Current Undergraduate Students
Our department is fortunate to have an extremely talented group of undergraduate students. The intellectual curiosity of our students helps to make the classroom an exciting learning environment, and undergraduate students in Chemical Engineering participate in cutting-edge research in collaboration with the Chemical Engineering faculty. Here, we provide some information regarding the diverse interests of four undergraduate students in Chemical Engineering.
Student Spotlight
Claire
Baek
Class of '10
Karthish
Manthiram
Class of '10
Pedro
Hernandez
Class of '10
Milena Gonzalez
Vasquez
Class of '12
Claire Baek
Undergraduate in Chemical Engineering, Class of 2010
Why I Chose Stanford
Stanford was my dream school since freshman year of high school so I didn't have to choose at all. Of course, as a high school student, it was more of the amazing weather and the gorgeous campus that attracted me to this place. It wasn't until I started my undergraduate career that I finally realized and appreciated I was attending a school with world-famous faculty and research facilities. However, I did choose Stanford academically because in addition to its worldwide reputation, all of its departments had well-structured programs I could explore in the process of declaring my undergraduate major. Stanford has given me so much more than I expected – abundant opportunities to do undergraduate research and meet researchers from around the globe, the most diverse cultural and social experiences that has drastically changed the way I perceive the world, and of course, a solid engineering background that gives me the confidence to tackle any problem I have in the future. Stanford has so many resources that can help you find your passion and potential; my friends say they are overwhelmed sometimes by choosing amongst the vast amount of opportunities Stanford gives them each day.
What I Work On
I currently work as an undergraduate research assistant in Professor Zhenan Bao's group. I have a superb graduate student mentor who taught me and is still teaching me skills that I need as a researcher in lab. I am also in the Honors program, which means I plan to write a thesis on a project I have committed to for at least 3 months. My current research topic is on fabricating solution-processed carbon nanotube field-effect transistors. We disperse carbon nanotubes in a solvent called NMP and drop the solution on silicon wafers to fabricate transistors. My job is to adjust the carbon nanotube length by different solution processing techniques to see how it affects transistor properties.
What's Great About Studying Here
One of the most important factors that make Stanford a great place to study is the North Californian weather. This can seem trivial, but I’ve found that plentiful amounts of sunshine do help college students a lot. Although Stanford is an exciting campus, full of student group activities and cultural/political events, it can get stressful sometimes. As much as a degree in ChemE gives you a solid background in engineering, it demands that you spend a lot of your time on problem sets and reading. Beautiful Californian weather will help lower your stress gauge after you have pulled an all-nighter or during midterms/finals week. Another factor that makes Stanford a great place to be is the faculty. It was one of my math class professors who motivated me (back then a freshman who didn’t even have a clue what engineering was) to pursue engineering as my major. Also, faculty here are very supportive of undergraduate research; for me, working in the Bao Group has been a critical experience because it introduced me to a field I constantly want to learn and care about.
What I Hope to Do
I am currently applying for Master’s/Ph.D programs in ChemE and hope to continue doing research in nano-materials for microelectronic devices. I am not sure where graduate school will lead me, but am thinking of working as a researcher in industry, where my engineering skills will directly be put in to use to design new products. Whatever you hope to do, just make sure you keep all your options open! Find what you really care about and dive into it.
Karthish Manthiram
Undergraduate in Chemical Engineering, Class of 2010
Why I Chose Stanford
I chose Stanford Chemical Engineering because the Professors are very approachable and there are abundant research opportunities for undergraduates. Additionally, the Chemical Engineering major at Stanford is very forward-looking, with professors who are willing to bring new applications of chemical engineering into the classroom.
What I Work On
My passion at Stanford has been doing research, including research in cell-free biology in Professor Swartz’s lab and materials chemistry in Professor Yi Cui’s lab. Stanford has invested a tremendous amount of money into making research accessible for undergraduates, beginning as early as the freshman year.
What's Great About Studying Here
Because Stanford Chemical Engineering places a focus on modern problems in the discipline, I have had many memorable lectures on engaging topics, ranging from the fluid mechanics of sports balls to describing the human kidney using chemical engineering principles. Because of the small class size, the professors are very approachable and always know the names of all students in the class within a few weeks into the quarter.
What I Hope to Do
Given how much I have enjoyed research as an undergraduate, I plan on going to graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. I hope to become a professor, so that I can continue to do cutting-edge research and teach future generations.
