Chemical Engineering Guy(s)
By Chemical Engineering Guy
Chemical Engineering Guy(s)Nov 13, 2020
024 - Season Break 2021
I'm taking a break! I will be preparing more content for the coming future! Stay tuned!
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/season-break-2021
023 - Alec Slungaard a Technical Support Specialist at Honeywell
This is an amazing episode! I really think Alec's Background is great for those looking for hardcore design & operation of industrial processes. He's been everywhere, Food Industry, Oil & Gas, Fine Chemicals and other!
He is currently working as a Technical Support Sales Engineer, which is in charge of solving all technical issues given in Honeywell Gas Absorption Area.
We talked about moving to California, work-life balance and getting back to the Chicago Area.
I hope you enjoy as I did!
Show Notes and Links:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/alec-slungaard-a-technical-support-specialist-at-honeywell/
022 - Rutvi Sanghavi Student with Professional background working with Unit Operations and EPC
Rutvi shares her story on being a student in the pandemic, how she has been adapting and more importantly, how she avoided procrastination and got her internships in Unit Operation Control for Pharma Industry then in Jacobs Engineering Group.
She is currently hunting for a job.
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/rutvi-sanghavi-student-with-professional-background-working-with-unit-operations-and-epc/
021 - Jared Iland a Chemical Engineer Going for Electrochemistry Master Degree
Are you into Research? Or are you just curious of what is going to happen with our car and it's internal combustion engine? Well, you are in the right place!
Jared shares his story on how he wants to help the environment via his studies in Electrochemistry... Did you know that most of the future cars are going to be Battery Energized? No more fossil fuels!
There is a big role to improve electrochemical batteries (i.e. lithium ion or sodium ion batteries) and this is what Jared is covering in his Degree!
We also chatted a little bit on bachelor life (UC Irvine) and why he ended up going for a Master Degree in the first place.
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/jared-iland-a-chemical-engineer-going-for-electrochemistry-master-degree
020 - Gaby Van Horn and the Importance of English Speaking Skills in the Workplace
In this episode, we talk about ENGLISH language... Yeah, It sounds kinda boring, but it is NOT, especially if you are not a native English speaker.
We shared tips to improve the english skills of fellow students and young professionals in the workplace as well as landing scholarships & research degrees with the help of English itself.
Gaby van Horn is a English Coach which helps her clients boos their communication skills.
I hope you enjoy the tips and recommendations!
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/gaby-van-horn-and-the-importance-of-english-speaking-skills-in-the-workplace/
019 - Mohamed Sorour a Chemical Engineer from the EAEAT Academy Affiliated to the Ministry of Military Production in Egypt
In this episode, I talked with Mohamed Sorour, a student from the EAEAT, the Egyptian Academy For Engineering And Advanced Technology which is affiliated to the Ministry of Military Production of Egypt.
We chatted about Geopolitics, the importance of the Oil & Gas Industry in Egypt and the Middle East, the discovery of the Zohr Field and its relevance in the new Natural Gas trend as well as how is life as an engineer in such arab states.
We also discussed two processes, the Amine Gas Treating, which is used to "sweeten" or remove impurities of H2S in natural gas as well as the TEG Dehydration used also in Natural Gas Treating.
I really enjoyed this one, since it is now a student in a not so conventional private university but a university affiliated to the Military Ministry as well as covering some theoretical concepts and HYSYS Simulations.
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/mohamed-sorour-a-chemical-engineer-from-the-eaeat-academy-affiliated-to-the-ministry-of-military-production-in-egypt/
018 - Gianni Esposito a Chemical Engineer Goes Full Time Chef With His Italian Restaurant
This one is GOLD, an unique. I sat down with Gianni Esposito, a Chemical Engineer which has not only dropped Chemical Engineering for good... But has started his own way on the family restaurant in Mazatlan.
He talks to us how he felt frustrated and with lack of passion in all those jobs until he got to the cuisine! Cooking for the Restaurant is what made his heart tick!
As a fellow entrepreneur or ChemE which does NOT takes the "normal" path, I felt identified with this profile. Its great to share his story, for all those wondering if what they are doing is worth it... Or if they should go and pursue their passion... Check out Gianni's Story!
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/gianni-esposito-a-chemical-engineer-goes-full-time-chef-with-his-italian-restaurant/
017 - Gerardo Moreno a Key Account Manager for PepsiCo Products at Walmart
Gerardo Moreno has one of the best performance as a Chemicals Engineer in the Retail Industry.
This chat is pure gold! We talked more than an hour and a half! It was intense! We talked about lots of things such as moving from city to city, enrolling in trainees, becoming manager, networking in PepsiCo to improve your standing in the company and tips for climbing the corporate ladder.
