PROCESA 2019: 1st AIChE Colombia Student Regional Conference, took place from March 28 through March 30th at the National University of Colombia in Antioquia, Colombia.
The conference gathered chemical engineers and related professionals from different backgrounds to network, attend workshops, and participate in student competitions such as Regional Chem-E-Car®, Regional ChemE Jeopardy, and Regional Student Paper and Poster Competitions.
After the conference, we had a chance to interview Conference Co-Chair Jefferson Quiroz about his experience planning and attending PROCESA 2019.
What was it like to be part of planning a regional meeting?
This was one of the most rewarding experiences I've had. It was great to lead my crew to achieve a very successful conference that made records in attendance in PROCESA history. It wasn't just the fact that we handled all logistics and details, but what also made it great was the gratitude that the whole group received from faculty members, advisors, and students from all over who participated in the conference.
What advice would you give to students attending a regional conference?
Enjoy the experience to the fullest. Value each part and take advantage of all the opportunities that the conference offers. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, no doubt.
Was there a special event that really captured your region/chapter at the meeting?
It was definitely the Jeopardy Competition. It was a great chance to see where our knowledge could take us. Knowledge, being the main player in the competition, enabled all barriers to fall down. National and international teams were in a very competitive situation. It was great to celebrate as the Latin American Region above Colombia. Orlando, be careful! See you there!
Did you connect with any fellow ChemE students, or get to network with any industry professionals?
As conference chair, I had the opportunity to connect with many people because everyone wanted to talk with me about everything. I felt kind of like a rock star during the conference hahaha. Because I had good communication with the speakers of the conference, they talked to me about more professional opportunities. It was more than just making connections because now I have new friends from all around the world.
What was your favorite part of the conference weekend?
It's hard to decide so I will choose two parts:
One was the fact that our sister chapter shared this experience with us. It was their first time in Latin America and, of course, in our country. They were able to live the culture and have a great time. Because of this, we developed an even stronger bond.
The other part was definitely the closing ceremony. It was a place where everyone shared dinner, celebrated the achievements of others, networked, and had a great time with our special guests. We shared a toast among colleagues.
Click here to view more photos from PROCESA 2019.
Comments
Great turnout for the area. I will continue promoting AIChE/CCPS activities in Colombia and Latin America as the CCPS Regional Manager. Let me know how I can help.