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Each year the AIChE Local Sections Committee awards outstanding volunteers the Shining Star Award. This award program is designed to recognize exceptional volunteerism at the AIChE local section level and acts as incentive for others to become more involved in local section activities. The award also recognizes individuals for a significant contribution to a large local section event such as a conference.
The committee recognizes volunteers that show:
• Dedication and personal commitment to AIChE and the Local Section
• Willingness to take on a daunting task
• Eagerness to set an example for others
• Willingness to step up and help the section when it needed it the most
• A long history of service to the section and a record of infusing new ideas and energy
Winners of this award receive free registration and expenses paid (up to $1,000) to the AIChE Spring Meeting or the AIChE Annual Meeting.
The hard work and dedication put forth by these individuals is truly admirable. Congratulations to 2015’s winners.
2015 Winners
Sarah Bock, St. Louis Local Section
“I choose to participate in AIChE as both a means to give back to the profession as well as a way to stay current with what others are doing in the profession. I think it’s a fantastic field with lots of opportunity and I continuously encourage young people to enter it and want to see them enjoy their careers as much as I have enjoyed mine!”
Ramiro Rodriguez, Dallas Local Section
“Being involved in AIChE has been the “natural thing” to do since, as a ChE student, I served as a page in the 1961 AIChE Annual Meeting, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After recognizing the versatility of the profession in the improvement of our quality of life during that meeting, I have been increasingly interested in furthering the profession and helping in facilitating its recognition by the young and the old, as well as promoting the highest standards of practice in Chemical Engineering and in the Engineering Profession in general.”
Janet Werner, Chicago Local Section
“AIChE helps me connect with other chemical engineers to make new friends and professional contacts. Being involved in AIChE also allows me to build my leadership skills, gain new understanding about chemical engineering, and provide outreach to students!”
Angelo Perna, North Jersey Local Section
“My involvement with AICHE goes back to my undergraduate days at Clemson over 50 years ago. I was fortunate to have Charlie Littlejohn as a professor, and he was a great believer in belonging and supporting AIChE. I can still visualize the lecture on why we should join AIChE. In essence he indoctrinated us that this was our professional organization and represented us and our profession, and it was our duty to join. I was impressed by his talk and became a believer. I took his advice and never looked back from that day, and to today I have been hooked. However, Charlie left one thing out of his talk that I would have included. Not only is it self-fulfilling and rewarding, but it is the most fun I have gotten out of life.”
Ravindra Dixit, Texas Gulf Coast Local Section
"I have been a member of AIChE since 1979. Our Local section of AIChE offers many technical seminars and social activities. So it is an opportunity to learn and interact with people. In my current role as a director of the local section, Texas Gulf Coast, I am responsible for awards and recognition of local section members for their outstanding contributions. We also award one scholarship to a graduating high school senior from the nine area high schools that are eligible. I actively participate in E-Week activities where we promote science and engineering to 7th and 8th grade students. AIChE is making a difference in the local area and I am happy to be part of it.”
Nominate next year's Shining Stars
If you know of someone deserving of this award, please visit the Shining Star Award website to access the nomination form. The deadline for the 2016 Shining Star Award is Monday, November 30, 2015.