Delivery is King, but Networking is Queen! As Gerardo Moreno stated it.
He is currently a Key Account Manager for PepsiCo in Walmart... Essentially he is the "go to" guy of PepsiCo whenever products are required in Walmart. ALL revolves around the Key Account Manager: logistics, storage, sales, placement, marketing, promotion, even shelf positioning!
We also talked about working for a sugar water company and the ethical/moral issues of working in such companies! The reply form Gerardo is just: GREAT!
I hope you enjoy as I did!
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/gerardo-moreno-a-key-account-manager-for-pepsico-products/
016 - Ammar Mamajiwala Oil & Gas Engineer Going Into Membrane Technologies & Finance
I got the opportunity to talk with Ammar Mamajiwala, a Chemical Engineer which started his career in the Oil & Gas Industry, mostly in Production and Process Engineering.
He was born in India, but moved many times in his life, to Middle East and then to Canada.
He started in Oil&Gas because... yeah, he wanted a successful career in a promising industry!
Ammar worked there for 3-4 years and he explains us how he transitioned from Oil & Gas Industries in Canada to Membrane Separation Technologies in California, USA.
This jump is crazy and he explains us in detail about it.
Finally, Ammar explains us about his dream of becoming a Certified Financial Analyst and how he expects to shift his career to Business & Finance.
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/ammar-mamajiwala-oil-gas-engineer-going-into-membrane-technologies-finance/
015 - Daniel Bermudez a Business Consultant Manager for the Energy Sector
This time I'm with Daniel Bermudez, a great friend of mine from University.
We suffered lots of courses such as Heat Transfer and Momentum Transport.
He is one of th ebrightest minds I have ever met!
We had a chat about his life, essentially his background and profile.
He has been working in Business Consulting, mostly in the Energy Sector i.e. Oil&Gas, Green Energies, etc...
He shares also tips to climb this rough corporate ladder.
Finally, we talked about the energy and environmental crisis that our world is facing.
I hope you enjoy! I did a lot!
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/daniel-bermudez-a-business-consultant-manager-for-the-energy-sector
014 - Online Conference on Chemical Engineering with SPACE at UET – Tips for Recent Graduates & Young Engineers
I was invited by some students from the Society of Pakistan for Advance Chemical Engineering (SPACE) from the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) in Lahore, Pakistan.
We had a great chat related to recent graduates, tricks, tips and how to succeed taking tips from other fellow chemical engineers.
Full Blog Post:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/online-conference-on-chemical-engineering-with-space-at-uet-tips-for-recent-graduates-young-engineers
013 - Dr. Asim Rizvi a Ph. Doctor in Chemical Engineering Professor at Punjab University
I chatted with Dr. Asim Rizvi about many things! It's great to be able to share our love for education of engineering fields, specifically Chemical Engineering.
Asim shares his story from humble beginnings as a Ph. Doctor Student in the UK, making his thesis on Oxy Fuels Combustion. He talks about how he went with his family (wife and son) to the UK and how he had to go through rough times in order to become a Ph. Doctor.
He then tells us how he applied and got back as a Professor at the Punjab University back in Lahore, Pakistan where he keeps teaching Bachelor and Master Degree Students all year long!
Then we covered the topic of being a student, how to improve your learning, tips for better academic life and much more!
This chat is for all those who enjoy teaching, researching or might want to explore being a professor at a university.
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/dr-asim-rizvi-a-ph-doctor-in-chemical-engineering-professor-at-punjab-university/
012 - Jeferson Costa The Chemical Process Engineer From INPROCESS
Jeferson Costa is one of my idols to follow in the "Online" Chemical Engineering World. He has awesome content and he has been doing a great job lately with all his content and marketing with his INPROCESS group.
I know him since the moment that he got in contact back in 2017.
We have been chatting and sending e-mails back and forth ever since. He is a great friend to have as well!
Jeferson has a lot of expertise in chemical and process engineering, mostly in plant design. He has been working with lots of "heavy weight" companies such as PraxAir, Braskem, and many other.
He went to China and there he got his Eureka moment to teach online to other fellow chemical and process engineers around the world.
Ever since, he has been working in his own Consulting Firma as well as Teaching Online.
You can check more of his work directly in his website https://www.JefersonCosta.com
We chatted about lots of things, his beginnings, his first job, why he wanted to go into studying law, how and when he was let go from his job and about his current projects.
We also had a discussion... Is Saga of Gemini really the best Saint Seiya Kinght of the Zodiac?
