Category: Alumni

Albert DaCosta (BS ‘98) returned to his old stomping grounds recently to discuss life after the University of Florida and offer advice for future graduates.

Sunil Roy’s journey started in India, wove though Gainesville and – for now – landed him in Silicon Valley. He came back to UF in January and spoke to students about those years, and more specifically, his experiences at the University of Florida.  

Ryan Montes’ upbringing in a “humble Latin family” in Florida may seem so different from his experiences at the University of Florida and his career path. But, in reality, their tightly held family values, such as hard work, resilience, and focus on pursuing a better life, are why he has thrived in his field.  These […]

Until recently, Hansel Montalvo was a fourth-year Ph.D. student exploring reaction mechanisms and material catalysts to produce alkenes and aromatics. However, it’s networking that helped him get selected into two prestigious programs this summer and helped him determine his next career step.  Montalvo met Beata Kilos, Ph.D., a Dow Fellow, when she delivered a graduate […]

Particle Technology Forum Recognizes Two Chemical Engineering Alums Two alumni from the UF Department of Chemical Engineering were recognized at the recent Particle Technology Forum (PTF), which is part of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). The purpose of the forum is to “promote information exchange, scholarship, research and education in the field of […]

At the Graduate Association of Chemical Engineers (GRACE) annual Symposium, John Blazeck, Ph.D. (ChE B.S. ’07), delivered a captivating keynote speech on his research and shared two big-picture ideas for combating cancer. He is exploring two innovative approaches to help the body fight cancer: using enzymes to fix cancer cells’ metabolism to boost the body’s immune system and […]

Marissa Dockendorf, Ph.D., (Ph.D. ChE ’05), Executive Director, Head of Global Digital Analytics & Technologies at Merck & Co. Inc., presented to students in the Department of Chemical Engineering about her career progression through industry.  Dr. Dockendorf has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 14 years and at Merck for 10 of those years. She […]

After graduating from the University of Florida in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, and then earning his master’s in engineering and an MBA, Jayant Shroff worked for 10 years in R&D jobs at Fortune 500 companies including Bell Labs, AT&T, Lucent Technologies, and ExxonMobil Research and Engineering. His professional career in the […]

Havala O. T. Pye, Ph.D., (BSCHE ’05), Research Scientist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), presented to students in the Department of Chemical Engineering how chemical engineering is used in research at a regulatory agency, and what it is like to work for the federal government as a scientist. Dr. Pye’s work at […]

Kevin Lin, (BSCHE ‘15), Senior R&D Engineer at PepsiCo, presented to students in the Department of Chemical Engineering how he applies artificial intelligence (AI) in his job at PepsiCo Research and Development. While working in the Foods R&D Applied AI team, Lin leads projects to apply machine vision and machine learning to streamline manufacturing processes […]

Department of Chemical Engineering alumnus, John Blazeck, has been recognized by the university in this year’s “40 under 40” awards, which honor outstanding young alumni whose achievements positively impact The Gator Nation® as they go greater in their communities and professions. JOHN BLAZECK John Blazeck (BSCHE ’07) grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before attending the […]

The chairman of Tropical Smoothie Café believes in balance – work, family, service, social life – and the power of free frappé to lift spirits. by David Finnerty This spring as the coronavirus tormented nations and stretched hospitals to their snapping points, Scott Pressly made smoothies. Dozens became hundreds. Each, to the health workers he […]

Gator100 celebrates the world’s “Fastest Growing Gator Companies” and honors UF Engineering Alumnus Scott Pressly with the Pinnacle Award. Recognized as one of the country’s leading franchise investors, Pressly’s career includes over 25 years of venture capital, brand management and franchise expertise. Using his signature Franchise Accelerator Model, he has helped entrepreneurs create dominant franchise […]

Originally published by Air Force Research Lab Corporate Communications. Dr. Jennifer Fielding, Section Chief of Composite Performance and Applications at the Air Force Research Laboratory, was one of 20 women who received special recognition from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) for making their mark in aerospace and defense smart manufacturing. Smart manufacturing uses computer technology […]

Alumni Share Their Insight and Experience CHRIS BIRDSALL, B.S., ChE ‘96 Vice President, Catalysts and Licensing, ExxonMobil  What do you remember about your time in ChE at UF? The lifelong relationships formed during my time at UF is what I remember the most. I had a tight-knit group of friends in my class; we shared […]