The 2022 North-Central AIChE Regional Conference, hosted by the University of Akron, took place on April 8–9 at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio.
This is an annual gathering where students are given the opportunity to network with their ChemE peers throughout the region, participate in student competitions held by AIChE, learn from industry speakers, attend workshops, plus much more.
After the conference, we had a chance to interview Victoria Bell, Co-President & Conference Chair of the University of Akron student chapter, about her experience planning and attending the 2022 North-Central Regional Conference.
What was it like to be part of planning a regional meeting?
Planning the regional meeting was a great experience. The planning team became very close knit and allowed for more interaction and involvement with our student chapter after years of a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading the team heightened my project management skills and managing the finances gave me an opportunity to get a deeper understanding of fundraising, non-profits, and sponsorship relations. There were tons of hurdles and issues that we needed to overcome to make it possible. Overall, this was a fantastic experience, and I believe all of our members learned and grew from it.
How can students attending a regional conference make the most of the experience?
Students attending can make the most of the experience by planning ahead, adhering to the event schedule, and networking outside their groups.
Was there a special event that really captured your region/chapter at the meeting?
We held nine unique workshops, all highlighted on the website, that provoked conversation and provoked growth from all aspects, not just technical. Many of our workshops focused on life after graduation, soft skills, and finance workshops. We believe that students really benefited from the variety and options in workshops, as well as from the career and graduate program fair.
Did you connect with any fellow ChemE students, or get to network with any industry professionals?
We were able to connect with 21 different universities in our region, and for that we are so grateful! Being part of the planning process, we were able to form close relationships with our sponsors, university faculty, and industry professionals. This was a great opportunity to bring them to Akron and shine a good light on our university.
What was your favorite part of the conference weekend?
My favorite part of the weekend was the Friday night social and the brewery tours at R. Shea downtown. It was very cool to have so many students united to enjoy a night out along with learning the brewing process from a local brewery. I also enjoyed ChemE Jeopardy and all of our workshops with phenomenal speakers.
2022 North-Central Student Regional Conference
Scroll through the album above to see shots from the 2022 North-Central Student Regional Conference.
2022 AIChE Annual Student Conference
Join us in person at the 2022 AIChE Annual Student Conference in Phoenix, AZ, on –Registration will open by July 2022, and invitation letter requests will be fulfilled beginning in July 2022. AIChE will begin collecting abstracts for the Undergraduate Student Poster Competition in August 2022.