UMBC chemical engineering students win first place in the 2023 Mid-Atlantic Regional AIChE ChemE Jeopardy Competition. Thus, qualifying for the 2023 National AIChE ChemE Jeopardy Competition in Orlando, FL in November as part of the AIChE National Conference. This is the fourth year in a row a UMBC team qualified for the National AIChE ChemE Jeopardy Competition.

Eighteen teams competed during the AIChE ChemE Jeopardy Mid-Atlantic Competition held at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, including two teams from UMBC. After the preliminary rounds, the UMBC teams placed first and second in the semi-finals, tied at 9 points each. The semifinal round was a knockout round, and UMBC’s ‘Team One’ advanced to the finals. The final round of competition was between UMBC, Johns Hopkins University (2nd place) and Stony Brook University (3rd place). 

The success of both teams is the result of consistent hard work and support from the teams’ faculty advisors are Dr. Neha Raikar and Dr. Mariajosé Castellanos as well as other students. Taylor deSilva, chemical engineering ‘23, is instrumental in preparing the teams for competition by organizing weekly practices including setting up sample game boards. 

Team One

• Ethan Banks, chemical engineering, traditional track ‘24
• Paul Loberg, chemical engineering, biotechnology and bioengineering track ‘24
• Max Bobbin, chemical engineering, environmental engineering & sustainability track ‘23
• Catherine Wraback - chemical engineering, traditional track ‘23

Team Two

• Pavan Umashankar, chemical engineering, biotechnology and bioengineering track ‘24

• Colin Jones,  chemical engineering, biotechnology and bioengineering track ‘25

• Jacob Craft, chemical engineering, environmental engineering & sustainability track ‘24
• Zachary Bogart, chemical engineering, environmental engineering & sustainability track ‘23

UMBC CBEE students and advisor at the AIChE 2023 Mid-Atlantic Student Regional Conference, April 22-23

Photo Credit: Max Bobbin

Back to front;  Pavan Umashankar, Paul Loberg, Caton , David Ni, Zachary Bogart, Ben Willing, Catherine Wraback, Jacob Craft, Colin Jones, Neha Sian, Dr. Neha Raikar, Sarah Donyaee, Afrah Ahmed, Ethan Banks, Max Bobbin. 

AIChE Conference Chem-E Jeopardy Competition Bracket 

UMBC teams placed 1st and 2nd in the Semi Finals round, tied at 9 points. 

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ENCH 333: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SEMINAR:PHARMA CAREERS AND DRUG DEVELOPMENT

MONDAYS 5:00 PM-6:30 PM

Congratulations to Jahir Antonio Batista Andrade, Ph.D. Candidate in Environmental Engineering, on his first publication related to his Ph.D. research. Batista Andrade, under the supervision of Dr. Lee Blaney, worked with a team of researchers including undergraduate (Erick Diaz, ‘21 Chemical Engineering & Diego Iglesias Vega, ‘23 Chemical Engineering) and graduate students (Ethan Hain, Ph.D. ‘22 Chemical and Biochemical Engineering) as well as postdoctoral researchers (Michael Rose) from Blaney Lab on the research published in the Water Research journal.

The journal article is titled: “Spatiotemporal analysis of fluorescent dissolved organic matter to identify the impacts of failing sewer infrastructure in urban streams”. The findings of this study describe the use of fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) to track hotspots of raw wastewater in urban streams. The study analyzed 296 surface water samples from 27 sites in two watersheds over a one-year period and found that the area-normalized ratio of soluble microbial product-like to humic acid-like fluorescence (R4/R5 ≥ 0.85) and the ratio of EEM-PARAFAC components with tryptophan-like and fulvic acid-like fluorescence (C4/C3 ≥ 1.45) could be used to distinguish when and where untreated wastewater is introduced to these streams.

The researchers validated the proposed ratios by detecting contaminants such as sucralose, antibiotics, and UV filters in the samples. They identified three sites impacted by septic systems and ten sites affected by sanitary sewer overflows and/or sewer exfiltration. These hotspots occurred almost every month, with the majority being identified in the spring and early summer.

The study's findings suggest that EEM-PARAFAC-based wastewater indicators could be a quick, easy, cost-effective, and scalable technique for identifying failing sewer infrastructure in low-order streams. This is important as failing infrastructure can introduce raw wastewater into these streams, potentially causing environmental and public health issues.

UMBC chemical engineering students win ChemE Jeopardy national championship

Road to the finals

Making a name for themselves

Kaylyn Stewart,‘24, chemistry

Blaney Lab, UMBC

When did you start your research on campus? Fall 2021

What is the focus of your research? I work on improving the efficiency of recovering nutrients and contaminants from wastewater systems via Donnan Dialysis in Dr. Lee Blaney’s lab. 

What advice do you have for students who are interested in getting involved in research on campus? It is definitely intimidating, joining a research lab where you basically know nothing. But you’re not expected to know everything! You learn as you go, from other members of the lab, the PI, and from doing a little bit of reading on your own. It also helps if the lab is doing research you are actually interested in; doesn’t have to be a lifetime passion, but an interest. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the PI expressing your interest!

Summer 2022: University of California-Irvine Department of Chemistry

What is the focus of your research/internship?

Studying the microenvironment of electrode surfaces under ionomer coatings

What advice do you have for students who are interested in getting involved in research or an internship?

It's a good idea to start looking earlier rather than later for internships/REU programs. A lot of the applications are due around winter break. Also, even if you're not sure if research is for you, apply!!! That's the best way to find out. It's truly an amazing and rewarding experience, especially if you apply to a research program at another university. They typically pay for your housing, food, flight, and you get paid a stipend! Plus, you get to experience a new part of the country and meet some new people along the way.

Are you a member of any clubs/campus organizations?

American Chemical Society Student Chapter (President)

What are your goals after graduation?

I plan on attending graduate school to pursue my Ph.D.

Learn more about Kaylyn Stewart: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylyn-stewart-a163121b3/

Twitter: @krstewart02 

Did you participate in a summer research opportunity or a summer internship? Tell us more about it