Pedro Hernandez
Undergraduate in Chemical Engineering, Class of 2010
Why I Chose Stanford
I always dreamed of studying in a university where people were committed to make of the world a better place. However, Stanford University takes this to a new level with an exceptional group of people full of energy, passion, and dedication. Very few places in the world have such a positive spirit and I could not have chosen a better place than Stanford for my undergraduate education.
What I Work On
The most rewarding activity I have been part of at Stanford has been my research project on heterogeneous catalysis with the guidance of professor Daniel Stack. Only at Stanford could I learn how solve problems while working side-by-side with some of the best scientists in the world. In addition, being part of student groups such as the AIChE and the Stanford Scientific Magazine gave me the opportunity to explore other interests and meet students from all different backgrounds to achieve great things while having fun.
What's Great About Studying Here
Stanford University provides you with everything you need to make your dreams come true. From classes to research opportunities, from faculty to student groups, all of these give you the tools you need to make a difference and have a positive impact on the world.
What I Hope to Do
I am interested in continuing my studies in Chemical Engineering either with a Masters or a PhD degree. Yet in the long run, I see myself applying all I learned and keep learning from Stanford to be a leader and improve the world with better, cleaner, and safer technologies.
Milena Gonzalez Vasquez
Undergraduate in Chemical Engineering, Class of 2012
Why I Chose Stanford
I did not have the opportunity to visit Stanford before making my decision, but if I had, I would have chosen it with even more certainty. Thinking about Stanford—the beautiful campus, academic quality in majors across the board, the reputation of the university and its alumni, Northern California weather—the pro-list grew rapidly. Digging a little more into Stanford Engineering, the main research areas caught my eye, especially environment and energy. I was also very fortunate to attend the Stanford Summer Engineering Academy (SSEA) before starting freshman year, further convincing me of my decision to study here. During SSEA I was able to see what Stanford was all about, meet students and faculty from different engineering departments, and get familiar with Stanford’s resources. Whether through Admit Weekend, a summer program, or on your own, I would definitely recommend visiting the university to understand what is so great about Stanford that cannot be described in a pro/con list.
What I Work On
I am a recently declared chemical engineer, and I am planning on going abroad to Paris next spring. Also, this will be my second year as director of fundraising for Engineers for a Sustainable World-Stanford (ESW), a national, non-profit organization. Last year I was also a Project Leader for our ecological sanitation project in Oaxaca, Mexico. Throughout the year we organize several events and workshops on campus, and take on a couple of projects in developing countries, where we apply engineering ingenuity to promote sustainability and fight poverty. During the summer I began working in Professor Tom Jaramillo's lab in chemical engineering. My project consists of synthesizing films for photo-electrochemical cells—they use sunlight to produce a chemical fuel— in an effort to save the world, as every other researcher will say (or at least to prevent the energy crisis). Being able to dive into research during the summer has been extremely rewarding, not only in the amount of things I have learned and skills I have gained within my research area, but also as a head-start to continue working on this project during the academic year.
What's Great About Studying Here
The great thing about Stanford is the range of opportunities it has to offer, not only academically, but in research and student groups as well. If you are sure about what you want to do and Stanford offers it then you are set, but even if you have no clue, or your interests range from fuzzy to techie, from rock-climbing to community service, or from singing to entrepreneurship, Stanford will surely have something for you. Undergraduate life is all about getting to know yourself by exploring different things, even if it is just to know that that is not what you want to do. As a freshman, Stanford gives you the opportunity to do jus that through multi-disciplinary academic requirements, introductory seminars, a “shopping period” for trying out classes, and a wide variety of athletic courses. In addition, the Stanford community, including faculty and student groups, always has its door open for you to find your place and make your mark.
What I Hope to Do
As far as the rest of my education at Stanford, I hope I can study for a quarter in Paris and perhaps even find a job there during the summer. I will continue to be involved in Engineers for a Sustainable World, and in my research in the Jaramillo lab. I would also like to co-term in engineering—still undecided as to which program exactly, however. Some other form of graduate education will follow after some years in the workforce, potentially an MBA. I wish to work in the energy and environment field, and I hope to create an impact in sustainable development, starting from my roots in Latin America. For now, I will try to gain the tools necessary to make a difference in the future.