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/jeferson-costa-the-chemical-process-engineer-from-inprocess/
011 - Raul Jimenez Goes From PepsiCo to Making Business in the Gastronomic Industry
This Episode is very special to me as it was the very first episode I recorded with help of one of my best friends from university: Luis Raul Jimenez.
We chat about Chemical Engineering overall, going from recent graduate to a big company such as PepsiCo, climbing the corporate ladder, being a project engineer vs a field engineer and much more!
More importantly, we talked about Chemical Engineering, Entrepreneurship and the Gastronomic Industry. Raul shows us how Chemical Engineers can fit in any industry, for example, the Gastro and Food Delivery.
It is one of my priorities to find Chemical Engineers that are choosing the path as ENTREPRENEURS. I think that the world needs now more than ever new companies, new jobs and new products. Chemical Engineers must be going this way!
We will be doing a second episode so please let us know your doubts!
Show Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/raul-jimenez-goes-from-pepsico-to-making-business-in-the-gastronomic-industry/
010 - Annual Review 2020 and Goals for 2021
I love the idea of setting NEW GOALS in the beginning of the YEAR.
I got inspired from Chris Guillebeau’s Post on How to Conduct an Annual Review. I’m linking to the 2020 version, but I have been doing this since 2014. It really helps to know what you have achieved and more importantly, where are you “standing”.
Also, it helps to get more realistic with your future goals and bring you to places you would never imagine!
Check out how I closed my 2020 Goals in this blog post. Create more Courses!
MY STORY – ONLINE COURSES
The main core of my project “Chemical Engineering Guy” has been always helping Chemical Engineering Students & Professionals to have quality educational content online. There are many ways in which this can be provided, but I think Online Courses are one of the best ways to deliver quality and value.
Since I first launched my first course on “Mass Balance” back in 2014 I have learnt a LOT… And when I mean a LOT is really a LOT.
I was a young engineer with no knowledge in online businesses, digital marketing, social medias, e-mail listing, website creations, course hosting, online bakning & finance, e-commerce and so on! Yet, I decided to do this as I felt it was the RIGHT path to go… Long story short, I still believe this is the RIGHT path to go!
You guys know me most likely from my YouTube Channel, UDEMY or directly from a Google Search to either my blog or my courses. That’s great! This has been the main ways in which I get traffic to my website and be able to sell courses and make a living.
My dream is to expand and create a team of engineers making online content for more engineers! Hopefully I will be able to do this soon!
READ MORE...
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/general/my-2020-annual-review/
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/general/my-2021-goals/
009 - Christmas Special Episode - Lessons Learnt, Future Plans and More...
This is just a small break for the holidays!
I talk about what I have learnt in the process of podcasting with fellow Chemical and Process Engineers!
I also talk about the future plans of the Podcast!
Merry Christmas!
Check it out!
Episode Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/podcast/christmas-special-episode-lessons-learnt-future-plans-and-more/
008 - Fernando Tello – From Business Consulting Engineering to Real State & Finance
Fernando Tello is one of my best friends, he is currently opening his way as an entrepreneur in the Real State & Financing Services Industry. He has a pretty interesting profile, starting as a young hard working engineer for a Consulting Engineering Firms. Fernando rapidly learnt that this type of job was not matching with what he wanted the most: Economic Freedom.
Fernando shares how he switched from a very "conservative" industry into Real State. He tells us how Material Balances helped him with the understanding of how to apply his financial services into the Real State Industry. Tello leverages his engineering background with one of the largest and most mature industries in the world.
He wants to learn to play the acoustic guitar & since the pandemic, we have enjoyed playing Age of Empires II.
Episodes Notes:
007 - Jose Luis Farias a Group Project Engineer at Puratos
A Group Project Engineer is someone who is in charge of giving service to other engineering branches as well as other crucial departments such as logistics, marketing, distribution, production, packings, research and development as well as reporting directly to the Managers and Directors. This is Jose Luis Farias main task.
He has been working mostly in Consulting Engineering, Environmental Engineering Food & Industry Engineering. His job titles are either Design Engineer, Process Engineer or currently, Project Engineer.
It was a pleasure to chat with him, as we tried an episode attempt back in 2015. This time, we have both more experience on our paths, so it was great to compare both episodes!
He is currently working at Puratos in Brussels, Belgium.
I hope you enjoy it as I did!
Episodes Notes:
https://www.chemicalengineeringguy.com/the-blog/jose-luis-farias-group-project-engineer-at-puratos
006 - Chuku Oje an Environmental Engineer in Air Quality Control for the State of Michigan
Chuku Oje is currently working as a Environmental Permit Engineer for the State of Michigan, mostly in Air Quality Control for emissions and particulates.
