be able to take with me into the workplace. In addition, it gave me the opportunity to go to regional and national student conferences where I gained a better understanding of the difference between working in academia compared to industry. Lastly, it gave me a better understanding of where the chemical engineering industry was headed and the opportunities available.
How do you blow off steam and keep your sanity between classes, homework, and projects?
I love to go on runs and sail when the weather is good.
How did you decide to pursue a degree in ChE?
In high school I was interested in alternative energy. As a result, I chose chemical engineering because it gave me the most options in that area.
What is the best kept secret on your campus?
KSU Call Hall Ice Cream! The DEA might not approve of this place because it's addictive.
What are you most looking forward to after graduation?
Being paid to work.
What will you be most saddened to leave behind at school when you move on?
My fellow ChemE classmates.
What is the most unexpected thing you have been asked in an interview?
An interviewer asked me "What is one thing you believe to be true that most do not?". I think they just wanted to see how I would act under pressure.
Do you have any advice to incoming students and underclassmen ChEs around the world?
If you want to distinguish yourself from other ChEs get involved in a leadership position at your student AIChE chapter.
If your initials (first/last or first/middle/last) stood for something other than your name, what would it be?
My full name is David Jeremiah Madden. Initialed it's DJM, so if I was a DJ my name could be DJ Mad.
How would you like to be involved with AIChE after graduation?
I plan to join the professional AIChE chapter in St. Louis.
You can reach David through his LinkedIn account.