Meet R. Brent Dixon – Featured YP for February 2015

Where are you from?

Stokes, NC; now live in Charlotte, NC

What company/institution do you work for?

PCLS

Where did you complete/are you completing your chemical engineering education?

North Carolina State University

How many years have you been a member of AIChE?

5+

Describe a recent challenge you managed, notable achievement, or obstacle you overcame at your job or in your work as an AIChE member.

I have had the opportunity to revise the quality tracking system in our laboratory. Since inception we have performed daily quality control checks with corrective action. However, the monthly review system did not easily contain a summary of the actions taken on a daily basis. Because the data was available but difficult to consolidate, we have begun a weekly quality review. During this time, corrective actions are reviewed and compiled for the upcoming monthly report. This collaborative effort has streamlined the quality review process while drawing more attention to the overall quality control system.

What do you do to meet people in your field?

The most effective way I have found is through conferences and local section meetings. One thing that really helps facilitate meeting people at a large conference is to attend workshops. These workshops or breakout sessions allow more discussion at a peer level. Networking with other professionals in community settings is also very effective.

What’s the first thought you have when you wake up in the morning?

What's for breakfast?

If your college had offered a class on real-life skills for the aspiring ChE, what would you want them to teach?

Probably the best addition would be a full-scale project from start to finish with real funding. Senior design is great because you have a concept and create a plan with solid technical framework. There is no execution to create a product though. A real project relies on the technical framework, project plan, and follow-through with a multi-disciplinary team. I imagine that quite a few companies would even be willing to outsource small capital projects to a group of bright, aspiring chemical engineers.

 

If you weren’t a ChE what would you most want to be?

At one point I had this figured out. Now I enjoy working in the healthcare field at the interface of science and medicine. Turns out that because of broad training chemical engineers are at least qualified to become qualified at something else. That is great because through life, circumstances change and adaptability is essential. If I took a different track, it would have been more life sciences oriented. The goal would have been the same. That is, to be able to have a positive impact in the community through better resource utilization, food supply, or healthcare.

How many ChEs does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Probably five. One to ensure the power is switched off, one to verify the replacement bulb meets the light assembly spec, one to verify the old bulb failed due to usable hours exceeded, another to compare the old bulb with the new bulb and, finally, one to perform the replacement.

Do you have any advice for current or future young professionals reading ChEnected?

Stay active in the community and continuing education, and definitely participate with your local section.

You can  contact Brent through his Linkedin profile