He travelled all the way from the West Coast (San Francisco) in order to start his Bachelor Degree in Chemical Engineering with a particular focus in Biomolecular Engineering... All of this in the University of Pennsylvania.
He had a rough time in the 2008 crisis taking almost a year to set foot in his first job: Environmental Engineer for the City of Philadelphia.
He had a change of heart and moved to Consulting Engineering at AECOM in DC Area working with several different clients from many industries, but still with a focus in Air Quality and Environmental Control.
He is now currently working for the State of Michigan as a Permit Environmental Engineer. His main tasks:
Review Permit-to-Install (PTI) applications for the installation of new equipment and associated control devices.
Reviews of permit applications include an evaluation of potential emissions from the installation or modification of air emissions sources.
In his free time, he fences (yep, the actual swords) and he enjoys it a lot!
A random fact: apparently, he is all in regarding Chivas-America rivarly... Sorry guys, if you want to see some real Mexican teams check out Tigres UANL.
Full Blog Post:
005 - Daniel Vosburg a Process Automation Engineer for the Pharmaceutical Industry
Daniel Vosburg is a young Chemical Engineer which has been focusing towards automation, control, programming and much more into the "techie" side of ChemE.
He studied in Northeastern University and got right away into programming in his Co-Ops. Working as a Process Engineer in New England Controls, a company into Biotech. Then, continued with his second co-op at Continuus Pharmaceutical, exploring much more the automation area.
He continued right away to his master degree in chemical engineering.
Afterwards, he got his very first job in Vertex Pharmaceuticals, which is no doubt one of the largest Pharma Companies in the Boston Area.
There, Daniel has worked in PLC Construction & Implementation, Human Machine Interfaces, and much more!
In his free time, Daniel relaxes with Art and Writing!
Full Blog Post & Notes:
004 - Ivana Lukec a Process Design, Optimization and Simulation Consultant Entrepreneur
Ivana is a Ph. Doctor in Chemical Engineering. She has been working in the industry since almost 15 years already. She specializes in operation control, optimization, process design and simulation. Ivana is currently working in many projects, one of which is SimulateLive which is one portal or blog for Chemical Engineers. It has plenty of resources. Besides that, she works in an European Comission for Evaluation of Projects as well as organizing Symposiums and Conferences for the Croatian Society for Fuels and Lubricants. You can contact her at ivana.lukec@simulatelive.com
Check out the full blog post and notes here:
003 - Victor Awad a Consultant Engineer for the Food and Beverage Industry
Victor Awad has maybe the "dream job" of many! He is currently working in process design for a Consulting Engineering Firm. He gets to see most of the Engineering Design & Operation Steps!
He gets to interact with the client, with the operatos, with the current "status quo" for existing processes but in the other hand, he gets to design and commission new plants.
Victor has been aiming to work in the same "consulting engineering" line since he got out from University.
We talked about Oil & Gas and other small things too!
In the distant future, he sees himself working as a teacher in order to help others.
Check out the full blog post and notes here:
002 - Bruno Ferreira a BASF Trainee Working as Process Engineer
I really enjoyed this one! I sat with Bruno Ferreira which is a young engineer working currently as a Process Engineer at BASF in Brazil. He is currently in a rotation Trainee, meaning that he gets to go and work in multiple plants such as acrylic acid plant, the monomer plant and finally the polymerization plant as well as the final manufacturing of the Diaper Materials.
His first contact with the industry was at BRASKEM which is one of the largest Oil & Gas companies in South America. Bruno worked first as a Process and Plant Intern, then got a job at Paranapanema in a smaller process recovering Sulfur as Sulfuric Acid from Cupper Mining.
He also talked on how to switch from Industries & Companies with the support of Networking and LinkedIn!
It was great to share some stories from Mexican and Brazilian Engineering, as they are pretty similar in many aspects.
I really think he is living the Chemical Engineering Dream:
- Working in a Process or Plant Engineering Role
- Working in the Largest and most important Chemical Company: BASF
Check out the full blog post and notes here:
001 - Daniel Garza an Industrial & Craft Beer Brewer
This time we sat with Chemical Engineer Daniel Garza, currently working in one of the largest brewing groups in the world. He is currently working as a Process, Production and Planning Engineer.
We talked about lots of thing since we both graduated from an IBO High School in Monterrey, Mexico. Actually, we both selected Chemical Engineering as our Bachelor but in different universities.
He is a UANL - FCQ (Chemical Sciences Faculty) graduate.
We covered lots of topics, from brewing beer, being a recent graduate, landing internships and what it feels to work in a "dream job" such as in the Beer Industry. He also let us know about his side projects like home-brewing.
Check out the full blog post and notes here: