Kate Flynn
Shelley and Jonathan Bagg established an Endowed Scholarship in Chemical Engineering in 2007 to support undergraduate ChemE students. Such scholarships enable the department to attract and retain the highest caliber students. In a previous article, Shelley Bagg spoke eloquently of the motivations for her philanthropy.
A scholarship enabled me to earn a degree that catapulted me to a better life. [Jonathan and I] credit much of our success to our UW education, and the Students First initiative gives us the opportunity to pass this legacy on by helping deserving students obtain chemical engineering degrees.
We caught up with three students benefiting from the Bagg’s generous gift -- Adam Albaum, a current ChemE undergrad, Max Kaganyuk, now in a PhD program at the University of California, Irvine, and Joseph Crowell, now an engineer at Boeing. Their stories testify to the value of a topnotch education, and the many positive effects of scholarship support. The Bagg scholarship has played an important role in helping this new generation of engineers pursue their aspirations in their own unique ways.
Adam Albaum, currently a Junior in ChemE, is the most recent Bagg scholarship recipient. More than happy to chat about The Davinci Code and the Dawg Pack, Albaum’s eyes really light up when he talks about carbon 11 tagged methyl iodide. While still a sophomore he began working with Dr. Jeanne Link in the Molecular Imaging Research lab in the UW Medical Center. Albaum designed and built small-scale systems for the synthesis of carbon 11 tagged methyl iodide (and Fluorine 18 tagged Fluorobenzoic acid), which can contribute to the production of compounds used to perform PET scans. “It was awesome experience,” he says. “I loved all of it. Dr. Link was great to work with and super helpful. During that time was when I found out that I really wanted to be chemical engineering.”
Albaum credits his research project with developing his ability to look at a process strategically – he describes using textbooks to research chemical reactions, the milling machine and sottering tools to assemble the lab apparatus, computer programming to wire up the system correctly, and perseverance to adjust the system at least a hundred times in pursuit of maximum yield. He believes one of the most valuable characteristics of his training is the strong intuition for different properties that can be gained while in the lab. “To intuitively know how the heat will transfer here, how the mass will transfer there, is a way of thinking that will benefit me for the rest of my life.”
The Bagg scholarship makes a significant difference for him in creating the time to focus on his classwork and research. “The stress of paying for tuition, text books, and everything is enormous,” Albaum says. “I’m glad I was chosen to receive the scholarship.”
Albaum doesn’t spend all his time in the lab; in fact, another reason he chose ChemE is its collaborative approach to learning. He notes that “teamwork is encouraged because in the real world we’ll be working with other engineers. I love working with people, and the quality of my classmates has definitely influenced my studies in a positive way.”
Outside of his studies, hometown boy Albaum loves playing intramural sports at UW, and has an impressive list: football, basketball, softball, and soccer. He snowboards in the winter and also reads a lot, though lately he only reads textbooks. Looking forward to his career as an engineer, he thinks of energy solutions as one possibility and is leaving his options open. This summer he hopes to gain additional insight into the field by participating in an industry internship. “I definitely have some ideas,” he says with a confident smile.
Two other Bagg scholarship recipients who have already embarked on their careers as engineers chose divergent paths -- Max Kaganyuk is pursuing a PhD in ChemE at UC Irvine, while Joseph Crowell entered industry, landing a job at Boeing.
Max Kaganyuk, 2012-13 Baggs recipient, graduated in June 2013 and is now in the a PhD program at University of California, Irvine. This winter he joins a colloidal science lab focusing on “cool microstructures" with potential applications in tissue engineering, fuel cells, and chemical separations. He has high hopes for his NSF grant proposal to study the rheology of these microstructures, known as bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gels, or bijels.
Looking back over his path to a PhD program, Kaganyuk gives a shout out to the "Hooked on Photonics" program, his first step into research. "It was a really pivotal step. I landed on the UW campus and pretty much was independent. It’s one of the more realistic experiences of what graduate school is like." And he was hooked!
“Do you know Victor Mills?” he asks. “He’s on the wall in Benson.” A 1926 ChemE grad, with a plaque on the Wall of Fame in Benson Hall, Mills invented Pampers Disposable Diapers, improved Duncan Hines Cake Mix and Jif Peanut Butter, developed processes to make soap and shortening, and the list goes on. Kaganyuk admires the way Mills' laboratory work translated into everyday life. “Mills had his hand in everything, and a wide range of applicability,” Kaganyuk recalls. “There’s a reason why we’re considered universal engineers. That’s when I decided, ‘Chemical Engineering’.”
Kaganyuk credits the Bagg scholarship with giving him time to develop his passion for research. “The scholarship definitely helped me in that respect," he says. "It reassured me that I was financially supported for school. It helped make sure that the rent was paid. It was nice to know it was OK to focus on academics. [The scholarship] went a long way toward ensuring there was time for academics and research.” Everyone who contributed to Kaganyuk's education can feel rewarded by their efforts -- through his studies, he found the intellectual challenges that excite him and the lab environment in which he excels.
Kaganyuk admits that ever since his admission to grad school, his grandmother refers to him as “Professor.” He’s leaving that door open, anticipating the chance to be a TA and give a lecture or two. With Victor Mills in mind, though, he believes his training prepared him to find applications in diverse industries with any number of options on his horizon.
Joseph Crowell, 2011-12 Bagg recipient, graduated in August 2012 and now works as a Materials & Process Engineer at The Boeing Company. Currently part of the Organic Finishes group in Boeing Research and Technology, his position entails screening emerging technologies for potential development and supporting current paint processes. Crowell particularly enjoys the dual nature of his work; he is involved in both technical and hands-on laboratory aspects of projects. Much of the research done by Boeing Research and Technology is proprietary and he does not discuss the details, but says “I thoroughly enjoy the work I do at The Boeing Company.”
Crowell expresses the importance of the Bagg scholarship to him during his senior year in ChemE: “I remember when I got the acceptance letter; it felt like a big burden was lifted. The scholarship enabled me to do undergraduate research with Dr. John Berg which was the highlight of my undergraduate education. It allowed me to focus on classes and research during an otherwise financially stressful time.”
In the Berg Group he worked with Benjamin Rutz investigating the use of silica nanoparticles in fiber-reinforced composites to increase adhesion between e-glass fibers and an epoxy matrix.
In his spare time, Crowell enjoys both domestic and international travelling whenever an opportunity presents itself. He particularly enjoys train travel and travelled around the United States last year on Amtrak. He also likes studying topics from other engineering disciplines and is currently dabbling with circuits and programming.